Albany
Solano Avenue, Albany Hill and a small city's distinct history.
Neighborhoods
Local knowledge, organized around the places you care about.
Start with Albany, El Cerrito, Kensington and North Berkeley—the heart of my real estate work. Explore San Francisco, where I also actively work, and the wider East Bay and Marin guide library.
Westin’s local focus
Albany, El Cerrito, Kensington & North Berkeley
Four distinct communities at the heart of my real estate work. Get to know their streets, gathering places and local stories.
El Cerrito
San Pablo Avenue's music and cinema, with open space in the hills.
Kensington
Blake Garden, Arlington Avenue and Sunday mornings at Colusa Circle.
North Berkeley
North Shattuck food stops, Live Oak Park and Indian Rock.
Cerrito Village: Albany, El Cerrito and Kensington together. North Berkeley has its own guide and identity.
East Bay
Albany, El Cerrito, Kensington and North Berkeley are my primary focus. Explore those community guides first, then the wider East Bay library.
Explore East BaySan Francisco
Actively serving San Francisco alongside my primary East Bay communities.
Explore San FranciscoMarin County
Selected client opportunities and referrals, with guides grounded in my time living in Marin.
Explore Marin CountyExplore a regional overview or follow a city link for more detail. Other locations may be considered individually for direct referrals.
Local guides
Get to know these places.
Albany, California: Solano Avenue, Parks and Shoreline
Get to know Albany through Solano Avenue's shops and cafés, the Ohlone Greenway, neighborhood parks, library and Bay shoreline.
Read the guideEl Cerrito, California: Music, Movies and Hillside Open Space
Explore El Cerrito's record-store culture, San Pablo Avenue food and cinema, hillside trails, neighborhood parks and public swimming.
Read the guideKensington, California: Gardens, Colusa Circle and Community Life
Explore Kensington through Blake Garden, Arlington Avenue dining, Colusa Circle's bakery and farmers market, and community programs.
Read the guideNorth Berkeley: A Neighborhood Area Guide
Explore North Berkeley through North Shattuck's food institutions, Live Oak Park, Northbrae's rock parks and practical neighborhood context.
Read the guideMarin County: Town Centers, Trails and Everyday Places
A county overview connecting Marin’s town centers, bayfront places and open spaces, with introductions to six distinct communities.
Read the guideKentfield: College Avenue, Neighborhood Stops and Local Memories
Explore Kentfield through College Avenue, Woodlands Market, cafés and community history near College of Marin.
Read the guideGreenbrae: Bon Air, Hillside Streets and Everyday Connections
Get to know Greenbrae through Bon Air’s shops and food, its hillside setting and its connections with Kentfield and Larkspur.
Read the guideLarkspur: Magnolia Avenue, the Lark Theater and Larkspur Landing
Explore Larkspur’s downtown cinema and restaurants, nearby redwoods and the separate shops and farmers’ market at Larkspur Landing.
Read the guideCorte Madera: Shopping Centers, Marshland and Everyday Paths
Explore Corte Madera’s separate shopping centers, tidal habitat and weekly farmers’ market, with a closer look at its marshland setting.
Read the guideFairfax: Mountain-Biking History, Wooded Trails and a Town-Center Stop
Explore Fairfax’s mountain-biking roots, nearby Cascade Canyon, Café Lotus and the seasonal Bolinas Park farmers’ market.
Read the guideNovato: Downtown History, Hamilton and Open-Space Outings
Explore Novato’s downtown and Hamilton markets, local history and nearby outdoor destinations at Stafford Lake and Olompali.
Read the guideOakland, California: A Guide to Its Neighborhoods, Food and Culture
Explore Oakland's history, Black Panther Party roots, neighborhood food and culture, Lake Merritt, redwood trails and weekly farmers markets.
Read the guideGrand Lake, Oakland: Movies, Food and Life Near Lake Merritt
Get to know Oakland's Grand Lake area through its historic movie theater, Grand Avenue restaurants, Saturday farmers market and nearby Lake Merritt.
Read the guidePiedmont Avenue, Oakland: Food, Film and Longtime Favorites
Explore Oakland's Piedmont Avenue through Fentons, neighborhood cinema, bakeries, coffee, restaurants and the historic Mountain View Cemetery.
Read the guideRichmond, California: Shipyard History, Shoreline and Neighborhoods
Get to know Richmond through its WWII shipyards, Rosie the Riveter history, shoreline parks, arts, farmers markets and distinct neighborhoods.
Read the guideBerkeley, California: City and Neighborhood Guide
Explore Berkeley's distinct neighborhoods, food and arts scenes, UC Berkeley campus, waterfront and hillside parks.
Read the guideTelegraph Avenue and Southside: A Berkeley Neighborhood Guide
Explore Telegraph Avenue and Southside's bookstores, record shops, cafés and Durant Avenue dining near the UC Berkeley campus.
Read the guideWillard: A Berkeley Neighborhood Guide
Get to know Berkeley's Willard area through its neighborhood park, local history, residential architecture and nearby College Avenue arts.
Read the guideCerrito Village: Exploring Albany, El Cerrito & Kensington
Explore Albany, El Cerrito and Kensington through Solano Avenue, hillside gardens, local markets and the connections between three distinct East Bay communities.
Read the guideRichmond Marina Bay: A Waterfront Neighborhood Guide
Explore Richmond Marina Bay's shoreline paths, waterfront dining and Sunday farmers market, plus nearby breweries, local events and maritime history.
Read the guideDowntown Berkeley: Public Spaces, Food, Arts and Live Music
Get to know Downtown Berkeley through its BART plaza, restaurants, theater and film, live music venues and Saturday farmers' market.
Read the guideElmwood, Berkeley: College Avenue Food, Shops and Movies
Explore Elmwood's College and Ashby shopping district, with burritos, chocolates, ice cream, independent shops and a neighborhood cinema.
Read the guidePoint Richmond: Village Streets, Coffee and the Shoreline
Explore Point Richmond's historic village center, coffee and dining, outdoor music and the Miller/Knox shoreline beyond the tunnel.
Read the guideStart with the decision
Compare neighborhoods around the life you want to live.
Bay Area neighborhood terms explained
Understand microclimates, transit access, housing types and other location terms without relying on a neighborhood label alone.
Read the guideNeed local context?