Commute time from Brentwood to San Francisco (Livermore, Pleasanton: mortgage, real estate)

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by tennis368fan

[Tracy] can be a little cheaper, but the traditional schools are not as good. Charter schools there are in high demand. The commute will be longer and there is no commuter bus that will connect you to BART. ACE trains stops are nowhere near the BART Stations in Dublin and Pleasanton. High schools have gang problems, or as I have heard.

There are two San Joaquin RTD commuter buses to BART, actually, but you have to reserve in advance.

[tennis368fan]

My mistake!

[snuggarelli]

Is anyone responding in this thread who is actually from Brentwood?

I live in Dublin, but seriously the mortgage is just too high now that we have another child on the way. So, we are looking to move as well to somewhere more affordable.

I lived in Patterson for quite a few years, commuting to SF, and I gotta tell you Altamount just got worse and worse. Seems like the forum is pushing the altamount commute, but I'm not sure if I would agree. From Patterson to Montgomery Station, it was a good 2 hours (1 hour to BART + almost an hour if you want to get a good seat) and then add 15 minutes to walk to your building. So you're talking 4.5 hours a day.

I now commute to Concord which is why Brentwood looks appealing to me. My husband still commutes to SF. He mentioned that from Dublin to SF has been getting worse because of the construction for a station just a mere mile a way in "West Dublin" (what a waste of money).

If we move to Brentwood, he'll be commuting to SF from there. So far, his co-workers as well as mine have mentioned either going on Marsh Creek to Concord station which is about 1.5 to 1 hr 45 min to Embarcadero. To go from Pittsburg station and SF, I've heard from my co-workers (when they have to go to SF for meetings) it's 1 hr 45 min to Embarcadero. My husband said that his co-workers shy away from going to Pittsburg because your car might get broken into, but I've heard the same thing about Concord too (he said that he has had no trouble at Concord the few times he did that one).

You can also go down Vasco to Dublin BART, but I'm guessing that has got to be 30-45 min down Vasco and then the 1 hr on BART. I haven't done that commute and haven't heard any co-workers from Brentwood who go that route.

I heard that Mountain House is losing infrastructure projects because builders are bailing out. I think there is more shopping in Brentwood than Tracy, esp with all the shops going in on Lone Tree Road. When we lived in Patterson, we always drove the 20+ miles to Tracy to shop, and there isn't much there.

Pretty much if you want to afford a house and have to work in the business centers, you're screwed in the Bay Area. We've made the move back to the Bay Area, and we live in a small house that we pay a ton for. Everything in Dublin costs a lot of money. Daycare for infants is a whopping $1600-1800/month. I'm hesitant to move back to the Central Valley (as Brentwood is only 2 more miles to Concord than Dublin, albeit on a busier commute which my co-workers say is about 30-40 min). My co-workers are also saying that moving to Brentwood is not really moving outside of the Bay Area.

Overall, I would leave my home state (lived here since I was 3-4 years old), but I like the job I have right now, and I want to be as debt free as possible if we ever moved out of state and try to live on one income. So, gotta keep working for a couple of more years and by going with a low as possible mortgage that wil help us attain that goal.

I totally understand the dilemna you face. I am going to feel bad if we choose to go with Brentwood as my husband will go from an easy hour commute to a much longer one. But, if I've gotta work and with a second child on the way, it might be a sacrifice we have to make. I think if we were both working in SF, I would be totally lost on what to do.

[c.mego]

Someone from brentwood responding. Lived in Brentwood for eight years. Move d there from Newark for the affordable homes, I was able to stay home with my four kids. Never had a babysitter because I refused to pay anyone that much money so that THEY can spend time with MY children. Four years ago I moved out of Brentwood to Colorado. Colorado was a dream. Lower cost of living, friendly people, mild winter climate if you live between boulder and denver and not right in the high mountains. Then I developed heart problems and had to move away. Living in high altitude does not agree with peope who have heart or lung problems, and if you don't already have one you may develop one. Knowing the commute problems and high cost of living in California, we moved back home where most of our family lived in Michigan. I have been here six months and let me tell you it has been THE LONGEST six months in my adult life. Me and my husband are both miserable. People are rude..different mentality. We learned in time both our families are more dysfunctional than we thought. It is not even worth the lower cost of living. In the winter Entertainment indoors are at its peak, highly expensive. Not to mention the winter gear you have to purchase for the whole family. Bottom line is the grass is not always greener on the other side. Brentwood is a great place to raise a family. I didnt find it difficult at all to commute to San Franscisco. Pittsburg Bart station is not any different than concord or martinez. Your car could get broken into even if its parked in Dublin, so buy a junker to commute instead of taking the beamer. I,m be happy to tell you my husband will be back in Brentwood in a couple of weeks to look for a job and as soon as my kids are done with school in June we are out of here! And yes we are going back to Brentwood...home sweet home!

[Livermore Native]

I lived in Brentwood from about 1996 through 2004. The commute became NOTICEABLY worse week by week to the point that it was taking me over an hour to simply get to Livermore over Vasco Road (like a 20 mile distance). I divorced and moved back to my native Livermore, and while I had a smaller house, the savings to my sanity made it all worth it. I was only commuting to Pleasanton, but was leaving my house in Brentwood at 5 a.m. and getting home at 6 p.m. with 2 kids along. The housing prices are a tad higher in Livermore than Brentwood, but the schools are great, crime is low, the community is amazing, and the savings in gas and my sanity make it all worth it.

The best thing I ever did was leave Brentwood. And I loved it when I first moved there.

[clongirl]

Sorry, Tennisfan but you're recommending Mountain House for an easier commute? You must be joking... real estate agents will always tell you the best place for you to go is where they're selling the houses. And BTW, there isn't any visible gang culture in Pleasanton and Mountain House IS in the middle of nowhere with equal the amount of foreclosures and sprawl as Brentwood. I'd say the commute from there would be even worse.

[Livermore Native]

Originally Posted by clongirl

Sorry, Tennisfan but you're recommending Mountain House for an easier commute? You must be joking... real estate agents will always tell you the best place for you to go is where they're selling the houses. And BTW, there isn't any visible gang culture in Pleasanton and Mountain House IS in the middle of nowhere with equal the amount of foreclosures and sprawl as Brentwood. I'd say the commute from there would be even worse.

Yep, I have to agree. You still have to get on 205 and get funnelled through the Central Valley Traffic, and the closest shopping is Tracy, plus Mountain Houses' taxes are high because they're building their entire infrastructure right now - no businesses yet to help out with taxes - everything is in the property taxes and assessments.

[Alisande]

Originally Posted by Hummingbird6

Thanks for the great detailed commute info, and also links for the Mountain House community. We'd like to avoid a 2-3 commute, of course. My husband would need to get off at the Montgomery BART station for work, not Embarc so I don't know what that would do for time.

Anyway, we do have two very young children - great schools and low crime is by far the most important factors....isn't that what anyone with a family wants?! A nice/big house would be a bonus!

Everyone in Brentwood says the schools are excellent, but the MH forums say otherwise. Typical of most forums - people who live in Brentwood will praise it, and people from Mountain House will do the same. It's hard to really know which is better.

While having a Starbucks near by is of no importance to us, we do want some kind of infastructure. And it seems like you get more bang for your buck in Brentwood, as far as homes go. ??

Your attached links were very helpful.

Any thoughts on Tracy?

The commute on both Brentwood and Mt. House is killer. Also keep in mind if you buy in Mt. House you'll probably NEVER be able to sell. Check out all the foreclosures down there.

[jessik180]

Hummingbird,
I was wondering how it's going for you guys. Have you moved yet? How is the commute treating your huband? How long is it taking him and what is he doing?

We're thinking of moving out there ourselves and my husband will be in the same boat.

Thanks!

[N CA]

Hummingbird6,

There are affordable communities closer to SF than Brentwood. I wouldn't live along the 680 corridor because traffic is so bad.

East County commute depends on when you leave work or ride BART. Traffic at Bailey Road at 3:30 pm is vastly different than at 5:30. The BART ride is fairly short; it's the car ride from BART to your home that is bad.

Some Clayton homes are becoming affordable. San Ramon has been hit hard by the housing issues. There are a some wonderful neighborhoods in Concord. I guess it depends on your budget. You're probably not going to find a home for $250K closer in, but if you are planning to buy a huge home in East County, you can probably find a smaller home in a good area closer in.

I have four kids, and I can attest that there are gang problems and crime everywhere. Most people just deny that it's in their community. Acalanes High School has had kids bring in guns and bombs in the past year. There are problems everywhere.