Moving to Berkeley/East Bay (San Diego, San Jose: transplants, rentals, neighborhoods)

[bjferg21]

Hey,

I am a Chicagoan who was offered a position with Cal Berkeley athletics. This would be my first "full-time" job after college after doing different internships and making very little money. It only pays 40-45K and I know that doesn't go a long way out in the bay area. Chicago can be expensive but nothing like out there. I was wondering, if Berkeley was a good place for a 24 year old transplant to live?

I've never seen Berkeley before. I was in Santa Clara/San Jose area a month ago and thought it was nice, but definitely different from my midwest lifestyle.

Thanks

[silverkris]

Sure, Berkeley can be a fun place for you (I am a Cal alumnus) - it has a young population. If you're associated with the University you'll fit right in.

Yes, it's really expensive out here, and rentals can be hard to find in Berkeley due to the student demand. You can also look in Oakland, which has good transit connections to Berkeley, either BART or AC Transit.

Go Bears!

[04kL4nD]

You may or may not like Berkeley itself, given that you'll already be working with Cal athletics. Personally, I'd look to Oakland instead of Berkeley. It's much more a city and has less of a college town feel to it. I work in education and the last place I'd want to live is near a college campus teeming with undergrads.

[bjferg21]

I am really apprehensive about this potential move because of housing prices. I notice that Oakland is definitely cheaper for rentals than Berkeley, and has more available. Where are some areas in Oakland that are nice, and safe? I know Oakland is rough around the edges.

[davdaven]

You will probably find Berkeley or Oakland to your liking. Both are very real, urban places, that are quite old by California standards. Berkeley was built out by the 1930s.

The South Bay (San Jose and Santa Clara) are worlds away from the East Bay (Oakland and Berkeley) in terms of lifestyle, urban development, economic base, housing choices, and people. Oakland is going to be more like Chicago (based on my one visit there several years ago...) than San Jose (based on living there for 2 years before relocating to SF). As a bonus, you'll meet many people in your age range (I'm 30 now and moved to Berkeley at age 24) and run into fellow transplants (be it from Chicago, San Diego, you name it).

For starters, please note that at that salary you will need housemates. Consider the Oakland neighborhood of Temescal for starters. There might be some affordable housing there, as well as in the part of North Oakland that separates that neighborhood from Berkeley. Note that you don't want to live west of the BART tracks, which run along Highway 24 (further south) and MLK (further north). BART goes underground at the Berkeley city limit, and the Berkeley side of things is generally pretty good (with some exceptions here and there, especially the further southwest you go).

There are many great neighborhoods in Oakland, such as Rockridge, Piedmont Avenue, and Grand Lake, but it's going to be a gamble determining which ones have affordable rentals. If you can tolerate the suburbs, take a look at the neighborhood surrounding El Cerrito Plaza. I know several 20-somethings who moved there for cheaper rent. Even though it's pretty sleepy around there, and it's a little foggier than Berkeley, there are several good bars within walking distance plus you are a short BART ride away from the good restaurants in Berkeley and Oakland.

[04kL4nD]

Originally Posted by bjferg21

I am really apprehensive about this potential move because of housing prices. I notice that Oakland is definitely cheaper for rentals than Berkeley, and has more available. Where are some areas in Oakland that are nice, and safe? I know Oakland is rough around the edges.

Rockridge, Lake Merritt (Cleveland Heights and Grand Lake), Jack London Square, Piedmont Ave, Uptown, Adams Point are all nice and safe. Rockridge and JLS are probably the nicest/safest, but they are also pretty expensive. Still they are definitely worth checking out, along with the others I mentioned.