Moving to SF area, advice needed PLEASE!!! (Oakland, Daly City: rental, homes)

[niko2010]

Family moving to SF, my job will be downtown. Need to narrow down few places in Bay Area where we can relocate.

Since I have 3 kids (5,10,11) having good public schools is important, as well as proximity to trains (walking distance if possible). Looking to spend about $2,500 on rent.

Thanks!!!

[movingtoSCfromSanfran]

Albany, in the east bay, is supposed to have great schools and Albany has a stop on the BART line which takes you straight into downtown sf. Also try Berkeley, Berkeley Hills (very nice with lots of mid century homes).

I used to do the commute from Berkeley to Dtown and it was a breeze. Trains are usually on time although trying to find parking in the parking lot of the BART station is a HASSLE. Driving downtown is easier but to park your car there all day gets really expensive!

2500 a month will get you a decent place in a decent area, nothing HUGE and grand but nice.

I have no idea how the schools are in the city. We don't have kids but I have friends who have kids who go to public school in the city, so I guess its ok.If you look for a place in SF, 2500 isn't going to get you as much as in the east bay. Cool neighborhoods for kids in SF would be Cole Valley, Ashbury Heights, Pacific Heights & Lower Pac Heights, the Sunset(but no easy way to get downtown) the bus is SUPER slow over there, Potrero Hill, Russian Hill, HAyes Valley.

Hope this helps

[mayorhaggar]

These usually come up and aren't too far from SF and have a reputation for good schools:

- Walnut Creek
- Lafayette
- Moraga
- Orinda
- Albany
- Piedmont (expensive though)
- Alameda

Go on Craigslist to get a feel for rental prices. They're pretty suburban so you'd have to drive or get a ride to BART unless you live really close to the BART station. More walkable places like SF and Oakland have poor schools for post-elementary.

You could also look at the Peninsula, the problem with it is that the main way to get to downtown SF is Caltrain and the nearest stop to downtown SF is at 4th and King which is about a 20 minute walk from where most offices are in downtown SF. If your office is near the ballpark then it would actually be better to take Caltrain from the Peninsula than BART from the East Bay.

[NorCal44]

Check out Millbrae, especially close to the downtown area. Cute area with shops, etc. You can walk to BART (I have friends who live there who do this every morning), I know that Mills High School is very good, not sure about Cappuchino High. I'm sure the elementary schools are fine, but you'll want to check them out. You MAY have to go a little higher on rent, but it's a really great little town. However, the suggestions above I definitely agree with as well!

Other 'northern' peninsula cities that have BART stations include Daly City and San Bruno, which both have nice areas and not-so-nice areas (though not unsafe, I wouldn't say.) Have no idea about those schools...

[twins4lynn]

I agree with Millbrae. Close to all forms of transportation, very good schools at all levels (elementary, middle and high school), and a safe city to live in.