638 Norvell St, El Cerrito, CA 94530

We are looking for a clean, responsible, well-qualified tenant to occupy this tastefully renovated/re-built home in the heart of El Cerrito. Situated by a creek, surrounded by mature trees and beautiful landscape, the house and garden exude a peaceful ambience. You would hardly notice that you live so close to urban conveniences! Stroll to Starbucks or Peet's for your morning coffee, Saturday Farmers Markets in the nearby El Cerrito Plaza for fruits and vegetables, and Trader Joe's for wines and groceries. You can catch a movie (and a meal!) at the fabulous Rialto Theater and explore a wide variety of interesting restaurants and retail stores, all on foot. Or just relax on the redwood deck or stone patio with a book while taking in the sounds and sights of nature. The house itself was extensively renovated/expanded in 2004 with high quality and environmentally friendly materials. It had been owner-occupied till 2017 and is being offered for rent only for the second time. Exceptionally clean and meticulously maintained, the house is a haven for people with hypoallergenic needs. Only 3 blocks from El Cerrito PLAZA BART station, the location is a commuter's dream -- 6 minutes BART ride from downtown Berkeley, 28 minutes from SF Financial District, and one hour to San Francisco International Airport. Easy freeway access to I-80 as well! For a biker or a hiker, the Ohlone Greenway under the BART track will lead you as far south as downtown Berkeley and west to Baxter Creek Gateway Park in El Cerrito, a restored urban riparian area featuring an amazing diversity of plants and animals, including red flowering currant, willows, alder trees, big leaf maples and Pacific tree frogs. Regional Tilden Park is a short drive up the hill, and the water front trail along I-80 is a fun place to jog or bike as well. The friendly neighborhood is one of El Cerrito's best. Every summer a lively block party pulls neighbors together to enjoy an afternoon of music and BBQ. This is a perfect block to raise children or to just enjoy yourselves. - Extensively renovated/expanded in 2004 with care and quality materials - Vaulted ceilings and skylights in living/dining room and all the bedrooms - Hardwood floors throughout living area, kitchen and baths have natural stone floors - Well equipped kitchen with elegant cherry cabinets, Corian countertops, Viking cooktop, stainless steel double sink, dishwasher, and a built-in GE oven - Wood burning fireplace in living room - Three large, delightful bedrooms, all with vaulted ceilings - Two back bedrooms with sliding doors to the back deck - Front bedroom looks into lush front garden, has a large arched window, a skylight, and a wonderful sleeping loft accessed by a custom-made library ladder -- it can serve as a bedroom, family room, media room, or an office - Walk-in-closets in bedrooms, large linen closet in the hallway - Two exquisite bathrooms with abundant natural light and beautiful natural stones, one with a 5' marble shower and the other with a Kohler Tea-For-Two soaking tub - Bright and airy laundry room has extensive shelving for storage and hanging clothes to dry - Well insulated, energy efficient, environmentally friendly, Anderson windows, Velux skylights - New copper plumbing, new electrical, great furnace and 50 gal. water heater - A redwood deck wraps around the back of the house and opens to the lovely views of the backyard -- it is a perfect place for morning coffee, afternoon tea, or evening wine - A raised vegetable bed and a compost bin await your green thumb! - A 8' x 12' garden shed with windows for storage (or work!) - Two car driveway parking plus plenty of street parking Rent is $4,500/month, garbage and gardener included in rent. Security deposit is $6,000. One year lease. No smoking, no pets. Garage storage/ guest house excluded from this lease.