nyc to san francisco (Oakland: live in, move to, beach)

[humboldtrat]

Originally Posted by perfectplacetolive

Are there any other cute safe SF city neighborhoods that we should be sure to check out where there is a possibility of a decent space, outdoor deck OR garden, 2-3 bedrooms for around 750k-1.1 ?

I always thought the West Portal neighborhood in the center of SF was a nice area. There is lots of shopping and restaurants along West Portal Ave. and 4 light rail streetcar lines stop there. The light rail lines can take you downtown, to the beach, to AT&T Park, Stonestown Mall or to other places and also connects to BART downtown. West Portal, San Francisco, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[perfectplacetolive]

thanks so much for the responses. it's funny how once you're out of your 20s, you start evaluating quality of life issues in such a different way. it's about "discovering what works".. as redwoodlvr wrote. I'm excited to check out all of these neighborhoods this early fall to plan for our move to the west coast!! there's certainly a sadness that accompanies leaving nyc, ... but i keep coming back to the fact that nyc is a fabulous town that simply stopped working for us (especially as we contemplate starting a family). further--naturally, i think i have a fairly even temperament... but i'm kinda of a b*tch here... you almost have to be surly to survive. i recognize that sf won't be perfect, but my sense (from friends and from this website) is that it will allow us to relax a bit more.. enjoy life.. and hopefully be less curmudgeonly and b*tchy!!

Originally Posted by redwoodlvr

just be careful that you're not jumping from the pan into the fire.

i pretty much grew up in SF from a young age. i felt similarly living in SF in my late 30's...weary of the routine.

i had family & childhood friends in NYC/Jersey urging me to move back. i lasted 3 months and i'm back in Cali in the boonies no less. love it! not for everyone, but it's what i discovered works for me at this time in my life.

sometimes it's not about trading one city for another, but something entirely different.

if you do move out here, good luck!

[jaybone666]

I grew up in NJ, worked in Manhattan, moved to SF 11 years ago. Overall, I love it here.

But, since you asked....

People

Yes, people are a bit more laid back, but you may find yourself getting frustrated with that after a while. A co-worker in NY who was from San Diego gave me some advice before I moved out here - "In NY, if someone has a problem with you, they will generally walk right up to and tell you how they feel. In California, people wait until you leave the room, and then they all shoot their mouths off." Now, I may get flamed for saying that, but it has rung completely true in my time here. So, that "b****iness" may become an asset here, as it often translates into a willingness to confront problems directly. Don't lose it completely. You probably couldn't even if you wanted to.

If you're hoping to escape the bourgeois, you won't. The only difference is they will be discussing how to get their toddler into Stanford instead of Harvard. They also love to complain here. It's a cottage industry. They don't call it the land of whine & cheese for nothing.

Yes, people drive like maniacs in NY, but out here people just plain can't drive. You'll see what I mean. They freak out when it rains. It's hilarious.

Housing

Housing prices are ridiculous (there's that dead horse again), but being from NY, you're used to that. Generally, I've found apartments in SF to be a bit more (ahem) charming than NY. Did I just say charming? California must be making me soft.

Take a look at The Richmond & The Sunset Districts; it's nice & quiet, you can actually park a car (gasp) on the street (double gasp), lots of houses have backyards and you're never that far from the beach or Golden Gate park. I lived in the Richmond 2 blocks from the ocean, it's incredibly calming if you're in a high-stress job or lifestyle. Just don't confuse the Richmond District with Richmond the town - not a nice place!

Noe Valley also seems to be a popular place for young families. Lots of cool houses, tons of shopping, it almost kinda feels like a village.

After working there for 4 years, I will say this - avoid Oakland. Even Rockridge, which is nice during the day, borders some pretty bad sections of Oakland. I walked through there every day and saw it for myself. In that 4 years, we had 2 cars stolen from the parking lot right under our noses in the middle of the day, 1 stereo stolen from a car, 2 front doors & countless windows smashed, not to mention the human feces which was waiting for us every morning just outside the entrance, or the fact that a co-worker of mine almost died after someone just walked in off the street and stabbed her 3 times with a chef's knife while she was sitting at her desk. The Oakland hills are very nice, some beautiful houses, but you're still surrounded by, well, Oakland. Just trust me, avoid it.

Take a look at Walnut Creek (East), Corte Madera & Mill Valley (North), Pacifica & Foster City (South). There are plenty of options outside the city, you can always use citydata to separate the wheat from the chaff.

For those of you who think I'm just beating up on California, let me say again - I love it here. But, coming from NY, these are things I figured you'd want to know.

Crime

I've seen a few people comment on the crime rate in SF, but after walking through Red Hook, BedStuy & others, SF isn't all that frightening. In any major city there will be crime. As long as you keep your wits about you you'll be fine. Don't be a sucker & you won't get suckered. Google SF crime stats & you can figure out which neighborhoods to avoid.

Miscellany

Once you make it out here, make sure you see Lake Tahoe in the summer (tahoe summer - Google Image Search) & Yosemite in the winter (yosemite winter - Google Image Search). You'll quickly forget any second thoughts you may have had about moving.

If you start craving a real pizza, go to Arinell's (16th & Valencia in SF or on Shattuck in Berkeley). The owner is from Queens, and it tastes *exactly* like home. Plus you get horrible service, just like NYC!
Arinell Pizza - Mission - San Francisco, CA 94110

If you like Cheese Steaks (who doesn't?), there's a place called The Cheese Steak Shop which tastes just like a real one from Philly. They have a few locations around the Bay Area. I think they fly the bread in from back east, and they even have tastykakes!
The Cheese Steak Shop - Pacific Heights - San Francisco, CA 94115

Not sure how much my rant will help, but I had to throw in my 2 cents.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to send me a message.

Good luck!

[Doggz3]

I have been in the Bay Area for 14 years - very successful professional - and feel a lot like the OP does about NYC. If you are looking for a respite from the rat race, this may not be the place to find it. You may want to consider Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Rochester NY or some other pretty cool but reputationally-challenged burg . . .

[Bluesbabe]

Personally, I think you should check out Sausalito. I think your income would allow it and although it's a small village, it's very, very quaint, peaceful, and a very short commute to SF.

[mkdude_08]

Just curious - why not Chicago?

[perfectplacetolive]

Originally Posted by mkdude_08

Just curious - why not Chicago?

although we love chicago (it's a fabulous city!), the weather is just a bit too intense. those winters mean business.

'bluesbabe' mentioned sausalito- a place i never really considered. what is it like: fancy suburb... hip urban area.. or something in between the two?

we're actually coming out to sf in september to start looking at neighborhoods. can't wait.

thanks!

[sliverbox]

I can't help but feel that what you described as your experience in NYC matches almost exactly what I and perhaps many others feel about the SF, Bay Area. In reality, SF is just as expensive as it is in NYC. There's also almost 6 million people living in the Bay Area. So just like NYC, there's a ton of traffic, loads of people running here and there, and of course the competition for everything else inbetween: housing, jobs, careers, schools, etc etc. Basically, the rat race mentality.

I think you need to step back and ask yourselves what really bothers you about NYC. Is it the city? It sounds like as far as the city, you really like it there. If it isn't the city then I assume its your experiences there, and I'm going to guess it has to do with the difficulty in procuring what you seem to want as a more laid back, middle class style living situation. The truth is that just about any large city is going to be difficult to find that situation unless you just so happen to have a large amount of money.It is especially true in SF, which is just as expensive as NYC.

I'm speaking from my own experience as a young family making the same as you and your partner. The reality is that after taxes, the additional costs in food, gas, and so on, 200k won't really buy you much more than a 500k house, and that's if you're comfortable spending almost 50% of your after tax pay on the mortgage. 750k would be a real stretch unless you happen to have say- 250k to put on a down payment.

To me, if you're really seeking a more laid back, family-friendly atmosphere, then I think you'll likely find it in smaller, 2nd tier cities such as Austin, Raleigh Durahm, or Portland, OR.I wouldn't call the Bay Area kid friendly. That isn't to say that you can't make it in SF, but I myself lived in the East Coast and now here for 9 years and fail to see much difference between the two. After all, most of the people in SF are actually from the East Coast anyway. Same stuff. Different places.

[id3ntidycrisis]

I concur with perfectplacetolive, I think nyc is rather overrated. I think it's a wonderful place to move to if you didn't grow up in it. Although I still have to get out of college before I can do anything -_-. Hey perfectplace if you you don't mind me asking, what is it that you do for a living for you to have this kind of freedom to move about? =D

[ripley44mag]

Well, You can drive from NYC to



















































































You can drive out here from NYC in 2days 18 hours (my best time) find out for yourself. September & October we have our best weather. Ripley













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