Moving to Oakland from Chicago - Need Help with Housing Costs

[jade408]

Originally Posted by Nineties Flava

I consider any bus that runs through downtown a "core route" so the 18, 58L, 14, 40, 62 and 11 are all core routes. The rest of the buses in Oakland are strictly neighborhood buses (i.e. the 20, 21, etc) or they get you to specific locations (i.e. the 73 to the Airport/Coliseum, the 45 to the DMV, etc).

The most consistent lines of any sort in my experience though are the 1/1R, NL, 58L, 51A, 72/72R, 40 and the 73. The rest can be somewhat or very dodgy... Don't get me started on the 57 lol.

We have a difference in opinion.

I consider a core route anything that runs 7 days a week from at least 8a-10p at 20 minute headways or less.

The 11 and the 12 have good routes, but end at 8 and 9 respectively I think. The 11 is only once every 30 min on weekdays, and once and hour on the weekend. The 12 runs every 30 (not sure if that is weekend only or not). Sadly, if the 11 ran more often and later, my car would stay home more often. It goes to 90% of the places I visit most. Like tonight, I could have taken the 11 to Uptown. But it stops at 8, and I didn't leave the bar until 10:30.

OP: to figure out the transit details, visit transit.511.org.

I live in the Piedmont Ave area. Definitely pretty decent to go car free. Some blocks are better than others. (I.e. if you live too far up Monte vista, the bus is about 2-3 blocks away, but it is a big hill home) I didn't realize the rentals aren't online, but there are plenty of buildings that have signs up outside in the area. Around Oakland/Harrison/Monte Vista/Rose Garden. I see at least one sign a week.

From my place, I live about 1 mile from both Macarthur and 19th Street BART stations. The 57 stop is one block away. The 51 stop is more like 4 blocks away. These run the most: about 6a-12a every day. Give or take an hour. 15 minutes most of the time (or less) but evenings and Sundays these buses run every 20 min. The 11 is less than a block, and the 12 is about 3. The 11, 12, 51 all go to downtown Oakland and to the 12th and 19th St BART Stations. The 57 goes to Macarthur BART. The 51 also goes to Rockridge BART. The 12 takes a very scenic route to downtown Berkeley BART. Between those 4 buses, I can get to about 90% of the things I ever need to go to.***

***But if I am headed to downtown Oakland on a day where the parking will be really easy, I drive downtown, instead of taking the bus. If parking is going to be annoying, I take the bus. 1st fridays, when I plan on having a few drinks....going to the 24 hour fitness.... I take the bus a few days a week.

[rbehs]

Originally Posted by bentobox34

Stay away from International Blvd at night. Yes, there is violence, even close to the lake. Generally the area south of E 18th is where it gets a little scary at night. The area southeast of Park Blvd known as Ivy Hill is OK, but Park Blvd itself feels seedy at night. If I was going to live on the east side of the lake without a car and therefore unable to avoid putting myself in somewhat more vulnerable situations at night, I would definitely want to be north/west of Park Blvd and E 18th.

The north side of the lake known as Adams Point is OK and anything north of 580 is fine (good rule of thumb for all of Oakland, except parts west of 24). I can't comment on the west side of the lake near Harrison and Lakeside.

Because so many people adhere to the "stay above 580" rule, there are much better deals to be had in terms of paying less to be in a fine neighborhood if you are more adventurous and stray to the other side of the freeway. For example, from Mills College to about Glenview, many of the streets below 580 are equivalent or nicer than those just above it, but you wouldn't be able to tell that from the rents.

[mayorhaggar]

Originally Posted by jaka853

Thanks for the perspective, mayorhaggar. A house would be great! I'll look into prices.

Ehhh sorry man but you're not getting a house in Rockridge on your budget. A very basic house there is like $600,000 and up, and you can imagine what that might cost to rent...you MIGHT be able to find some small in-law cottage but it would be small, probably 1br or 1.5br, and you'd be living in your landlord's backyard, which could very well get on your nerves.

[mayorhaggar]

Originally Posted by jade408

We have a difference in opinion.

I consider a core route anything that runs 7 days a week from at least 8a-10p at 20 minute headways or less.

The 11 and the 12 have good routes, but end at 8 and 9 respectively I think. The 11 is only once every 30 min on weekdays, and once and hour on the weekend. The 12 runs every 30 (not sure if that is weekend only or not). Sadly, if the 11 ran more often and later, my car would stay home more often. It goes to 90% of the places I visit most. Like tonight, I could have taken the 11 to Uptown. But it stops at 8, and I didn't leave the bar until 10:30.

Buses that run every 15 minutes or more apart basically means you have a suburban system, not an urban system. In SF or Chicago buses come about every 3 to 8 minutes. And again if you have gaps or 10 minutes or more, if one bus run is cancelled you can be waiting a long time for the next bus...I've seen the 51B, supposed to run every 15, be scheduled to run every 45 minutes. Waiting that long in the rain in January when it's 40 degrees out sucks, especially because if the bus is a popular one like the 51 it's going to be packed and you might not even get on. Oh and transfers will blow, because you go wait 10+ minutes for the bus, ride to the transfer point, then wait another 10 to 20 minutes for the next bus. That can make a short 5 mile trip that should take 10 minutes balloon up to 45 minutes to an hour. That's why I got a bike as soon as I moved to Oakland, I was used to the high frequency of the major Muni lines and didn't want to waste all my time waiting around for flaky and crowded buses. So it would take me 15 to 20 minutes to get from Rockridge to Lake Merritt or downtown Berkeley, not 45 to 60 minutes. Or I'd bike to BART and catch a speedy and frequently running train. And, again, North and downtown Oakland are set up perfectly for biking, it's flat and has tons of bike lanes, as does Berkeley.

[Ruth4Truth]

OP, I just checked Craigslist, and found several nice 1-br. places in the Rockridge and Claremont areas for $1400-$1500. There are apartments, in-law cottages, a variety of arrangements in that area. I see no reason why your goals wouldn't be reachable. The Claremont area, btw, is one of the best and safest neighborhoods in Berkeley/Oakland. Walk to grocery stores and other amenities. It's beautiful. Good luck! Write when you find something and get settled in.

[jaka853]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

OP, I just checked Craigslist, and found several nice 1-br. places in the Rockridge and Claremont areas for $1400-$1500. There are apartments, in-law cottages, a variety of arrangements in that area. I see no reason why your goals wouldn't be reachable. The Claremont area, btw, is one of the best and safest neighborhoods in Berkeley/Oakland. Walk to grocery stores and other amenities. It's beautiful. Good luck! Write when you find something and get settled in.

Wow, thanks Ruth4Truth! I've added Claremont to the list of neighborhoods to check out. My partner and I are going to plan a trip in late summer/ early fall to visit. We've obviously been to Oakland before, but now that we have a list of neighborhoods to review, it calls for another visit. Looking forward to it.

[jaka853]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

Buses that run every 15 minutes or more apart basically means you have a suburban system, not an urban system. In SF or Chicago buses come about every 3 to 8 minutes. And again if you have gaps or 10 minutes or more, if one bus run is cancelled you can be waiting a long time for the next bus...I've seen the 51B, supposed to run every 15, be scheduled to run every 45 minutes.

Yeah, I don't think I'll be taking the bus. Those times make me hearken back to my days in Atlanta, where you could easily wait 45 mins for a bus. And that was before they cut half the lines. Completely inefficient and racist transit system. It was one of the reasons I got a car...but I digress.

Chicago has spoiled me as far as PT goes. For one, everyone takes the transit, regardless of class. I don't think I could go back. But, like I said, I bike everywhere now and hope to transfer that same lifestyle to Oakland. Based on what I'm hearing, though, we need to live within walking distance to a train station.

On the plus side: this may be the excuse I need to get a motorcycle.

[jaka853]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

Ehhh sorry man but you're not getting a house in Rockridge on your budget. A very basic house there is like $600,000 and up, and you can imagine what that might cost to rent...you MIGHT be able to find some small in-law cottage but it would be small, probably 1br or 1.5br, and you'd be living in your landlord's backyard, which could very well get on your nerves.

Um, totally meant renting a house. The only place we'll be buying in is Chicago. Not willing to be in debt half a million dollars to buy in Cali.

[mayorhaggar]

Originally Posted by jaka853

Um, totally meant renting a house. The only place we'll be buying in is Chicago. Not willing to be in debt half a million dollars to buy in Cali.

What I meant was renting a house in Rockridge was probably way higher than your budget. Probably $2500 and up for a dumpy 2 bedroom house, compared with $1500 for a nice 1br apartment.

I took a quick look and this seems to be the cheapest house showing on craigslist for RR, looks nice but it's $3800:

OPEN SAT 11am Craftsman on Broadway! Garden! Lndry! Wood flrs! extrRm