Berkeley, CA
Commercial Real Estate Market Trends & Data

$426 per SF Avg asking sale price
$39 per SF Avg asking lease rate
6,800 SF Avg unit lease size
11,252 SF Avg building size for sale
6.49% Average cap rate

Berkeley's Demographic Profile

Berkeley has 45,240 households and a median income of $98,511, providing context for rent absorption and tenant demand across retail and multifamily assets. A -3% five-year population trend is a key signal for evaluating long-term demand in this market.

Key Demographic Metric Value
Population 118,465
# Households 45,240
Median age 34
Median household income $98,511
Avg household size 2.0
Renter-occupied housing units 27,469
5-year population change -3%

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↻ Updated Monthly

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Nearby Office Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Berkeley $452 11,185 SF 9.21%
Albany $419 12,672 SF 7.84%
El Cerrito $290 5,455 SF 6.00%
Emeryville $418 9,931 SF 6.40%
Orinda $796 15,207 SF 7.10%
Nearby Industrial Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Emeryville $426 10,372 SF 4.90%
Bay Area $385 23,001 SF 9.00%
Nearby Retail Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size
Berkeley $460 5,659 SF
Albany $341 5,213 SF
El Cerrito $420 6,276 SF
Emeryville $382 3,390 SF
Orinda $503 14,904 SF
Nearby Multifamily Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Berkeley $440 11,378 SF 12.23%
Albany $387 5,588 SF 5.60%
El Cerrito $349 6,498 SF 6.00%
Emeryville $431 3,601 SF 6.69%
Bay Area $459 12,622 SF 18.74%

Commercial Properties For Sale in Berkeley

The listings below reflect how current market pricing and building scale translate into active opportunities available today.
For Sale

Showing: Sunday 9/6 from 1-2:30pm

Berkeley, CA 94702

  • 2,390 SF Multifamily
  • 6.02% Cap Rate
  • $1,095,000
For Sale

700-706 Gilman St

Berkeley, CA 94710

  • 2,852 SF Industrial Building
  • $300,000 - $450,000
For Sale

2120 Grant St

Berkeley, CA 94703

  • 7,347 SF Multifamily
  • 6.33% Cap Rate
  • $3,800,000
For Sale

1807 Martin Luther King Jr Way

Berkeley, CA 94709

  • 2,548 SF Retail Building
  • 5.06% Cap Rate
  • $2,200,000
For Sale

90% 2-Bedroom Units | Fully Renovated

Berkeley, CA 94703

  • 7,697 SF Multifamily
  • 5.63% Cap Rate
  • $3,400,000
For Sale

No City Imposed Rent Control

Emeryville, CA 94608

  • 7,218 SF Multifamily
  • 6.69% Cap Rate
  • $3,195,000

Average Price For Sale

↻ Updated Monthly

Average Price For Lease

↻ Updated Monthly

Number of Listings

↻ Updated Monthly

Cap Rate

↻ Updated Monthly

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Nearby Commercial Markets

Comparing nearby markets helps investors see whether Berkeley pricing and building scale sit above, below, or in line with surrounding areas.

Commercial Markets Avg Cost/SF Average Size
Berkeley $426 11,252 SF
Albany $374 10,480 SF
El Cerrito $390 7,728 SF
Emeryville $376 8,461 SF
Orinda $699 15,131 SF

Multifamily Properties For Sale in Berkeley

For Sale

2360 Ellsworth St

Berkeley, CA 94704

  • 7,891 SF Multifamily
  • 6.60% Cap Rate
  • $4,350,000
For Sale

Bldg 1

Berkeley, CA 94709

  • 8,467 SF Multifamily
  • 5.13% Cap Rate
  • $4,700,000
For Sale

2655 Shattuck Ave

Berkeley, CA 94704

  • 84,580 SF Multifamily
  • Price Upon Request
For Sale

University Park Apartments

Berkeley, CA 94709

  • 62,339 SF Multifamily
  • Price Upon Request

Regional Demographic Comparison

This comparison places Berkeley alongside nearby cities to show how population size, household counts, and income levels differ across the region. Viewing these markets side by side helps investors understand whether local demand and income characteristics are concentrated in Berkeley or distributed across surrounding areas.

City Population # Households Age Median Household Income Avg Household Size Renter Occupied Housing Units Five Yr Pop Growth %
Berkeley 118,465 45,240 34 $98,511 2 27,469 -3%
Albany 19,358 7,153 39 $112,748 3 3,748 -3%
El Cerrito 25,744 10,379 44 $122,148 2 4,392 -1%
Emeryville 11,881 6,444 39 $112,072 2 4,500 -2%
Orinda 18,994 6,843 48 $242,003 3 938 -1%

Disclaimer: The figures on this page reflect LoopNet's active commercial listings in Berkeley, CA and update as inventory changes. Averages can shift between periods or vary across property types depending on the mix of listings available at a given time, so individual metrics may not reflect broader market trends. These figures are best used as directional benchmarks for early market evaluation. For comprehensive commercial real estate data and analytics, subscribe to CoStar.

FAQs About Commercial Investing in Berkeley

View All Commercial Real Estate For Sale in Berkeley
Is Berkeley a good market for a first-time commercial real estate investor?

Berkeley offers commercial properties across a wide range of sizes and price points. By reviewing the market data and benchmarks on this page, first-time investors can better understand what a typical commercial property looks like before committing capital and narrowing in on specific listings.

How can this market data help me decide whether to buy commercial property for my business in Berkeley?

The pricing and size metrics on this page help business owners compare the cost of ownership against leasing in Berkeley. Typical building sizes and asking prices provide a starting point for evaluating space needs, budget fit, and long term occupancy costs before engaging lenders or brokers.

What should conservative investors focus on when evaluating commercial properties in Berkeley?

Conservative investors often prioritize manageable deal sizes, stable pricing ranges, and cap rate benchmarks shown for Berkeley. These metrics help assess whether current market conditions support steady income potential without relying on aggressive assumptions.

How does Berkeley compare to nearby commercial real estate markets?

Nearby market comparisons highlight differences in pricing, building scale, and cap rate ranges relative to Berkeley. Reviewing these side by side helps experienced investors identify relative value, pricing premiums, or alternative markets that may better align with return targets.

How can this page support early-stage deal screening for Berkeley acquisitions?

This page provides high-level benchmarks for pricing, deal size, and observed cap rates in Berkeley, which are useful for initial market filtering. Institutional and data-driven investors often use these signals to prioritize listings that meet size, pricing, and return thresholds before deeper underwriting.

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