Moving from Chicago - Piedmont, Lafayette or neither

[18Montclair]

And if your going to consider Lafayette, then you should look at Orinda.

[Ready555]

Thanks 18Montclair.

From what I've read, Orinda is a smaller and perhaps more liberal community compared to Lafayette. For the most part, its more expensive than Lafayette too.

I have read many of your post, 18Montclair, and I tend to agree with your assessments of areas that I am familiar with. I welcome all comments and advice you can offer.

Tell me, what is it about Orinda that you like?

[18Montclair]

Normally I would have suggested Alameda or Albany, both great towns, but Orinda Schools are just a cut above. All of its schools, every last one, is among the cream of the crop in this state-which is very impressive. It shows that residents place a premium on education. Speaking of which, Orinda is very opular among Cal faculty.

Orinda is my favorite Contra Costa town. It's not much different from Moraga and Lafayette, although Lafayette has a much larger retail district. I really like Orinda because its wealthy but people arent really showy about it( for the msot part although there is the occasional Ferrari). Orinda is wooded and quiet, hilly and has almost east coast village feeling to it. More Connecticut than California. Yet a stone's throw from big city amenities.

Plus BART has an Orinda station.

Youre actually in luck. Because of the strange Real Estate Market, there are openings that would otherwise never have been available. Here are some examples.

Orinda(ON A BUSY STREET THOUGH)
3bd/2bth
$750,000
http://homepics.realtor.com/image9/http/alamedacontracosta/submit/large/100/40312209a.jpg (broken link)

Orinda(ExCELLENT AREA for kids), a fixer upper, but this is a huge bargain.
4bd/2bth
$799,000


Orinda(very nice area, kinda far from Miramonte HS though)
3bd/ 2.5 bth
$859,000


Anyway, my 2 cents. Good Luck!