condo/small house in bay area that suites my needs? (Oakland: neighborhood, purchasing)

[calisojo]

Hi,

I was interested in purchasing a small condo (at least 2bd and 1bath) in the bay area. So far I found a few condo's(REO's) in Fremont, that are slightly lower than 200K. I would prefer to stay in this price range, but I am willing to go up to 250K.

I like Fremont because it has some greenery and openess that I do not see in other areas. I also like this area because it is still close to the city.

Are there any other areas that anybody can suggest considering this type of environment and price range?

[sonarrat]

That's about my budget, and though I didn't go through with it, when I was looking earlier this summer I kept coming back to Oakland. $250K will get you a house in a fun neighborhood, though it will be grittier and more urban-feeling than Fremont.

[calisojo]

Thanks for the reply, sounds interesting . . .what areas of Oakland can u suggest?

[sonarrat]

Best to ask a realtor about that.. I liked the Laurel, whereas my realtor kept trying to push me towards the Fruitvale area and also the Melrose. Any further east and it'll be block to block, and you'll have a lot more trouble with resale value.