sanfransico - where to live for a commute under 40 minutes, buy a townhome/condo under 550K (area, places)

[beb0p]

Originally Posted by laxphone

Thanks for all the insights and sorry for the earlier typo about the city name. If I take the job, it will be in the downtown san francisco. I am flexible on the standards but looking for 3 bed /2 bath minimum if I buy. So what I am gathering is 800 - 1million is what I might be looking for. Perhaps one question I have is how far I have to drive to get it under 600K for 3bed/2bath (townhouse/condo) from the san francisco downtown area. If there is such area. Are there any affordable areas ? other option is take the job and stay in rentals as I cannot have it all.

There are 3bed 2baths townhomes/SFH for under $600k in Oakland. And Oakland is right next to SF. You'd take BART to downtown SF.

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Oakland/36...19/home/547158

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Oakland/14...10/home/690578

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Oakland/53.../home/39623483

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Oakland/44...9/home/1670875


You next question may be: Isn't Oakland dangerous? The answer is depends on the neighborhood. The ones I listed above are in pretty decent to good neighborhoods.
.

[California Vagabond]

If you're willing to consider a house, you also could look at homes near the North Concord/Martinez BART and Pittsburg BART stations. (BART will make for a far, far more appealing commute into downtown S.F. than a commute by car.) I just took a look at a real estate web site, and spotted several candidates in the middle 400s. I haven't visited these neighborhoods for about four years, but remember them as appealing, in a conventional suburban way.

Pittsburg takes a step upscale south of Leland Road, as I recall (and hope I don't slight those north of Leland).

An added plus to either of these locations: you're unlikely to get nailed if the long-feared Big One strikes the Bay Area. The closest fault is the Green River fault, and that's not nearly as large a local concern as the Hayward and San Andreas faults. (Or so I recall; I'm not a seismologist!)

Disadvantage: count on a BART ride of around fifty minutes each way from either of these locations.

[Chuck5000]

There is much multiple bidding in Oakland as well as most of Bay Area. Realtors advise sellers to price houses to entice bidders. A house listed at 600 will not sell for 600, it will go for 5% to 20% more.

[likealady]

If you are looking for a more affordable city with better traffic than Seattle, sorry, but SF is not the place. The only place you're going to find a townhome in your budget within a reasonable distance from downtown is going to be Oakland. Whether you're willing to buy and live in Oakland is another story.

[jade408]

You might wanna stay in Seattle. You won't find what you want in your price range.

[smashystyle]

It's certainly possible in Richmond, probably El Cerrito, parts of Berkeley, parts of Oakland, San Leandro, and Hayward. Whether you want to live in any of these places is another matter (no disrespect to the places intended).

[suny sad]

hi every one am moving to SF looking for cheap apt please help me

[PixelatedTherapy]

Concord is about 30-45 away depending on traffic.

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by suny sad

hi every one am moving to SF looking for cheap apt please help me

There's no such thing as cheap here. Plus, you should start your OWN post and not be so vague.

[Ceece]

You can live in Hayward or San Leandro and either drive or BART to the city. Those are the only places I can see working for you and there are some nice areas in there but it's not all nice all over. Who knows what the future holds though....everything seems to go through cycles.