rentals in berkeley and oakland

[Boston3111]

Thank you for your suggestions, everyone! I think I will check out the uptown, Piedmont Ave, Temescal and Grand Lake areas of Oakland. I realize Oakland is definitely different than Back Bay but since I'm unfamiliar with Oakland, it's hard to know which pockets are nice and relatively safe and which parts are more block to block. For those familiar with Boston, I would be fine living near the JFK/UMass stop in Dorchester even though much of Dorchester isn't safe. Also, even though most of the South End is nice and borders Back Bay, I wouldn't like to live in the area right by BMC or the shadier side of Mass Ave. I'm aware of my surroundings and use common sense but would like to avoid places that will leave me uncomfortable walking around during the day and early evening.

After more reading and a suggestion from a friend, Alameda has become a strong contender even though public transportation may be less convenient late at night. My husband will likely be working for a hotel downtown and he often works until 2-4 am. We will have to take a closer look at the bus and train schedules. I plan on working at one of the area hospitals so I may or may not need to drive to work. Does anyone have any recommendations for apartment buildings in Alameda other than checking craigslist? I've looked at websites for apartments on Shoreline Dr but they all seem quite similar and all have mixed reviews on yelp. It seems like they are close to walkable areas and we don't mind needing to drive for groceries.

I have a friend that lives in San Francisco so I will be going there hopefully next month to explore. My husband and I will be going together in the spring. Thank you so much for your suggestions! After my visit, I will post my first impressions

[jade408]

Alameda is nice but skews a little stroller. I used to live in Ballena which was nice when I lived there and they renovated not too long ago. It was a little far from walkable areas but ok for transit. Getting around alameda is fairly easy via transit and walking, but it is harder to get off of alameda, particularly to SF off commute. Transit in the Bay Area is pretty abysmal after midnight, so I think your hubby should drive.

Basically, most areas east of telegraph and north of MacArthur are pretty good in Oakland. Above 580 is good but most is not walkable, besides Cleveland height and piedmont ave areas. I feel fine walking around piedmont ave, grand lake, most of uptown and Temescal at night alone. It isn't scary unless you consider a basic urban area scary. There is a ton of fear mongering about Oakland. Most of the serious crime is super concentrated, there are lots of nice areas. And nice area in Oakland is equivalent to nice anywhere else. There is no special "nice for Oakland" scale.

[rbehs]

Originally Posted by jade408

It is a great market. Still 1 mile away .

I shop there often

I don't want to belabor the point, but it's a walkable market from many areas in West Berkeley. It's easily walkable from any location south of University.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by rbehs

I don't want to belabor the point, but it's a walkable market from many areas in West Berkeley. It's easily walkable from any location south of University.

We will have to disagree. My definition of walkable for groceries is more like 1/2 or less. Otherwise you have too much stuff to carry. It's not far per se. But 2 heavy bags 15-20 minute walk. Not that fun.

I also think it is a little trafficy congested around that store compared to the original so it isn't a very pleasant walk compared to other areas of Berkeley. Long blocks and speedy car traffic.

[Boston3111]

Thank you, jade408! Do you have any apartment buildings/complexes to recommend in Oakland or should I use craigslist or a combo of both? Also, should I be researching apartments on my own or is it common to go see a realtor to show apartments? In Boston, most people end up having to use a realtor to show them apartments and pay a fee equal to 1/2 or full rent for one month. I know a lot of other cities don't go about rentals in the same way. Thank you so much again!

[rbehs]

Originally Posted by jade408

We will have to disagree. My definition of walkable for groceries is more like 1/2 or less. Otherwise you have too much stuff to carry. It's not far per se. But 2 heavy bags 15-20 minute walk. Not that fun.

I also think it is a little trafficy congested around that store compared to the original so it isn't a very pleasant walk compared to other areas of Berkeley. Long blocks and speedy car traffic.

Very true about the horrendous traffic if you drive. Any other city would have made the main entrance for cars on Ashby, rather than back streets. It's best to walk down Ninth, which is pretty quiet, half offices and half residential, and not a lot of traffic. Ninth is also a biking boulevard.

[VagabondZen]

I live in this neighborhood of Berkeley - San Pablo/University. It's a great walking area, plenty of restaurants, a few shops and some smaller grocers (a couple of Mexican markets, a Grocery Outlet [and if you're coming home from Cal - you would pass Trader Joe's on University/MLK]). You definitely need a little street smarts, as we do have a few bad apples that hang around (particularly at that intersection's bus stops) but really it's not as bad as it was even 3 years ago. I would have no problems recommending any of the streets in these neighborhoods surrounding this intersection, but do not rent on the 2200 block of Bonar St. That would be the only "bad" part. We continue to have issues at the intersection of Bonar St and Allston Way. Drugs, gangs and violence (but this isn't East Oakland, so it's still safe to walk through in daylight).

Otherwise, I agree with PP about bike friendly. Get a bicycle! The ride up to Cal is easy and we're a very bike friendly town. North Berkeley BART is nice and close for commutes into the city. And I honestly think we have one of the better neighborhoods... skip to the marina and CC park, right near the bay front trail, close enough to Cal and downtown without all the undergrad nonsense, and right off the highway exit.

Renting - I wouldn't bother with a realtor in this area. If you don't already have a friend or two here (or a colleague) who can spread the word among friends to see who know what might be open, then craigslist is the next best thing.

...

Somehow I missed your post about Alameda, Dorchester, etc... until now. I'm actually from South Boston, originally, and wouldn't consider much of Dorchester dangerous by any means. Now Mattapan.... yeah - I wouldn't want to walk around there at night. So... maybe Alameda is more appropriate for you - it's very safe there, suburban even. Late night public transit is Awful - yes, with a capital A. Especially if your husband is going to commute late nights from SF. The BART doesn't run late and the buses from SF to East Bay from 1AM-5AM run every hour. =( Sounds like you have a lot of things to consider when you visit! Best of luck to you and feel free to PM if you have any questions.

[Bruno71]

Don't know what your price range is, but apartments in the (Oakland) Piedmont Ave/Grand Lake/Lakeshore area are among the cheapest in the Bay Area, and the area is generally safe. Adams Point is even cheaper, but perhaps a tad dicier in terms of safety. All are convenient to highways and all sorts of public transit (AC Transit, BART). Alameda is great, too, if you like a more suburban feel and great weather.