Moving to SF from Europe and starting business (Richmond: 2010, apartments)

[branko1]

Greetings from Croatia!
I have a question or two that I was hoping some of you can help me with.
I am planning to move to SF in 2010 with my family (wife and daughter). We are running a small family business and were thinking to carry on with the same business in the US, since it is mainly web-based. We are currently making 80k a year.

We are planning to invest our savings of about 60k into:

1. renting a place to live and work, some 1,000 sq.ft., 2 or 3 br;
2. opening a branch office - since our business is web-based, it can be a simple single-room-home office (so this would be the same apartment/house).

Naturally, we would want this place to be in a safe neighborhood, nothing fancy, but convenient since our daughter will be 4 next year.
Is this possible and where, considering our savings? How long do you think this amount would last, since we would need a few months to adapt before continuing making money.

Thank you!

[sonarrat]

If you'd be making the same $80K a year no matter where you were stationed, then it doesn't make much sense to live in an expensive area. With the needs your family has you would be bleeding cash to the tune of $2000-2500 a month, just on housing alone. Can it be done? Absolutely, it can. You've got enough money to make it work. But I also have a fairly portable job - piano teacher - and if I had $60K to relocate, I would thinking Indianapolis or St. Louis suburbs.

[uptown_urbanist]

If you're dedicated to the idea of SF and not a cheaper place, then the Richmond District (in the city of SF, and not the city of Richmond which is different) is great for families, as well as cheaper than many areas of the city (also very safe and near to many stores/restaurants/parks etc.). Many of the apartments in this area area also very big, which is nice if you're going to use one room for work.

[branko1]

Thank you both for your kind answers.
Yes, our mind is set on SF for various reasons; mostly because it seems rather safe, it is quite European, and we spent a few days in it some 10 years ago and fell completely in love with the spirit there. So, Richmond District looks wonderful (also after checking it on Google street view).

Obviously, our business hopes include at least doubling our income after a year or two in the US, otherwise the move would not make any sense. Our business is mainly web-based, but we see the opportunity to grow in opening a branch office in SF.

So, we are coming to SF for two weeks this October to explore it. We would like to use these two weeks to see what are the good neighborhoods, to acquaint ourselves with the city some more and to inquire about the procedures for registering our office. I know two weeks may not be enough, so I was hoping maybe you can suggest what places are must-see. Are there any specialized places, such as one-stop-shops where we can get some useful information (considering we need so much information - regarding housing, starting business, immigration)?

Thank you in advance for any suggestion.