Considering a move to Danville or Lafayette

[Anonymous]

Agreed with 18:04--I think you're pretty on point with your observations.

I will say as someone who lives in Oakland/Berkeley that we have only once visited a friend in Danville. Otherwise they come to us (but they are the only ones out there while everyone else is close in, so there's that). We see Lamorinda people far more frequently, since it isn't far at all from Oakland/Berkeley outside of commute hours. Don't underestimate the value of BART access.

You're right that Orinda housing stock is older and more quirky, though--it's more like Oakland/Berkeley in that regard (where it's equally hard to find a 5BR because they developed before that was a thing). At $1.7M, you are definitely not priced out of Lafayette. I would also keep Piedmont on your radar--you won't find much at that price point, but there have been a few larger homes in the $1.7M vicinity in the past year.

Remember to look at 4BR homes, too. Many that are larger may have an extra room that may not officially be a bedroom, but would work fine as a home office.

[Anonymous]

These are great observations. Thanks, PP.

When we looked in Orinda, we noticed there was only one grocery store. Do people drive to Lafayette to do their shopping? Is it a pain to get there if you don't go right in the middle of the afternoon, when there is the least amount of traffic? Trying to figure out if Orinda -- Lafayette -- Walnut Creek is similar to how NOVA works, where people travel between Arlington, Tysons and Falls Church to get their daily errands completed.

I know overall there is more traffic there, but wondering how shuttling my kids around while doing the shopping, etc. is going to work. In this case, I see the benefits of Danville where everything is right there. (But again, you only visited your friends once!!)

[Anonymous]

Sadly I think it's a pain to get anywhere in the Bay Area when it's not mid-day. :/

The challenge for Oakland/Berkeley people headed to Danville is that even in a best case scenario--right now, for instance, mid-day with no traffic from central Oakland--it's a half-hour drive. In contrast, Orinda is 11 minutes away from my home right now--closer than many parts of Oakland and Berkeley. We know a number of people who take kids to school or summer camp in Orinda and Lafayette from Oakland/Berkeley and vice versa, while it's pretty unheard of to drive to/from Danville or San Ramon for this. Those extra 20 minutes make a big difference (and are multiplied during rush hour).

Re: groceries, many people go to either Lafayette or Berkeley for non-Safeway groceries. Orinda is definitely more small-town in that regard.

[Anonymous]

I am so confused about why you would want to move here if you are not moving because of jobs. SO CONFUSED! This isn't San Diego...

Orinda schools are known to be better, but if you are coming from the east coast you may be very disappointed. I have yet to meet someone who came from the east coast who isn't disappointed. The funding is just not here because of Prop 13, although in wealthier areas the schools are rated good because parents are donating $$$ for everything - art, small class sizes, computer class, music.

Anyway, for you question, yes, Orinda is considered better.
Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP here...All of our family and most of our very close friends live there. We lived in San Francisco and left for what we thought was going to be 2 years max. In the end, we stayed in DC for almost a decade. And now, three kids later, we're trying to figure out the best place to move - we never explored the suburbs when we lived in the City, pre-kids.

I am somewhat prepared for the disappointment in the schools, but think being close to grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc. will also provide something unavailable to us on the East coast.

[Anonymous]

When we looked in Orinda, we noticed there was only one grocery store. Do people drive to Lafayette to do their shopping? Is it a pain to get there if you don't go right in the middle of the afternoon, when there is the least amount of traffic? Trying to figure out if Orinda -- Lafayette -- Walnut Creek is similar to how NOVA works, where people travel between Arlington, Tysons and Falls Church to get their daily errands completed.

I know overall there is more traffic there, but wondering how shuttling my kids around while doing the shopping, etc. is going to work. In this case, I see the benefits of Danville where everything is right there. (But again, you only visited your friends once!!)

Yes, people travel between Orinda/Lafayette/Walnut Creek on a regular basis to do their daily errands. If the freeways are backed up for whatever reason you can use backroads to get to all these places. Walnut Creek has the best shopping and you will head there quite often I would think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here...All of our family and most of our very close friends live there. We lived in San Francisco and left for what we thought was going to be 2 years max. In the end, we stayed in DC for almost a decade. And now, three kids later, we're trying to figure out the best place to move - we never explored the suburbs when we lived in the City, pre-kids.

I am somewhat prepared for the disappointment in the schools, but think being close to grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc. will also provide something unavailable to us on the East coast.

In this case, I would try to live as close to them as you can. There are some nice things about living here, but lately the hard parts make it not worth it to us anymore. In the last two years the traffic has gotten much, much worse, and everywhere I go, there are new huge buildings going up, that will have more people on the roads. The schools don't have two nickels to rub together, and even the good schools that have money, have so many kids doing Russian math/Kumon/Math olympiad that it creates an arms raise of math enrichment. Maybe that happens in most major cities in the US now, I don't know. I am just over it.

We aren't super weathy (but maybe you are, so this is not a problem) but there is no way that our kids could make it if they start out here after college/grad school. It is just way too expensive. We will encourage them to settle somewhere ese.

If we could be on the east coast and have the ability to work from home, we would just do VRBO right where we want to be for the month of July each summer! That would be the best of both worlds!

Good luck in your research and your move!

[Anonymous]

Where do you live, PP?

Thanks for your perspective. It's good to keep in mind.

[Anonymous]

I live on the peninsula.

[Anonymous]

OP again. I went to school on the Peninsula in the early-ish 90's and LOVED it. It was such a fresh breath of air compared to growing up in So. Cal. Everything was very down to earth, and it didn't feel like people cared about what car you drove or clothes you wore. I visited last fall and tt feels like a different world now, so I can totally empathize with your feelings.

I'm hoping the East Bay will provide some of that No. Cal charm - a little more rustic, open-minded, etc. Maybe that's why I'm having a hard time with Danville because it feels more manicured and conservative.

I think the market will ultimately dictate where we live. Many of the Orinda homes are going well over asking price as one PP mentioned.

I like your comment re: math arms race. That exists here in NOVA - Kumon, Mathnasium, etc. We just ignore it and carry on. We are not super wealthy, but we do spend a lot of money on travel to California to see family, so I am hoping this might open the possibility of vacationing somewhere else or getting to see parts of the west coast we haven't been to before.

[Anonymous]

OP, I do think that is a distinction between the Peninsula (today) and the East Bay. We know two families where one parent works in Silicon Valley so they moved briefly down to the Peninsula for commutes and found the current culture around both schools and wealth somewhat unsettling. Obviously not everyone who lives there is part of that and I'm sure it varies by city, but it led them back to the East Bay since they wanted something a little more down to earth for their kids. (One family chose Moraga, the other Castro Valley.)

[Anonymous]

I am the peninsula poster. I have been Danville and it felt like a small town, like where you would have a 4th of july parade through main street or something. It was a very different feeing than the little towns on the peninsula, perhaps because it feels more geographically separated from other towns because of the hills around it? We were there for my child to shadow at the Athenian school.
I am weary of the endless little towns of the peninsula that have all grown together, effectively one giant suburb from SSF to San Jose. So a town like Danville would feel better to me. I know that it rigth on the edge of San Ramon but I think it is all the preserves around it.

[Anonymous]

I was just looking and it looks like there are a lot of nice, large houses in your price range in Danville and Alamo as well.
Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These are great observations. Thanks, PP.

When we looked in Orinda, we noticed there was only one grocery store. Do people drive to Lafayette to do their shopping? Is it a pain to get there if you don't go right in the middle of the afternoon, when there is the least amount of traffic? Trying to figure out if Orinda -- Lafayette -- Walnut Creek is similar to how NOVA works, where people travel between Arlington, Tysons and Falls Church to get their daily errands completed.

I know overall there is more traffic there, but wondering how shuttling my kids around while doing the shopping, etc. is going to work. In this case, I see the benefits of Danville where everything is right there. (But again, you only visited your friends once!!)

I live in Orinda. I usually get Good Eggs delivery for grocery. I also go to While Foods in Lafayette a fair amount. Takes about 10-15 minutes. If I need something from Safeway, I can get it while at WF or I will stop by Orinda Safeway. There is also Diablo Foods in lafayette but I'm not a huge fan. I do like Lunardi's In Pleasant Hill, but that's a little farther (although on my way home from work).

I think Orinda and Lafayette are pretty interchangeable, although Lafayette has more traffic, but also more restaurants, etc. From Orinda, I find it almost as easy to go into Berkeley or Oakland as Lafayette and WC and I prefer Berkeley or Oakland (Berkeley Bowl is a grocery store to die for!!!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Danville is …(a bit) wealthier.

Uh, how do you figure? Danville’s median household income is only $181k vs $192k in Lafayette and $250k in Orinda.

Perhaps you meant to say that Danville is flashier and tackier than Lamorinda?

Both would be accurate.