Redwood City COL (San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland: apartments, how much, home)

[DCmum]

Hello,

I’m back again after the SLC vs RC thread- Got a lot of good info about SLC in the Utah forum and leaning towards that but still have a few days to finalize my decision and my friend who lives in Oakland is trying to sway me there- A few questions:

-Would you recommend a move to RC and if yes what areas are commutable to it and are within 30_45min? , shorter commute is preferable
- What’s the school system like for middle-high school?
-What would be a decent salary for 1adult and child to live a comfortable life with enough leftover for travel, entertainment ect
- Budget for a 2bedroom apt with parking in a great area and great school system with amenities, parking ect

Thank you

[MrOhashi]

1. Yes I would move to Redwood City. Its about equidistant to both San Jose and San Francisco, the weather is great, and though its a suburb it has the best downtown (along with San Mateo) on the Peninsula.
2. School system is so-so. Don't know about middle school but the public high schools are either Sequoia or Woodside, Woodside probably being the better option. Neither are super awful, but nothing to write home about either. I believe there are some charter schools in the area (Everest?? and Mid-Peninsula) but I'm not familiar with those. There are private high schools nearby like Sacred Heart Prep or Menlo which are extremely expensive. Some RWC kids also go to St. Francis in Mountain View or Serra in San Mateo, both Catholic, cheaper but still not free.
3. I believe on your other thread you said you would be making 200k or over? Correct me if I'm wrong. That would be sufficient unless you like to live very large.
4. In general on the Peninsula, west of El Camino is nicer than east, and this is true in RWC. Most apartments will be in the flat areas but take a look on craigslist, there are apartments scattered throughout. Adjacent towns like Menlo Park or San Carlos are also worth looking into, they are commutable and the public schools are a bit better.

[DCmum]

I haven’t received the package yet so not sure what that would look like. 200k is my comp in the DC area, my guess is the package I will get for CA would be very different from the package for Utah! I am afraid of getting bored in Utah after a while as all the entertainment seems to revolve around the mountains/ski/hiking! I like to do other things as well but not sure how much of a vaccum it will be! Other thoughts are that I coulc live in SLC and hop on a plane to the Bay area whenever Im bored since Im working all week anyways, most of my entertainment would be on weekends or include something kid related!

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by MrOhashi

1. Yes I would move to Redwood City. Its about equidistant to both San Jose and San Francisco, the weather is great, and though its a suburb it has the best downtown (along with San Mateo) on the Peninsula.

Better than Burlingame's downtown? I don't see how.

2. School system is so-so. Don't know about middle school but the public high schools are either Sequoia or Woodside, Woodside probably being the better option. Neither are super awful, but nothing to write home about either. I believe there are some charter schools in the area (Everest?? and Mid-Peninsula) but I'm not familiar with those. There are private high schools nearby like Sacred Heart Prep or Menlo which are extremely expensive. Some RWC kids also go to St. Francis in Mountain View or Serra in San Mateo, both Catholic, cheaper but still not free.

Two words about RWC public schools: Gang activity. You might want to do some research, OP. We have a home a few blocks from Kennedy Middle School.

[DCmum]

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

Better than Burlingame's downtown? I don't see how.


Two words about RWC public schools: Gang activity. You might want to do some research, OP. We have a home a few blocks from Kennedy Middle School.

Can you tell me more about Burlingame? It looks like an area that would be a good commute to RC

[twins4lynn]

Burlingame has 2 downtowns - https://www.burlingamedowntown.org/pagedi (clock on map to drag to view more) and https://www.visitbroadwayburlingame.com/directory

All of the schools are good. Several elementary schools, one middle school, one high school. There is no "bad" area to avoid when moving there.

All of the cities on the peninsula (San Carlos, Belmont, San Mateo, Burlingame, Millbrae) would be a short commute to Redwood City.

[eastwestcoast]

Originally Posted by DCmum

Can you tell me more about Burlingame? It looks like an area that would be a good commute to RC

Burlingame is quite nice and very expensive, even compared to neighboring cities (with the exception being its ultra-wealthy neighbor, Hillsborough). As has been mentioned, it has two downtowns. Broadway is smaller and less upscale, but has some good restaurants and amenities mainly frequented by locals. Burlingame Ave is the bigger, revitalized downtown that feels high-end, and is (or at least was pre-COVID) a popular gathering and shopping destination. This is subjective, but I think compared to Redwood City or San Mateo, Burlingame's downtowns feel the most moneyed and are the prettiest, however have the least diversity and variety.

There are a few other things you may consider. Burlingame is closer to San Francisco, BART, and the airport, if any of that matters to you. The schools are generally considered very good in Burlingame, whereas I have heard that Redwood City and San Mateo are more hit-or-miss. I also like the Bayfront area in Burlingame and northern San Mateo, with its trails, fishing, and city views.

Out of these three cities, Redwood City probably has the youngest crowd and the most entertainment options as well, with both a major movie theater and the Fox Theater right there, and has grown the most in recent years. If activities and amenities are less of a concern, then don't count out neighboring towns that are quiet but have good schools and lots of families like Menlo Park, Belmont, San Carlos, and Millbrae.

[twins4lynn]

San Mateo has a Century 12 theater between 2nd & 3rd Avenues (and San Bruno has theaters in Tanforan). One peninsula city kind of blends into another imo.

[davdaven]

I would look at communities between Burlingame and Mountain View. Traffic can be pretty brutal unless you take Caltrain. Burlingame won't offer much you can't get in San Carlos, so on and so forth, unless you fall in love with a particular school or school district. So closer to work is better. Almost all of the schools in Silicon Valley are going to be better than what you find in my part of the Bay Area, but rich people gonna rich, so YMMV. The area is a collection of suburbs, so these towns won't vary that much.

[MrOhashi]

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

Better than Burlingame's downtown? I don't see how.


Two words about RWC public schools: Gang activity. You might want to do some research, OP. We have a home a few blocks from Kennedy Middle School.

RWC and San Mateo's downtowns are much bigger with more options. Burlingame Ave feels like a high end mall. That said, if you can swing Burlingame, I would do that. Much better school system, and you may find you have everything you need in Burlingame, and if you don't San Mateo is the next town down.