Berkeley was long a testing ground for new ideas in residential design, receptive to the Arts & Crafts movement and full of Shingle-Style houses both by anonymous builders and well-known architects, and later, the Progressive community that UC Berkeley attracted wanted the modest, modern houses that reflected their ways of thinking and living. People in Berkeley are both proud and knowledgeable about their architectural heritage— if it's a nice day, expect crowds.

1311 Grizzly Peak Boulevard, Berkeley Hills, $985K (pictured above)
The youngest of the trio, this multi-level Mid-Century, 4-bed, 4.5-bath house is perched above the road, giving it wide-open views of San Francisco and the Bay. Downstairs, there's a family room with a kitchen, plus a paneled study. Regrettably, the downstairs rooms have dropped acoustic ceilings— but look like they're in good shape. And besides, it was built in 1959. The house retains its original (and brilliant) modular kitchen, cork floors, and what looks like Japanese rake tiles around the fireplace. Open Sunday, Apr 22 from 2:00PM to 4:30PM

Click here to view two more awesome open houses!