Bay Area - Where to Live

[Anonymous]

I'm charting a move back stateside in about 5-6 years, when my oldest will be in Middle School after what will be 8 formative years living in Europe. Would like to find a very good public school system strong in the arts. For nature and setting, I'm partial to Marin County and my husband who surfs would probably love Santa Cruz. We are comfortable (HHI 300k) but I know this is not a lot for these pricey areas. Recommendations of strong public schools close to sea, nature and culture?

[Anonymous]

Tiburon school district is going to be the strongest in Marin County. Santa Cruz schools are not great but they are okay.

[Anonymous]

It's stupid for us to tell you NOW where a good place to live WILL BE in half a decade from now. Check back when you're a year out.

[Anonymous]

300K is on the lower end for Bay Area tech. How much are you willing to pay for a house or rent? Housing costs are the real issue. Even with interest rates high, houses are still going 300-400k above list. The further out from major tech, the better it gets so Marin may be soft now but who knows in 5-6 years.

For Santa Cruz - further up highway 17 is Scott’s valley. Pretty in redwoods, 10 -15 to the beach, well rated schools. Kinda blah housing though and high fire risk. Another option is Los Gatos, very expensive but great schools and 30 minutes to the beach.

If you work remotely you could further south. In Monterey, Pacific Grove schools were good. Great surfing, artsy and crafty, and doesn’t have the same druggie problem that is in Santa Cruz.

Further down is Carmel and the area east of the town is very residential with highly rated schools.

[Anonymous]

I would go Marin County all the way. I lived in the South Bay (Sunnyvale) for a few years and really disliked it. With Marin you’re living in literal nature paradise, with access to so much- including Sonoma and Napa close by. My good friend now lives in Marin and it’s so amazing visiting. They’re so happy living there and their quality of life feels much better (like they’re getting so much more for the cost of living in the Bay) by living in Marin.

[Anonymous]

I’m PP- I’ll add, there’s a strong surfing culture in Marin too. I have friends who surf regularly at Stinson Beach

[Anonymous]

Thank you, this is all super helpful. What’s the vibe living in Marin, knowing we would probably be lower income there (wild, I know!). Are the rich kids kind?

[Anonymous]

I can’t imagine prioritizing a DH surfing hobby in my housing decision, especially when you don’t make much money. He can drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, this is all super helpful. What’s the vibe living in Marin, knowing we would probably be lower income there (wild, I know!). Are the rich kids kind?

Everyone is kind here. Nobody is looked down upon based on money. Totally different mindset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm charting a move back stateside in about 5-6 years, when my oldest will be in Middle School after what will be 8 formative years living in Europe. Would like to find a very good public school system strong in the arts. For nature and setting, I'm partial to Marin County and my husband who surfs would probably love Santa Cruz. We are comfortable (HHI 300k) but I know this is not a lot for these pricey areas. Recommendations of strong public schools close to sea, nature and culture?

What’s your housing budget? That will determine where you can live.

[Anonymous]

Are you looking to buy? DH and I left Bay Area and moved back east because we couldn't afford to buy anything decent with $400K HHI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, this is all super helpful. What’s the vibe living in Marin, knowing we would probably be lower income there (wild, I know!). Are the rich kids kind?

Everyone is kind here. Nobody is looked down upon based on money. Totally different mindset.

Oh my goodness, this is HILARIOUS. Grew up in Mill Valley and lived in SF ever since. There is huge amounts of classism here.

[Anonymous]

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, this is all super helpful. What’s the vibe living in Marin, knowing we would probably be lower income there (wild, I know!). Are the rich kids kind?

Everyone is kind here. Nobody is looked down upon based on money. Totally different mindset.

Oh my goodness, this is HILARIOUS. Grew up in Mill Valley and lived in SF ever since. There is huge amounts of classism here.

It’s so much worse now, with the dominance of bro culture, everyone there is trying to snag some VC money and have their big exit — everyone is a temporarily embarrassed founder, etc. when they meet someone, they size them up to see if they can hook them up for a deal, otherwise, what’s the point. I think it’s gone from classism to straight up transactional. Maybe not worse than DC, but hardly better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you, this is all super helpful. What’s the vibe living in Marin, knowing we would probably be lower income there (wild, I know!). Are the rich kids kind?

Everyone is kind here. Nobody is looked down upon based on money. Totally different mindset.

Oh my goodness, this is HILARIOUS. Grew up in Mill Valley and lived in SF ever since. There is huge amounts of classism here.

It’s so much worse now, with the dominance of bro culture, everyone there is trying to snag some VC money and have their big exit — everyone is a temporarily embarrassed founder, etc. when they meet someone, they size them up to see if they can hook them up for a deal, otherwise, what’s the point. I think it’s gone from classism to straight up transactional. Maybe not worse than DC, but hardly better.

I have lived in SF for 20 years and am not in tech, (or the Marina) and don’t find that to be true at all. On Saturday I went from a multimillionaire’s house to a bartender’s. Maybe it’s who you seek out, but I have found people here to be incredibly kind and helpful and open in ways that never happened on the East coast.