Moving from Midwest (San Francisco, Oakland, Fremont: real estate, apartments, rental market) - City-Data Forum

JDL2007 · 06-02-2011, 07:22 AM

HI all.

I am new here, and I am moving from Chicago to the East Bay area. I have not found a job yet, but would like to find a place to live. I have been to the Bay area now twice and love it. I don't want to live in SFO but would like to live in a suburb. I will be on my own as a single middle aged women. I saw some post in regards to Hayworth.. can any tell me more on that? I am middle income and only am looking to rent. If not Hayworth can someone suggest something for me?

Thank you for any help with this matter.

ImRandy · 06-02-2011, 08:02 AM

I think I would tackle it the other way around and find employment first and a place to live second. Commuting will eat up a lot of money that could go to a better place to live or savings. If you have any intention of working in San Francisco itself, I would strongly reconsider living in the city or on the peninsula.

BTW, it's SF and Hayward.

mayorhaggar · 06-02-2011, 09:49 AM

It really depends on your budget, coming up with that is a useful step. Also you will probably find it hard to find landlords willing to rent to someone without a job, the economy here is not good so I would try and find a job first before moving here. Hayward has kind of a ghetto reputation, I would look at places like Fremont, Pleasanton, Castro Valley and the Walnut Creek area for places that aren't too horribly expensive but which are nice safe suburbs. If you want somewhere that is more of a mix of urban and suburban, look into places like Alameda and Albany.

JDL2007 · 06-02-2011, 11:51 AM

Thanks for the help so far. Also I will try to get the acronyms correct! Not SFO- SF...

I know I should have a job first, but I have the means to pay a landlord if I had to, a years rent up front. I am really looking for a 6mon deal, so this way when I do find a job..I can relocate. If anyone know of a reputable real estate company, maybe that is the way to go. I would like to get this move done with by July. Again any thoughts?

silverkris · 06-02-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDL2007

Thanks for the help so far. Also I will try to get the acronyms correct! Not SFO- SF...

SFO refers specifically to the airport three-letter code, San Francisco International.

NorCal Dude · 06-02-2011, 07:03 PM

No job, no family, moving to the east bay where jobs are hard to come by? Come out and give it a try, but don't burn any bridges back home.

mdwstrnkid · 06-03-2011, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDL2007

I know I should have a job first, but I have the means to pay a landlord if I had to, a years rent up front. I am really looking for a 6mon deal, so this way when I do find a job..I can relocate. If anyone know of a reputable real estate company, maybe that is the way to go. I would like to get this move done with by July. Again any thoughts?

Do you have a general idea of the cost of living here? Depending on what type of place you want, a year's worth of rent can easily be $15K or more, even for a 1BR apartment. Are you prepared to pay that up front?

JDL2007 · 06-03-2011, 06:21 AM

Well I have been watching things for sometime. Healthcare is the field I am in, so I am thinking a job would not be that hard to find. Plus a job does not defiy me and will work at McDonald's if I had to. Also I notice so many places for rent, and I have noticed they are not going very fast. With this economy, everyone has a price. I have found that some of the rents are over inflated and with money being tight, prices can be reduced. With the high amount of forecloures in the area.. I am thinking I can get a deal somewhere. I am not looking to be in SF proper.. but i'm sure that there is a landlord out there, who needs to pay his mortage and having empty apartments in not what he needs. Moving to the Bay area in not a whim for me. I have researched this a long time. I am just not sure on neighborhoods and just need some info on what is safe and whats not. So if someone can just tell what towns in the East Bay to stay away from that would be helpful.

mayorhaggar · 06-03-2011, 10:22 AM

I don't know where you live now but the rental market here can really be dog eat dog, landlords look for any reason to turn down a tenant. I think offering to pay 6 to 12 months up front will help but don't expect landlords to cut you a deal. Property prices here are not dropping as much as in other parts of the US and in any case loans anywhere are harder to get and a lot of people can't afford to buy anymore (lost their high paying job or can't get a subprime loan etc) so they are being pushed into the rental market. Rental prices are going up in most parts of the US while housing prices are plummeting.

As for places to stay away from, I guess avoid the bad parts of Hayward, Concord, San Leandro, Oakland, Richmond, San Pablo, Martinez, Pittsburg, Vallejo, Richmond, etc. These towns have nice areas but some crummy areas too, some more than others.

JDL2007 · 06-03-2011, 04:23 PM

Thanks for the help. But I am not sure this fourm is useful and will try on my own. It seems the same people post and mostly it's all negitive. Moving to California is not the moon. I am from Chicago and well aware of cost of living which Chicago is one of the highest priced places to live, and our house market lost the most in vaule in the country. Even here in our beloved Lincoln Park, apartment prices have dropped almost in half, California is a large state with lots of open apartments and housing being listed. Giving me the names of Subs does not help. Eveywhere has good and bad parts of their Subs.

But thanks for making the effort.