A NJ Teacher considering a move to SF (San Jose, San Francisco: sale, rentals)

[ketch89]

How much $ does your husband make? If he's just a regular construction worker making 60k, the two of you can expect to share a studio in-law in the Outer Sunset, which will run you about 2k/month.

[Perma Bear]

Originally Posted by Girlinacafe

Thank you Chuck5000, for your very kind words and insight. I will consider outside the Bay Area in my research.
Kindly,
Beth

You made a wise decision, it may have saved your financial life.

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by Chuck5000

"There's no more "real" love for nature than you'll find in NY. The environmental BS is political posturing to pander to the liberal nutjobs in this town."

Truly a ridiculous, angry and uninformed statement. Every word, every thought contained within, is wrong. But I'm sure Lockdev would call me a nutjob. Up is down, wet is dry, hot is cold, etc, in that thought-universe. Must make getting by every day easier.

Yea, I didn't get that jab. SF Bay Area is considerably more outdoors-focused than any other major city in the East Coast. And it shows in people's behaviors and hobbies.

[tikkasf]

You may or may not find the weather dreary in the Outer Sunset. Expect a lot of cool overcast weather days. You would be close to Ocean Beach.....but, it not a swimming beach due to the weather, dangerous currents. Occasionally during the year, a weather condition comes along, lasting usually 2 or 3 days called a "off shore flow".....that brings great weather near the coast. The Outer Sunset and adjacent Parkside neighborhood is about as suburban like as you can find in SF. Rents are very high in SF, Outer Sunset is a little cheaper then other neighborhoods

https://www.zumper.com/blog/uploads/...inter20161.png

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by Girlinacafe

I live in Ridgewood NJ. I think the move is lateral.

More like the SF area is 3x or 4x as expensive.

This is a 640k home in Ridgewood. Wow! Incredibly cheap by SF standards. 2400 sq ft.

49 Boyce Place, Ridgewood, NJ For Sale | Trulia.com

Burlingame is a comparable suburb near SF. A 1.9 million home there is not as nice as the Ridgewood example.

482 Chatham Road, Burlingame, CA For Sale | Trulia.com

Originally Posted by Girlinacafe

What is your take on the educational system in SF?

It is very strange and polarized because of the school choice lotto. The weird school assignment system provides a lot of business to private schools. There are some excellent magnet schools like Lowell High and some that perpetually rank 1/10 like Mission High.

As Parents Get More Choice, S.F. Schools Resegregate | San Francisco Public Press

[tikkasf]

Use the Google St View link below to explore the Outer Sunset. Using your computer mouse, you can move around the neighborhood like you where driving a car there. Notice the overcast weather.....building in the link is a elementary school.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Su...995634!6m1!1e1

[RosieSD]

I'm a retired school counselor, so I thought I'd chime in with some resources you might find helpful related to schools and teaching jobs out here. (Sorry I have no knowledge of the construction industry!)

You've probably already researched how to transfer your teaching credential to California, but just in case, here is the Calif. Credential information for out of state teachers:

California Commission on Teacher Credentialing

Have your credential paperwork in place before you start applying for jobs.

ESL experience will be a plus for most jobs, but you should look into whether you will need to also have the California ESL authorization certificate, and, if so, get that underway too. Here is the information on that: FAQs for English Learner Teacher Authorizations - Resources (CA Dept of Education)

I'm sure you're already familiar with Edjoin.org, but most school districts and independent schools here use it as their primary job advertising vehicle. It is a helpful tool for getting a sense of which districts are hiring and what current salaries for your level of experience might be. (Be sure to read the last link I give below as it also gives a good overview of the hiring situation for teachers).

You've probably already discovered the sites below as well, but here are good sites for learning about the differences between school districts and different public schools:

California Dept of Ed Academic Performance Index (search for the district or school reports): Academic Performance Index (API) (CA Dept of Education)

California Dept of Education school statistics and data (tons of useful and customizable reports, including one on which districts project they'll be hiring) Data & Statistics (CA Dept of Education)

I am not a big fan of "rankings" sites, but these sites might be helpful:

California School Performance Maps

https://k12.niche.com/rankings/publi...co-metro-area/

If you want to teach at a California community college here, register with and use the California Community College registry: https://www.cccregistry.org/jobs/index.aspx You might also want to check some of the Cal State teacher education programs to see if they are hiring adjunct faculty with MATs for their departments -- not likely, but you never know.

Finally, this article may be worth reading as it will give you a sense of the challenges of living on a teacher's salary in the Bay area:

Housing crisis: Bay Area school districts struggling to retain teachers - San Jose Mercury News


Good luck with your move!

[tikkasf]

Outer Sunset in link below. "N" Judah light rain train westbound toward Ocean Beach

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7609...8i6656!6m1!1e1

[BicoastalAnn]

I lived in the NYC burbs (Westchester) for a bit and have an idea of the type of area you're coming from. Depending on your lifestyle now, you could end up having the same COL there as in SF but you'd just get a lot less for it in SF. So you'd have to ask yourself how much you really want to sacrifice for a change of pace. If you don't care about home ownership, don't need to have the best elementary schools, be in the most upper crust areas, or wouldn't mind having less rooms than you could be used to now then I think you have some options for sure.

[Girlinacafe]

We stay in the in Outer Sunset area when we visit SF, so I understand the weather and beach situation. That area is unlike anything we are used to, but we are willing to make concessions. I know SF has its issues, just like NYC where I was born. I wouldn't move back to NYC if you paid me. Not because of the high rents, but because of the people, they have morphed into something I don't recognize as a native New Yorker.

We are looking for something new, LA is not what we want at all. San Jose is a consideration. We are average people, who live an average life, we work hard and work a lot, so as a teacher I don't mind working all day then teaching night classes. My husband works all day and works side jobs. Moving to SF would change our quality of life, and the cost of living is almost the same from the area we currently live. I thank you for your insight.