SF vs NYC - please help (San Francisco, Sunnyvale: ski resorts, to rent, insurance)

[18Montclair]

Have you ever been to North Carolina in the summertime?

OMG...horrible weather. Charlotte is a sauna and NY is a steambath compared to here-and both seem to have weird daily rain showers all of sudden. Im sorry but I lived here, worked in Charlotte and NY when Nationsbank bought BofA and had the pleasure of experiencing all three in mid-july.

there's no comparison..The Bay Area has far better weather....I cant believe we're even talking about this?

[Coffee Mate]

Hi, I grew up in Palo Alto...and lived in the Bay Area for most of my life before evacuating to the Midwest.....
Palo Alto is a good choice and with your salary...you should be able to make it.. just....Don't hesitate to look at Menlo Park or even Redwood City....just make sure that your in a good neighborhood....[Stay away from the 'unincorporated' section of RWC....better yet look up in the hills a bit....west of El Camino Real...and North of Woodside Road....
Menlo Park is good....again....WEST of El Camino Real....
The school districts are good both in Palo Alto and Menlo Park....but do your research on which PARTICULAR school your children will attend based on your actual HOUSE location...[not zip]. I worked in real-estate for years...and actually had clients from the other side of the Pacific....buy houses in Palo Alto sight-un-seen [FOR CASH] based solely on which High School their children would attend. One client backed out when the PAUSD [Palo Alto Unified School District] re-drew boundaries and cut the clients house OUT of the district they wanted....[they eventually got what they wanted some weeks later]....As for 'culture'....[if it can be called such].....well it is definitely LEFT of center....far far left...But if that is what you value....and what you want your kids to value...then that, Palo Alto…. is THE place....
San Francisco...[locals call it simply 'the city'] has all manner of distractions...and amazingly even some good things to see and do...I could suggest a long list of great places to eat......and its just a 40 to 60 minute drive up from Palo Alto...Once you are established....take some time to learn where the bad areas are....because the Bay Area has more than it's fair share....Learn them and avoid them for your own safety....Oh...find out the history of your parcel...particularly with regard to what structures and / or industries were there in the past...and never drink the ground water in Santa Clara County...[21 EPA Super-fund clean up sights....most 'silicon valley’ "clean" industry related...so yup...right in town...]
At any rate....good luck!
PS...as for the weather...
The climate in the Bay Area is widely...WIDELY varied. S.F. will have LOTS of fog. particularly in the Summer. I've known of many folks who have moved to the Bay Area 'for the sun'...only to whine about the fog...[SF is called FOG TOWN for GOOD REASON]....You want sun...move to San Diego...The Bay Area has two seasons...wet and dry. Some towns...like Pacifica have 300 days of fog per year....yup...that's right 300 DAYS OF FOG PER YEAR....so....you move away from NY muggy heat....and S.Carolina muggy heat....to S.F. fog...blowing at ya from the Pacific at 40 miles per hour.....this can last for days....every place has drawbacks…just know what you are getting into….
Oh...lots of folks are saying here that many people from NY and Boston are moving to SF....for the 'cool' factor no doubt....well that would explain the ultra-aggressive drivers....thanks a bunch!

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by Coffee Mate

PS...as for the weather...
The climate in the Bay Area is widely...WIDELY varied. S.F. will have LOTS of fog. particularly in the Summer. I've known of many folks who have moved to the Bay Area 'for the sun'...only to whine about the fog...[SF is called FOG TOWN for GOOD REASON]....You want sun...move to San Diego...The Bay Area has two seasons...wet and dry. Some towns...like Pacifica have 300 days of fog per year....yup...that's right 300 DAYS OF FOG PER YEAR....so....you move away from NY muggy heat....and S.Carolina muggy heat....to S.F. fog...blowing at ya from the Pacific at 40 miles per hour.....this can last for days....every place has drawbacks…just know what you are getting into….
Oh...lots of folks are saying here that many people from NY and Boston are moving to SF....for the 'cool' factor no doubt....well that would explain the ultra-aggressive drivers....thanks a bunch!

Coffee Mate - I couldn't have said it better myself.
You have spoken like a true local who "really" knows what the climate is like, - unlike some of the pretenders.

People who buy into that West Coast and California "sun" dream (north of Monterey) are always disappointed big time by the fog, clouds, and gloom. The East Coast from Connecticut to Florida - gets as much year round sun as most people will ever need in one life.

[krudmonk]

People are disappointed by Northern California weather because nobody vacations in San Jose, Oakland or Sacramento. Why would someone have to drive to SoCal for sun?

[18Montclair]

Beone,
Your wasting your time because its well known that The Bay Area is world reknowned for its weather and gorgeous climate. NY and The Carolinas(for heavenssake) are definitely not.

These people are just trying to turn gold out of sand. We all know who wins hands down in the weather department.

[beone]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

Beone,
Your wasting your time because its well known that The Bay Area is world reknowned for its weather and gorgeous climate. NY and The Carolinas(for heavenssake) are definitely not.

These people are just trying to turn gold out of sand. We all know who wins hands down in the weather department.

Yeah, I need to just avoid even replying to senseless diatribes. The weather here is crazy, I'll admit that, but I love that I am never ever ever too cold and almost never too hot. I cannot say that about any where else I've lived.

It's actually amusing the things people come up with in their desperate attempts to diminish San Francisco and the Bay Area.

[naila89]

the cities are mostly alike. i am from new york but i am living in san francisco now. nyc is way far expensive and is really polluted. its true that it is a city that never sleeps. if you have a family, i will say san francisco.

[Rwarky]

Originally Posted by TwinMom06

regarding living in the city (for both SF and NYC).... I have lived in both cities. Undeniably, the 2 most unique and beautiful cities in the US. Good luck with your choice.

There are great places to live in both places. Sunnyvale is a long drive from San Francisco, just so you know, so you might want to live in the 'burbs if you decide on that one. The top school district in that area is Saratoga-Cupertino, if that helps you.

Unique...yes, but not the most beautiful cities in the U.S.

[Mach50]

I have lived in Manhattan (West Village) and San Fran (Sunset) now in Redwood City.

It is funny my wife likes Manhattan, I prefer San Fran we are polar opposites when it comes to the cities.

I loved NYC, for the first year. Then when I had exhausted every eatery, cafe, museum and bar there were, I got the feeling the only thing to really do in Manhattan is : Shop and Eat. Now it is really good shopping and eating...the best actually.

But for me, San Fran allows you to do most of what NYC does, and much much more. San Fran has an intense outdoor life, unmatched by anything near NYC (renting a car for 150 a day and driving to the Poconos is no match). San Fran has good food (not the great food NYC has) and good shopping (not like NYC).

I would break it all down like this:

NYC:
Dining - Nothing in America compares with NYC's food..hands down.
Shopping - Women love NYC for this reason alone lol.
Public Transit - NYC's is dirty, loud and somewhat dangerous...but it works and goes everywhere.
Financial Jobs - The Mecca.
History - NYC is vast in comparison.
Arts and Theatre - NYC winner, but barely.


San Fran:
Outdoor life - Hands down winner, NYC has nothing to offer that can compare.
Schools and Universities - Intelligent folks live here.
Tech Jobs - The Mecca.
Weather - NYC cannot compare.
Cost - I give the nod to San Fran, simply because there are so many free things to do, and NYC all costs $$$
Diversity - It is tough, but I give SF the edge in diversity. The key here, is diversity that actually get along and live with each other. NYC is racially segregated. While SF tend to be much more liberal and relaxed people.

Overall beauty - In in the eye of the beholder, I like trees, cliffs and oceans; my wife likes flashing lights, fashion and statues.

San Fran is much more "forward thinking" City IMO.

Overall winner: San Fran

[andybuildz]

Originally Posted by Mach50Thunderdart

I have lived in Manhattan (West Village) and San Fran (Sunset) now in Redwood City.

It is funny my wife likes Manhattan, I prefer San Fran we are polar opposites when it comes to the cities.

I loved NYC, for the first year. Then when I had exhausted every eatery, cafe, museum and bar there were, I got the feeling the only thing to really do in Manhattan is : Shop and Eat. Now it is really good shopping and eating...the best actually.

But for me, San Fran allows you to do most of what NYC does, and much much more. San Fran has an intense outdoor life, unmatched by anything near NYC (renting a car for 150 a day and driving to the Poconos is no match). San Fran has good food (not the great food NYC has) and good shopping (not like NYC).

I would break it all down like this:

NYC:
Dining - Nothing in America compares with NYC's food..hands down.
Shopping - Women love NYC for this reason alone lol.
Public Transit - NYC's is dirty, loud and somewhat dangerous...but it works and goes everywhere.
Financial Jobs - The Mecca.
History - NYC is vast in comparison.
Arts and Theatre - NYC winner, but barely.


San Fran:
Outdoor life - Hands down winner, NYC has nothing to offer that can compare.
Schools and Universities - Intelligent folks live here.
Tech Jobs - The Mecca.
Weather - NYC cannot compare.
Cost - I give the nod to San Fran, simply because there are so many free things to do, and NYC all costs $$$
Diversity - It is tough, but I give SF the edge in diversity. The key here, is diversity that actually get along and live with each other. NYC is racially segregated. While SF tend to be much more liberal and relaxed people.

Overall beauty - In in the eye of the beholder, I like trees, cliffs and oceans; my wife likes flashing lights, fashion and statues.

San Fran is much more "forward thinking" City IMO.

Overall winner: San Fran

Ya know Mach? Thats a really good post! Kudos to ya bro. I've been in NY all of my 56 years and our house is now on the market (see my web site in my profile for the Goose Hill rd project). My youngest daughter will be going to The School of Visual Arts for photography next year and our older daughter Niko Girls For A Change who started that company with her friend and lives in SF with her husband. They just had a baby. No reason left for me to have to stay in this school district so we're seriously considering Berkeley now but after learning a few things about the costs its become mind boggling.
Its hard to believe that Berkeley costs more than the town we're in here on the north shore of Long Island (Cold Spring Harbor) former home to John and Yoko, Billy Joel, Harry Chapin yada yada yada. Taxes in Berkeley come close to 2% of the cost of the home...YIKES!!! So for a little nothing $700,000 home the taxes alone are about $14,000 a year. Thats outragous. Clsoing costs are also a fortune. Lets not leave out thatmost houses are right on top of one another with zero property. Even still...for some of the reasons you give...its still a consideration. I do need to live where there's a certain amt of money with the work that I do (renovations) but.........geezzzz. Lets just say I pretty much have a headache about now