Bay Area residents love their backyards, because they’re special and urban

As Bay Area residents, most of us live pretty close together. There are parts of the Bay where you could land a bigger lot, but for the most part, urban neighborhoods are smaller lots, with houses closer together.

That being said, those of us who are lucky enough to have backyards are mostly working with yards on the smaller side. They might be petite, but they mean a lot. They are an important space, and we value every inch.

There are 100 obvious reasons why having a backyard is something we love. It’s very special to have an outside space that’s beautiful and green, where you can plant gardens, sit in the sun, put in a swing for the kids, touch some dang grass, you know?

Okay, so yes, the yard is important. But don’t get it twisted, Bay Area homeowners are loyal to their urban living. It’s one thing to desire more outside space, but Bay Area residents have often very intentionally avoided sterile suburban, car-dependent living environments.

They’re here because they want to be here. Urban living is vibrant. There is walkability, diversity, dining options, street fairs, and public transportation. It’s not disposable in order to trade for a bigger yard where you need an SUV to get your family from point A to B.

Here’s a question: Is Walnut Creek a suburb? What about Mountain View? Some people would say yes. Some people would say they are still big cities. But nevertheless, Walnut Creek’s downtown is poppin!

When you walk down that Main Street, there is a lot going on. It’s possible we could expand our perception of what urban living is if you spend some time in the heart of this city. It’s by no means sleepy, limited, or boring when it comes to dining and entertainment.

And you can buy a lot with a pretty big backyard! Is it walkable? I mean, maybe it could be. There is a BART station, and if you ride a bike, you might not necessarily need a car.

It is not an inexpensive area to buy a home, but it is very much a Bay Area city and an area where bigger lots are available for a pretty penny.

If you’re in the headspace that you would like to make a move toward urban-minded upsizing, there are parts of the Bay that could still fit that bill.

Palo Alto and Mountain View can be prohibitively expensive, but have you checked out El Sobrante, for example? Even parts of Richmond can still be affordable and have a big yard.

Vallejo and Benicia are areas where normal incomes, families with kids, and those of us not making $250K a year could still buy a home. How about Castro Valley? Or San Leandro?

It might sound like I’m just throwing out names of towns around the Bay, but the idea is to possibly think outside the box a little.

Expand your definition of urban living, and you might be pleasantly surprised by what these cities have to offer. A lot of relevant urban qualities, while still possessing a market with homes that have big yards and won’t set your eyeballs on fire when you see the price.

These are diverse cities with fun downtown strips, covered in good bars and restaurants. They host cultural festivals and parades, and most of them have BART stations.

Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco are amazing cities. Awesome in ways you have to see to believe. But it can be tough to buy a lot with a ton of space without a staggering budget.

So as we, Bay Area residents, want a little bit more room, we might consider expanding our minds for urban upsizing.

Maybe you’ve been led to believe San Leandro is a boring suburb, but have you gone downtown on Cinco de Mayo?

Take some time to explore, and you might find there’s a lot more going on than you originally thought. It’s worth a trip on the train to go check it out. The market for upsizing exists, and the urban aspects of the city won’t disappoint.

All hope is not lost. Your bigger yard awaits!