Best Oakland Neighborhoods for Black Singles to Buy a Home

Single, Black, looking for love in Oakland and interested in buying a home? Not every neighborhood will check all four of those requirements off your list. When it comes to socializing and meeting community as a single Black professional in the same neighborhood you own a home in, you're going to need a near-perfect combination nightlife, day time activities and diversity. So, what's the best Oakland neighborhoods for Black singles to buy in?

We've rounded up our top Oakland, California neighborhoods that offer a thriving Black community, strong real estate values and plenty of social activities to get your out of your home and meeting new connections.

Adams Point, Oakland has neighborhood feel mixed with dining and Black community

Nestled on a busy stretch of Grand Avenue in between the Grand Lake and Uptown neighborhoods, Adams Point is a diverse area that gets bonus points for all the right reasons. Bay Grape, a wine bar with a local feel, and long time favorite Room 389 (known to draw a diverse crowd) are both within walking distance.

Just one block away you have access to a quieter section of Lake Merritt, which always makes for a picnic spot. Within this same super tight walkable radius, you've got several ethnic dining options including Ja Gong House and Enssaro Ethiopian. You've even got actual neighborhood necessities, like a UPS Store, a Chevron gas station, several corner stores and a Whole Foods. Because of this, you're guaranteed to enjoy the delightful sight that is Black and brown residents walking up and down Grand Avenue.

Is it a good idea to buy a home in Adams Point, Oakland?

With a solid catalogue of condos available at a variety of price points, Adams Point is a great option for a single first time home buyer. Condos prices often start in the mid $500,000s and up - which are great entry level homeownership prices for Oakland.

While it's not particularly close to BART, Adams Point is very close to the 580 Freeway and the 980 interchange - which makes it a great choice for car commuters looking to quick access to San Francisco and other parks of Oakland. Plus, it's a popular neighborhood for folks who are new to Oakland, which makes Adams Point a smart location to purchase a home - especially for those wanting to consider a home's resale value or future rental opportunities.

Uptown, Oakland - a great Black neighborhood with abundant nightlife and community

If you're the type who loves to travel on foot, Uptown, Oakland is probably the neighborhood for you - with plenty of fellow Black and residents of color to keep you company. Uptown is unique in the sense that in addition to boasting limitless dining and nightlife options, the neighborhood is also home to 19th Street BART station, which makes it extra easy for friends (or dates) to visit from other areas of the Bay Area for an evening on the town.

With not one, but two world renown concert venues, The Fox Theater and The Paramount, plus several quality local venues, like The New Parish, there is no shortage of live music acts to choose from. And we all know catching a live show makes for a great date night.

If you're looking for a more casual date spot, Uptown is home to neighborhood fave Kinfolx, a black owned coffee shop as known for being a hot-spot for Oakland's hippest Black patrons as it is for its coffee. Plus, there are plenty of Black-owned establishments, like Witness Oakland (the spot for sustainable and slow fashion finds) and CoCo Noir Wine Shop.

Is it a good idea to buy a home in Uptown, Oakland?

While Uptown's housing inventory consists primarily of condos, you can find a variety of condo-styles that are much harder to find in other Oakland neighborhoods. In addition to sleek new-builds, rarer multi-level warehouse and industrial style lofts are also among the available housing inventory in Uptown. Industrial-style lofts can also be found in the adjacent Downtown, Old Oakland and Jack London Square neighborhoods that run along Telegraph Ave and Broadway.

Uptown is a young, single Black professional's paradise, making it a great neighborhood to buy in if you're looking to be in the center of it all.

Grand Lake, Oakland is great for Black community with great daytime activities

Brunch lovers, rejoice! Grand Lake, Oakland is a diverse neighborhood with a solid Black community (thanks to an inspiring number of Black-owned businesses) and numerous day time socialization options. Home to Oakland's largest and most vibrant weekly Saturday Farmer's Market, a solid selection of brunch options and easy access to walking and picnic area Lake Merritt, Grand Lake is undeniably the best neighborhood for Black and POC home owners who put high value on daytime activities.

Black-owned clothing boutiques like Alyce on Grand and Black co-owned beverage shop Alkali Rye make buying Black easy (and aesthetically pleasing at that). Grand Lake is also home to brunch heavyweights Grand Lake Kitchen and Almond & Oak, guaranteeing plenty of places for daytime dates. You could even catch a matinee at local neighborhood Grand Lake Theater. Tell me how many neighborhoods have a movie theatre these days?

It's also right next door to Lakeshore Ave, a bustling street that features every neighborhood essential one could ask for, including several banks, gyms, a Walgreens, dry cleaners and even a Trader Joe's.

Is it a good idea to buy a home in Grand Lake, Oakland?

Despite its brunch and boutique-fueled charm, Grand Lake is a long sought after, well established neighborhood. It runs up against the affluent Piedmont and Montclair neighborhoods and is home to a number of historic Victorian style homes, which helps keep the neighborhood's home values high.

A far as housing inventory goes, Grand Lake offers flat-style and duplex-style condos and townhomes, which are always a popular choice for the first time home buyer. All of these reasons make Grand Lake a great place for a single Black person to put down roots.

About the Author

Montana Hooks is a SF Bay Area Realtor focused on the East Bay. Raised in Fremont and a resident of Oakland since 2013, she knows Richmond to San Jose like the back of her hand.

Performing live karaoke, maintaining her house plant garden and outdoor rollerskating are a few of her favorite things (#FirstTimeHomeBuyers too!)

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