One in SF, One in SV (San Jose, San Francisco: apartment, rental, crime rates)

[poochini]

Tempermentally, my family is, I think Oakland/Alameda-ish. If one of us were working in San Francisco, the other in Silicon Valley, and we sought good public schools for incoming 6th and 9th graders... where would you suggest we look to RENT? And we have two dogs. Thoughts appreciated!

[18Montclair]

Where in Silicon Valley if you dont mind me asking?

[poochini]

Well I don't know yet as we are in the planning phases (i.e. waiting for jobs and things to line up), but anything from Redwood on down I'd say... probably not areas accessible by BART, alas.
I should add this might be as much as a year away. Lots of moving pieces. But I'd like to have a full picture of the options as we move along. Thanks!
PS 18Montclair: your many posts have already been so helpful to me as we look at the landscape. Thanks for being so helpful to this community!

[mayorhaggar]

It will depend on your rental budget, how big of a place you want (3br apartment? 5br house?), how far you want to commute and how you want to commute. Sadly there's not really much like SF or Oakland on the Peninsula or Silicon Valley, also it's an expensive area because it's between two very wealthy job centers.

[roadwarrior101]

I'd say that you can get close if you live within walking distance of the downtown core of many cities along the Caltrain corridor (between Mountain View and Burlingame). Many of these cities have older, bungalow style homes (similar to those in Alameda) and smaller, walkable downtowns with nice shops, restaurants and bars.

You won't get anything as urban as Oakland, but you'll come to appreciate the better weather and lower crime rates as well.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

This scenario is the raison d'etre of places like Pleasanton.

Welcome to commute heck.

[poochini]

Thank you guys! I'm sure I'll have other questions as this moves along! What do you all think of Castro Valley? That seems a compromise. Pretty important to husband to be near SF. So Tri-cities (?) does not appeal. We would like to return a bit to our boho-Brooklyn roots after more than a decade in suburbia. But no one wants to go into the hood, not at this point in our lives...!

Oh, and giving up the dogs is non-negotiable, so I'd say house. 3br or 3BR+
Cheers

[nr5667]

Originally Posted by poochini

Thank you guys! I'm sure I'll have other questions as this moves along! What do you all think of Castro Valley? That seems a compromise. Pretty important to husband to be near SF. So Tri-cities (?) does not appeal. We would like to return a bit to our boho-Brooklyn roots after more than a decade in suburbia. But no one wants to go into the hood, not at this point in our lives...!

Oh, and giving up the dogs is non-negotiable, so I'd say house. 3br or 3BR+
Cheers

Tri-cities is Newark, Fremont, and Union city. "Silicon Valley" is more the northwest end of San Jose, and Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View.

If one is working there, and the other in S.F, I think the peninsula would be a preferable place to live, it's nicer than east bay, and the commutes will be better.

[jade408]

tri-cities? do ypu mean tri-valley (dublin, pleasanton, san ramon, danville, livermore)? i have never heard tri-cities before.

[jade408]

castro valley is ranchero suburbia. Basically the burbs with som leftover cowboys with cows and horses.