Oakland: Where's the Hate? (Berkeley, Claremont: renting, neighborhoods, schools)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by pwduvall

Some of the locals on the Baltimore Forum, myself included, get annoyed that many of our treads are dominated by negative posts from the Washington, DC area residents. The forum's busiest (and possibly most negative) poster is from the Washington Area. The invective is most pronounced when someone says that they are moving to Baltimore. While Baltimore City (where I live) has very well known problems, the rest of the Baltimore area is pretty prosperous and has relatively low crime.

While it might seem helpful to warn people that haven't watched the news in the last few months or The Wire that Baltimore is not problem free, warning people not to move into the metro area seems like overkill. Anyway, I have taken a look at the San Francisco - Oakland Forum and I haven't seen any of the same over the top negativity directed at Oakland by folks from San Francisco, etc. Why don't you guys pick on Oakland more? At least crime wise, Oakland seems to have big problems too.

WHOA, whoa, there, pardner! We had quite an anti-Oakland troll problem for a year or more. It got so bad that the mod had to put up a sticky prohibiting crime topics on the Oakland forum. (See: "SF-O forum restricted topics" ) PLEASE be careful what you wish for! We're the ones who'll be stuck with the fallout, if you jinx this forum.

[beb0p]

Originally Posted by pwduvall

Why don't you guys pick on Oakland more? At least crime wise, Oakland seems to have big problems too.

Because it feels silly to bash a place for crime, when 1) you cannot afford to live there or 2) you are trying to move there! Have you checked out Oakland real estate lately?

Soon, people will have to start thumping their noses at Oakland for being too snobby and elite. They will reminiscence how wonderful Oakland used to be, before the hipters, techies, and rich folks moved in and ruined everything.
.

[edson1115]

I used to be a basher as well...only because I didnt really know anything about the East Bay. Been living in Oakland for 3 years now and wished I would of bought sooner. It really is a great place to live. Plenty of awesome neighbors. Sure, the occasional drug deal here and there but its cool. I live in West Oakland and what I hear from the OG's is that it has changed a lot...for the best. Hope it continues to improve because I want to make a few $100k in real estate. I got 5 on it

[tcave360]

Originally Posted by pwduvall

Some of the locals on the Baltimore Forum, myself included, get annoyed that many of our treads are dominated by negative posts from the Washington, DC area residents. The forum's busiest (and possibly most negative) poster is from the Washington Area. The invective is most pronounced when someone says that they are moving to Baltimore. While Baltimore City (where I live) has very well known problems, the rest of the Baltimore area is pretty prosperous and has relatively low crime.

While it might seem helpful to warn people that haven't watched the news in the last few months or The Wire that Baltimore is not problem free, warning people not to move into the metro area seems like overkill. Anyway, I have taken a look at the San Francisco - Oakland Forum and I haven't seen any of the same over the top negativity directed at Oakland by folks from San Francisco, etc. Why don't you guys pick on Oakland more? At least crime wise, Oakland seems to have big problems too.

IH_77? Isn't he from Baltimore County (as recalled him claiming anyway)?

[UrbanLuis]

I read the California section from time to time, and honestly it seems like the hate Oakland gets is nothing compared to the hatred towards LA. Not just on here, but in the general U.S and world forum. Basically its, SFC = Good and LA = the worst.

[pwduvall]

Originally Posted by tcave360

IH_77? Isn't he from Baltimore County (as recalled him claiming anyway)?

I was thinking about STEPPINTHRAX who lives in Calvert County. I find IH_77 to be entertaining. I grew up in Prince Georges County and lived for a while in Montgomery County but I don't consider myself to be informed enough about those places to comment on the DC area forum. Then again, I'm a Baltimoron by choice.

[tcave360]

Originally Posted by UrbanLuis

I read the California section from time to time, and honestly it seems like the hate Oakland gets is nothing compared to the hatred towards LA. Not just on here, but in the general U.S and world forum. Basically its, SFC = Good and LA = the worst.

The C-D hate towards LA doesn't seem to be as bad as it used to be a few years ago though, at least on City vs. City.

[tcave360]

Originally Posted by pwduvall

I was thinking about STEPPINTHRAX who lives in Calvert County. I find IH_77 to be entertaining. I grew up in Prince Georges County and lived for a while in Montgomery County but I don't consider myself to be informed enough about those places to comment on the DC area forum. Then again, I'm a Baltimoron by choice.

Oh okay. IH_77 (hilarious that one of you guys call him Agent 77 lol) can be a real character, it's like he plays three sides or something.

[GalacticDragonfly]

Originally Posted by CBB_bear

Oakland also has some legitimately upscale areas that have been that way for a long time. I almost think that a lot of the "haters" forget that Rockridge, Montclair, and parts of Clairmont are indeed part of Oakland.

Really though. Whenever an SF publication talks about a great Oakland restaurant, they say the neighborhood's name and not mention Oakland once. It's great in one way, it explains the diversity of Oakland, but on the other hand, I feel like if you tell someone from SF or Berkeley that they're going to "Temiscal", "Lake Merritt", or "Rockridge", ect, they'll be like "Oh, okay." You say "I'm going to Oakland", they're like, "Oooh..."

[CBB_bear]

^^yeah, I mentioned those three areas because a couple years ago my parents were thinking about relocating to the East Bay. Given that they are older and have equity from their current house, they were looking in some upscale areas--primarily the Berkeley hills, Claremont, Montclair, and Rockridge. My dad expressed great enthusiasm about moving to Berkeley, but almost had a blocker as to the fact that some of the houses he was looking at had Oakland addresses. Anytime he referred to a house in Oakland it was by neighborhood.