Quiet, safe, walkable community with young families not far from SF? (San Jose: 2013, rentals)

[DocGoldstein]

Originally Posted by jam8086

I will be opening a private piano teaching studio. Usually families who care about quality education (and can afford to live in good school districts or pay for private schools) are more likely to take lessons.

Makes sense. Berkeley would be a pretty good choice IMO.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by jam8086

I will be opening a private piano teaching studio. Usually families who care about quality education (and can afford to live in good school districts or pay for private schools) are more likely to take lessons.

Berkeley isn't exactly a "good school district", but a lot of parents send their kids to private schools. Another possibility that might be more fruitful is to look for an apartment in Orinda or Lafayette. Those are very good school districts in high-end communities, and you might get more space for your rental money, if you can find an apt.
edit: I found a listing in Lafayette for a 2 br. for $1225. Most listings at the moment are significantly higher, but your price range is doable there. See Craigslist.

[DocGoldstein]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Berkeley isn't exactly a "good school district"

You're kidding me right? Berkeley has 14 public schools that have above an 850 API or MORE, and are rated 8 or more on GreatSchools.org.

It's not as good as Cupertino/Palo Alto, or Irvine CA in SoCal, but it's certainly good for the East Bay.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by jam8086

I will be opening a private piano teaching studio. Usually families who care about quality education (and can afford to live in good school districts or pay for private schools) are more likely to take lessons.

I would definitely look to work in the East Bay Hills. Its a very large and eclectic affluent area that is a collection of neighborhoods and villages covering Oakland and Berkeley, Piedmont and El Cerrito. There are a lot of strong high school music programs up and down the area and phenomenal public elementary schools and nationally acclaimed private K-12 schools. Educational attainment rates for adults is more than twice the national average.

[humboldtrat]

Originally Posted by jam8086

Hello everyone,

I will be moving to the Bay Area from the east coast in a few months, and I am looking for this kind of community: quiet, safe, and walkable, with warm and sunny weather, not far from San Francisco (around 30 minutes drive max - I could go up to 45 minutes, but I would prefer not to if possible). It would need to be a community that has a lot of young families interested in quality education for their children, as this is essential to the business that I will be opening. My budget is $1500/month for a 1 bedroom apartment. I'd also be willing to live in San Francisco if there is a neighborhood that fits these criteria, but I'm pretty sure my budget is too low to live in the city, and the demographic is most likely not what I need for my business (probably more singles than families).

Check out San Mateo, Belmont, San Carlos or Redwood City - all family oriented suburbs south of San Francisco. All these places fill your requirements. However, you might have to go $1600 or $1700 for a 1 bed apt.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by DocGoldstein

You're kidding me right? Berkeley has 14 public schools that have above an 850 API or MORE, and are rated 8 or more on GreatSchools.org.

It's not as good as Cupertino/Palo Alto, or Irvine CA in SoCal, but it's certainly good for the East Bay.

I guess I was thinking of Berkeley High. Berkeley only has one public HS, which is outrageous for a city that size. I'm in a town of 75,000, and it has 2 highschools.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

I would definitely look to work in the East Bay Hills. Its a very large and eclectic affluent area that is a collection of neighborhoods and villages covering Oakland and Berkeley, Piedmont and El Cerrito. There are a lot of strong high school music programs up and down the area and phenomenal public elementary schools and nationally acclaimed private K-12 schools. Educational attainment rates for adults is more than twice the national average.

I guess this pretty well sums it up. There's a denser population, too, compared to Lafayette and Orinda.

[jade408]

There are plenty of areas in North or Central Oakland that would fit the bill (Piedmont Ave, Temescal, Grand Lake, Rockridge) but North Oakland is pretty well served by the Piedmont Piano School.

They had a storefront for many years on Piedmont Ave, and then moved over to Uptown about 3 years ago.

You might have a lot of branding work etc to compete. Piedmont Piano Company | 1728 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA 94612 | (510) 547-8188 | Open 7 days a week
Their former space also has a new music school in its place.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

I guess this pretty well sums it up. There's a denser population, too, compared to Lafayette and Orinda.

And Lamorinda is very close.

Basically you cant go wrong with the East Bay Hills, Piedmont, Orinda, Moraga and Lafayette.

Those parents eat, sleep and breathe education. LOL

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by jade408

There are plenty of areas in North or Central Oakland that would fit the bill (Piedmont Ave, Temescal, Grand Lake, Rockridge) but North Oakland is pretty well served by the Piedmont Piano School.

They had a storefront for many years on Piedmont Ave, and then moved over to Uptown about 3 years ago.

You might have a lot of branding work etc to compete. Piedmont Piano Company | 1728 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA 94612 | (510) 547-8188 | Open 7 days a week
Their former space also has a new music school in its place.

Now THIS is a helpful post! Bravo, Jade!