We knew it was only a matter of time before some Internet slideshow finally saw the outer fringe of the Bay Area for what it's worth. Although Walnut Creek has yet to achieve any sort of recognition aside from that one mention on Parks and Recreation, the town of Livermore — California's other other wine country — has been recognized as the fifth Hottest Neighborhood in America for 2013.
In this particular listicle, Business Insider borrowed data from Seattle real estate listing site Redfin.com, which surveyed their network of real estate agents for neighborhoods they deemed "hot" and then ranked said neighborhoods based how quickly the available properties are selling, their price-per-square-foot averages and other real estate terms only realtors care about. So already, we're raising some eyebrows at this one. But eight of the top ten neighborhoods are in California, so who cares, right? Deal with it, middle America. (Deal with it and then click through 11 pages of slideshow photos and accompanying quotes.) Also, Redfin only lists properties in 17 metro areas across the country. So: Utah-sized grain of salt here.
Now that the bias is out there, Livermore real estate agent Sonal Basu says the Tri-Valley has become more desirable because low inventory is pushing potential homebuyers out to "the uncharted Livermore areas" on the edge of the BART map. Also: "There are lots of great events that take place near or in very walk friendly downtown." Please, tell us more about these hot Livermore events.
The real estate geniuses also ranked "Willow Glen, San Francisco" (which is actually in San Jose) as the sixth hottest neighborhood in 2013 thanks to its "central location" and "historic feel." Meanwhile, down in the Mission (which Business Insider seems to think is a peninsula town) the second-hippest neighborhood in the country is merely the ninth hottest real estate-wise, because "people are getting priced out of Noe Valley and the Castro."
Rounding out the other eight California neighborhoods on the top 10 are desirable Los Angeles spots: Highland Park (#1), Faircrest Heights (#3), Eagle Rock (#4) and Glassell Park (#7). Mira Mesa in San Diego came in at #2, while Chicago's Logan Square and Seattle's North Maple Leaf districts are the only two non-California neighborhoods that made the list. Apparently nobody wants to live in New York anymore.
