Where to live in CA for child to live closer to father? (San Francisco: rental)

[brambler]

Looking for advice for possible relocation to SF bay area from east coast. My daughter's father and her school-aged siblings (different mom) live in SF. After years of my daughter flying across country to visit, everyone wants us to live there. The scenario is for my daughter to attend private high school in SF next fall near where her father lives in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood. I've read on the Berkeley Parent network that parents commute kids and carpool into SF for schools from the east bay, but I don't know SF at all, having only visited a couple times (plus a couple weeks in palo alto). I could use advice on where in surrounding areas we might commute in on public transit.

The good thing is my daughter will have family and a place in the city. I will be looking for a job at a hospital or in the medical admin field. Rental budget is $1800. The other suggestion is to look at Sacramento which is more my budget, but I kind of feel if we're moving somewhere we don't know anyone, I'd rather find a way to live where my daughter has family and can attend school with siblings. We're also applying to other private schools in CA, so plan B could be living somewhere else in CA, but still closer than a flight to visit. (Also posting in general CA forum.) Any and all ideas welcome!

[clongirl]

Oh Gosh, I can't imagine commuting your daughter into the City from the East Bay UNLESS you are definitely working nearby and will be on your way there anyway AND near the school also. If you work in the medical field, there aren't any hospitals near BART and you'd be traipsing all over trying to hop on packed buses to get there. The BART will generally get you to nearer the Financial District rather than nearer to some of the private schools as well (that I'm familiar with).

I would try to stick to living in the City (but I'm not sure your budget will get you anything but a large studio or maybe a 1 bedroom now days) or move to the East Bay and putting your daughter in a school nearer to where you're living. There are private schools here too and depending on what town you decide, some excellent public schools also.

...Or you might want to live near places like San Bruno, Daly City, Burlingame, South San Francisco, etc. and possible get her to school from here...(but again, it highly depends on the location of the school)...or again, just find a school near where you're living.

Sacramento is fine and very affordable, but I don't think you actually need to move this far out for your daughter to be nearer to her dad. The drive from Sac to the Bay Area can be a nightmare on the weekends.

So basically you need to figure out where you're likely to get a job, then pick out what City/type of accommodation you can afford, THEN pick the school.