moving to san francisco from los angeles? (Marina, Malibu: rentals, condos)

[czer]

for those of you who have moved from la to sf, can you post about your experience and if you regret your decision?

also, what are the major differences between the two cities? do you find it more expensive living in sf (i did housing comparisons and i live in marina del rey right now which is pretty eexpensive, so i think it would be around the same price in sf)?

[hsw]

IMO, SF and LA are two most enjoyable regions in world in which to live/work....both are very different in many ways...so much so, that many affluent guys in SF have wkend places in LA....culturally, the two regions are refreshingly different....

Few observations....

City of SF is a fairly socialist, arguably hypocritical place, unlike the more straight-forward, capitalist ethos of LA's Westside; much more highly educated, intelligent, wealthy young crowd in SF; LA Westside crowd is far more attractive, but much empty (and mockable) posturing about affluence....most younger professionals live in SF and drive 40-60mis down to SiliconValley where most of region's economy is based, aside from a small no. who work in City's financial dt....

City of SF can be annoying in terms of basics of daily life...revealing its socialist, anti-hygiene ethos....many restaurants/apts/houses (incl many $10++MM houses in PacHts) lack air conditioning (despite having ?12-15d/yr of 80+F heat waves, as well as frequent muggy fog, much like Malibu/SantaMonica); many apts lack spacious underground pkg garages and multiple pkg spots, even for larger apts; some restaurants lack spacious valet parking in front.....LA is arguably ideal town for car nuts in terms of civilized parking infrastruc, and modern climate control is appreciated by any civilized American; after all, $200K tract houses in Cleveland/Podunk have had central air conditioning for 30+yrs....

Much faster traffic than LA region....City of SF itself is a sleepy little suburb; freeways on Peninsula, esp 280, are some of fastest in world, allowing easy, long-range daily commutes from SF to SV....and easy drive from SF to SFO for frequent business travelers...

Good overall restaurants in SF, but IMO LA's Westside is stronger overall (huge change from 3-5yrs ago)....

Cost of rentals and housing is prob similar comparing SF's PacHts/SoMa vs LA's Westside....unfortunately, very little construction of new condos in the more civilized PacHts area; lots of new tear-down houses and slummy (sorry, charming) old apt bldgs....SoMa has a couple of desirable new/newer condo towers; rest are new POS bldgs amidst the slums...LA's Westside seems to be more prolific w/new condo towers in more relevant locations, w/decent amenities like parking, HVAC, etc...

[majoun]

Originally Posted by czer

for those of you who have moved from la to sf, can you post about your experience and if you regret your decision?

also, what are the major differences between the two cities? do you find it more expensive living in sf (i did housing comparisons and i live in marina del rey right now which is pretty eexpensive, so i think it would be around the same price in sf)?

LA is one of the few places in the US which makes SF look semi-reasonably priced (not just in rents, but also factor in things like having to own a car and all the costs that go with that.) LA also may be the ONLY place in the US which has an even worse homeless problem than SF. I have mixed feelings about moving - more positive than negative but I can't say there aren't things about L.A. that I do seriously prefer. Despite all the horror stories, I feel safer in L.A. on average than I do in S.F. (other people have said this too) and I do miss my friends and family. OTOH, I do like not having to drive and I do like that SF is more of a drinkers' town. The food is MUCH better. While the women aren't as good looking on average they have a much better attitude (trying to say nice things about women in L.A. is like trying to say nice things about gangs in L.A. - or gangs in the Bay Area for that matter - there's nothing nice to say except some are worse than others and a few are a LOT worse than others.)


I think the political differences of the population are somewhat overhyped ; they're more similar than different, except that SF government is dominated by wackos and Gavin makes Tony look like a great leader in comparison. Most "real people" in SF are just trying to get by just like anywhere else and the radical activism is overrated. I think both L.A. and S.F. are not the cities they used to be, but Angelenos seem to have just given up whereas San Franciscans are still proud of their city. L.A. seems more puritan than S.F. except for smoking (although some whitebread L.A. 'burbs outdo S.F. for smoking paranoia). S.F. also seems less racist than L.A. - in defense of L.A. I'll say racists are a small minority of people (outside of gang and criminal types), but somehow S.F. doesn't have that many of the raving bigoted loonies that one sees on the L.A. boards.

I'm probably the exception on this board, but I'm a pan-Californianist. I can appreciate the good things about both S.F. and L.A. I love S.F. but sometimes I do miss L.A.

One last item of business to the previous poster: unless you're talking about Jewish delis (the one sector of cuisine which S.F. is weak in - there's nowhere up to the level of Nate & Al's or Canter's) or hamburgers (nowhere up to the level of the Apple Pan or Carney's), S.F. beats L.A.'s West Side. Mexican and Asian cuisines are just as good in S.F. as in L.A. and Italian is FAR superior. Now, I love a good pastrami sandwich or a good burger but that's not the be all and end all of eating.

[sjd]

The biggest thing I noticed was the people. I lived in Hollywood, and then moved up to SF. I recently went back down there for a vacation and noticed how vain everyone is. I couldn't believe how much everyone was in love with themselves and I asked myself, "How could I have lived here for so long?" Not regretful at all when I moved.

[rah]

Originally Posted by hsw

City of SF itself is a sleepy little suburb

Here you go again. So, tell me how a city with a population density of 16,000 people per square mile, and a daytime population that increases by 250,000, is a suburb? I'm sort of confused. What exactly is your definition of suburb?

[18Montclair]

you'll be a snob in no time.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by rah

Here you go again. So, tell me how a city with a population density of 16,000 people per square mile, and a daytime population that increases by 250,000, is a suburb? I'm sort of confused. What exactly is your definition of suburb?

It is quite comical aint it?

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by rah

What exactly is your definition of suburb?

On these boards, the word has become an all-encompassing insult to denote a place's worth. I'm not so sure it's used in any particular sense here.

[NorthernCaliforniaObsesed]

I haven't moved from LA to SF, but I know a lot about LA AND SF, and I would say living in Marina Del Rey is very comparable to many neighborhoods of SF.

People like to exaggerate on the differences between residents of these two great cities, but there is some truth to it. People in SF GENERALLY are not as concerned with trends, the media, all that LA stuff, and are often more laid-back. However, if you move to the Marina (a fun yuppie neighborhood at SF's northern edge, right on the bay), you won't find it to be very different.
If you're more the hipster type, go to SoMa (South of Market).
You will miss the weather, but from March to October you can always go to WC in the East Bay or parts of the North and South Bay and it will be sunny and warm. And when SF has nice weather, there's really nowhere you'd rather be.

[jeevcy]

If you plan to live in or near the City and also work there, SELL your car !!!