Potential job in SF, needing some Bay Area education! (Concord: real estate, rentals)

[amac7983]

Hi everyone -

My company has a location in the Financial District (a few blocks from the Powell station) and I am thinking about relocating my family from Chicago. I've been looking around at places to live and anywhere in SF is completely out of the question due to housing/rental costs but I was wondering if an area like Albany or Berkeley might be a fit for us.

We have 3 kids, so schools are important and we are used to suburbia so I am okay with a suburban type of area. I really would want to be near the BART line and it looks like there are stops in Berkeley if I'm not mistaken. Does anyone know how long that ride would be? From my research it looks like about 20-25 minutes but I'd rather know from people that have actually taken the ride.

We would want a 3-4 bedroom home around the 400k range. Am I delusional to think that is possible?

I am not familiar with SF or the Bay Area at all so I definitely would welcome any insight on if I am looking completely in the wrong direction, if I am on the right track, or if we simply just can't afford to relocate.

Any help from the locals would be much appreciated

Thanks in advance!

[sav858]

Originally Posted by amac7983

We would want a 3-4 bedroom home around the 400k range. Am I delusional to think that is possible?

In Berkeley yes. In any suburb with good schools also a yes.

Pleasant Hill and Castro Valley would be two suburbs I'd recommend. Both have BART stations and decent schools. Just don't expect a new, updated, or large home for $400K. That's on the low end honestly for cities with decent/good schools.

[amac7983]

What about Albany?

[flabongo]

Originally Posted by amac7983

What about Albany?

You are delusional for $400K. Try about at least $700K in Berkeley or Albany

[mayorhaggar]

600k or so is the entry-level price for a basic home in an "affordable" East Bay suburb with good schools like Walnut Creek or Pleasanton. Maybe 5 or 6 years ago you could get places for like 450k but not anymore. Berkeley or Albany are going to be even more expensive. Also Albany and Berkeley aren't suburban, they're more like dense streetcar suburbs. Walnut Creek and Pleasanton are more typical suburban areas.

See if you can find house rentals that you can afford, since in the Bay Area buying a house tends to result in a higher monthly mortgage payment than if you rented that same house.

I think Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Dublin and Pleasanton are the places to look if you want good schools and BART access and houses that aren't as expensive as somewhere like Berkeley or Orinda.

There are towns like Concord or Hercules that are cheaper, but it's because they have poor schools. And other towns like Danville might be cheaper but it's because it doesn't have good transit or highway access to get to SF.

[ssmaster]

you can't afford berkeley or albany.
$600,000 is more realistic.

[vvnreddy]

Your best would be pleasanton, dublin area. very decent neighborhoods with good schools. Especially pleasanton. But I am sure it it going to be a shocker real estate wise.

[TurboTalon]

Move quick. We don't get negative temps here :P

[loloroj]

Stay where you are. If you want to pay 400k for a home, you'll have to move much further out than the cities you mentioned. The further you get, the more you commute. The more you commute, the more expensive it gets. The more expensive it gets, the less your options become.

Forget about the quality of the schools, what about the quality of the life you'll be giving your kids? What about having their parents around instead of being stuck in traffic for hours? You stand the very good chance that your kids will spend far more time with their teachers and adults other than you. Are schools suppose to become public baby sitting venues? The rush to the coast has created some nightmare infrastructure problems in CA, and people still insist on having kids when they have less time and resources to give them, making it the public's problem to watch over and parent them. Sorry, there are too many people who are stuck thinking in a way that is obsolete and unsustainable. I have to presume that you have some sustainable life in IL. If you do, then it makes no sense to relocate to one that isn't. If your life isn't sustainable in IL, then why trade it for one that is probably even less so?

[clongirl]

Pleasant Hill and nicer parts of Concord (off of Treat Blvd) might also be an option. Most of the Pleasant Hill schools are very good and there's a BART station in both. Prices are going up but I believe you could find something in the 400-500k range (or you could find a very nice 3 bd 2 bath to rent for around 2k-2500).

Walnut Creek as mentioned is also a great choice...a bit more expensive than the former but really well regarded schools. I wouldn't suggest buying a house in the Bay Area until you are well settled and plan to stay here for a long time. Prices are so high in these parts that it doesn't make sense to dole out so much unless you're absolutely sure.