Working in the Financial District What area should I move to (Oakland: neighborhoods, safe)

[ttocs99]

Originally Posted by Smiley22

I just accepted a job in the financial district, across the Transamerica bldg. Not sure if I should look to live in the Berkely, Emeryville, Novato area or should I look to move in the Mountain View, Foster City, San Mateo area. I'm a single woman, looking for a safe area and most direct commute to the financial district.

Wow, brings back memories, I used to work across from the Transamerica building at 655 Montgomery. Great area to work. I lived in Walnut Creek which was a 30+ minute BART ride. Great quick commute, and WC is a great town.

[Smiley22]

Thanks so much for your help thus far. My price range is $3500. I have a small dog and a car. I'm moving from Santa Barbara so I don't mind the burbs, I just want an easy commute. I'm ok with driving into the city to hangout @ events or on the weekend to explore places. So far I've identified the following places:

- Park West (Inner Sunset)
- Azure (Mission Bay)
- Lateen Cove Apartments (Foster City)
- Franklin Street Apartment Homes (Redwood City)
- Avalon Sunset Towers (City)
- Parc on Powell (Emeryville)
- Emme (Emeryville)
- Miramar Apartments (Foster City)
- Riva Terra Apartments (Redwood City)
- Mountain View area

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by Smiley22

Thanks so much for your help thus far. My price range is $3500. I have a small dog and a car. I'm moving from Santa Barbara so I don't mind the burbs, I just want an easy commute. I'm ok with driving into the city to hangout @ events or on the weekend to explore places. So far I've identified the following places:

- Lateen Cove Apartments (Foster City)
- Franklin Street Apartment Homes (Redwood City)

- Miramar Apartments (Foster City)
- Riva Terra Apartments (Redwood City)
- Mountain View area

These are not an easy commute since one would have to ride Caltrain and then take a bus or train or a 20 minute walk to the financial district. A 30 or 40 mile commute is too far unless one has to do it for the kid's school district. Forget about Foster City unless you plan to drive and have parking in the city when you get there. Foster City is not convenient for Caltrain and its a liquefaction zone too.

Avalon Cedar Ridge in Daly City is much closer. From there one could park at South San Francisco Bart and have a quick train ride into the city. However they are walkable to almost nothing.

I would not even consider Emeryville because every weekend the 80 freeway is a big traffic jam going into SF.

I might consider Acappela or Village at the Crossing in San Bruno. These look like very nice apartments. From there one can walk across a shopping center to get to Bart or have a very short drive to park in the Bart parking garage. The big downside of these locations is airport noise.

Originally Posted by Smiley22

- Park West (Inner Sunset)
- Azure (Mission Bay)
- Avalon Sunset Towers (City)

Personally I could not stand to live in Mission Bay near the baseball stadium and be in 81 traffic jams per year during game days. This area is isolated from the rest of the city and has none of the charm associated with the other parts of SF.

Inner Sunset is a great convenient walkable neighborhood. There are many shops & restaurants around 9th and Irving. Its also very close to Golden Gate park. One can take the N train or a bus to the financial district. You might have traffic noise at Park West if you are too close to Lincoln Way, be sure to check that out.

I would check out Avalon Ocean in SF. This neighborhood is not as nice as Inner Sunset but the apartments are brand new and they are a half mile walk to a Bart station for a 12 minute ride to Montgomery Station.

[Smiley22]

Will the BART take me directly into the financial district, with only a few blocks to walk to the Transamerica bldg? When I looked at the commute time for the following places, times are over 50mins. How is the ride on the BART?

San Mateo
Pacificia

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Smiley22

Will the BART take me directly into the financial district, with only a few blocks to walk to the Transamerica bldg? When I looked at the commute time for the following places, times are over 50mins. How is the ride on the BART?

San Mateo
Pacificia

Yes. See BART map for times from whatever station you choose; Rockridge--about 20 minutes. Elsewhere: longer. 25-30 minutes, maybe more, depending. 50 minutes would be for people coming from the far ends of the system.

[jribe]

Originally Posted by Smiley22

Will the BART take me directly into the financial district, with only a few blocks to walk to the Transamerica bldg? When I looked at the commute time for the following places, times are over 50mins. How is the ride on the BART?

San Mateo
Pacificia

transamerica is on Montgomery - you can take the BART from Colma (about 5-10 minute drive from pacifica - northern end) and the ride is about 20 minutes on BART. I work at 333 market and the train is usually timely - not crowded if you leave Colma before 7 and leave embarcadero before 4pm

personally, i really like pacifica. I'm at the Lands End apartments on the northern edge- right along the bluffs and it's pretty awesome. Small apartments (like everywhere else in the bay) but you get a nice climate and easy commute

good luck

[Oakformonday]

Do you have parking available at your job? You say that you are willing to drive but unless parking comes with the job (usually only C-Suite) then you will pay $500+/month to park in a garage. This location is not an office park with acres of free surface parking. Anyway, it is a almost a half mile walk from the Montgomery BART Station or a 10 minute walk. If I were you, I'd live on a BART line. Pick what you like better. East Bay or where BART goes south of SF. Your $3,500/month budget will be good for at least a new 1 bed or 2 (depending on where you go). Not sure if you need larger but keep it as low as possible. Get into an older unit and the price will be reflected outside of SF.

Keep in mind, if you move to a newer building in SF or Oakland understand that there is no rent control. In SF, a building built after 1979 or 1984 (I think) in Oakland will not be controlled. That means your rent could go up $300 to 400/month after the first year - depending on the market and economy. I don't think people take that into consideration when moving to new buildings. Good luck.

[jade408]

BART is the easiest way to get to the Transamerica pyramid. And take driving off the table. It takes about 20 minutes to drive from the pyramid to the freeway on a good day. I literally walk faster than the cars every day.

[ttocs99]

Originally Posted by Smiley22

Will the BART take me directly into the financial district, with only a few blocks to walk to the Transamerica bldg? When I looked at the commute time for the following places, times are over 50mins. How is the ride on the BART?

San Mateo
Pacificia

If you take the BART to Montgomery Street. It leaves you near Martket and Montgomery. Walk straight down Montgomery towards the Transamerica Building. It's about 8 or 9 blocks I believe. There is no BART station that leaves very close (within 2 or 3 blocks) to your office. It's a nice walk though, should take you 5-8 minutes at the most.

[ttocs99]

Originally Posted by Smiley22

Will the BART take me directly into the financial district, with only a few blocks to walk to the Transamerica bldg? When I looked at the commute time for the following places, times are over 50mins. How is the ride on the BART?

San Mateo
Pacificia

Some towns in the East Bay are much shorter rides than 50 minutes. There's a great app called Embark iBART, you can plan any trip and it will give you the schedule and how long the trip takes.