Questions about San Francisco-Oakland area (San Jose, San Mateo: apartment, travel, salary)

[MvComedy]

Greetings. I am an occasional reader, first-time poster. I have been thinking about moving to the San Francisco area (or somewhere across the Golden Gate) off and on for a while now. But I really don't have much of an idea of what I should expect in terms of employment, what salary I would need to make, etc. I have a few questions.

-Can anyone give me an estimate on how much a one- or two-bedroom apartment runs in San Francisco. Nothing fancy but also not terribly run down either. What about in nearby cities that are within 30 minutes?

-Are there very many small colleges or independent schools in the area? Is there much of a demand for those who do business administration in general?

-Are there many opportunities for individuals who speak Japanese proficiently?

If anyone can point me in the right direction on these things, I would really appreciate it.

[fizbin]

Originally Posted by MvComedy

-Are there many opportunities for individuals who speak Japanese proficiently?

Not sure this is what you had in mind, but my Japanese ex-wife made a mint (a lot more than my computer skills were bringing in) being a tour guide for Japanese tourists with Japan Travel Bureau (JTB).

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by MvComedy

-Can anyone give me an estimate on how much a one- or two-bedroom apartment runs in San Francisco. Nothing fancy but also not terribly run down either. What about in nearby cities that are within 30 minutes?

It really depends on exactly where you are, and the specs of the apartment/house. In the city of SF, rent can run anywhere from $1200 for a small studio, to $7000+ for a nice house. I currently pay $2195 (split between 3 people) for a 3-bedroom house in an okay neighborhood, but that's considered very cheap! Outside of the city is still expensive, but either less or more depending on where you are. For instance, the mid-Peninsula (San Mateo - Menlo Park, approx.) is often more pricey than SF, whereas the East Bay is generally a lot cheaper. Try looking around craigslist, to get an idea of what the rents are in different areas... if you find something interesting, I'd be happy to advise you on the location/etc.

-Are there very many small colleges or independent schools in the area? Is there much of a demand for those who do business administration in general?

Yes, depending on what you consider "small." We have lots of colleges and independent schools in the area, located from San Jose to Sonoma county (and beyond)... they also range in price & quality, from community colleges to Stanford University. What exactly are you looking to study & earn?

-Are there many opportunities for individuals who speak Japanese proficiently?

I would guess yes, based on the fact that we have a significant Japanese community. San Francisco even has a bustling "Japantown," so if worst comes to worst, I'm sure you could find a job there. I'm a librarian, most recently for the SF Public system, and we often had jobs open that required Japanese language skills. I'll get back to you if I find any resources for that (will look around later). Good luck!

[humboldtrat]

Menlo College, about a mile north of Stanford, in Menlo Park is a small private college MENLO COLLEGE - A Tradition of Excellence.

[krudmonk]

Just to clarify, you know that Oakland isn't across the Golden Gate, right?

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

Just to clarify, you know that Oakland isn't across the Golden Gate, right?

LOL... yeah, good point! I thought she (he?) was talking about Oakland/SF OR across the Golden Gate, but it's a good thing you mentioned it.

[cicerone]

I pay 1000 for a shoebox of a one-bedroom in a nice neighborhood in SF. The place is tiny, old and needs a lot of work (old carpet, peeling paint, drains clog, etc), Still, my apt is still considered a fantastic deal and there were plenty of people at the open house. More average might be 1500 and up.

A friend of mine found a 3-bedroom house in a very nice neighborhood in Oakland for 2500. Again, quite a bargain for the Bay Area.

Point is, use Craigslist, do research, and shop around. Neighborhoods you've never heard of are usually cheaper than the high-profile ones. Location, size, safety, or amenities - you'll have to give up one or more of them to find a deal..

As for Japanese, it might help you, especially if you get a job with the tourist industry. Or if you're specifically working for a company that does business with Japan. There are far more opportunities for Chinese and Spanish speakers, however, as those are the Bay Area's biggest immigrant communities..

[MvComedy]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

Just to clarify, you know that Oakland isn't across the Golden Gate, right?

Oh, hehe, yes I do. What I meant by that was that I was looking at anywhere that will put me within 30 minutes or so of SF (including average traffic amounts), doesn't matter which bridge or tunnel I have to take to get there. That said, I don't know much about the area. It looks like there are some smaller towns north of SF. Are they a bit less pricey?

gizmo: just to clarify, I am a he.

Thank you all for your help. My move is still far off in the future if it comes at all, but all your information has given me a place to start.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by cicerone

Point is, use Craigslist, do research, and shop around. Neighborhoods you've never heard of are usually cheaper than the high-profile ones. Location, size, safety, or amenities - you'll have to give up one or more of them to find a deal...

Good advice, which I thought was worth bumping. When I first started looking for a place, I'd see Bayview, Excelsior, Vis Valley, etc., and think NO WAY!! But my job happened to be in that area, so I decided to give them a try... and that led to finding my current place, which is a helluva deal ($2195 for a 3-bedroom house), in a little-known but nice pseudo-neighborhood. So I gave up the fantasy of living in a "cool" place like North Beach or Noe Valley, but have been totally happy in what I chose - and looking around craigslist, I can see that few (if any) deals like this exist in SF, especially with my large-ish dog. So yes, people should absolutely consider compromising, whether it's the location or amenities... might be surprised at what you find!

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by MvComedy

Oh, hehe, yes I do. What I meant by that was that I was looking at anywhere that will put me within 30 minutes or so of SF (including average traffic amounts), doesn't matter which bridge or tunnel I have to take to get there. That said, I don't know much about the area. It looks like there are some smaller towns north of SF. Are they a bit less pricey?

More pricey, actually. Sausalito and Tiburon are not for the faint of heart or wallet, and even if you go further into San Rafael or Mill Valley you will still be paying a daily bridge toll ($5?) and driving in utter gridlock on 101 and/or 19th Avenue to take advantage of the San Francisco job market and salaries. So it could cost you more than living in the city.

South San Francisco and San Bruno are fairly affordable and safe, and the 280 commute is actually pretty nice, but you'll get airplanes buzzing you day and night because they're in the SFO flightpath to East Asia. It's really not hard to get accustomed to the noise, but you'll just feel like Lenny from the Simpsons.