"Affordable" district with good schools/good commute to city? (Oakland: rentals, how much)

[04kL4nD]

Honestly, I don't think she's going to find anything great for 3k. If she ups her budget by a fair amount, she'll have much better options. Regardless if I have kids or not (you seem to keep harping on this, as if it totally invalidates my opinion) I wouldn't want to put up with that commute. Other people don't either. Good thing you and your wife do- it must mean you're better parents than everyone else.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

Honestly, I don't think she's going to find anything great for 3k. If she ups her budget by a fair amount, she'll have much better options. Regardless if I have kids or not (you seem to keep harping on this, as if it totally invalidates my opinion) I wouldn't want to put up with that commute. Other people don't either. Good thing you and your wife do- it must mean you're better parents than everyone else.

Oh so now you've moved onto the angle on whether or not she can find "anything great" for $3K after realizing there are actual places that meet her budget/school/transit criteria? Well the OP didn't specify granite countertops and stainless steel appliances but again another thing she can decide on. "Better parents than everyone"? Lol, seriously where do you get this crap from and how on earth do you get that from my posts? I fully realize some people don't want to put up with that commute and that's fine, but do you realize that many people are willing to yet?

Your opinion is just that and it's one from a very different perspective. You remind me of this guy right now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Z91YkPatw

Never say never! lol

[jade408]

One thing to note, not all BART stations have easy/available parking during the commute hours. So make sure the station you choose is easy to park at. IT took a former colleague of mine several years to get a reserved spot at Pleasant Hill BART.

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

They're not? My rent has gone up 17% in the last two years alone

Same. And rent for "newcommers" (what they'd pay if they moved into my unit today vs. what I paid when I moved in) has almost doubled (~1400 - 2700) in 5 years.


Regarding the OP: yes, one can find it. Pleasant Hill is a good place to start. Some towns close to PH (such as Martinez), might work. The OP will probably have to sacrifice something in their list of requirements, though, to get what they really want.

Living in the Bay Area these days really is about finding the right balance and determining what you're willing to sacrifice most (e.g. money for better location, better schools; less money for possibly decent/good schools, but a much further commute, etc.).

I think the points about the Bay Area not being like the East coast (or really, for that matter, like pretty much every metro in the country) are good to bring up: you don't really get cheaper AND good schools the further you get away from the inner city like you do elsewhere. It's hard to grasp that concept right away as a newcomer. There isn't really a Princeton, NJ in the Bay Area.

[04kL4nD]

Originally Posted by sav858

Oh so now you've moved onto the angle on whether or not she can find "anything great" for $3K after realizing there are actual places that meet her budget/school/transit criteria? Well the OP didn't specify granite countertops and stainless steel appliances but again another thing she can decide on. "Better parents than everyone"? Lol, seriously where do you get this crap from and how on earth do you get that from my posts? I fully realize some people don't want to put up with that commute and that's fine, but do you realize that many people are willing to yet?

Your opinion is just that and it's one from a very different perspective. You remind me of this guy right now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Z91YkPatw

Never say never! lol

If she finds the perfect place that's right by a BART stop (not one that requires several miles of driving), and if the place is in a great school district (probably won't be anything as good as back East, but 8/10 ain't bad I guess), and if her DH's job doesn't require any transfers/connections in SF, and if she's able to get a secured BART parking space, and if it's 3k a month, yes, she should move in immediately. Too many 'ifs' for me to suggest it'll be easy like you seem to be insinuating, but I wish her the best of luck in either case. Happy?

Cute commercial btw. I'm gay, so I don't foresee any children in my future, but you're right. Never say never!

[sav858]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

If she finds the perfect place that's right by a BART stop (not one that requires several miles of driving), and if the place is in a great school district (probably won't be anything as good as back East, but 8/10 ain't bad I guess), and if her DH's job doesn't require any transfers/connections in SF, and if she's able to get a secured BART parking space, and if it's 3k a month, yes, she should move in immediately. Too many 'ifs' for me to suggest it'll be easy like you seem to be insinuating, but I wish her the best of luck in either case. Happy?

Cute commercial btw. I'm gay, so I don't foresee any children in my future, but you're right. Never say never!

No one ever insinuated it would be "easy" but the fact of the matter is it's doable despite you and others saying that it's impossible. Plus the fact of all the people in the area that already do it. Not sure why you're so hell bent on on telling us what you personally would do or not do when all the OP asked for was info on places that might meet her criteria. I'm sure she's more than capable of making a decision based on proper information provided. Maybe next time consider actually providing some sort of useful input to the topic instead of snarky comments and being argumentative. Public Schools, children, suburbs, and commuting to SF via BART from the suburbs don't really seem to topics you have much experience with so not really sure why you have such strong opinions about them and felt the need to argue so vehemently about, thought that was reserved for Oakland topics with you.

[04kL4nD]

NOTE: I commuted to SF via BART when I lived in Concord. It sucked. Big time.
NOTE: I used to work in Concord and attend DVC when I lived in Oakland for around 4.5 years, driving back and forth on 24/680 before the 3rd bore of the tunnel. It also sucked.
NOTE: You've never lived anywhere outside of CA, so you have no clue what people's expectations are when they move here. Others have pointed out how different things are, but you seem to ignore this.

just thought I'd add those few small details

Again, my suggestion is for her to up her budget to get all that she wants. Not sure why you have such a huge problem with that.

[Ceece]

I was going to say Dublin and thought it wouldn't be hard but when I checked CL all the sub $3k places were actually in Tracy. I'd say 80% of the listings for Dublin/Pleasanton/Livermore are actually in Tracy. Crazy. I'd really have to think hard before taking a transfer to SF, even it it's a promotion. Finding a place you can afford here takes a backseat to the lifestyle you want to live IMO. If I wasn't here for 56 years already there is no way I could afford to live here.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

NOTE: I commuted to SF via BART when I lived in Concord. It sucked. Big time.
NOTE: I used to work in Concord and attend DVC when I lived in Oakland for around 4.5 years, driving back and forth on 24/680 before the 3rd bore of the tunnel. It also sucked.
NOTE: You've never lived anywhere outside of CA, so you have no clue what people's expectations are when they move here. Others have pointed out how different things are, but you seem to ignore this.

just thought I'd add those few small details

Again, my suggestion is for her to up her budget to get all that she wants. Not sure why you have such a huge problem with that.

Yay more irrelevant information.

-Just because you may not have been able to stand the commute doesn't mean the OP will. They know how to use the internet and see how long it takes to drive to BART and take it into the city. Let them decide instead of projecting your own personal feelings so much. Give them the information to decide instead of snarky comments about pet unicorns.
-Not sure what your reverse commute before the 4th bore opened has to do with anything
-And you have no clue what the OP's expectations are either and being from the South doesn't give you any insight to that, sounds like more assumptions on your part. I'm just amazed at all the crap some of you assume about the OP and how much more complicated you made her simple inquiry. You also don't have children and seem oblivious to the whole concept of longer commutes from the suburbs families have been doing since I dunno the 1950's or so for better schools and more space.

I never had a problem with you suggesting a higher budget, not sure where you got that from. I initially commented on why I don't get people were saying what she was looking for was impossible when it clearly isn't. Then you started with some completely irrelevant tangent about how some areas of the East Bay are $3K just for a 2br and it just snowballed from there. My suggestion again is to stick to areas you know well and maybe with posters you have more in common with lifestyle wise. Or continue to act like a know-it-all for everything East Bay related.....

[CBB_bear]

Maybe Walnut Creek would work for OP? They might be able to find a 3 bedroom for ~3,000 but it will probably be a little dumpy. I think they might have more options if they up their budget to 3500. Also, if it is at all possible to live in a 2 bedroom? Could the kids share a room? Or the baby get a corner of the living room or share with parents?