Good towns near SF for $150K (Oakland, Fremont: foreclosure, condos, crime)

[Lord Lionheart]

Is there such a thing? Are there any decent towns within an hour from SF with good schools. I've been looking at Livermore, Antioch, Brentwood, Tracy, Discovery Bay. All a bit confusing. Any ideas or cities and towns I've missed. It's probably asking too much but close to the water and cooler with decent schools????????

[jzt83]

There are condos in Fremont for that price. It's a safe city and has great schools.

[jzt83]

3909 Stevenson Blvd APT 703, Fremont, CA 94538 - Zillow

3300 Wolcott Cmn # 117117, Fremont, CA 94538 - Zillow

37007 Contra Costa Ave, Fremont, CA 94536 - Zillow

[Lord Lionheart]

Originally Posted by jzt83

There are condos in Fremont for that price. It's a safe city and has great schools.

Thanks but I'm looking for a single family home. I've seen some in the $150K range in the towns outlined in my original post. Just wondered if anyone knew of good communities anywhere in the bay within an hour from S.F

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Lord Lionheart

Thanks but I'm looking for a single family home. I've seen some in the $150K range in the towns outlined in my original post. Just wondered if anyone knew of good communities anywhere in the bay within an hour from S.F

Depends on sq ft and number or rooms, standard 3 BD/2 BTH and about 1500 Sq Ft, probably not..

Nita

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by Lord Lionheart

Thanks but I'm looking for a single family home. I've seen some in the $150K range in the towns outlined in my original post. Just wondered if anyone knew of good communities anywhere in the bay within an hour from S.F

That would be Oakland or Richmond. Those places you listed are barely within 2 hours of SF.

[Lord Lionheart]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

That would be Oakland or Richmond. Those places you listed are barely within 2 hours of SF.

Why have you recommended Richmond? Why do you consider this a decent town with good schools? I pulled this info from Wiki;

In 2004, Richmond was statistically the second most dangerous city in California, surpassing Oakland and was named the 8th most dangerous city in the country.[48] However, those rankings have changed and Richmond is now the third most dangerous in California behind Compton and Oakland and 11th most dangerous nationally according to the Morgan Quitno rankings.[49] For every 100,000 people there were 38.3 murders, 50.4 rapes, 485.8 robberies, 512 assaults, 1110.7 burglaries, 3497.4 counts or larceny and 2471.4 thefts of vehicles.[12] Richmond had 42 murders in 2006; and the city experienced a record of 62 homicides in 1991.[50]

Current mayor Gayle McLaughlin is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition,[51] an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston mayor Thomas Menino. The city is also participating in the California Cities Gang Prevention Network.[52] Gangs are a serious problem for the police department as they cause violence and shootings. Many gangs graffiti their "tags" to mark their territory thus blighting the city with vandalism. A high ranking MS-13 (or mara salvatrucha) leader, José Santos Bonilla, was captured in the southwestern Annex neighborhood in 2006.[53

[humboldtrat]

Originally Posted by Lord Lionheart

Thanks but I'm looking for a single family home. I've seen some in the $150K range in the towns outlined in my original post. Just wondered if anyone knew of good communities anywhere in the bay within an hour from S.F

Your requirement for a single family home in the Bay Area for $150K won't work. Try twice that amount to live in the Bay Area. Yes Richmond has a crime problem - that's why housing is cheaper there. Nobody wants to live there. Try Tracy, Brentwood and other places mentioned. You can probably get a foreclosure for $150K. The commute to SF will be horrible.

Once again, here is another post on CD asking for the "cheapest best places to live in the SF Bay Area". The "best" places (good schools, no crime, etc.) are expensive and the the "cheapest" places are not all that desireable.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by Lord Lionheart

Why have you recommended Richmond? Why do you consider this a decent town with good schools?

I don't. I do, however, consider that the only housing you could afford within an hour of SF, because it is.

[Lord Lionheart]

Originally Posted by humboldtrat

Your requirement for a single family home in the Bay Area for $150K won't work. Try twice that amount to live in the Bay Area. Yes Richmond has a crime problem - that's why housing is cheaper there. Nobody wants to live there. Try Tracy, Brentwood and other places mentioned. You can probably get a foreclosure for $150K. The commute to SF will be horrible.

Once again, here is another post on CD asking for the "cheapest best places to live in the SF Bay Area". The "best" places (good schools, no crime, etc.) are expensive and the the "cheapest" places are not all that desireable.

Originally Posted by sonarrat

I don't. I do, however, consider that the only housing you could afford within an hour of SF, because it is.

LOL thanks to both of you for your helpful input. Essentially one of you recommended the towns I questioned in my OP without supplying any helpful details on those cities. The other clown suggested Richmond which is neither a good town or contains good schools, with the added bonus of a few snotty remarks thrown in for good measure.
I really appreciate the helpful advice and friendly comments