Work in Palo Alto, Where to Live? (Fremont, Sunnyvale: apartments, rentals)

[felinius]

I recently got a job in Palo Alto and am looking to move within the next 6 months.

We're a couple in our mid 20's with a dog. We're looking for a place/ area that ...
- has one bedrooms around $2000 or less
- is safe enough to walk outside at night
- is close to a downtown of some sort

A definite plus would be if the weather isn't too hot. Palo Alto can get pretty hot during the day to me. Is this common along the Peninsula?

(I saw Archstone in San Mateo and LOVED it, but the price is so expensive.)

Thanks all

[countofmc]

Redwood City? The downtown area there is quite quaint and developing, with some decent restaurants and bars.

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by countofmc

Redwood City? The downtown area there is quite quaint and developing, with some decent restaurants and bars.

Not sure how safe it would be to walk in Redwood City at night.

[countofmc]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

Not sure how safe it would be to walk in Redwood City at night.

True

[excelongt]

I'm in the same boat as you. Moving from NJ to the SF Bay area in August. Looking to spend 2,200 or less. I'm married 30 and make $130k. My wife doesnt have a job yet. so we are single income.

Mountain View and Palo Alto both have decent downtowns, but the apartments in my budget are GHEETTOO. For that kind of money I can get a little bit nicer, newer, and bigger 1 br in Sunnyvale. Alot of my H1b coworkers in my Palo Alto office live in SV.

[Ruth4Truth]

Pacifica's affordable.

[mstnghu2]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Pacifica's affordable.

...and dumpy and has crappy weather and is far from Palo Alto.

[zombocom]

Originally Posted by excelongt

I'm in the same boat as you. Moving from NJ to the SF Bay area in August. Looking to spend 2,200 or less. I'm married 30 and make $130k. My wife doesnt have a job yet. so we are single income.

Mountain View and Palo Alto both have decent downtowns, but the apartments in my budget are GHEETTOO. For that kind of money I can get a little bit nicer, newer, and bigger 1 br in Sunnyvale. Alot of my H1b coworkers in my Palo Alto office live in SV.

What do you define as ghetto? 2,200 for a 1 bedroom in a nice area should be easy to swing - besides, there aren't any ghetto areas in palo alto...

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by zombocom

What do you define as ghetto? 2,200 for a 1 bedroom in a nice area should be easy to swing - besides, there aren't any ghetto areas in palo alto...

That's what I was thinking. Why not live in Palo Alto? But the OP says he wants a 1 br. for $2000 or less, not $2200.

Menlo Park and Burlingame have 1-br. apts. well within your budget and are nice areas, OP. Have you taken a look at Craigslist rentals?

[mstnghu2]

I think the problem is not that the areas are ghetto. The problem is that $2000.00/less in Palo Alto or Mountain View will most likely get you an old rundown apartment. I have a friend who pays over $1600/month for an old, completely outdated 1 bedroom apartment with paper-thin walls on the south end of Palo Alto. Yes, the OP can find a place in PA within budget, but it will probably be in an old, outdated building with poor insulation.

I think the OP should look further south in Santa Clara/Sunnyvale for a slightly better bargain, or across the bay somewhere like Fremont.