Help us find a neighborhood (San Francisco, Oakland: apartments, rentals, low crime)

[tprice7111]

Please help us find a neighborhood. Moving from the east coast for a job transfer on Market St.
We love Berkeley, but it doesn't look affordable. Some info:
1. 2 bedroom, max rent of $1,800
2. Single and older mum of a pre schooler
3. Diverse neighborhood
4. Walkable, good school, low crime
5. Easy commute to SF, 3 times a week
6. Access to a park
Also, can we do without a car? Thinking of selling the car prior to the move. Since, we'll know few people, we want neighborhood where it is easier to connect and meet others. Thank you.

[Ruth4Truth]

You can find 2-br. apts. in Berkeley at your price. You'll get a little more space for your money in El Cerrito and Albany, and may find 2-br. houses for rent. El Cerrito and Albany have less crime than Berkeley, and good schools, and BART stations (commute rail to SF). Alameda is also an option, with bus service to SF. Also good schools, very walkable. When will you be moving? The rental market is very tight right now, because Autumn Semester just started at the university. Some units should open up in a couple of months.

[borninamess]

you can, technically, find a 2bd for max 1800 in berk, el cerrito, albany and alameda--but a quick glance at craigslist shows only 11 such apartments for rent.

selecting all of oakland, only 69 listings... the market is quite tight.

[NewbiePoster]

Originally Posted by borninamess

you can, technically, find a 2bd for max 1800 in berk, el cerrito, albany and alameda--but a quick glance at craigslist shows only 11 such apartments for rent.

selecting all of oakland, only 69 listings... the market is quite tight.

It always is this time of year. The best time to look for rentals is June/July, when college students are on summer break. Otherwise, the market loosens up around late Fall.

[Oakformonday]

Interesting. I just looked at Craigslist and there are 3 listings in all of Berkeley at 1,800 for a 2 bed. That few will have a lot of competition. I understand students have just come back. Even when they leave, the competition at that price will be fierce. I don't envy anyone looking. Good luck.

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by borninamess

you can, technically, find a 2bd for max 1800 in berk, el cerrito, albany and alameda--but a quick glance at craigslist shows only 11 such apartments for rent.

None of those 11 are in Albany or Alameda,the places with good schools.

Originally Posted by tprice7111

Please help us find a neighborhood. Moving from the east coast for a job transfer on Market St.
We love Berkeley, but it doesn't look affordable. Some info:
1. 2 bedroom, max rent of $1,800

$1,800 with good schools means a 1 bedroom apartment or a longer commute. Here is a search for east bay locations with good schools and locations with a Bart station.

SF bay area apts/housing for rent - craigslist

In your price range it looks like the best options are Walnut Creek,Dublin and Fremont.

Originally Posted by tprice7111

Also, can we do without a car?

No, unless you want to suffer like an unemployed college student. Going carless is a viable idea only in select San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley locations.

[TheCityTheBridge]

Originally Posted by tprice7111

Please help us find a neighborhood. Moving from the east coast for a job transfer on Market St.
We love Berkeley, but it doesn't look affordable. Some info:
1. 2 bedroom, max rent of $1,800
2. Single and older mum of a pre schooler
3. Diverse neighborhood
4. Walkable, good school, low crime
5. Easy commute to SF, 3 times a week
6. Access to a park
Also, can we do without a car? Thinking of selling the car prior to the move. Since, we'll know few people, we want neighborhood where it is easier to connect and meet others. Thank you.

Your requirements are kind of like seeking a unicorn right now. You are going to have to give something (or some things) up. I'm no expert in good schools, so you are on your own there. You should have access to a park just about anywhere.

Give up walkability and diversity, take a look at Pacifica (but expect to pay for a parking spot for your commute).
Give up walkability and stretch the definition of ease of commute, look at Fremont/Hayward/Castro Valley/San Leandro.
Give up walkability, diversity, ease of commute, look at Concord/Pittsburg/Antioch/Walnut Creek
If your budget is flexible, then 2500 would open up more options. You could get into Berkeley, outer San Francisco neighborhoods (schools will be an issue), or Oakland's more walkable neighborhoods (schools may be an issue, and your definition of low crime may or may not jibe).

Most of the Bay Area is not super-walkable. I would only describe SF, downtown Berkeley, and parts of Oakland as highly walkable (although there are some other downtowns that are walkable). Most places you will need a car, and even if you don't need one, it is terribly nice to have access to one.

Commuting here is hard. To save yourself a lot of headaches, you will want to be close to a BART stop. I don't envy anyone who drives the Bay Bridge twice a day.

[NorCalLover]

Castro Valley should have options in your price range and also possibly Fremont. You'll need your car, but you can take BART to work, plus they're safe and have good schools for when your child hits that age.

[Ruth4Truth]

I just checked Craigslist, and there are several apartments and a house available for around $1600 in El Cerrito/Albany, that are 2 br. and one unit has 3 br. There are at least 1/2 dozen affordable 2-br. places in Fremont. This, in spite of a very tight rental market, as is always the case this time of year. I think the OP won't have much trouble finding what she needs in the kind of location she wants when the time comes.

[sonarrat]

On that budget I can only really recommend Walnut Creek.. take the train to work but keep the car for errands.