World-Class San Francisco Bay Living, Just a Boat Ride from SF
There are few places in the Bay Area that offer a bay-front lifestyle with Golden Gate Bridge views that do not require IPO money. Point Richmond, the peninsula at the East Bay’s most northwest point, offers marina, walkable, small-town experience at still relatively affordable prices.
With its walkable, out-of-the-way-yet-connected vibe, it is perhaps one of the East Bay’s best kept secrets.
Point Richmond lies at the East Bay’s most northwestern livable point.
The area became even more attractive this January, when the San Francisco Bay Ferry began operations between Point Richmond and the San Francisco Ferry Building. The ferry route focuses on serving commuters now with four Richmond-to-SF rides each weekday morning and two SF-to-Richmond rides in the evening. It also has a few weekend routes that run seasonally; they shut down for the season on November 3.
As those who ride the ferry know, it’s the Bay Area’s best commute -- it features beautiful views of the city and East Bay, fresh bay wind in your hair (if you choose to sit or stand outside) and serves wine and beer on board!
Of course, the Richmond ferry offers more than a glorious ride, it opens up Point Richmond to more professionals by short-circuiting a long BART or traffic-plagued car commute to San Francisco. It’s now easier to get to San Francisco from Point Richmond than from many places in Marin.
Point Richmond has a lot more to offer, including close proximity to the wine country, Marin, easy highway access to Berkeley and Oakland (outside of peak traffic times) and small-town walkability.
Red Oak Realty agents know that the area is on an upswing, so we asked some of our experts in the area to share their insights.
Small-Town, Waterfront Lifestyle
Point Richmond, the waterfront section of Richmond (population of over 110,000, according to 2017 U.S. Census data), separated from the city by Highway 580 as it proceeds north to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, has the elements of a small town and then some, including one of the East Bay’s best natatoriums and the standout waterfront Bay Trail.
The Plunge in Point Richmond features year-round indoor swimming, swim lessons and family swim events. The Bay Trail through Point Richmond connects the area via hiking and biking trails for miles north to Point Pinole and south to the Bay Bridge and beyond.
Josie George
Drawn by an interest to live in a walkable community, Red Oak Realty agent Josie George and her partner moved to Point Richmond in November 2018. Josie says they enjoy its small-town feel and the active lifestyle it supports. She really likes that it typically remains fog-free!
The area has two private marinas, including one in Marina Bay just to the south of Point Richmond, and the Bay Area’s premier racing yacht club, the Richmond Yacht Club. Many residents own kayaks, boats, paddleboards and other water toys and will enjoy for an evening moment on the water.
The Lederer Team
This waterfront lifestyle inspired Mark Lederer, who runs the Lederer Team at Red Oak Realty with his wife Katie, to move there in 2000. As he points out, Point Richmond, with its deep water offshore, offers the only opportunity for homeowners to have a boat dock on the Bay (the other being Marin County). He and his wife have a house on the water with a 50-foot boat dock. This waterfront gives the area a lot of interesting home inventory.
Mark says that the new ferry service has really increased demand in the area. He and Katie often take out their paddleboards in the evenings after work to unwind. As he says, Point Richmond is a “dreamy place to live.”
After swimming, hiking and boating, residents can walk to happy hour at 100-year-old hotel Hotel Mac, local brewery East Brother, relatively new New York City-style pizza joint Raymond’s Pizzeria and the area java-powered gathering point Kaleidoscope Coffee.
East Brother taproom features locally brewed beer and live music. Credit: East Brother.
How to Join the Point Richmond Lifestyle
Point Richmond features predominantly single-family homes, some of which have been converted into duplexes or triplexes. It also includes some condo developments.
Demand is increasing because of the new ferry route and an increasing awareness of the area’s great walkability and quality of life. Prices have risen substantially over the last couple of years, yet Point Richmond remains one of the best-priced areas in the East Bay for what you’re getting.
Any questions about Point Richmond opportunities, reach out to us!
