San Francisco vs Berkeley vs Oakland for a post-doc (San Leandro: apartments, rentals)

[anze]

Hi,

I've recently got a job a UC Berkeley / LBL (with offices at both) and so I am moving there at the beginning of September. I was thinking of either a) living in SF and commuting to Berkeley or b) living in Berkeley or c) living somewhere around Berkeley.

My position is unique in the sense that as an academic I can afford to avoid rush-hours and I will have free parking at LBL. I hope to spend very little money on accommodation and so I am looking to rent in the range $1000-$1500. I am living in Oxford, UK a the moment and I am completely fed up with living in villages - I want to get rid off 2 hour commutes to civilisation. My questions are:

a) What can I expect to get for $1000-$1500? Would it get me something with my own bathroom and kitchen? How do renting costs compare between the Berkeley, Oakland and SF in this price range?

b) How does Berkeley feel compared to SF? I've been to SF last year and I liked it a lot, especially around Mission, Haight & Castro. Does Berkeley have a similar feel? What are the offerings of theatre/bars/cinema/etc? Is it substantially worse in places like Alameda?

c) I see this expression "in laws" in relation to renting. I don't understand that. How much sharing does it imply?

d) A related question: buying a car: a random bloke from craigslist or a dealer?

Thanks in advance for your time and patience.

[krudmonk]

Oakland: it has level-headed people with a flavor of the other two cities combined

[kettlepot]

In no particular order:

In my experience an "In-Laws" situation is a cottage behind a house. Often times it's a garage that was converted into a one-room flat with a small kitchenette. Other times it can be within the main house where you have a your own bedroom and bathroom, and may have your own kitchenette and possibly your own outside entrance.

When you say, "Is it substantially worse in places like Alameda?" do you mean Alameda County, or do you mean the City of Alameda? In all cultural aspects San Francisco will always win out over all other parts of the Bay Area. SF is the central city and will have the bulk of those types of offerings.

The City of Alameda is a wonderful somewhat upscale walkably safe mid-sized town of mostly older homes and some apartment buildings. Apartments with rents in the $1000-1500 are available and there would be no sharing at all. The commute to LBL shouldn't be too bad because you would have lots of surface street options. However, getting into San Francisco for the weekends would be a bit more difficult because you would need to drive a short distance to a BART station or actually drive into the City itself. However, the City of Alameda has a decent selection of restaurants to allow you to make more of your weekday evenings than watching TV. I believe Alameda is a safe choice for someone unfamiliar with the good and bad areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley. Living there would help you to avoid making a terrible mistake because of your unfamiliarity with the local situation.

Regarding a car purchase, Craig's List should work just fine. Just be sure to have a garage and mechanic lined up beforehand to inspect the car before you buy. Yes, you will have to pay for the inspection, but it would be foolish to make a purchase without one. Also, be sure you have access to a Kelly Blue Book of used car values.

[fizbin]

I lived in Alameda for years and love the place, but if you love the feel for the Mission, Haight and Castro I don't think you will find Alameda to your liking. Much more family oriented and quiet in comparison.

Berkeley has a ton to offer and is way closer than Alameda to the feel of the Mission, Haight and Castro. But it has a different vibe - a bit more laid back. You definitely want to visit for a bit before making the call.

[BearBranch]

Berkeley for your post doc experience.

[Wiglet23]

I lived in Oakland for 8 years and San Leandro for 8 years. Re: San Francisco: It's cool in the Mission ( I worked there at a school for 10 years), but much more expensive. The East Bay is more affordable and accessible to a variet of places. Berkely is more laid back, lot's of college influence is a positive way. There are lots of restaurants, theatres, etc. Oakland is great because it's right next to Berkeley, but seems to have a more calm feel in general. Maybe you would like the Lake Meritt area: Lots of rentals and it's walkable. It's also really close to downtown. Iused to walk there in heels in 20 minutes to the BART. Oakland seems to be more affordable than Berke;ey. Students jack up the prices there. I think Oakland is the best choice. It's close enough to everything and more affordable. There are a lot of things to do there. You should definitely be able to rent at least a one-bedroom apartment, maybe 2, in that area. You'd have the place to yourself.

[tahoesash]

Live as close to the UC Campus as possible I would, check out Northside (Euclid Avenue from Hearst to La Loma and about 2-3 block outward in either direction). It's all students/academics in apartments, cafes, the campus is right there, and the other side of the campus (Bancroft Way at Telegraph) is the epicenter of UC Berkeley. You could actually live without a car if you wanted and use a bike. The LBL is a wonderful climb for fitness! You would probably need a car on second thought It might be easier to go through Craigslist than a dealer as you are coming from overseas, less hassle to deal with, just make sure the person is forthright and your gut isn't telling you to run! A used Subaru or Volvo would be reliable and cheap, but you may want something newer, like a Toyota (very reliable), if you end up living farther from the campus.

[mamamaya]

Berkeley, without a doubt. Much cheaper than SF but you can be there in 20-30 mins. You could live car free in Berkeley and walk or bike to UC. You'll be more likely to be around colleagues/peers. You could find a nice studio/1 bed apt/in law in N. Berkeley for 1500 or less.

I'm missing the Uk; maybe we should trade places

[krudmonk]

Berkeley is definitely more like those areas of SF you mentioned than like SF as a whole