DC --> SF/Oakland: A Few Questions (San Francisco, Berkeley: apartments, condo)

[CirclingLogan]

My girlfriend and I are moving to the Bay Area in the next few months. She'll be working downtown SF and I'll be either in Oakland or SF, not sure yet. We're young (20s, 30s) and fairly social.

We're looking for a one bedroom (maybe a studio if in SF) for under $2,500 (closer to $2k if possible). Our combined income will be around $140k, so we could afford more, but are paying off some credit cards for the next year or two.

We'd like a neighborhood that's relatively nice, but doesn't have to be too ritzy. Safety is fairly important as she'll likely be walking home after 7pm, either from the office or from public transport (but that doesn't mean it needs to be nothing but white/asian yuppies). Either close to BART or walkable to downtown is a must. Bars and restaurants around and good public parks and such would be a big plus. Moving from DC (which can seem a big stuffy/bland at times), we'd love to embrace some of the more interesting aspects of SF's culture.

Just from online research, I've selected the following neighborhoods to look into:

Temescal
Uptown
The Mission
Castro
Noe Valley
Hayes Valley
Marina
Nob Hill
North Beach

Have I missed anything or am I way off in any way?

[Venom Point]

I will be realistic with you. I would avoid Oakland. mod cutYou can't walk around at night. I used to live in the Area and it has always been dangerous it's basically West Oakland with a touch of downtown thrown in. With your budget you should look in SOMA over in San Francisco. Much safer and much nicer apartments. I used to own a loft/condo on 9th Street. Temescal has a lot of robberies and car thefts. When I was a student at U.C. Berkeley I had my car stolen.

[ssmaster]

Originally Posted by Venom Point

I will be realistic with you. I would avoid Oakland.mod cut You can't walk around at night. I used to live in the Area and it has always been dangerous it's basically West Oakland with a touch of downtown thrown in. With your budget you should look in SOMA over in San Francisco. Much safer and much nicer apartments. I used to own a loft/condo on 9th Street. Temescal has a lot of robberies and car thefts. When I was a student at U.C. Berkeley I had my car stolen.

uptown is much safer than soma.uptown is so much safer you should be embarrased but it's the internet so you can be wrong all day without shame.mod cut

Fairfield man arrested in SoMa homicide - SFGate

Two more shot at troubled SoMa intersection | Ari Burack | Crime | San Francisco Examiner
A teenage girl and a woman were recovering at a hospital but still in serious condition Monday after being shot Saturday morning at a South of Market intersection that’s been plagued by violence

Shooting In SF’s SoMa Sends Two To Hospital « CBS San Francisco


Man Stabbed To Death In San Francisco SoMa; Suspect Arrested « CBS San Francisco

S.F. police arrest 2 in SoMa slaying - SFGate

Bystander Shot During San Francisco SoMa Dispute « CBS San Francisco

[Venom Point]

How come you always have to trash SF to build up Oakland?

Do you really want me to post all the crime stories in Oakland? I don't think CD allows that many characters in one thread.

[ssmaster]

my point is soma is a lot more dangerous than uptown.you posted the opposite. if you can back it up go ahead.

[Venom Point]

That is not true, SOMA is NOT more dangerous than Uptown. But I digress, your mind is made up that Oakland is Utopia, that is fine, but I'm trying to help people as I have lived in the area and know the area very well.

[Natural510]

mod edit SOMA is NOT safer than Uptown. 6th Street is still Skid Row, and it has a spill over effect on neighboring blocks. Uptown resembles the better part of SOMA between 8th & 11th; both have good nightlife and alot of foot traffic.

CirclingLogan, you should only be cautious to not go too far west in Oakland as a new resident; things are fine day & night until you go west of MLK downtown or past 20th on San Pablo Ave, otherwise Uptown is fine. Same with Temescal just stay east of Shattuck. The Mission is also dicey depending on the area; Mission Street is the main dividing line, but up toward Valencia is where you get to the nicer/hipper part of the neighborhood (also more expensive). Avoid Capp Street and South Van Ness.

[jsba]

The list you have is good, I would add the Jack London area in Oakland though. It's close to downtown and has a free shuttle that can take you up Broadway to uptown and deeper into downtown. The Lake Merritt station is only a few blocks away. My girlfriend and I live down there and it is quite safe, really nothing happens down there. The train station is down there but the apartments in the area are well insulated so it shouldn't be that much of a bother to you. It isn't for me.

mod edit you uptown is nice. Its a dense community within a city so normal street smarts apply. The area has many lounges and eating places so it'll be more lively than Jack London, but both are very centrally located and easy to get around.

Sorry i don't know much about San Francisco, but but i hope you find the info useful. Best of luck.

[04kL4nD]

you forgot Rockridge

[jsba]

Yep, sure did. Also Piedmont Ave, Adams Point, Dimond (further from downtown) and good ol Jingletown (not as much entertainment but near BART and Fruitvalle)