1611 Harmon St, Berkeley, CA 94703

Spacious 1909 Berkeley home, first time on the market in 60 years.  As you walk in you will notice beautiful, original hardwood floors in the living room and dining room with a lovely dark wood inlay. This home's entrance is classical in style. The sunny living room and entryway open into a formal dining room.Walking through the dining room you will come to a spacious kitchen with room for a kitchen table. The kitchen was recently updated with new wood cabinetry, flooring and granite counter tops. There is a good sized laundry behind the kitchen with access to the back yard.Are you looking for room to spread out? This home has been expanded and could easily accommodate even more. Original records showed two bedrooms and one bathroom on the main level.Imagine you need some extra income? The main level was then expanded in back to add a large family room, bedroom and second bathroom, with it's own separate entrance to the back yard. There is potential to convert this space for use as a separate unit or to run a business from home.Need even more space? A staircase from the kitchen leads to the attic, which was finished to include two more bedrooms and bathroom. There is also a full unfinished basement. With a large lot this home has two driveways, one on each side of the house, heading back to a good sized, level back yard.Once upon a time there was a fish pond in the back yard. Now there is room, a big blank slate, to create a mini urban farm, a play structure for kids, or an outdoor living space for entertaining. Berkeley's Lorin District. A flourishing urban neighborhood full of historic homes and culture, Berkeley style. The Lorin district is the historical name for the neighborhood of South Berkeley sitting between Ashby and Alcatraz Avenues. This area's other name of NOBE, an acronym, nickname standing for, North Oakland - Berkeley - Emeryville, some would say was created by the real estate industry to help create marketing buzz. An interesting area full of handsome old homes, convenient to Bart, freeways, great food, and eclectic small businesses that appeal to urbanites and lovers of East Bay culture. Read all the way down for more about this awesome area. South Berkeley has a rich culture and a rich history. When you are choosing a place to live, you realize that our homes are not just places to eat and sleep but places you raise your family. Each home is a part of creating a local community. When you move to a new area there is a certain feel, and certain ambiance created by the people who live there.This part of Berkeley looked a bit different when this home was first built in 1909.The family home at 1611 Harmon Street was originally purchased by the McFadden's in 1957. Together they raised 5 children and now Bernice McFadden at the age of 97, has 12 grandchildren, a bunch of great-grandchildren, and even some great-great-grandchildren.Over the years they have had many large holiday celebrations in this home, a typical family gathering is at least 50 people. Imagine the decades of family gatherings that have turned this house into a family home. The McFadden's came from Texas during the war for work at the shipyards. When they looked to purchase the house on Harmon St, the white Real Estate Agent told them they needed to purchase in South Berkeley because that was the 'colored' neighborhood.It is interesting when you look into the History of South Berkeley. One of it's most prominent citizens is William Byron Rumford. Rumford was an Assemblyman, a UC Berkeley alumni, and owned Rumford Pharmacy. Because of his work The Rumford Fair Housing Act was passed in 1963 by the California legislature to help end racial discrimination by property owners and landlords who refused to rent or sell their property to "colored" people. It was drafted by William Byron Rumford, the first African American from Northern California to serve in the legislature. The Act provided that landlords could not deny people housing because of ethnicit