Walnut Creek vs. Alameda (Oakland, Berkeley: apartments, rentals, house)

[apt. hunter2]

Hello, rather than comment on all the threads I've been reading I just decided to starty my own. I'll be going to Samuel Merrit (oakland) this August and am looking for places to rent. Walnut Creek and Alameda seem to be at the top of my list. Safety is my number one concern at this point and neither seems very dangerous. Does anyone have any experience with specific large dog-friendly apartments. The apartment review sites are depressing because they are all 90% horrible reviews. If you feel strongly about another area in the East Bay please let me know of the pros and cons. Looking for a 1 or 2 BR for under $2000. Rockridge also seems highly recommended but I'm not sure I can afford it. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[theh]

My fiance and I were recently visiting the east bay to look for apartments in both Alameda and Walnut Creek. Both towns were great and it really is a matter of personal preference and what you value. Alameda ended up being a much better fit for us, so we settled on a place there. Other people on these forums who know the areas I'm sure can give you a lot better details, but based on our first impressions, Walnut Creek seemed more modern, but more commercial. Alameda seemed older, but more casual and laid-back. Walnut Creek felt like a large town, almost urban. Alameda felt like a quaint small town. The apartments were generally nicer and newer in Walnut Creek, but Alameda had a lot more smaller, independently owned complexes/buildings. Rental rates were about equal on average, and you can easily find a decent place in your price range in either town.

Alameda would be an easier commute to Oakland.

We have a cat, so we were also looking for pet-friendly rentals. It was a lot easier to find those in Walnut Creek (if you consider extra pet rent to be "pet friendly"...) and I don't think we looked at any place in Alameda that allowed dogs. They exist, but you really have to search! I've heard it's become fairly easy to negotiate with landlords about their pet policies, since there are so many vacancies, so you might want to try doing that if you have a trouble finding a place.

Unless a complex has a loooong string of recent bad reviews, I recommend you take those reviews with a grain of salt.

[fizbin]

I would always prefer Alameda over Walnut Creek (I rented in Alameda for about 15 years) and especially since you are headed to Merritt - the commute will be much easier.

[apt. hunter2]

thanks for the advice. From what I've been reading a lot of people seem to push towards Alameda and I love the idea of living by the water again (I grew up along the coast in New England). I am def. going to look into negotiating with land lords about the pet policy. I only found 3 apt. complexes that advertise large dogs online in Alameda (2 of which seem pretty nice, the other had terrible reviews.)

[18Montclair]

About online reviews. just remember that negative opinions always are more likely to be posted online. that's just human nature.

As far as your question, I have to agree with Fizbin. Alameda would be far more my preference for someone in your situation.

[Forker]

Alameda, hands down. No contest. Walnut Creek blows.

[E14]

Originally Posted by Forker

Alameda, hands down. No contest. Walnut Creek blows.

This is the first and last time i will ever agree with you

[shigemm]

Alameda is definitely more diverse than Walnut Creek. The few times I've been there, it felt like you could be in any town USA. Oakland has some great areas too, as does Berkeley. In Oakland, Rockridge is great but expensive. I'm sure, though, u can find something. In Oakland, another area that's safe is: Montclair (village) I live near by in a house (Glenview). It's very close to Merrit

[PeixeGato]

Will you be commuting via BART or driving? If you are driving, you can get a general idea of what traffic flow is like on Google Maps. The information is live and is really helpful when you are looking to move to a new place. Check it out, you'll see that living in Alameda will make your life MUCH more enjoyable.

[daepro]

I would recommend looking into 1901 SHORELINE DRIVE in Alameda. I lived there for six months when I first moved to the area and it was great. Very dog friendly and it is directly across from the BAY.