Just how bad is Oakland??? (San Francisco, Concord: foreclosures, renters, crime)

[gracemleone]

Hi,
I am considering moving to Oakland. I currently live in SF right at the border of tenderloin/lower nob hill..
I currently pay 1300 for a small place in a not so good neighborhood, but with the prices so low for a single family home I would be paying way less for my monthly mortgage payment.
I know the hills are best in Oakland as well as Lake Meritt area but can't afford that much at the moment.
I was looking at Fruitvale, or by the Coliseum bart station and also the san leandro/ oakland border.
Just how bad is Oakland??
Any other suggestions in Oakland or other cities to move to?
I have to be close to SF my husband works there and I work at the Oakland airport, so being close to bart or 30 minute drive to sf is important...
thanks

[hohead]

I just moved to Rockridge (in North Oakland) a few months ago, and I love it. Extremely warm, friendly, and safe. Also really close to BART.

Take a drive on College between Alcatraz and Broadway to get a feel of the area.

I pay $2250 (rent) for a house, which I estimate is probably worth at least 750k? Really nice neighborhood though.

Hope that helps give a bit of insight!

[artemis78]

I think it's tricky to find a place in a "good" Oakland neighborhood where you would be paying less than $1300 for your mortgage (unless you have a really sizable downpayment). While Oakland as a whole is much better than the media would have you believe, the roughest parts are all you've heard and then some. There are some great spots tucked into East Oakland, but you need to look carefully---and realize that many of the Oakland renters know about them, too, so be suspicious of a very, very low-priced place with no takers. It probably has something wrong with it (which may be okay, if it's fixable over time as the money becomes available) or wrong with the neighborhood (which is much harder to fix, and which you probably want to avoid).

That said, if you're willing to up your monthly payment there are some great deals to be had right now in stable neighborhoods like Dimond, Laurel, Millsmont, and others. Generally, if you can stay north of the 580, that's a plus (though there are some nice neighborhoods below it as well---you just have to look carefully to be sure). Also take a look at schools if you're planning to have kids---remember that it may not be simple to just move at that point, so look for places and districts that will accommodate that if need be.

Good luck!

[naomisday]

Its really according to where you live in Oakland.... There are some really nice areas/streets and
others to be avoided......I agree with the above posters....

Oakland suffers from an image problem..there are some really nice neighborhoods and houses..and
better weather then SF....but you have to be able to live in those areas...

There are only certain areas in Oakland I would live in, but I could say the same from SF

[18Montclair]

I was looking at Fruitvale, or by the Coliseum bart station and also the san leandro/ oakland border.

Fruitvale is okay to me. The Coliseum Area not so much. I have lots of relatives that live by there and they seem to be fine but that's just not my cup-a-tea. I say go and see for yourself and you decide.Take a look at the area that surrounds the Merritt Restaurant and Bakery at the southwestern end of Lake Merritt. Its a big mix of grit and hip thesedays with a smattering of immigrants.

[Tallysmom]

I live in the San Leandro/Oakland border area and it's not bad here. The farther away from 98th the better. Do things happen? Oh, yeah. But in the 22 years we lived here it's been rather quiet. But our friends are scared to come here. (That isn't a bad thing! ) (Our friends also live in Concord -- and in their seemingly nice pristine upscale area far more stuff happens there!)

Now -- our local public schools aren't good at all. So if you have kids, I wouldn't come here.

Our homes are rather tired, though -- and our foreclosures are plenty. So you can get a smoking deal if you want to work on your home.

[bigdave01]

If I were you I would look around the Lake Merritt area. It has some cheap rentals and has some cool neighborhoods, Grand Lakeshore, Adams Point, etc.

[sonarrat]

There are parts of Oakland where you can get unmatched value for the dollar, whether it be in the form of architectural beauty, quality of commute, views, access to nature.. Oakland has it all. There are also parts where you will have constant problems and will feel trapped by the stubborn image problem which many residents, as well as bangers from rival areas, will cheerfully contribute to. Unfortunately many of these are actually the same areas.

[bayarea-girl]

Get a 1 bdrm or studio around Lake Merrit. I'd stay away from areas around the Oakland airport and or San Leandro/Oakland border (crime ridden/NOT SAFE during the day or night). You should be able to find something in your price range by the Lake, Rockridge you might be out of your price range and being by the lake you have close access to BART.

[baybook]

You just might want to stick to advice from posters that live in the area. Not folks that ived here years ago and not folks that only drive through on their way to San Francisco.

There are nice places in all areas of Oakland.