Moving to Walnut Creek (San Ramon, Brea: apartment complexes, rentals, condos)

[sheis]

Hello,
I ahve already recieved loads of help from everyone that comented on my last thread, so thanks.

Anyway, My Husband is being transfered to San Ramon and I need to get into Berkley and SF regularly but not daily. We decided that Walnut Creek was a good medium location for us. But where in walnut creek is our next question.

We understand that it is not an urban place with that said, can anyone help us find the right area of Walnut Creek for us, we are young with zero children. I am from Seattle proper and love the city. We are not intrudes in subdivisions, big box stored or chain restaurants but more into, boutiques, local anything, local (great) coffee, bars. We'd like to be downtown and close to a bart station. Within a block or two.

Can anyone give me a good idea of where in Walnut Creek to focus our apartment search?

Thanks so much

[sav858]

Originally Posted by sheis

We'd like to be downtown and close to a bart station. Within a block or two.

Can anyone give me a good idea of where in Walnut Creek to focus our apartment search?

Well there are lots of apartment complexes in and around downtown WC, some closer to BART than others. Kind of seems like you already know what area you want to live in so I'm not sure what exactly what advice you're asking for here.

[ttocs99]

I used to live on Cole Street (On a dead end) when I first moved to Walnut Creek. It was a perfect location for me at the time, because I had moved from NYC, and was car-less. It's about 2 and a half blocks from the BART train, and about 3 blocks from where everything happens in WC. They built some beautiful condos on Cole Street back in 2006, right about when I was moving back to NYC. I don't know what your price range is, I do believe they might be very pricy.

I also don't know if they have rentals in that building, but all the way at the end of the block, they have some apartment buildings that are pretty decent. I lived in a small apartment building/house, that had a three car carport and only 3 apartments, it was pretty nice, with a nice large cement patio.

I absolutely loved living in Walnut Creek, but from the sounds of it, you may be spending a lot of time in the City for your needs. Walnut Creek is filled with many well known shops and restaurants that are brand names known by all. You will find some restaurants that you won't find elsewhere, but you will also find a lot of restaurants that you already know (and coffee shops). Me personally, I loved the convenience factor of having an Apple Store, or a Target, or a Barnes and Noble, right within walking distance.

Best of luck to you and your husband, I hope you fall in love with Walnut Creek just like my ex-wife and I did. BTW, San Ramon is quite nice too.

[sheis]

Thanks for the help. Having never been to the area and not having much more than a two weeks to find a place and move up from Southern California we just need a few pointers on which streets to narrow our search down from all of Walnut Creek.

[ttocs99]

Sheis,

I will admit, Cole Ave is not the prettiest street in WC, but it sure is convenient, and with the addition of the condos, it's made the block look much nicer. I'm taking a trip out to SF in July, and I always take the Bart out to WC to spend a day walking around. I love WC, and I'm sure there will be plenty of people who will tell you they love it too. Can't wait until July.

[clongirl]

Olympic Blvd has some very nice new looking apartment buildings--short enough walk to downtown (if this is the kind of area where you want to be). It's somewhat difficult to point you to exact buildings since there are so many buildings, but I'd suggest looking at google maps, hone into the downtown area/Broadway Plaza region and go from there. Some of the street names in this particular area are N. California, Locust, N. Main, Civic Dr, Botelho, etc.

[ttocs99]

I love Locust and Main street. Make sure to check out Hubcaps on Locust, it's an oldfashion styled diner with great burgers, shakes, breakfasts, etc.

Hubcaps Diner: Burgers, Breakfast, Desserts

I have that as one of my destinations when I come back to the Bay Area in July for vacation.

[bayarea-girl]

Stay somewhere closer to downtown. What is your budget? I'd avoid the Creekside area as you will have difficulty finding parking. Anywhere on Oak/Civic, Ygnacio, and Walnut would be my suggestions. Sorry couldn't recommend Apartment buildings.

[sav858]

If you want to be within walking distance to both Downtown and the BART station then you kind of limited to a small area south of Ygnacio Valley Rd and on or west of California Blvd, otherwise it's kind of a long walk to BART from areas where there are apt complexes around downtown WC.

The Mt. Pisgah Rd/Lincoln Ave area by the Library as well as Walker Drive around the corner has lots of apartments and is very close to the core of DT WC. There is a Safeway right there too. If you live closer to BART, Target will be your closest grocery store.

The newer apartments by Olympic Blvd and Alpine Way are nice and central, CVS and Trader Joes are pretty close. The only issue I have with that area is proximity to the freeway.

I agree about avoiding Creekside, not that central and a bit dumpy by WC standards.

[bayarea-girl]

There is also a free shuttle that will pick you up depending on where you live and drop you off at the bart station.