Moving to SF from Sydney Australia, would welcome advice on where to live (San Jose: salons, apartment)

[aussieartist]

Hi there

I would very much appreciate some help on where to live in SF area.

My SO has a job starting in the Valley in Feb next year. We have two kids, aged 10 and 12. One will be in year 5 and one in year 7 next year. I am an artist (my practice spans sculpture and installation, so more at the cutting edge contemporary art, rather than pretty flower paintings - not that there is anything wrong with that, but it isn't what I do). We also have a dog and a cat.

Our preference is to live in the inner city as we love the urban lifestyle, however, I am scared witless by the SF public school lottery system. Our kids have been attending a small school in a quiet area and I dont want to 'throw them into a challenging inner city school.

I am also scared witless at the thought of being stuck in the 'burbs with only soccer moms to talk to. They wouldn't find me easy to talk to either ...

We really like Berkeley, which has the plus that you can easily get into the city on BART, but the school selection system seems a bit of a worry there too, so we started looking in Orinda.

Are we straying into soccer mom territory there? I have stayed in Lafayette, and was v. worried at the high per capita proportion of nail salons ... didn't think it boded well for like-minded people.

We would probably go Palo Alto, except for the distance into SF.

Ugh please help ...

Thank you!

[tanglenet]

When you write that your spouse is about to accept a job in the Valley, you mean Silicon Valley? If you are, you don't want him commuting from Orinda or Berkeley. It will grind him down over time with the traffic.

Your basic problem is whether to choose your interests over your kids or vice versa. As a result, I'm not sure what to recommend other than to stay on the peninsula side (SF) for an easier commute.

[katatjuta]

Where do you currently live in Sydney? I've lived both places so may be able to help.

[Phil306]

As others have stated in other threads: Is he making about 300K? If not, you are moving the wrong place. Artist's in the SF Bay Area are a dime a dozen. There are THOUSANDS and you are just one of them. If you think you can make a living off of being an artist here, good luck. I hope you can make Van Gough look like a 6th grader.

If your husband is going to Silicon Valley, give up living in SF. You won't be able to afford it, the commute, and the cost of living. You just won't. Move to Morgan Hill, Mountain View, and/or something near there. Then, MAYBE, just maybe, you will be able to afford it.

You really need to look at rents, etc in SF before deciding to move there. To get a decent place in SF, in a good neighborhood, you will be spending 3 grand plus. And that isn't getting you much. On top of that, be prepared for very high taxes and a state of liberalism, you have not seen before. Even in Austrailia or any other country. Liberalism in SF is in a place of its own. Remember, no social abnormality is abnormal in SF. You are going to see it and experience it all; and then some...Oh, your kids too.

[aussieartist]

Thank you all so much for your suggestions, I really appreciate it.

@tanglenet: Sorry, I should have clarified that I meant Silicon Valley! We are hoping the commute wont be so bad as he will work from home 2 days a week, and the mornings of the other days, so he wont actually be traveling in peak time. He is also planning to get a motor bike and relive his mis-spent youth which he is delighted about, however, I am not so sure on that one!

I was really hoping that it wouldn't come down to me vs kids, because I know who wins that one! The kids. We are moving them to another country after all. I guess it confirms my idea that there isn't really a happy medium to be found.

@katatjuta: we currently live on the Northern Beaches, but we prefer the inner city. It was a matter of wanting a big garden for the kids while they were little, and we are only 5 mins from the Beach. Having said that we are the 'weird neighbours' out here. I was hoping to avoid that. The people up here are lovely, and I respect their way of life, but we dont live on the same planet, really. We spend a lot of our time driving into the city to catch up with friends, go to openings, etc. I guess I am concerned that my neighbours in Orinda and I will have trouble understanding one another (and not just because of my Aussie accent)

@Phil306: I really appreciate your concern, but it is tough being an artist anywhere. It comes with the territory and those that cant cope with that give up and go and do something else. 20 years later I am still doing it. I am well aware that it wont be a picnic, but I do have some contacts ... and I will put the necessary hard work in.

I will check out Morgan Hill and Mountain View. Thanks for the suggestions.

Plus if you look at the list of the 50 Most Expensive Cities in the world, Sydney weighs in at No 19, compared with SF way down at No 34. It will actually be cheaper for us to live there than here. We were pleasantly surprised at house prices. I guess it depends what you are used to.

Thanks once again, everyone, for taking the time!

[tanglenet]

Thanks for the clarification. I think you would enjoy Palo Alto or Berkeley. (FYI, The peninsula has a commuter train that runs from San Jose to SF, instead of BART). Palo Alto would be a great commute for your SO. For you, it is suburban but has Stanford University which gives it a younger vibe.

[mayorhaggar]

Most of San Jose and Silicon Valley are very sprawly newer suburban areas which are pretty ugly and boring, but some towns are older and have cute little downtowns, like Mountain View. Much of San Mateo County has these older towns up and down the peninsula. Definitely check out Palo Alto too.

[aussieartist]

@ tanglenet. Thank you for that! Great to know about that commuter train ...

@mayorhaggar. Thank you! I will definitely check out Mountain View and look again at Palo Alto now I know about the commuter train.

[westcoastbound1]

Hi, I am actually moving from Sydney, Australia to SF. Any help will be appreciated.
I am looking at Lafayette, Walnut creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord for renting a 2 bedroom unit. No kids, my wife and I. Budget around 1600-1800 a month.
I am reading all this negativity around SF being expensive etc etc so just to give you an idea - Sydney (west) which is 1 hour away from Downtown =
1-Rent around 400 a week for any decent apartment i.e roughly 1,700 (remember for a decent apartment)
2-Car Loan best rates are roughly 10-11% (secured finance, remember there is no such thing as cheaper loans for better credit history)
3-Home loans current at around 7.3% however best deals in the market around 6.5%. Again these are variable loans and tipped to go up atleast past 7%
4-Grocery, expensive period.
5-Gas/Petrol as we call it around 1.35$ a litre which is around $5 a gallon i.e roughly $4.4 USD at today's rate. CA at the moment is around 3.2 a gallon?
6-Landline minimum 20$ a month + calling
7-Mobiles are expensive here (plans). None of the 40$ unlimited calling, free nights and Free weekend deals here tahts for sure
8-Utlilites / car expenses expensive
9-Food definitely more expensive here
10-Clothes and going around/out expensive

I am comparing all this based on the fact that I have been to SF few times and I live here in SYdney. Yes I might have the tourist eye when I were in SF but the comment
"SF is expensive, forget living here" vs. Sydney is rather not so true. From recent reports Sydney is more expensive a place to live that most of the States in USA.
Help appreciated.

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by westcoastbound1

Hi, I am actually moving from Sydney, Australia to SF. Any help will be appreciated.
I am looking at Lafayette, Walnut creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord for renting a 2 bedroom unit. No kids, my wife and I. Budget around 1600-1800 a month.
I am reading all this negativity around SF being expensive etc etc so just to give you an idea - Sydney (west) which is 1 hour away from Downtown =
1-Rent around 400 a week for any decent apartment i.e roughly 1,700 (remember for a decent apartment)
2-Car Loan best rates are roughly 10-11% (secured finance, remember there is no such thing as cheaper loans for better credit history)
3-Home loans current at around 7.3% however best deals in the market around 6.5%. Again these are variable loans and tipped to go up atleast past 7%
4-Grocery, expensive period.
5-Gas/Petrol as we call it around 1.35$ a litre which is around $5 a gallon i.e roughly $4.4 USD at today's rate. CA at the moment is around 3.2 a gallon?
6-Landline minimum 20$ a month + calling
7-Mobiles are expensive here (plans). None of the 40$ unlimited calling, free nights and Free weekend deals here tahts for sure
8-Utlilites / car expenses expensive
9-Food definitely more expensive here
10-Clothes and going around/out expensive

I am comparing all this based on the fact that I have been to SF few times and I live here in SYdney. Yes I might have the tourist eye when I were in SF but the comment
"SF is expensive, forget living here" vs. Sydney is rather not so true. From recent reports Sydney is more expensive a place to live that most of the States in USA.
Help appreciated.

I think that anyone that's ever lived in/around a major city is used to "expensive".

Now if you are coming from Arkansas, Texas, Peru, or Thailand..or a student waiting tables or are a family of 5 and used to a 5 acre ranch with horses... then yes..it might seem pricey here.

Don't fret about people telling you it's too expensive here...it's really not that bad. So don't be put off by all the negativity or naysayers about it..they just have never been to Paris, London, Dublin, Madrid, or Sydney! I used to live in Europe so San Francisco/Bay Area is actually far less expensive for some things (like petrol/going out to dinner/cars, furniture, electronics, and beer!).