So I moved to Vallejo... Here's my opinion so far. (Oakland: bankruptcy, schools)

[davdaven]

Originally Posted by brindledog

In 2017 I bought a house in an "up and coming" neighborhood in Oakland. That means lots of fireworks, neighbors having amplified outdoor parties til after 3am, driveway being blocked over and over with no way to get my car out because the police would never show, sewage leaking in the street and the city ignoring all the calls from the neighborhood, and stray dogs running down the street. No, really. And this was NOT far/deep East Oakland. For many reasons I sold my house and now I'm trying to find a decent house somewhere QUIET, with weather comparable to Oakland. I read horror stories about Vallejo, but I see the amazing craftsman and Victorian homes listed at bargain basement prices (for the Bay Area), and I am enticed.

I have friends as far out as Fruitvale, and they have similar complaints to some degree. I was having dinner with friends in downtown Oakland last Saturday night when two people were shot less than a block away from where we were. Oakland doesn't seem to be handling improvement well with the old baggage hanging on for dear life. Incompetent politicians and police, anarchists, and apologist activists don't help.

After 10+ years in Berkeley, I moved into a nice Craftsman house in Richmond. So far it's been pretty drama-free. Haven't had any of the problems I've heard about from my friends in Oakland. Good sense of community and less antagonism to change compared to Oakland. If you choose your neighborhood wisely, Vallejo may make you pretty happy. If your budget is a little more forgiving, Richmond is still relatively affordable and also has ferry service to SF. I thought about Vallejo myself but it would have made for a tough commute, which is why I settled here. Good luck!

[brindledog]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

I think if you follow her neighborhood recommendations, you'll be ok. Vallejo is already changing, and will continue to improve. And as that process continues. prices will be going up as well, of course. I hope you find your spot, there, and that it works out. You might also consider Benicia, though that would be more pricey.

I did look last night at the areas she mentioned. I want am old home in a well kept area, so only a few of the neighborhoods fit my criteria. I also want to be able to walk a lot, including to do much of my errands, so the options look to be more focused in the heritage district. I'm going there today to check it out.
I have a friend and family that recommended Benicia. I took a drive there and it found it cute, but too suburban and isolated for my comfort. I can't imagine what I'd do there when not working.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by brindledog

I did look last night at the areas she mentioned. I want am old home in a well kept area, so only a few of the neighborhoods fit my criteria. I also want to be able to walk a lot, including to do much of my errands, so the options look to be more focused in the heritage district. I'm going there today to check it out.
I have a friend and family that recommended Benicia. I took a drive there and it found it cute, but too suburban and isolated for my comfort. I can't imagine what I'd do there when not working.

Ok. Let us know your impressions, after your visit to your tour area of Vallejo! Thanks for posting.

[brindledog]

Originally Posted by davdaven

I I moved into a nice Craftsman house in Richmond. So far it's been pretty drama-free. Haven't had any of the problems I've heard about from my friends in Oakland. Good sense of community and less antagonism !

What part of Richmond? I've been looking a bit there, but not sure what areas are good. Prices have gone crazy there, too. The new Oakland.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by brindledog

What part of Richmond? I've been looking a bit there, but not sure what areas are good. Prices have gone crazy there, too. The new Oakland.

Richmond hills/east Richmond, and also the areas bordering El Cerrito and Albany so--south Richmond. Davdaven scored a property that's a double lot, and is zoned "agricultural", so it has its own well. I'm so impressed! And he got a cool old Craftsman in great shape.

[llowllevellowll]

Originally Posted by kttam186290

Vallejo needs pioneers like the OP to go in and make it decent again! ...It's tragic that any place in the Bay Area (which is universally beautiful, in my opinion) should have to succumb to crime because its inhabitants don't appreciate what it offers and/or its potential.

Ha I spent a few years living there and finally bailed. It was far too backwards to tolerate for the relative low rents. My daughter was born there, though, so it'll always have a special place for me, but yeah, I'm not going back.

And this isn't to say that parts of San José aren't equally crazy. In fact, we call areas we traffic frequently "crazy town" when we witness some crazy incident go down, but somehow, it seems more tolerable here, or maybe just that I don't have to drive 4 hours round-trip every day anymore. haha, yep, that's probably it.

[davdaven]

Originally Posted by brindledog

What part of Richmond? I've been looking a bit there, but not sure what areas are good. Prices have gone crazy there, too. The new Oakland.

Yes, but it isn't extreme in every Richmond neighborhood. I am in Park Plaza, which is somewhat transitional but still safe/affordable. Nearby Laurel Park is appealing but lacks older housing stock. North & East and Pt. Richmond have lots of character but also have big price tags.

My first and third offers (I got my fourth) were for Craftsman homes in Belding Woods. It's transitional like Park Plaza, perhaps slightly rougher but also more centrally located. You could walk to BART, shops, and restaurants in that area. I do wish Park Plaza had more shops and restaurants, but I can still walk to a variety of things.

• Neighborhoods to skip: Iron Triangle, Santa Fe, North Richmond
• Neighborhoods that vary from block to block: Downtown, Coronado, Pullman, Belding Woods
• Decent neighborhoods: Park Plaza, Laurel Park, Metro Square
• Good neighborhoods: Marina Bay, North & East, Pt. Richmond, East Richmond, Richmond Annex

[allison7]

You are much more forgiving to Vallejo than I could be even though people are sometimes drawn to it by the cheaper prices.

[brindledog]

The first house my family bought was in Richmond Annex. I was 16 and I hated the area. I recently looked it up and found that it hasn't sold since my parent sold in 1989 for less than $200k. Now estimated value is nearly $1M. SMH.

So I went to Vallejo today. Checked out a couple open houses and then met with a Redfin agent to show me a couple that were not open to the public. One house was crap, one was f'n amazing for the price: built in 1862, huge lot, needed ton of work but had a new foundation. It was beyond my means, particularly because it needed so much work, but at $800k it was less than 1/2 what a similar home would be here. I'm renting in a nice part of Oakland right now and a gutted historic home on my block that needs a new foundation and roof, and has less than half the lot of the one I saw today, recently sold for ~$800k. And that house needs to be completely rebuilt inside. The place in Vallejo one could actually live in as is.

I saw a couple others. One was particularly nice in the "Vista" area. A 1930's Mediterranean style home in lovely condition with a large back yard and a huge garage.The neighborhood looked really nice. It was the type of house i love that go for over a million in Oakland. It was listed for under $500k.

AFter the open houses I took my dogs to the waterfront by the ferry. I didn't realize the pirate festival was this weekend and I wish I had planned to go to it. It was too late by time I got down there. We walked to the old downtown and I was amazed at the buildings and all the shop windows filled with art. But it was just after 6pm and nothing was open. And there was nobody around except a woman that I think was a prostitute. Some guy stopped his car in the street and she went up to his window, got something from him, then walked away. That was a little sad.

Then we went to Mare Island preserve. Mare Island is amazing. A cross between SF's Presidio the Alameda naval base. I loved it.

I don't get it. I really don't. Vallejo has SO MUCH potential. It has great buildings, it has hills, it has water, it has a wonderful recreation area, it has affordable (relatively speaking) housing. The weather is awesome. There is dry heat like Oakland, but also the breezy cold at the water. Why aren't people going there in droves and recreating the communities of which they lament the loss in SF and Oakland? The architecture in Vallejo spans everything from SF Victorians to Oakland Craftsmen to St. Francis Woods and Oakland hills 1930's mediterranean style. I know there are new developments there, too, but I don't really like stuff past about 1960, so didn't bother to look at it.
There is amazing diversity.

I could see living there for a while and seeing how it goes. Though I have concern about the lack of good food/grocery stores. I was excited to see Grocery Outlet, one of my favorite stores. But I walked in and it smelled literally like sewage. I think they had a problem with their bathroom.


Why is it Vallejo overlooked, underappreciated and vacant?

[brindledog]

Well, I just posted a long-ass description of today's visit Vallejo, but I guess I pressed the wrong button, because it disappeared. So NVM.

I don't understand why Vallejo is being overlooked. It has amazing potential. I had no idea there was such great architecture, wonderful weather, and nice landscape. I love the hills. And I love Mare Island. I wouldn't want to live on a toxic waste site, but it's a great place to visit. I would consider living in Vallejo at the current prices.