Moving from Long Island, NY to SF Bay Area. Advice? (San Jose: fit in, apartment complex)

[Fibus]

Hi everyone!

Much like many of the posts here (I've read through quite a few), I'm looking for some relocation advice. I'll be moving from Long Island, NY to the SF Bay Area for work. According to Google Maps, I'll be working in the Potrero/Design District area.

I'm very much not a city person. I love a suburban area and I'm definitely looking for that sort of an environment to live. I won't have a car immediately but I do plan on getting one not too long after I move. I'm also looking for a safe and fairly quiet community. Ideally, a commute of 30 minutes or less would be great, but I won't rule out a little longer (I'm currently doing around 80 minutes each way from Long Island to NYC). As for the apartment, I'd really love a 1BR over a Studio. I don't think a studio would hold all my crap, hehe.

So, in summary:
- looking for a suburban area
- safe & relatively quiet community
- I'm White (Italian), so a Chinatown or or other ethnicity-based neighborhood might not work well
- Single, no kids
- will have car, but not immediately
- 30 minute commute or less is ideal
- $1700 or less would be great

I'd appreciate any info on neighborhoods, apartment complexes, anything pretty much.

[mayorhaggar]

Either look at areas just south of SF on the Peninsula or maybe look at somewhere like Walnut Creek if you can't afford the Peninsula. 30 minutes is a pretty short commute in the Bay Area, you might need to stretch the commute time to more like 45-60 minutes to find what you're looking for, though I expect you should find 1br's for less than $1700 in places like between Millbrae and San Mateo. Also I don't know what your defintion of suburban is, suburbs closest to SF tend to be older and denser compared with areas that are further out--probably like comparing parts of Long Island which are next to NYC with areas that are further out.

[Fibus]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

Either look at areas just south of SF on the Peninsula or maybe look at somewhere like Walnut Creek if you can't afford the Peninsula. 30 minutes is a pretty short commute in the Bay Area, you might need to stretch the commute time to more like 45-60 minutes to find what you're looking for, though I expect you should find 1br's for less than $1700 in places like between Millbrae and San Mateo. Also I don't know what your defintion of suburban is, suburbs closest to SF tend to be older and denser compared with areas that are further out--probably like comparing parts of Long Island which are next to NYC with areas that are further out.

Good point about the "suburbs" being a general term. When I think suburbs, I think houses that have lawns (not directly connected), businesses that have parking lots, lots of trees, but places like supermarkets, Best Buy, and fast food are still within a 10 minute drive. If you'd like a really good idea of what I'd say "surburbs" is, Google Map 'Westbury, NY' (where I live now).

As for the commute, 45 minutes isn't bad. Like I said, I do 80 minutes each way so even 45 minutes is a huge upgrade.

I'll take a look at those places you listed, but where exactly would "the Penninsula" be? Is that an actual neighborhood?

[Nineties Flava]

Originally Posted by Fibus

Good point about the "suburbs" being a general term. When I think suburbs, I think houses that have lawns (not directly connected), businesses that have parking lots, lots of trees, but places like supermarkets, Best Buy, and fast food are still within a 10 minute drive. If you'd like a really good idea of what I'd say "surburbs" is, Google Map 'Westbury, NY' (where I live now).

As for the commute, 45 minutes isn't bad. Like I said, I do 80 minutes each way so even 45 minutes is a huge upgrade.

I'll take a look at those places you listed, but where exactly would "the Penninsula" be? Is that an actual neighborhood?

The Peninsula is from San Francisco all the way down to Menlo Park. It refers to the suburbs that are on the same peninsula as San Francisco.

[calbear11]

I 100% agree with mayorhaggar's post. If I worked in SF and was looking to live in quiet suburban area, I would look in the Peninsula or somewhere in the Lamorinda/Walnut Creek/Pleasant Hill areas. These areas all offer easy public transportation to the city. The commute will be longer than 30 minutes, because many places under 30 minutes by train to the city will be too urban for you. Like mayorhaggar said, this is similar to how it is in NY.

[peninsular]

One little community with a very suburban feel that's not too overpriced and close to the city is Brisbane. It's very close to Potrero Hill and when you have a car, it will be a very quick commute. Without a car it's possible to walk/bike to Caltrain and take one stop to the 22nd st.

[mayorhaggar]

The Peninsula is basically San Mateo County--the peninsula between SF and Santa Clara County.

Daly City and Pacifica might fit in your price range but they are on the coast and can be very foggy and chilly in summer, also you might find them too dense and a bit dumpy for your suburban tastes. The suburbs on the eastern part of the Peninsula along the Bay like Brisbane, Millbrae, Burlingame should be sunnier (definitely in Millbrae and south from there) but they can be dense, but I expect you'd find what you're looking for in that area. If you had to do public transit you can take Caltrain which is the best way to get to Potrero Hill without a car from outside of SF, though it depends on where your office is from the Caltrain stations. BART would be a pain. Driving from somewhere like Brisbane or Millbrae would be really easy. Coming from Lafayette or Walnut Creek would mean a lot of traffic on 24 and across the bridge plus a $6 bridge toll, but you might end up preferring somewhere like Walnut Creek to somewhere like Millbrae. But again if you want a short easy driving commute and a nice suburb, somewhere around Millbrae should work.

Remember though that you are looking for an apartment so ideally you want to find a suburb that has a mix of apartment buildings with houses. If you were looking for the "perfect suburb" you seem to want with nothing but cookie cutter tract homes and big yards, you wouldn't see many apartments. Plus suburbs like that tend to be way out far from SF. Lafayette I think has apartment buildings near the BART station and Walnut Creek definitely has a lot of apartment buildings. Places like Millbrae on the Peninsula should have apartments too.

[80skeys]

I work in Portero Hill and live in Sunnyvale.

Anywhere on the Peninsula satisfies your requirements. The Caltrain stops at all the towns from San Francisco to San Jose and most of these towns are very nice, suburban areas. My wife and I particularly enjoy living in the Mountain View / Sunnyvale area. We pay $1700 for a cute 2-bedroom apartment in a nice, quiet neighborhood.

My morning commute is 45 minutes on the train and then a walk to the office.
The evening commute is the same, unless I take a later (non express) train and then it's an hour ride.

Places I particularly like, on the Peninsula and closer to S.F. are:

• Burlinghame
• San Carlos
• Redwood Shores
• San Mateo (downtown is kinda grungy but neighborhoods in the hills are beautiful

In other words, there's plenty of places you'll like!

[Fibus]

Thank you for all the info so far.

I've done some research online for apartments in San Mateo found some that seem promising. I'll be checking out the other recommendations in the coming days.

Any further suggestions or info would be greatly appreciated.

[Fibus]

So after thinking about it a little more, I think it might be a good idea to live closer to the city area of SF. It would be easier for me to access the "action" of the city, which theoretically would make meeting people easier (I know absolutely no one in SF), and would also put me closer to work.

Currently, I'm thinking an apartment complex may be best for my first year here, since they take care of more things for me than a typical apartment.

So, allow me to alter my preferences:

- safe & relatively quiet community
- I'm White (Italian), so a Chinatown or or other ethnicity-based neighborhood might not work well
- Single, 30, no kids
- may or may not purchase a car, depending on necessity and cost of parking/maintenance
- 1BR (no studios)
- 30 minute commute or less is ideal
- $1700 or less would be great, but willing to go a bit higher if the place is right

Any advice would be great!