job in piedmont where to live???? (Oakland, Fremont: rentals, houses, elementary schools)

[frepied]

I just landed a job in Piedmont starting June 1st.
I have 2 school age kids and am a single mom who will have to work long irreg hours.
I currently live in Fremont and want to know where is the best place to live in terms of commute, rent, schools and childcare options.

I like Piedmont and know the schools are great, but do they have the before and afterschool programs? Is it easy to find a nice place with 2b for under $1800?

I like Dublin but what is the commute like on the 580 from D to P around 7am and P to D around 5-6pm?

I also was considering remaining in Fremont but am terrified by the 880...

Any ideas....I would be so glad to hear them...thanks

[artemis78]

Congrats on the new job! I'd try Piedmont first and see what you can find, since the schools are terrific--but there aren't many rentals and they tend to run a lot more than that so you'd have to luck out. Barring that, I'd look at Berkeley and Oakland. Both have a number of good schools (and also some bad ones--so you'd need to get a good map of the districts), and a lot more rental properties. (With the market being so bad, I've seen a number of small houses for rent, too.) Some of the areas of Oakland near Piedmont--Lakeshore, Rockridge, Claremont, Piedmont Avenue--are especially nice with solid schools, but are pricey. You might do well with someplace like the Dimond or Glenview Districts in Oakland, which have great elementary schools and are quick commutes to Piedmont. You could also go over the hills to Lamorinda, but again--not as much for rent and a little pricier. A 7 am commute to Piedmont isn't horrific, but I try to avoid being anywhere near the freeways between 5 and 7 pm. (Again, some days it's moving--but many days it's not.) Good luck!