Great East Bay Communities?? (Concord, Antioch: low crime, custom home, neighborhoods)

[docrondc]

Hi:

Just wanted to get some advice regarding Easty Bay cities/communities - around Clayton, Concord, etc.

Looking for child friendly, safe and with great schools. Can anyone suggest any cities that fit this criteria.

Thanks,
Ron

[Ultrarunner]

My brother and family are very pleased with Pleasant Hill...

[zdub09]

You're looking for the Lamorinda area (Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda). No crime, mostly families, and the best public schools.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by zdub09

You're looking for the Lamorinda area (Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda). No crime, mostly families, and the best public schools.

If money is not a problem, I would like to add Alamo, Danville and Black Hawk to the list as well as Piedmont and Kensington in the East Bay.

You might also want to check with the local school districts directly. I know at one time some of the schools in these communities had waiting lists. Happy Valley grade school in Orinda is one that comes to mind...

[sjd]

Since you mentioned Clayton and Concord, I am assuming price is a factor. Clayton schools are okay. Some of them are a little better than Concord schools, but it depends on the neighborhood you choose, and the grade level your children are. If they are in middle school or elementary, then I would suggest Clayton. The school rankings are a little better than most Concord schools at that level, but if they are high school, then you may want to look into the Crossings (Ygnacio and Ayers), a home there is high 500's, to low 600's, but make sure it is on the West side of Ayers, because they go to Northgate which is a really good high school. But Pleasant Hill is also a possibility. You can get about a 1,500 sq/ft home for mid 500's, and their elementary and middle schools are quite good, but I would think about whether or not to stay before high school comes around depending on which school you children would have to go to.

Need anymore help, check out my website.

[sliverbox]

whoah nelly! You mean they can buy a home there for ONLY $5-$600,000? What a steal! I was looking for a place to dump all the extra money I have anyway.

[Jazzedforhim]

I like Oakley and Brentwood...but it might be a commute depending on where you will be working.

[Lori1961]

Originally Posted by sjd

Since you mentioned Clayton and Concord, I am assuming price is a factor. Clayton schools are okay. Some of them are a little better than Concord schools, but it depends on the neighborhood you choose, and the grade level your children are. If they are in middle school or elementary, then I would suggest Clayton. The school rankings are a little better than most Concord schools at that level, but if they are high school, then you may want to look into the Crossings (Ygnacio and Ayers), a home there is high 500's, to low 600's, but make sure it is on the West side of Ayers, because they go to Northgate which is a really good high school. But Pleasant Hill is also a possibility. You can get about a 1,500 sq/ft home for mid 500's, and their elementary and middle schools are quite good, but I would think about whether or not to stay before high school comes around depending on which school you children would have to go to.

Need anymore help, check out my website.

We live in Pleasant Hill and College Park High is a "distinguished school". Now the school is far from perfect but they do get some of the highest marks in the district.

[5stones]

You're looking for the Lamorinda area (Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda). No crime, mostly families, and the best public schools.

I'll second that. we lived in Lafayette and my eldest was born there. Great little community. However now that my kids are older...I probably would look into Moraga. Beautiful! Orinda is nice but he most expensive of all 3. I liked the more laid back attitude of Moraga.

Danville is also very nice and It would be my next palce to look over Walnut Creek.

sorry but Clayton/Concord would not be on my list.

[californianative63]

Let me say it how it is. Sorry in advance if I offend anyone ....

$-$$$Concord: *crime rising, highway 680 corridor and beyond- nice on the walnut creek border but turning into *Mexico. Hey, it is what it is....

$$$-$$$$Clayton: Low crime, nice, but a long way from the freeways i.e. interstate 680 and 24. Can take 30 minutes average during commute time.

$$$-$$$$Pleasant Hill: highway 680 corridor -Low crime, nice close schools and college (DVC) location, close to 680 and 24 freeways. West side is nicer then downtown (where I live) downtown riff-raff sometimes...

$$$-$$$$Martinez: highway 680 corridor -Low crime, South part (Pleasant Hill border) nice (nicer than downtown) and with Pleasant Hill schools. Old town with old town problems i.e. drunks, druggies, but cooler nicer weather due to being on the water. County seat for Contra Costa county. Historical landmark, John Muir, Joe Dimaggio.

$-$$Pittsburg: highway 4 corridor- Moderate crime, Ghetto downtown, prostitutes, tweakers, and gang bangers. A mix of old custom homes, ghetto shacks and nice brand new developments on the south side of highway 4. Schools are so so... sorry

$-$$$Antioch: highway 4 corridor- Moderate crime, trashy downtown, south side of highway 4 has miles of new beautiful homes and shopping centers. State owned 3500sqf homes occupied by welfare recipients. Hit and miss neighborhoods due to this. Bad commute to Concord and beyond.

$$$-$$$$Brentwood: highway 4 corridor - Low crime, miles of nice big assembly line new homes and shopping centers, farmland disappearing due to mass development, terrible commute as with Antioch.

$$$-$$$$$Walnut Creek: highway 680 corridor- Nice, centrally located , great schools, upscale but $$$

$$$$$Alamo: highway 680 corridor-same as above but no real downtown as W.C. has

$$$$$Danville: highway 680 corridor-Same as above

$$$$$Lafayette: Same as above but off of highway 24

$$$$$Moraga/Orinda: Same as above


and the list goes on, but this should give you a general idea