possible relocation to Bay area (San Jose, Oakland: neighborhoods, school, community college)

[yukon15001]

I live in Indiana and I may have the opportunity to move to the Bay area for a job in Fremont. Where are the good (not as expensive) areas to live to commute to Fremont? I know the cost of living and housing is much higher than middle Indiana. My kids will be college age, no need for school information, maybe community college close by. Any other information about the area would be great. Thanks!

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Look for bargains in Fremont itself. Nearby places that are less expensive include Newark, Union City, Hayward. A bit further afield you have San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Oakland, and parts of San Jose. Just a warning however, some of these places are a bit sketchy in certain hoods (Oakland has outright rough hoods in places). At a similar distance to Oakland et al there are Pleasanton and Livermore. Both are nice, Pleasanton's nicer of the two and of course the pricier of the two.

[Beat02]

^ +1

I'd suggest first just looking around within Fremont. I've visted there a couple of times and it seems like a decent enough city.

[fizbin]

Agreed - if you work in Fremont there is no real reason to subject yourself to a commute to live elsewhere. It is part of what (to me) is a spread-out indistinguishable mass of towns that stretches from San Leandro through San Lorenzo, Hayward, Newark, Union City, Fremont and Milpitas that seperates Oakland in the north from San Jose in the south. And it may be the nicest one in that group. Don't know much about specific neighborhoods, but do know that I have seen some really nice upscale developments in Fremont.

One close-by option that is unlike any of the towns mentioned is Sunol, which is a cute little isolated town that times seems to have forgotten. Definitely not part of urban/suburban Bay Area. My guess is that an Indiana guy would feel more comfortable here than in much of the rest of the Bay Area.

Oh, and there is a nice community college - Ohlone - in Fremont.

[yukon15001]

Thanks, I don't think I would be able to afford the move, I hear the relocation package is not that great. But, it would be nice to get better weather! Cost of living in CA is much more than IN.