Coastal Villages (San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland: neighborhoods, luxury, living in)

[free]

Hi everyone...

Being in the UK, I've been following this forum for a while and although convinced that I want to live in the bay area, I keep being put off by cost of living concerns.
I'm going to be earning just about $60k there I figure. My wife maybe $25k-$30k, as we're both young and just starting out basically.

I have been living in three countries and have found that I definitely need to live somewhere close to the sea (or big enough lake or bay ), not further than 15 minutes by car. I like rather small coastal villages, but would need a place where me, my wife and our 1yr old son can live relatively comfortably, without fearing bills. We do not need luxury, just want to be able to live normally on somewhere between $70k and $90k; 2 bedrooms (rented) and maybe a used car.

The city is most likely not a good idea I guess. Pacifica/Daly City maybe not the safest and warmest?
Santa Cruz too up-scale?

Would you recommend Oakland, directly at the bay somewhere?
It's probably the cheapest option, but safe and comfortable?

What do you guys think?

Thanks for your input and all your previous posts in the forums that I find most useful!

[sonarrat]

You need to realize that the Pacific coast is cold. I currently live about a 15 minute drive from the beach in South San Francisco, and the marine layer, as the weathermen call it, is so pervasive that it can sometimes be up to 30 degrees F cooler than it is on the other side of the bridge. When you go to the beach you bring a skinsuit and a cup of hot chocolate. If you're after a coastal town with warmer weather you'll want to look really far south to the San Diego area.

If you're ok with the chill, though, then Pacifica is a great little town.

[humboldtrat]

Check out Half Moon Bay, about 25 miles south of San Francisco. To the north of HMB is the Pillar Point fishing harbor Half Moon Bay, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A few miles north of HMB is Montara Montara, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. And Sonarrat was right about the wind and fog along the coast.

[mattja]

You're the first person to accuse Pacifica or Daly City of being warm.

Daly City in summer is cold and foggy. Pacifica is isolated and has similar weather.

[rah]

Pcifica and Daly City are nice, though not warm thanks to the fog. As for safety, they're both fine.

I would say you could probably find a nice place in San Francisco's Sunset district. It's quieter and more laid back than the rest of the city, but you're still close to everything. Also, the closer to the ocean you get, the cheaper the prices tend to be (the sunset is one of the cheaper neighborhoods in the city anyways). As for weather, it can get cold and windy, but it can also be nice and sunny, and sometimes even pretty warm. It's definitely warmer than Pacifica or Daly City. As for Oakland, there's not really anywhere to live along the Bay, if i'm not mistaken. The port, airport and the city of Alameda cut it off I think. Alameda might be a good choice though. Very safe, nice weather, very nice environment. It's an island in the bay, just west of Oakland.

I also wouldn't call Santa Cruz too upscale though. That might actually be a good place for you too. Also check out Capitola, and further down towards Monterey Bay, and the cities of Seaside, Marina, and Monterey.

[tanglenet]

Do you already have an employer? i.e., know where you are going to work? Because mass transit is not the same in the US as it is in the UK. Mass transit in the US means, everyone is driving at the same time in a car by themselves. If you are looking at the coastal towns and cities and thinking of driving somewhere to work, you are probably looking at an 45 or 60 minute commute each way.

[Tony from Europe]

O God,you talking about Northern CA beach town like Alaska beach town!
It's not that cold!

[free]

I don't have an employer yet, as I'd like to shop for nice places first and then figure out possible commutes.

Although personally I wouldn't mind some decreased temperatures if the location is right, my wife wouldn't be happy. She wants more warmth

So further inland is probably the way to go. Alameda sounds nice then. Safe and definitely close to water

What do you guys think of Hayward or others close to the south of the bay?
I guess it should be warmer, but the small-town feel is not that present, right?

Thanks so far for all your input. It is much appreciated. It's always better to hear the opinion of people who actually know the area, rather than reading statistics on the web.

Oh and, what about San Mateo / Foster city? I heard it's warmer than the pacific coast, but they have the bay. And it's suppose to be more family friendly as well?

[Yellow.Umbrella]

Inland is definitely warmer, although the coast around here isn't as cold as people say. The water is cold...you don't go surfing without a wetsuit, but the fog and temperatures are hyped up more than is true.

I've grown up in Pacifica-- I'm 22 now-- and the coast around here is FULL of micro-climates. One valley in Pacifica will be in the 70s, while the hill everyone sees from north of Pacifica (from Daly City or Colma) is sleeping in gauzy fog. But if your wife wants consistent warmth, which is nice, I would try the little towns over the hills that separate Pacifica from Crystal Springs Reservoir. Those hills radiate heat and keep the fog away, while the wind seems to bring more warm wind from even further inland. San Mateo is one of them, and it gets nice weather. Same with Belmont, Burlingame, Hilsborough, Milbrae and Brisbane.

As for safety and family-friendly, my parents chose to raise me here, rather than where the family has always lived in SF, because it is the kind of town where I had a massive backyard and could roam around the valley dressed in silly outfits, playing with my dog and friends, and if my dad whistled I'd hear him and come home. At the same time, it isn't so remote that I grew up without city knowledge and appreciation for differences. Pacifica IS a bedroom community, though, as are a fair amount of the towns around here.

Santa Cruz is really nice and there are a fair amount of little towns on the way there that might work (Bonny Doon, Montara, Moss Beach, Princeton, etc), and Half Moon Bay has very similar weather as Pacifica. Have you considered north of the Golden Gate Bridge? Stinson Beach is probably pretty expensive these days, but they have nice weather and it's gorgeous.

Anyway, I wish you luck! I love this area immensely, and I'm excited for you and your family to enjoy it. All the best!

[humboldtrat]

Some photos of the coast between San Francisco and Half Moon Bay:

SF Peninsula Coast North Pictures - California stock photos, fine art prints by QTL
Half Moon Bay Pictures - California stock photos, fine art prints by QTL