DFW --> bay area for a family of 4 (San Jose: 2015, rent)

[frenzyrider]

Originally Posted by beb0p

Yes Craigslist is the best (and probably only source).

I think on the west side of the bay, Milbrae or Burlingame would work for you, though choices under $4k is limited. They are close to SFO.

For the East Bay, look in either Alameda or Castro Valley. They are close to the Oakland Airport and would have more choices under $4k.

.

Thank you!

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by frenzyrider

Thank you!

Alameda isn't on the BART line, though. But it has a commuter bus to SF. Fremont is more affordable (you'll find a place for well under your budget), though it's not exactly diverse: mainly south and east Asian. There's one side of town with a science/tech highschool that everyone wants to get into. And the drive to SJ is easy, while it's also not far from Oakland airport, and is on the BART line. But you might like the Peninsula towns south of SF better, if you can find something in your price range. There are a few places below $4000 that look decent.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/apa/5854740203.html

[comingbacktocali]

millbrae schools are very good if you go by great school ratings.

[frenzyrider]

Originally Posted by comingbacktocali

millbrae schools are very good if you go by great school ratings.

Is there any other way to find out like NMSF or some other criteria? For example, in Dfw, lower great school ratings does not always means lower school quality or vice-a-versa. NMSF plays a bigger role.

[ywongyzh]

Originally Posted by frenzyrider

Is there any other way to find out like NMSF or some other criteria? For example, in Dfw, lower great school ratings does not always means lower school quality or vice-a-versa. NMSF plays a bigger role.

here is where you can find the API score for ALL CA schools, if you click on the school, it gives you a breakdown among groups, however API was suspended as the state trys to rate schools using other criteria not just academics

DataQuest - Educational Demographic reports - select additional parameters--- test


based on your commute preference, you may be interested in these counties: ALAMEDA county (east of SF), San Mateo county (south of SF)

I don't know about rental prices, but purchase real estate are generally more expensive south of SF than the east bay, you may get better bang for you rental bucks for the same school performance in the east bay

there are several enclaves in the east bay that are low crime with good schools, check out the city of Alameda (Bay Farm island and east of Park St) for a safe peaceful community and great elementary schools, Bay Farm has a daily ferry to SF, but it's a long drive to SJ

Castro Valley has some great elementary schools too, just find the ones on the hills, it's accessible to SF by BART

Fremont is another city that has some excellent performing schools and has a large Indian community, yet it's far from SF


two story? condo community pool goes to either Bay Farm or Ameilia Earhart elementary

Centrally Located Bay Farm Island 3BD 2.5BA Condo-609 Lagunaria Lane


big house goes to Proctor Elementary

HOLIDAY SPECIAL RENT REDUCTION


This one walks to Jensen Ranch Elementary which has a whopping 985 API score

4Br /3 Bath House in Palomares Hills - Open House Sunday Nov 27

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by frenzyrider

Is there any other way to find out like NMSF or some other criteria? For example, in Dfw, lower great school ratings does not always means lower school quality or vice-a-versa. NMSF plays a bigger role.

I'm a retired school counselor. The best way to get a sense of the differences between high schools is compare what are known as high school Profiles. This is a report that high schools put together to accompany student college applications. The Profiles will usually tell you about things like the number of Advanced Placement courses offered, average AP results, average college entrance exam scores, the demographics of the school, and the percentage of students going on to college/university right after school, and which colleges graduates recently attended. In short, the Profiles tell you pretty much everything that colleges use in evaluating a student's performance in the context of their high school. They also are a better way of comparing high schools than just looking at state test scores, or online sites purporting to rate schools.

Many high schools have put their Profile online these days. Usually, it is found in the "school counseling" or "college advising" section of a high school's website. If you can't find it, give the school's counseling office a call, explain that you are considering moving to the school's service area, and ask for a copy. Most schools are happy to provide this when parents ask.

Of course, it is still just a starting point. Remember: just because a high school has a rep for sending students to top colleges, it doesn't necessarily mean that the school itself is better than another. It often just means that it is a school with better educated, wealthier parents whose children would succeed in many places. And, in some cases, those schools can have a very competitive atmosphere, which can make it difficult to stand out when it comes time to apply to college, as well as adding unnecessary stress for children. Sometimes, it is better to towards the top of a class in a good school with good academic programs where there isn't as much competition and stress rather than a "middle of the road" kid at the super competitive high school.

Good luck with your move!

[ywongyzh]

just want to add another excellent area is Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette in Contra Costa county, more upscale, very high income but not too flashy, low key downtown areas, very low crime, many professionals, doctors, nurses, lawyers, etc., but less diverse, mainly white, also a lot of high achieving Asians....may not be your cup of tea as they are very woodsy and country like, but just a short drive from the hustle bustle of Berkeley and Oakland or an upscale downtown in Walnut Creek, IMHO great area to raise a family, very accessible to SF via BART, this is one of the best public school district in the bay area, excellent high schools belong to the Acalanes Union High district, elementary and middle schools consistently scored well above 900 API, very impressive


couple nice listings under $3000 in Moraga

Lovely Moraga Townhome 3bd/2bth

Beautiful Moraga Townhome

[CMVYV]

The key criteria you lay out probably need to be prioritized. For many people from cultures outside the USA, living in a community with similar backgrounds is important. Many prioritize the quality of the schools as No. 1.

The best schools in the Bay Area (IMHO) are in: 1. East Bay: the Orinda/Lafayette/ Moraga area AND Danville & San Ramon. 2. Along the Peninsula (Palo Alto / Los Altos).

Of particular interest to you would be Danville / San Ramon .... ranked near the top for decades. Also, the Daugherty Valley of San Ramon (relatively new development) and East Danville (94506 Zip Code) have demographics as follows: 1/3 India & Pakistan; 1/3 Asian; 1/3 Other (mostly caucasian) according to recent demographics. Crime is very low & plenty of activities for youth.

Many commute to San Jose and San Francisco ... for some, long commutes (most take BART train system). Oakland Airport is 30 minutes via surface streets since freeway track is snarled at commute time.

$4000 rent may be difficult to find property other than Condos / Townhouses .... average home is over $1 million.

[SFBayBoomer]

Originally Posted by frenzyrider

Thanks! Always great help! My preference is to stay closer to SF because one of us commuting to financial district is 5 days a week while the other job is primarily remote.

You can also commute quite easily to the financial district from most any BART stop, even as far away as Union City and Fremont, where there is a large Indian community. Many people do this trip daily.



Here are two lists of Indian restaurants (reviews) in Fremont:

https://www.yelp.com/search?find_des...ont%2C+CA&ns=1

http://www.yellowpages.com/fremont-c...an-restaurants

[quizzer25]

Originally Posted by frenzyrider

We are a family of 4 with two young kids looking to move to the bay area from DFW. We are looking at 3BR/ 2BA + covered parkings/ garage (preferable). We have a budget of under $4K/ month. Just as a background, we are from New Delhi but studied here in the US. In addition to DFW, we have lived in NY and London. The most important criteria are -
1) School districts with good elementary.
2) Access to nice eating spots and outdoor activities for the weekend, good walking score, etc.
3) Demographics - we prefer a good mix so our family gets as much exposure to all different cultures and we, hopefully, make good friends regardless of their country of origin or ethnicity.

One of us will work in SF downtown and the other will need an easier access to the airport or San Jose in some cases.

Looking for suggestions and advice. Also, anything else that we should keep in mind related to utilities, auto insurance, etc. will be very helpful.

TIA
-FR

My suggestion for you:
Fremont (Mission San Jose and Warm Springs area ) and Sunnyvale (West Sunnyvale in Cupertino School district).

Just moved out of Bay area after 7 years.