San Fran neighborhoods / commute to Belmont (Cupertino, Marina: best neighborhood, rentals, condo)

[jena830]

Hi! I've lived in Metro Detroit my whole life. I am relocating to the Bay Area next month for my job, which is in Belmont. I would love to live in SF but have a few questions... how bad would that commute be? I would obviously need a car, how bad is the parking situation in the city? And, what is the best neighborhood for a single, 27 year old female?

Thanks

[hsw]

Easy drive ~25-45mins dpdg upon time of day (no Winter snow/ice slowdowns unlike MI)

Many singles who work in SV choose to live in SF and do even longer commutes to major office corridors like MtnView or Cupertino or MenloPk or SJ

Parking in SF all depends upon one's budget...most ?>$3K/mo rentals include a pkg garage space

Prob most residential yuppie neighborhoods for <30yo crowd are Marina and CowHollow

Many of newer upscale condo towers (also closer to 280 fwy for commutes to SV) are in Soma; a less residential-feel, more office/touristy area

Rentals in SF cost about as much as those in Chicago's MagMile/LincPk areas; rents in Peninsula suburbs (nr PaloAlto) are no cheaper than in SF for equivalent, newer rentals

Will be in for a culture shock, even if from Bloomfield Hills or Ann Arbor...but SV has many high-powered immigrants from MI, IL, OH, etc, so you will likely appreciate the cosmopolitan feel of yuppie magnets like SF, as opposed to more family-oriented Peninsula suburbs

[jena830]

This helps a lot, thanks!!

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Very doable. If both your home location and work location are convenient for it, taking 280 would be preferable to 101. However, if you prefer public transit, being near BART and / or Cal Train for both home and work are preferable.