Best City for Single Young Professional in Bay Area (San Jose: neighborhood, live)

[Ruth4Truth]

OP, you need to explain a bit more. Why are you looking to live in SF (or around SF) if the main office is in Redwood City? Do you mean, for the nightlife and singles scene, you want to be in SF?

A place in the East Bay wouldn't really work for someone driving to Redwood City. You say you'll not be in the office much, but traveling and doing consulting? Consulting where--SF and the peninsula, or all around the Bay? A little clarification would be helpful.

Because if your work will take you to the East Bay for consulting with clients, an East Bay location might make sense. Otherwise, it wouldn't. The main concern is the bridge traffic, and freeway traffic in general. The Bay Area population has become too dense, so the freeways have more traffic than they can handle now, especially anytime around commute hours. Your work sounds like it wouldn't have you stuck in the usual 9-to-5, which is helpful, but still, you need to keep the commute nightmare in mind. If you could keep most of your commuting to a 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 pm window, you could make Oakland work. (I'm sure there will be those who disagree with me on that.) Or if you have to be in Redwood City or environs some afternoons, best to wait out the traffic on that side of the Bay until after 6 pm before returning home. I'm trying to think creatively for you, here, to try to make Oakland work for you, since you seem to have a flexible schedule. That's your big advantage. But you need to know what you're in for, commute-wise.

Your other option is to bite the bullet and share a place in SF. South San Francisco is a little cheaper. Pacifica is cheaper, and right on the water (are you up for surfing?), but there's no nightlife. You'd have to drive in to the City for that.

[DCBayer]

@08grad how would u say the crowds differ? are they more hipster or whatever in oakland and less techie. or professionally its all rather similar thorough the valley.
Basically I know i can get a nicer spot, less competitively if i pick oakland, while also benefiting from attractions of Oakland + driving to SF and experiencing what they have.
Would you say what the peninsula is going to offer me outweighs what oakland has to offer?

from what i know/assume is that the peninsula is like tech mecca, heart of startups and whatnot, does that not exist in Oakland or is this a culture that is prevalent through. If so, theres no reason in my eyes to pay an extra 3-500 for an apartment thats not as nice and in an area with less to do.

So oakland wise, what neighborhoods do you advice that are kinda my demographic, everyone doesnt have to be doing what im doing, i mix with all crowds but would prefer people with some ambition. any recommendations?

[DCBayer]

To clairfy, my consulting will be nationwide/internationally, really whereever the client is. during the interview, which was months ago and I also dont start til july, he mentioned an Austin TX project, another interviewer mentioned SV alot and that he did something in Russia. SO i dont always predict to be in SV/SF/RC but i assume i may have a client there occaisonally.
Really, this is a "bachelor pad" to an extent, im home for 3-4 mostly the weekend basically so my motivation when home will be to go out and party/club/bar/movies/ just really relax and separate from work. Hopefully that clears it up, but i want to be in tune with the tech community and not waste all my time partying but also professiinally develop. RC is a 6-8 week location, after that its a nonfactor

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by DCBayer

@08grad how would u say the crowds differ? are they more hipster or whatever in oakland and less techie. or professionally its all rather similar thorough the valley.
Basically I know i can get a nicer spot, less competitively if i pick oakland, while also benefiting from attractions of Oakland + driving to SF and experiencing what they have.
Would you say what the peninsula is going to offer me outweighs what oakland has to offer?

from what i know/assume is that the peninsula is like tech mecca, heart of startups and whatnot, does that not exist in Oakland or is this a culture that is prevalent through. If so, theres no reason in my eyes to pay an extra 3-500 for an apartment thats not as nice and in an area with less to do.

So oakland wise, what neighborhoods do you advice that are kinda my demographic, everyone doesnt have to be doing what im doing, i mix with all crowds but would prefer people with some ambition. any recommendations?

No, the tech startup-capital thing doesn't exist in Oakland so much. Who you really need to talk to about that and neighborhoods is our member, "jade408". Hopefully she'll be along soon, or you can send her a private message.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by DCBayer

To clairfy, my consulting will be nationwide/internationally, really whereever the client is. during the interview, which was months ago and I also dont start til july, he mentioned an Austin TX project, another interviewer mentioned SV alot and that he did something in Russia. SO i dont always predict to be in SV/SF/RC but i assume i may have a client there occaisonally.
Really, this is a "bachelor pad" to an extent, im home for 3-4 mostly the weekend basically so my motivation when home will be to go out and party/club/bar/movies/ just really relax and separate from work. Hopefully that clears it up, but i want to be in tune with the tech community and not waste all my time partying but also professiinally develop. RC is a 6-8 week location, after that its a nonfactor

Very interesting. So you need to be near an airport, or will you be consulting by phone and computer, mostly?

For nightlife, it's Oakland. For networking, it's SV, SF and the peninsula. It doesn't all come wrapped up in one tidy package. Sure, there's nightlife in SF, but people say Oakland's nightlife is better. There's more jazz, more innovative music happening in Oakland, if you're into music.

[DCBayer]

Great that was really helpful and I will speak with jade hopefully.

Seems maybe I was a little unclear, I plan to live with 1 roommate at least, so hopefully a 2br apartment moreso than a house i don't want the upkeep.
As far as airports, from what I understand there's SFO Oakland and maybe 1 more? So I'm not too worried about that factor.

Interesting to hear Oakland for nightlife that was the main thing I was thinking sf would have over it, with tourists, clubs and major artists festivals. I can see oakland having a much better bar scene and cooler/diverse 18-25 scene.

If u don't mind me asking where do u love if in the bay area. Also the traffic thing wouldn't bother me too much coming from nova/dc 1.5-2hrs at 30mph is everyday life

[Ruth4Truth]

Major artists' festivals happen in Oakland, too, and around the Bay Area. Oakland has a huge public for all kinds of jazz, which SF doesn't have, so much. However, a good music festival can happen anywhere. SF has a tradition of hosting an annual music festival in Stern Grove, a big park in the City, and it's free. But living in the Bay Area, everything is accessible. People drive all over to catch the events they want.

You're asking me what my favorite areas are? I'm torn between Berkeley (because of proximity to the diverse Berkeley/Oakland music scene, in part), and the north Bay, because of the beaches, redwood forests, nature in general.

jade, if I'm not mistaken, is in tech, and she was involved with a group in Oakland that was trying to help Black tech start-ups, but she said it was difficult. There just isn't the level of capital available for that, like there is on the other side of the Bay, and in San Jose. It's an overlooked niche.

[DCBayer]

Great. Pacifica seems nice and priced aren't bad but I think it may be too quaint
How's San mateo/San Jose as well.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by DCBayer

Great. Pacifica seems nice and priced aren't bad but I think it may be too quaint
How's San mateo/San Jose as well.

San Jose wouldn't be affordable. San Mateo might work if you find a good deal on rent and get a good roommate. Check out housing prices yourself. But I'm not able to evaluate the relative benefits of professional networking opportunities there vs. nightlife (or relative lack thereof) compared to Oakland. You'll have to wait for someone else to contribute to that. Also, nothing compares to Oakland for diversity, but again, jade and others who know the peninsula well would be able to offer a solid perspective on that.

[jsba]

I work in tech as well and I can tell you there are actually quite a few tech start ups in Oakland, Berkeley, and Emeryvill specifically. They don't get nearly the hype of the ones in SF and truth be told not nearly the money either. I my self have two companies in Oakland with a third coming this year.