moving to san francisco from midwest

[ViviTheMage]

Sooo, posted this in city-data and got some decent information about where to live. I am leaning towards east bay/Alameda, as my new job is in soma.

Anyone make the move to San Francisco? We're going from a decent sized house with about an acre to a 2 bedroom apartment.

We used to live in a 1br 700 square foot condo with our 2 huskies, me + wife so I am not too worried about loss of space.

Curious what AT's impression of the area is? Outside of absurdly expensive to live in.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I used to live in Alameda. The biggest change is one of culture. It always had a grungy feeling to me.

 

[BoomerD]

Yeah...it's definitely gonna be "culture shock" for you when you arrive.

Housing prices will be outrageously expensive compared to Minneapolis. Roadways are usually very crowded...and stop-and-go traffic will be the norm. (not to mention a fairly high crime rate)

 

[ViviTheMage]

Yeah...it's definitely gonna be "culture shock" for you when you arrive.

Housing prices will be outrageously expensive compared to Minneapolis. Roadways are usually very crowded...and stop-and-go traffic will be the norm. (not to mention a fairly high crime rate)

I've been there a few times before, but as a tourist. But I expect the traffic to be crap, that's why I plan on biking almost everywhere.

I used to live in Alameda. The biggest change is one of culture. It always had a grungy feeling to me.

What do you mean grungy? just overall dirty? I may end up looking out towards lafeyette, or walnut creek... I don't mind a 30 minute BART ride if I can get a not so shitty place.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I've been there a few times before, but as a tourist. But I expect the traffic to be crap, that's why I plan on biking almost everywhere.



What do you mean grungy? just overall dirty? I may end up looking out towards lafeyette, or walnut creek... I don't mind a 30 minute BART ride if I can get a not so shitty place.

Grungy as in dirty, depressed people and, rough neighborhoods. I lived there when I was single but, wouldn't after I was married.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Grungy as in dirty, depressed people and, rough neighborhoods. I lived there when I was single but, wouldn't after I was married.

What part? What made it depressing? The people on city-data didn't seem to think it was depressing, but can be dirty, yeah.

We are already a bit on the edge of suburbia and boons, so not having everything withing pissing distance is ok.

Also taking some yelp reviews into account, doesn't seem too bad:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/city-of-alameda-alameda

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Alameda is pretty damn small. I lived off of 14th. Lots of sketchy folks hanging out, drunks and, down on their luck sorts. Think of a factory town minus the factory.

 

[BoomerD]

Alameda is pretty damn small. I lived off of 14th. Lots of sketchy folks hanging out, drunks and, down on their luck sorts. Think of a factory town minus the factory.

Once the Navy closed the Naval Air station, things kind of died...but property values kept going up and up and up.

 

[Anubis]

get ready for some traffic

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

The big drawing point of Alameda of course is the semi reasonable rent rates as compared to Frisco. You truly have to be part of the 1 % to live in San Fran.

 

[ViviTheMage]

The big drawing point of Alameda of course is the semi reasonable rent rates as compared to Frisco. You truly have to be part of the 1 % to live in San Fran.

yeah, from what i've read the rent control is to blame for that...shrug. I have a buddy who has a 2 br condo in noe area and pays $1345 a month because he has been there since 2010... lucky bastard

Once the Navy closed the Naval Air station, things kind of died...but property values kept going up and up and up.

That was in, what 1997?

 

[zinfamous]

Sooo, posted this in city-data and got some decent information about where to live. I am leaning towards east bay/Alameda, as my new job is in soma.

Anyone make the move to San Francisco? We're going from a decent sized house with about an acre to a 2 bedroom apartment.

We used to live in a 1br 700 square foot condo with our 2 huskies, me + wife so I am not too worried about loss of space.

Curious what AT's impression of the area is? Outside of absurdly expensive to live in.

This is great news--for as you know, CA does not tax lotto winnings! :awe:


I'm in EastBay, btw--bit north in Berkeley/Albany. Pretty awesome place but yes--CoL is hell. You will also discover that Oakland has some awesome parts and is not the urban hellhole (all of it, anyway), that sheltered basement dwellers want to think it is.


Traffic is hell. You think you know bad traffic? No, no you don't. It is terrible out here. ...and certainly worse in the southern parts of this state.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

yeah, from what i've read the rent control is to blame for that...shrug. I have a buddy who has a 2 br condo in noe area and pays $1345 a month because he has been there since 2010... lucky bastard



That was in, what 1997?

Rent control has little to do with it. Services and infrastructure would double the already obscene rents in Frisco if they had to pay a corresponding wage for those services. Hence, Alameda.

 

[BoomerD]

yeah, from what i've read the rent control is to blame for that...shrug. I have a buddy who has a 2 br condo in noe area and pays $1345 a month because he has been there since 2010... lucky bastard



That was in, what 1997?

Yep. However, in spite of losing the biggest employer on the island, Alameda's proximity to Oaktown and SF keep real estate prices through the roof. ..and climbing higher and higher every year.

http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Alameda-California/market-trends/

 

[ViviTheMage]

Good to know zin ... if we can ever swing another AT LOTTO!

I am hoping the public transport/biking isn't so bad. And I will have my motorcycle to get to soma with, so hopefully lane splitting of goodness will be allowed still. But I plan to take public transit/bike/motorcycle and avoid traffic as much as I can.

I have some soon to be co workers who said they live in oakland, what parts do you consider good? We'll be going down for a few days and just driving around, seeing what we can find.

 

[Dirigible]

Property prices are horrendous. Lots of things to do, great weather, and hella natural beauty all over the place though.

I live in the east bay, in Piedmont, which probably doesn't attract you since you don't have kids. Prior to that, I lived in the Rockridge district of Oakland for a decade. That was my favorite place to live. Lots of restaurants and bars in walking distance, great public transit to lots of things to do, including an easy BART ride to San Francisco. Rents in that area are expensive though. Alameda is probably cheaper.

Commute-wise, from Alameda, I'd probably take the ferry to SF. Personally, I take the bus, then ride my bike to the office from the bus terminal.

I'd at least look into areas of the peninsula (south of SF) or even Marin County for places to live.




If you mountain bike, feel free to PM me after you move (if you move) for riding info or to have me show you around. I generally get a ride in on weekends, in addition to night rides in the east bay parks on week days.

 

[zinfamous]

What part? What made it depressing? The people on city-data didn't seem to think it was depressing, but can be dirty, yeah.

We are already a bit on the edge of suburbia and boons, so not having everything withing pissing distance is ok.

Also taking some yelp reviews into account, doesn't seem too bad:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/city-of-alameda-alameda

Well, Alameda has changed a lot since Magnus was there, but from what I can tell, the nicer gentrifying/hipsterizing area is still a small, trapped pocket.

It's just...very industrial out there. It doesn't have any of the hills that Oakland and Berkeley have, which also have their flat, industrial, filthy parts of town. You drive east and towards the hills out here, you run into very nice, and of course very expensive neighborhoods.

Depending on what you're looking for, what you're used to....I recommend a neighborhood like Kensington (sort of Berkeley/Albany/El Cerrito--I think it's an expensive neighborhood, but it's not in Alameda county, so that makes taxes cheaper)...it is not very convenient to BART, though it is very easy and quick to bike to a BART station.

Walnut Creek and Concord...ugh. suburban hell. Don't do that (unless you are into that sort of thing.). The best part of "over the hills" is the Fry's in Concord.

Well, there's some lovely country/small/farm towns and property between here and there, and throughout this area, really, but you're talking $$$$$$$$.

Alameda is pretty damn small. I lived off of 14th. Lots of sketchy folks hanging out, drunks and, down on their luck sorts. Think of a factory town minus the factory.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Property prices are horrendous. Lots of things to do, great weather, and hella natural beauty all over the place though.

I live in the east bay, in Piedmont, which probably doesn't attract you since you don't have kids. Prior to that, I lived in the Rockridge district of Oakland for a decade. That was my favorite place to live. Lots of restaurants and bars in walking distance, great public transit to lots of things to do, including an easy BART ride to San Francisco. Rents in that area are expensive though. Alameda is probably cheaper.

Commute-wise, from Alameda, I'd probably take the ferry to SF. Personally, I take the bus, then ride my bike to the office from the bus terminal.

I'd at least look into areas of the peninsula (south of SF) or even Marin County for places to live.




If you mountain bike, feel free to PM me after you move (if you move) for riding info or to have me show you around. I generally get a ride in on weekends, in addition to night rides in the east bay parks on week days.

Yes please, I want to make it a point to swing by a few trails when we're out there . I am pretty new to MTB, but I put on about 800~ miles this summer with my first mountain bike.

We actually have a kid on the way, soo family friendly, and 2 huskies, LOL. We're expecting a commute into the city.

part of the reason California is appealing is all of the outdoors stuff to do. We've done everything we can in Minnesota, now give me some mountains to hike, and snowboard!


zin, we're trying to stay around 2k for a 2br ... so I imagine we'll be stuck out in the burbs :/.

 

[brianmanahan]

hobos... hobos everywhere

i thought i would love SF, but after a week there i couldn't stand it

but that's just me

 

[ViviTheMage]

hobos... hobos everywhere

i thought i would love SF, but after a week there i couldn't stand it

but that's just me

Yeah, I am going to have to tell my wife to stop giving hobo's stuff...around here she's like "aww it's snowing, we should give them gloves". Fuck that, I know the game they're playing!

 

[zinfamous]

Good to know zin ... if we can ever swing another AT LOTTO!

I am hoping the public transport/biking isn't so bad. And I will have my motorcycle to get to soma with, so hopefully lane splitting of goodness will be allowed still. But I plan to take public transit/bike/motorcycle and avoid traffic as much as I can.

I have some soon to be co workers who said they live in oakland, what parts do you consider good? We'll be going down for a few days and just driving around, seeing what we can find.

Basically, what that catsup-lover Dirigible said: Rockridge is a great place in Oakland, also the Hills, of course, but.... $$$$.

 

[zinfamous]

hobos... hobos everywhere

i thought i would love SF, but after a week there i couldn't stand it

but that's just me

I've personally never seen a hobo (stop perverting that noble word!) here, but I've seen shittons of filthy, crazy, obnoxious bums and young tourheads. Mostly dirty hippies that "never left."

SF is worse than the other parts of the area, though.

 

[BoomerD]

Yes please, I want to make it a point to swing by a few trails when we're out there . I am pretty new to MTB, but I put on about 800~ miles this summer with my first mountain bike.

We actually have a kid on the way, soo family friendly, and 2 huskies, LOL. We're expecting a commute into the city.

part of the reason California is appealing is all of the outdoors stuff to do. We've done everything we can in Minnesota, now give me some mountains to hike, and snowboard!


zin, we're trying to stay around 2k for a 2br ... so I imagine we'll be stuck out in the burbs :/.

If you want to snowboard, you're going to be in for a pretty long drive...it's about 200 miles from Oakland to Tahoe...3-4 hours going up....6+ hours coming home, especially following a long holiday weekend...and can be worse when it really snows. (blame Oldsmoboat...he USED to be in charge up there)

 

[zinfamous]

zin, we're trying to stay around 2k for a 2br ... so I imagine we'll be stuck out in the burbs :/.

You can certainly do that in my neck of the woods. (though, probably not the space you would need for 2 big dogs + the wife + the turnip-sized human on the way)

example:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/4755535938.html

Just a few blocks north of where I am, but options with big dog needs and space would be very limited out here :\

I would suggest Vallejo, but that would involve a significant amount of driving--even if that means driving to the Richmond station to park

 

[feralkid]

Yeah, I am going to have to tell my wife to stop giving hobo's stuff...around here she's like "aww it's snowing, we should give them gloves". Fuck that, I know the game they're playing!

Yeah, free frost-bite game. The lazy bums should pay for it like everyone else.

Wait...