Moving from DC to SF - need help picking neighborhood

[District2SanFrancisco]

bellalunatic,

thanks for the info! I've lived on u street (13th and u), and 21st and new hampshire (dupont). i love both those vibes. i'm not really a hipster, but have closet fantasies, so was thinking about the mission . but then i can't walk.also, is it less safe than u street? dc is pretty screwed up crime-wise, as i'm sure you know, so i can't see it being too much worse.

i like the 14th street corridor. something with nightlife, you know what i mean? really dense, great environment like that. lots of cafes for daytime laptoppage . even a place to sit outside. mission delores park? the mission? guess i couldnt walk to work then, bt i'd save some cash on rent and could use it for cabs to marina/north beach.

thanks so much. i'm just trying to get an idea of the vibe of the city and where ground zero for "cool" and "hip" is.

[hellaslover]

i'm sorry i can't help with your question but..what kind of a job do you have that you make 95k and you 're only 23??

[matt345]

Originally Posted by hellaslover

i'm sorry i can't help with your question but..what kind of a job do you have that you make 95k and you 're only 23??

LOL, I didn't want to say anything, but I was thinking the same thing.

[18Montclair]

Hayes Valley sounds like a good fit for you.

[bellalunatic]

Hayes Valley is a great suggestion, as is the Lower Haight they've has always reminded me of Adams Morgan and teensy bit of Dupont area...I can't quite put my finger on why, but either would be good for you.
Walking to work from either place is theoretically do-able, if you like walking for 20 minutes or more... and then there's F Market Muni train (above ground restored international historic subway cars, anyone?) ya can't get a cooler commute than that!
Both Hayes Valley and the Lower Haight sound like they'd work for you....heck, even the Duboce Triangle area as well...
North Beach is also a good suggestion too but way more crowded and harder to find a reasonable place to live, I think.
Lower Haight has the hipster vibe of the old 9:30 Club & D.C. Space scene, (but not quite as sketchy as that 9th E/F street) area USED to be in the early 90's...(I don't know if that reference will help you much, since you're only 23).....
The Mission is pretty far to walk to work from but you do have the BART which makes it handy...
SOMA is a real estate agents-still-building-from-the ground up fantasy land...not knee deep in cultural/neighborhood amenities , that's for sure...and overpriced as well....also, just think liquifaction...same word to think of when considering the Marina...liquifaction (say it with me kids...) it is earthquake country afterall...
I dunno, I just have never liked the Marina, nice folks, nice views etc but just too generic and 'normal' for me personally, I don't have much in common with the standard Marina citizen. ( And your walk to work would be, well, nuts, frankly too far too hilly) so I think
North Beach is about as far North as you'd wanna go,
Duboce Triangle is furthest West
Lower Haight and Hayes Valley both being closer in
Portrero Hill is south of the SOMA area that you may want to look into, just for the heck of it, within the Mariposa area although it's pretty quiet and way further down the 3rd street rail...
are you going to have time to scout out 'hoods before signing a lease or are you doing this all online?

[District2SanFrancisco]

That is great information -- thank you everyone. As for the job, it's not too interesting. In finance in 2007, you could make 130-150K out of school at some banks, and up to 200K in some private equity shops.

I forgot to mention, I'll probably be working really long days (at least 12 hours, 6 days a week). Right now I work about 10-16 hours a day.

I'm taking a paycut actually.. but excited for SF (money isn't everything)! Thanks for all the info, and I'll be back next week with my report.

[District2SanFrancisco]

Also, in response to some of your questions bellalunatic: I've heard stories of the old 930 club. You should see what the new 930 club hood looks like (8th and V streets). Sooo gentrified. Still scary as hell in the alleys between the 700K 2-br condos .

i'm trying to come out there a couple of times and hang out, so it's going to be a mix of craigslist, and being there. I really do think I want to live in a group house to get some exposure to people..

[matt345]

I think you'll enjoy San Francisco and you should definitely come out for a visit. Unfortunately, you might want to wait a little while because it looks like the BART workers may go on strike

[cgains]

As posted by bellalunatic, liquefaction is a concern in SOMA/South Beach, however, you should look at a liquefaction map of SF. There are areas in SOMA/South Beach that are bedrock, particularly around Rincon Hill.

[monolysis]

... moving from DC to San Francisco. If you wanna chat and compare notes, feel free to shoot me an e-mail at gmail with this username. I'd also love to find a group of people to get a decent place.