May Valley, Richmond, CA

May Valley sits in the northeast hills of Richmond, where the city blurs into El Sobrante, and it has a settled, suburban feel that dates back to its development in the mid-1950s. The streets are wide and gently sloping, the lots run unusually large for this part of the Bay Area, anywhere from a standard 5,000 square feet up toward a quarter-acre, and split-level and custom homes are common. The higher lots pull in real views. Parks are a genuine strength. La Moine Park is a local favorite, with a play structure built right into the hillside, and the neighborhood is flanked by recreation areas and open space that put trails and green within easy reach. It is a quiet, low-traffic pocket where the loudest thing is usually a lawnmower. The catch is the familiar hill-neighborhood one: this is a drive-everywhere place. Shopping and dining mean heading down to the Appian Way corridor or into San Pablo, and the curving streets are not built for speed. For buyers who want space, a yard, and quiet over walkability, May Valley delivers more lot for the money than most of the East Bay hills.