Where to live - Walnut Creek & Menlo Park (Daly City: how much, living)

[Hunter399]

We don't really like the big city feel. In LA we enjoy being close to the action but not living in it 24/7.

Thanks for all the input!

[mdwstrnkid]

Originally Posted by fakeplastictrees

San Francisco?

I was going to say the same thing until I saw their budget. How about South San Francisco? It's about an hour commute to Walnut Creek on BART and a not-so-terrible drive down to Menlo Park (as long as you are working near 280).

[Think About It!]

Originally Posted by jade408

It is a little more diverse/poorer than its neighbors but it is an middle to upper middle class area. If people tell you Dublin is sketchy/dangerous/and use diverse as a euphemism to be racist just ignore them. Those people are just snooty and complaining that there are a lot more Asian and black people than there used to be 10-15 years ago.

There is like one "bad" apartment complex in town (read lower middle class). Nothing bad happens in Dublin, except for tea party people trying to take over city planning meetings and some family friendly revelry on St. Patrick's Day.

Tea Party = Bad
Poor/Diverse = Good

[Think About It!]

I would look into Pleasanton, Fremont, Newark and like areas. Nothing is going to be ideal. It depends on what your standard of living is. I like Pleasanton out of those options in terms of safety / shopping / downtown. Definitely try to get closer to Menlo Park rather than Walnut Creek. The commute to Walnut Creek on N/B 680 should be a little easier than traveling to Menlo Park.

Originally Posted by Hunter399

Hey All,

Great looking forum here.

I currently live with my girlfriend in El Segundo (LA area). We're considering relocating to the bay area - I will be working in Menlo Park and she in Walnut Creek.

We realize this may not be an ideal split, but it is what it is.

Can you recommend come communities to look into? We're young, no kids so schools don't really matter. We're comfortable around the $1400-1500 range for a 1 bedroom apartment - I'm confident we'll need every bit of that budget for an apartment, if prices there are anything like LA.

We prefer quieter suburbs (low traffic, easy to park and shop on the weekends), and don't mind short drives for errands, etc.

Thanks!

[jade408]

Originally Posted by Think About It!

Tea Party = Bad
Poor/Diverse = Good

It is all relative. My sister went to Dublin High. The kids from Alamo/Danville said it was ghetto and their car would get broken into. I just had to laugh, as obviously that is not going to happen in Dublin.

I will fully admit that I am not a supporter of the Tea Party. But if the worst thing that happens in your town is there are Tea Party people with megaphones at city hall meetings, it is safe to say it is a safe/nice town.

And that was my point.

But for some people in the Tri-Valley (obviously not all) Dublin is a little too "diverse." But by most standards it isn't very diverse at all. Compared to Pleasanton maybe.

[Hunter399]

Thanks for all the replies, folks. I see a few recommendations for Pacifica, Milbrea, etc. That actually may make sense. Any reason to not look in that area exclusively?

[jade408]

Originally Posted by Hunter399

Thanks for all the replies, folks. I see a few recommendations for Pacifica, Milbrea, etc. That actually may make sense. Any reason to not look in that area exclusively?

Crappy weather. They are foggy.

[Hunter399]

Thanks, again, Jade!

Do you Know, off the top of your hear, approximate rush hour travel times from like, Pacifica to Menlo Park and Walnut Creek?

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by jade408

Crappy weather. They are foggy.

Pacifica is quite foggy (especially up on the hilly parts), but Milbrae isn't that bad at all. In the summer, the fog bank can make it to Milbrae some days, but it rarely gets past. As such, it's usually the first place the fog breaks, and the last place it sets in (if it makes it that far). And on days when the fog does make it that far, it's often blanketed over the coastal east bay areas, too. If fog is an issue, I certainly wouldn't look at Pacifica, though.

[twins4lynn]

Originally Posted by jade408

Crappy weather. They are foggy.

Millbrae is only foggy when the rest of the mid-peninsula is foggy.