Movin to the SF Bay Area with kids
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Anonymous
| ^^also meant to add through the east bay tunnel has a better climate and schools. Check out Walnut Creek, Orinda, Moraga. The bottom line is that all of the best public schools are a longer commute.^^^ |
Anonymous
| That being said: in my opinion "commute" by Bay Area standards is nothing like "commute" by dc standards. Yes it is still a commute but here it feels hellish and there it just feels like getting to and from work. Hope that makes sense. |
Anonymous
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One word: Burlingame
Good schools, relatively easy commute, and a smidge cheaper than Marin. |
Anonymous
| I vote East Bay - easy commute to city, good mix of people, easy access to outdoor stuff but not as pricey as Marin (that commute will suck). |
Anonymous
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I think 14:12's commute times were valid a long time ago. I've commuted from SF to Oakland (reverse commute) and it took ages. Traffic in the Bay Area is very heavy, even in off times.
Check to see if there really are homes in some of the listed areas (Palo Alto, Marin County, etc) selling for under a million. They could be tough to find. |
Anonymous
| Thanks for all the good advice. I think Menlo Park and Palo Alto are totally out of reach and it seems like Burlingame might actually be MORE expensive than even Mill Valley. I'm not all that familiar with the East Bay but we will check it out Orinda, Lafayette and Walnut Creek for sure. |
Anonymous
| Orinda and Lafayette are also pricey unless you don't care that much about the architecture/condition/location of your house. Good schools and good commute via BART though. |
Anonymous
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Also have a look at Albany - just north of Berkeley. Good location, good schools. Expensive, sure, but if you're looking into Orinda and Lafayette anyway, you may find something you like. Because Albany is more close-in, you will probably get a smaller lot and smaller house for the same money as Orinda / Lafayette. You should throw Moraga in as well. The Orinda / Lafayette / Moraga are often abbreviated as Lamorinda.
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Anonymous
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Oh my. As a Bay Area native, I want to let you know that some people value diversity. You're not going to find that in the places people are suggesting. Orinda? Marin? No way. But if you want to move into a lily white city instead of a place where you and your children can be exposed to all kinds of cultures and experiences, go for it.
If I had a mil to buy a house, I would go with Berkeley. I'm biased since I went to college there. Great food, lots of choices for schools, and a real commitment to education, consciousness and health. Or Oakland, there are plenty of nice neighborhoods in Oakland. Like Glenview or Piedmont or Rockridge. For the less fearful, there are many more choices. |
Anonymous
Bay area native here, and ITA. Would much rather live in Oakland or Berkeley than Lamorinda, and you're commute will be easier as well. |
Anonymous
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OP Here: Everytime I see the title of my post I think of the Jefferson's. Movin, really?
I like the idea of Berkeley but I think my DH is going to be drawn to Marin and the lifestyle. He feels hemmed in our close-in suburb and wants better access to hiking, camping and biking. Something tells me, that if he lays eyes on Marin our fate will be sealed. |
Anonymous
Same here! |
Anonymous
| FYI the whitest area is Marin (southern not counting marin city). Basically whites and some Asians. Also not many same sex couples. Berkeley and Oakland is totally diverse. Lamorinda and WC is more diverse then Marin but still pretty vanilla. Also OP lots of cyclists and trails in lamorinda and wc too (not like Marin though). Berkeley and Oakland not so much. |
Anonymous
Bay Area resident here. I agree with this too. SF neighborhoods are also great for culture and diversity, if you can afford them. |
Anonymous
| My mom used to live out in Danville and I loved it there! It's about 15 minutes further out from Walnut Creek. |