| Summary | National Percentile | Rank vs Metro |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 74th | Fair |
| Demographics | 88th | Best |
| Amenities | 64th | Good |
Multifamily Valuation
| Property Details | |
|---|---|
| Address | 1541 Oxford St, Berkeley, CA, 94709, US |
| Region / Metro | Berkeley |
| Year of Construction | 1972 |
| Units | 25 |
| Transaction Date | 2015-03-06 |
| Transaction Price | $1,800,000 |
| Buyer | OXFORD STREET LLC |
| Seller | WEI MORI HSI SENG |
1541 Oxford St, Berkeley CA Multifamily Investment
Urban-core location supports steady renter demand and pricing resilience, according to WDSuite’s CRE market data. Neighborhood-level occupancy is around the national middle, but high household incomes and deep amenities point to durable leasing fundamentals.
Situated in Berkeley’s Urban Core, the asset benefits from a neighborhood rated A and ranked 71 out of 469 in the Oakland-Berkeley-Livermore metro — competitive among metro neighborhoods. Amenity access is a clear advantage: cafes, groceries, parks, and restaurants score in the upper national percentiles, though childcare and pharmacies are thinner locally. For investors, this mix supports daily convenience while signaling strong lifestyle appeal that can aid retention.
The surrounding housing stock skews older on average (1939), making a 1972 vintage relatively newer than much of the neighborhood. That positioning can be advantageous versus prewar buildings while still warranting capital planning for aging systems or targeted modernization to maintain competitive standing.
Renter concentration in the neighborhood is elevated (above the 80th percentile nationally), indicating a meaningful share of units are renter-occupied and a deeper tenant base for multifamily. Overall neighborhood occupancy trends sit near the national median, suggesting stable but managerially driven performance where operations and product differentiation matter.
Within a 3-mile radius, demographics indicate a large, diversified renter pool with recent population growth and additional growth projected. Households are expected to increase while average household size trends smaller, which can expand the tenant base for multifamily. High home values (top national percentiles) create a high-cost ownership market, which typically sustains rental demand and supports lease retention. Median contract rents trend high for the metro, and rent-to-income metrics suggest some pricing power; proactive lease management can balance growth with retention risk. These dynamics are based on commercial real estate analysis from WDSuite’s dataset and compare favorably to many Bay Area urban nodes.
Safety conditions in this neighborhood trend weaker than both national and metro medians. The area ranks 433 out of 469 metro neighborhoods, placing it toward the lower end locally, and national safety percentiles sit below the midpoint. Recent data also indicate a year-over-year uptick in reported offenses. For investors, this calls for practical mitigations such as access control, lighting, and coordination with property management to support resident experience and leasing.
Because safety can vary by block and over time, investors typically underwrite to micro-location nuances and on-site measures rather than neighborhood-wide averages alone. The comparative framing above reflects neighborhood-level data from WDSuite rather than property-specific conditions.
Proximity to major headquarters underpins commuter demand and leasing stability, with convenient access to Clorox, Gap, Salesforce, Charles Schwab, and PG&E supporting a steady professional renter base.
- Clorox — consumer products (5.2 miles) — HQ
- Gap — apparel retail (9.1 miles) — HQ
- Salesforce.com — cloud software (9.2 miles) — HQ
- Charles Schwab — financial services (9.2 miles) — HQ
- PG&E Corp. — utilities (9.3 miles) — HQ
1541 Oxford St is positioned in a high-amenity Berkeley node where renter concentration is elevated and home values are among the highest nationally — a combination that typically reinforces reliance on multifamily housing and supports occupancy stability. Based on CRE market data from WDSuite, neighborhood occupancy trends sit near the national median, while the 3-mile radius shows recent population growth and a projected increase in households, expanding the tenant base and aiding long-run leasing.
Built in 1972, the property is newer than much of the local prewar stock, which can offer a competitive edge with targeted modernization. For investors underwriting long-term holds, the main levers are sustained renter demand, professional employment access, and thoughtful capital planning to keep the asset differentiated in an urban-core location.
- Elevated renter concentration and high-cost ownership market support multifamily demand depth
- Amenity-rich urban node with strong food, grocery, and park access aids retention
- 1972 vintage offers relative competitiveness vs. older stock with value-add potential through modernization
- Regional headquarters cluster (Clorox, Gap, Salesforce, PG&E) supports professional renter demand
- Risks: safety ranks below metro averages and childcare/pharmacy options are limited; focus on on-site measures and service positioning