Renting a house in Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda etc... (San Francisco, Concord: transplants, real estate)

[gigi1966]

How can I find a rental site for nicer homes to rent? I don't see much on realtor.com or craigslist that isn't temporary.

Also, opinions on the best area to raise kids...safe, friendly best schools.

Thanks!

[tennis368fan]

How much are you looking to rent a home for? Where will you be commuting to?

For websites for Alameda, google hbrhomes.com (Harbor Bay Realty) and ommhomes.com (Mason Management). You might also want to try Realestate.SFGate.com, which is the San Francisco Chronicle's classifieds. Click rentals at the top of the page.

For good areas to raise kids and good schools, good choices include: Albany, Alameda (east of Union Street for good non-chartered high schools and east of Park Steet for good middle schools), Castro Valley, Piedmont, Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette, Dublin, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Danville, some parts of Walnut Creek, some parts of Concord, Pleasant Hill, some parts of Martinez, and most of the Peninsula execpt some parts of San Bruno and some parts of San Mateo and East Palo Alto. I am really not that sure about the peninsula or the South Bay, so you will have to check on that.

[gigi1966]

Thank you so much for the info. Do you have kids and where do you live?
A realtor has been pushing Concord, but I am not impressed with the older homes in our price range. I would rather have a smaller updated home without the headaches of what can happen to a 50+ year old home. I love character homes but haven't seen anything like that in our price range. Our other consideration is that my 80 yr. old mother will be living with us for 6 months out of the year then permanently at some point and we would like to give her her own living quarters; at least a large master suite. I am very excited to move to California and I hope the people I meet there are as friendly and helpful as you and others on this site. Thanks again!

[gigi1966]

I am seeing homes I really like in Livermore....any areas to stay away from? Is it too good to be true?

[jeevcy]

alamedarentals.com

[JCPTNH08]

Tennis368Fan...you say that "some parts" of Walnut Creek are good for raising kids. Can you expand on that? I am moving to the bay area soon and think I'll be in Walnut Creek. I'm visiting over 4th of July weekend to see the area. Since I have 12 and 8 year olds, I'm wondering what the less desirable areas would be. Thanks!

[tennis368fan]

I have heard mostly good things about Walnut Creek in general.

However, there are parts that are served by the Mount Diablo Unified School District. For example, though Foothill Middle School and Northgate High are very high scoring, Oak Grove Middle School and Ygnacio Valley High are not, and some Walnut Creek students are zoned to there. More specifically, those living on 1600 through 2099 Treat Boulevard. Check the Mount Diablo Unified School District and their website's street directory for more information: MDUSD::Schools : Find Your School

Here are the scores of Mount Diablo Unified School District's facilities: 2007 Base API County List of Schools - CONTRA COSTA County
Match the schools that appear on the street directory with those on the list to check the scores.

Other Walnut Creek neighborhoods feed into Walnut Creek Elementary School District and Acalanes Union High School District, which are excellent. You should still check the address of the home before you decide on it with the school districts themselves, just in case of any changes. Neighborhoods could always change zones.

[tennis368fan]

Originally Posted by gigi1966

I am seeing homes I really like in Livermore....any areas to stay away from? Is it too good to be true?

It could be real. Posted about this in your other post about Livermore, regarding neighborhoods and schools.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/san-f...ml#post4196831

[karenabcde]

"Good" sections of Oakland include Rockridge and the Oakland Hills. There are some excellent private schools. A lot of the public schools suck bigtime. I used to meet with teachers and I did their retirement plans. Some schools are passable. There are a lot of good teachers, but they have to put up with so much crap from every direction.

Berkeley-Hey, it just depends on how you want your kid indoctrinated. Put your finger in the wind and it's as good as any.

Cities with good school districts are the smaller districts in cities like Orinda, and Lafayette. There are some good ones too in Walnut Creek, even though WC is in a larger school district. (Contra Costa)
Concord (Contra Costa) has some excellent private schools-I think Lasalle and another one I forgot. Known for statewide sports stuff.

Bottom line-your kid is most influenced by YOU. If YOU provide a supportive learning orientation for your kid, he/she will seek it out at school. And remember there are crappy kids at private schools too.

Why don't you homeschool your kid? Homeschool kids do better than almost all the rest on a statistical basis.....the CTA won't like you to know this, but it's true....so true, that they recently tried to outlaw it via court edict. (Eat S, libs)

[karenabcde]

Oh-as far as homes to rent-

Call up Prudential Real Estate, Coldwell Banker, and Pacific Union. They all seek out "high end" transplants, and they either have a property management division inhouse, or they work with one. As for the property management division. I own rentals and I NEVER put them on craigslist. Or rather, my manager doesn't like doing it because he says he gets a high percentage of wierdos that call him.

The property management places at the agencies named above with fall all over themselves to help you as they often get 1/2 month's rent as a commission, plus, they want to meet you so they can maybe sell you a home in the future.

Oh-another place to look is the San Francisco Chronicle-lib rag that it is. Or any of the local papers. We landlords like locals. Go figure.