Europe to Oakland (San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Ana: sublet, apartments, crime)

[oaklandyeah]

Hi, I am looking for some very specific recommendations for particular blocks/small areas that would suit our needs. I have looked through lots of relocation threads on this forum and I feel relatively well-informed now, but not quite there.

I am moving to Oakland with my European husband. Some facts:
- we are late 20s, no kids (so schools don't need to be good!)
- walking to buy a loaf of bread, for coffee are important
- we have a car, but don't need to use it often
- jobs not lined up yet, but will be only in city of SF or Oakland. Fine commuting by BART or bus up to 30 minutes
- love historic housing, but realistically want an apartment for secure parking, not ground floor
- not especially terrified of crime, but husband is new to the US and therefore very uneasy about guns
- would prefer to pay $1300/month or less for a 1-bed apartment
- will likely go into SF only for work (possibly), weekends, occasional dinner out. So need to be able to get back to apartment in Oakland at night occasionally

We currently live in a historic, dense, walkable, safe but not especially dynamic European city. Areas in SoCal I like: Culver City in LA, Hillcrest and Bankers Hill in San Diego, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana in OC. We're not outdoorsy but can appreciate some greenery or a lake. We're not hipsters but you might as well pretend we are...

Areas we're considering and doubts:
- Lakeside: seems ideal, but it's not clear it's safe to walk back from 19th St BART at night. Also have read that it can be sleepy at night, that's ok so long as safe and there's stuff in the day.
- Adams Point: a little far from 19th St, but maybe AC Transit compensates?
- Temescal: don't really want to walk to MacArthur at night, not many apartments
- Rockridge: maybe too expensive, not many apartments

I've used Google Street view, a lot of the areas that are walkable aren't very dense. A 15-minute walk feels very different along a big versus small roads, if you know what I mean.

I could handle occasionally taking a cab or driving to a BART with parking at night if that's the only downside. The really, really important things are otherwise being walkable, to grab breakfast/go to farmers market, and to be able to get home at night alone safely, somehow (with some common sense of course).

Thanks! Sorry if that's too much information...

[jade408]

Originally Posted by oaklandyeah

Hi, I am looking for some very specific recommendations for particular blocks/small areas that would suit our needs. I have looked through lots of relocation threads on this forum and I feel relatively well-informed now, but not quite there.

I am moving to Oakland with my European husband. Some facts:
- we are late 20s, no kids (so schools don't need to be good!)
- walking to buy a loaf of bread, for coffee are important
- we have a car, but don't need to use it often
- jobs not lined up yet, but will be only in city of SF or Oakland. Fine commuting by BART or bus up to 30 minutes
- love historic housing, but realistically want an apartment for secure parking, not ground floor
- not especially terrified of crime, but husband is new to the US and therefore very uneasy about guns
- would prefer to pay $1300/month or less for a 1-bed apartment
- will likely go into SF only for work (possibly), weekends, occasional dinner out. So need to be able to get back to apartment in Oakland at night occasionally

We currently live in a historic, dense, walkable, safe but not especially dynamic European city. Areas in SoCal I like: Culver City in LA, Hillcrest and Bankers Hill in San Diego, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana in OC. We're not outdoorsy but can appreciate some greenery or a lake. We're not hipsters but you might as well pretend we are...

Areas we're considering and doubts:
- Lakeside: seems ideal, but it's not clear it's safe to walk back from 19th St BART at night. Also have read that it can be sleepy at night, that's ok so long as safe and there's stuff in the day.
- Adams Point: a little far from 19th St, but maybe AC Transit compensates?
- Temescal: don't really want to walk to MacArthur at night, not many apartments
- Rockridge: maybe too expensive, not many apartments

I've used Google Street view, a lot of the areas that are walkable aren't very dense. A 15-minute walk feels very different along a big versus small roads, if you know what I mean.

I could handle occasionally taking a cab or driving to a BART with parking at night if that's the only downside. The really, really important things are otherwise being walkable, to grab breakfast/go to farmers market, and to be able to get home at night alone safely, somehow (with some common sense of course).

Thanks! Sorry if that's too much information...

These are all good choices. Add in Piedmont Ave as well. These areas are safe and fairly walkable. The most common crimes across all three areas are property crime. I.E. don't leave your ipad in plain view in the front seat of your car unattended. Other than that, use common sense and you'll be fine.

Don't worry about the walk to Macarthur. It is reasonably safe, and safety improves as you head east (towards Temescal and Piedmont Ave). MLK is where things start getting sketchy, on the West side of BART. I walk home from BART at night a few times a week, and I live on the east side of Piedmont Ave. There is an OK amount of street traffic and it is pretty well lit. You can also of course take the bus. I do both depending on my timing.

As for Adam's Point? It is a bit of a hike from BART depending on where you live, but look around, because there are definitely places within a 15-20 minute walk to BART. I am a 20 minute walk from Macarthur and 19th St BART stations. Adam's Point is the least convenient from a Transit perspective, unless you live near Santa Clara so you can take the 57 to get to BART. Other buses that serve the area stop early or don't run very frequently (like the 12). Piedmont Ave and Temescal are better served by the more frequent buses, if you stick a little closer to Macarthur and Broadway or Telegraph.

As for density? Adam's Point is the most dense. Rockridge is the least dense (mostly single family homes), but in the areas you chose you'll find a good number of people walking around, walking their dogs etc.

As for the farmers market? A really good one is the GrandLake one on Saturdays. And that is the most walkable one. The Temescal one is not super walkable.

[oaklandyeah]

Thanks very, very much for the info. We will add in Piedmont Ave too. I'm relieved to have confirmation that MacArthur is fine, maybe that puts Temescal towards to the top of the list.

We aren't moving for a few months but I have been monitoring Craigslist. I've noticed there are lots of postings for Lakeside but hardly any for Rockridge and Temescal. I have Lapham Co bookmarked too. Any suggestions for finding a place other than Craigslist and Lapham? I am a little concerned because we will just need to fly in for a week (from elsewhere in the state) to find a place, and there is hardly anything listed at the moment. Will we just need to drive around looking for signs? Get a sublet and wait for something to open up? Up the price range?

[Ultrarunner]

All of the above plus there is Monclair Village too.

A little less expensive alternative would be the Laurel District between 35th and High above 580 freeway.

Friend love Lakeshore/Lakeside and Piedmont Avenue.

Not sure exactly on the rents... the trend has been up with many priced out of San Francisco.

I know you didn't mention it... I have friends that live in Walnut Creek and work in San Francisco via BART.

Just curious... where in Europe have you been living and how did you decide on the Bay Area for your next home?

I worked for a time in Europe and really enjoyed it...

[0'Farrell]

Oakland is the Europe of the Middle Ages.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by 0'Farrell

Oakland is the Europe of the Middle Ages.

How do you figure...

Europe is still far from being culturally diverse and Oakland is the most culturally diverse city in the country plus a world class port, International Airport, Major League Sport Teams and home to Multinational Corporations, Museum, Parks, Redwoods, Lake Merrit, Jack London Square, the birth place of California's UC school system and home to several large Hospitals...

[Carlite]

Laurel is fine, but there's no BART. There is a direct bus to San Francisco.

You might also look right within the Uptown area north of 19th St. BART. Development there is increasing, there are lots of restaurants, although it's a bit of a walk to the nearest major grocery store (Whole Foods). No major crime issues. I don't know what rents are there.

[Nineties Flava]

Originally Posted by Carlite

Laurel is fine, but there's no BART. There is a direct bus to San Francisco.

You might also look right within the Uptown area north of 19th St. BART. Development there is increasing, there are lots of restaurants, although it's a bit of a walk to the nearest major grocery store (Whole Foods). No major crime issues. I don't know what rents are there.

BART is less than 10 minutes away on the 54 from 35th & MacArthur or the 14 from High Street and MacArthur. It's not a long haul.

[0'Farrell]

Originally Posted by Carlite

Laurel is fine, but there's no BART. There is a direct bus to San Francisco.

You might also look right within the Uptown area north of 19th St. BART. Development there is increasing, there are lots of restaurants, although it's a bit of a walk to the nearest major grocery store (Whole Foods). No major crime issues. I don't know what rents are there.

Because Oakland still has East and West Oakland.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by Carlite

Laurel is fine, but there's no BART. There is a direct bus to San Francisco.

You might also look right within the Uptown area north of 19th St. BART. Development there is increasing, there are lots of restaurants, although it's a bit of a walk to the nearest major grocery store (Whole Foods). No major crime issues. I don't know what rents are there.

Rents are pretty expensive. There are all new buildings with tons of amenities. It is out of budget.