Anyone in San Francisco Bay Area/San Jose?

[megsoro]

I'm entertaining a few offers for companies in the greater Bay Area. But looking at cost of living has me a bit spooked. Is it worth it? Where are the safest/cheapest places to live? It'll be my boyfriend and I, no kids planned for a long while yet. We'll both have student loans to pay. I'm willing to drive an hour or so each way, as long as the area is safe and affordable. We have a large dog, which I'm seeing limits our rental options by a lot. I'll be working in Palo Alto/Sunnyvale, or downtown San Francisco (I was told the office is in the Wharf area?) for San Francisco, I'm willing to do a longer commute, as inside San Francisco rents are insane.

What area do you live in, and do you like it?
Are there lots of outdoor activities to do? (We're not partyers, we're hikers)
How's the public transport?
I'm from NYC, so I'm used to park and ride type transport. Are there train stations/bus stations with all day parking?
We're hoping to spend less than $2000 on housing alone. What areas do you suggest in that budget?

 

[melissalee]

Good luck with less than 2k a month with less than an hour commute. DH and I have a 1br apt in Dublin and it's 1950/month with pet rent, &water. He has about 1hr 15 min commute to hospital by golden gate park using BART. If u go really far out the prices get a little cheaper. Also do a lot of research on the area bc there are a lot of shady areas in the bay area

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

I think it's rather expensive and I'm from Southern California! My sister in law lives in Concord but is a little ways out - hour ands 15 minutes on a good day. But she works in Walnut Creek which I think is the cutest town especially for a couple and about 15 minutes closer than Concord. It's a bit pricey but the BART is RIGHT there. You can get an apartment for right around $2000 just not sure about the price of utilities and pets etc.

 

[megsoro]

Thanks guys. We'd be apartment hunting from the east coast. We'd only have a week the physically see places and sign a lease etc. The move wouldn't be until the new year, but we've heard horror stories of people moving to these great Bay Area places to find out at night they're not places you want to be.

 

[melissalee]

Read yelp reviews and all other reviews you can google on places. I found it helped when we were. Looking for a place. Our apartment is extremely dog friendly. The pet rent is where they get you. Some have crazy pet deposits.

 

[melissalee]

And electric is not cheap. Cost as much as my house in Louisiana for 700sq FT. Winter runs about 90-130 but during the summer is about 170-200/ month

 

[disneychrista]

I will tell you right now the safest & cheapest are NOT going to be the same place.

 

[Julia M]

What area do you live in, and do you like it?
Are there lots of outdoor activities to do? (We're not partyers, we're hikers)
How's the public transport?
I'm from NYC, so I'm used to park and ride type transport. Are there train stations/bus stations with all day parking?
We're hoping to spend less than $2000 on housing alone. What areas do you suggest in that budget?

So, I'm not clear on where you will be working. In terms of housing, there's a big difference in living options between working in SF and working in Palo Alto or Sunnyvale.

If you can clarify that, we can give you better information.

 

[megsoro]

So, I'm not clear on where you will be working. In terms of housing, there's a big difference in living options between working in SF and working in Palo Alto or Sunnyvale. If you can clarify that, we can give you better information.

I have three offers. One in San Francisco downtown (better benefits, including commuting costs) and one in Sunnyvale and one in Palo Alto. They all are offering the same $$$ wise, but like I said the company based in downtown San Francisco has a better benefits package. But we don't want to live like paupers to be able to afford living costs within an hours drive of downtown.

 

[Julia M]

I have three offers. One in San Francisco downtown (better benefits, including commuting costs) and one in Sunnyvale and one in Palo Alto. They all are offering the same $$$ wise, but like I said the company based in downtown San Francisco has a better benefits package. But we don't want to live like paupers to be able to afford living costs within an hours drive of downtown.

Okay, I understand now.

Obviously, San Francisco is going to be extremely pricey. The commute will be yucky. You could live in the East Bay and travel via BART.

Palo Alto is also really pricey. For both SF and Palo Alto, 2K is probably low. That will likely get you a one bedroom apartment.

Depending on the offers, Sunnyvale would probably offer the opportunity for the most reasonable housing. Where in Sunnyvale? Santa Clara will offer reasonable housing, as will West San Jose and Campbell with reasonable commutes (like easily under 30 minutes) Both West San Jose and Campbell are near Los Gatos, which has nice hiking trails. You won't be far from Santa Cruz and there are some nice state parks with hiking trails.

 

[FINFAN]

sounds like maybe in the Financial District is the downtown one...commuting may be your discount on Bart etc. Do you have a car? Costs for parking can be brutal. My DD lived at Avalon Mission Bay(SOMA) for a year. She worked in the Financial District and her BF took the Caltrain to Foster City for his job. Apartments were pretty decent but areas can be spotty. Their rent was about $3000 for a one bedroom but they did have a lot of amenities and they needed to be near the Caltrain. When she first moved out there they lived in Daly City because they could get a 3 month lease allowing them time to hunt /jump on a more permanent place~ and she took the Bart in, that commute wasn't bad. Dogs are everywhere, which is a plus but if you want green spaces, I wouldn't go for the city itself. Yes, there are parks here and there and DD would ride her bike to work along The Embarcadero which has some greenery, but in general, trees and sun are more prevalent outside of it. Areas to avoid:
Tenderloin, probably the Mission (tho you can get really affordable produce etc there)
The Castro, and Potrero Hills may have some affordable options but again, you really should be there to see it all in person. AirBNB is a decent option or quite a few places will do short term rentals but you will pay for that option. Places just go so quick that you really have to know an area so you can jump on a place if it opens up. There is not really rent control on a lot of the buildings so yeah, it's pricey.
Bayside Village is popular with transfers...again, pricey but would be fairly stress free for the initial move. They even have a shuttle into the financial district. My DD worked near the Transamerica Building, so you can see what was her commute by bike if you map it from the Mission Avalon Bay. She was not a fan of living in the city...too gloomy and well, lots of unstable homeless folks to deal with and yes, there is a crime element just like any city. She lived 2 blocks from AT&T Park and it could get pretty obnoxious after games ended.
My DD's BF lives in Foster City right now but plans to move to San Mateo in January..likes it the best so far after living in Daly City, SOMA , and now Foster City. Rents will be lower in Palo Alto and you are still close to the airport and have the Caltrain into the city for nights out etc. Which positions seems to offer the best stability and growth? Are you a city or suburb type?

 

[megsoro]

sounds like maybe in the Financial District is the downtown one...commuting may be your discount on Bart etc. Do you have a car? Costs for parking can be brutal. My DD lived at Avalon Mission Bay(SOMA) for a year. She worked in the Financial District and her BF took the Caltrain to Foster City for his job. Apartments were pretty decent but areas can be spotty. Their rent was about $3000 for a one bedroom but they did have a lot of amenities and they needed to be near the Caltrain. When she first moved out there they lived in Daly City because they could get a 3 month lease allowing them time to hunt /jump on a more permanent place~ and she took the Bart in, that commute wasn't bad. Dogs are everywhere, which is a plus but if you want green spaces, I wouldn't go for the city itself. Yes, there are parks here and there and DD would ride her bike to work along The Embarcadero which has some greenery, but in general, trees and sun are more prevalent outside of it. Areas to avoid: Tenderloin, probably the Mission (tho you can get really affordable produce etc there) The Castro, and Potrero Hills may have some affordable options but again, you really should be there to see it all in person. AirBNB is a decent option or quite a few places will do short term rentals but you will pay for that option. Places just go so quick that you really have to know an area so you can jump on a place if it opens up. There is not really rent control on a lot of the buildings so yeah, it's pricey. Bayside Village is popular with transfers...again, pricey but would be fairly stress free for the initial move. They even have a shuttle into the financial district. My DD worked near the Transamerica Building, so you can see what was her commute by bike if you map it from the Mission Avalon Bay. She was not a fan of living in the city...too gloomy and well, lots of unstable homeless folks to deal with and yes, there is a crime element just like any city. She lived 2 blocks from AT&T Park and it could get pretty obnoxious after games ended. My DD's BF lives in Foster City right now but plans to move to San Mateo in January..likes it the best so far after living in Daly City, SOMA , and now Foster City. Rents will be lower in Palo Alto and you are still close to the airport and have the Caltrain into the city for nights out etc. Which positions seems to offer the best stability and growth? Are you a city or suburb type?

This helps a lot! We've never been to California, so I have no clue about anything over there! All three positions are basically entry level. My industry allows for basically a junior to senior to director career path. A family friend suggested anything along the Caltrain for commuting. He did mention San Mateo to look into.

We're more suburb type. We're used to yards and parks and dog parks. The more we look the more it seems like we don't want to be in San Francisco proper. Vallejo was suggest if I was willing to drive. We're excited to explore. Monterey, big sur, Alcatraz etc, so trips to touristy areas will be happening.

 

[megsoro]

Okay, I understand now. Obviously, San Francisco is going to be extremely pricey. The commute will be yucky. You could live in the East Bay and travel via BART. Palo Alto is also really pricey. For both SF and Palo Alto, 2K is probably low. That will likely get you a one bedroom apartment. Depending on the offers, Sunnyvale would probably offer the opportunity for the most reasonable housing. Where in Sunnyvale? Santa Clara will offer reasonable housing, as will West San Jose and Campbell with reasonable commutes (like easily under 30 minutes) Both West San Jose and Campbell are near Los Gatos, which has nice hiking trails. You won't be far from Santa Cruz and there are some nice state parks with hiking trails.

I'm not sure of the exact location of the office is be in. (The company has several in Sunnyvale) but will look into the areas your suggested. We haven't looked at San Jose or even heard of Campbell! Thanks!

 

[Jasperkitty]

If you take the SF job, there's a ferry from there to Vallejo and the prices walking distance from the terminal are more affordable than most of the rest of the bay. A couple of friends of mine just moved into an up and coming neighborhood about 8-9 blocks from the boat dock. And they both work in SF and commute.

The bonus is, depending how close you are to the wharf, it might be an easy commute for you on both ends.

And if you work in the city, trust me, its a lot easier and cheaper to take public transit than it is to try paying for parking.

Palo Alto tends to be expensive anywhere that's a reasonable commute. Sunnyvale is also a lot more expensive but you might get lucky. The three cities are far enough apart that you really cant pick a location and hope to commute to all three in under an hour and live in a safe area.

Good luck.

 

[FINFAN]

This helps a lot! We've never been to California, so I have no clue about anything over there! All three positions are basically entry level. My industry allows for basically a junior to senior to director career path. A family friend suggested anything along the Caltrain for commuting. He did mention San Mateo to look into.

We're more suburb type. We're used to yards and parks and dog parks. The more we look the more it seems like we don't want to be in San Francisco proper. Vallejo was suggest if I was willing to drive. We're excited to explore. Monterey, big sur, Alcatraz etc, so trips to touristy areas will be happening.

San Mateo, while nice~ will still be a lengthy commute if you take the city position, and be sure to locate the distance of the office from the station (King St, I think) I know from Foster City the commute time was a little over an hour each way, but that included needing a bus from the train to office once in FC. That us why my DD lived literally across the street from the station so that at least getting on/off the train added no commute time. Here in Chicago that is the norm, but not sure what you are used to. My DD's boss lived across the Bay North in Sausolito.. BEAUTIFUL area, but $$$$$$
There is way less fog across the bay / East side and more affordable options (tho still high, but coming from NY maybe not too bad of an increase?)..you will have lots of helpful folks here. Go to every forum you can, (reddit.com is good to)to gather info

Redwood City is another option..DD has friends there who work for DreamWorks, I believe one commutes from Potrero Hill to RC, but most found nice apartments in Redwood City.

 

[southlakejr]

I've lived in the Bay Area most of my life- and it is definitely expensive! But, we have tons and tons of great outdoors areas, and you really can't beat the weather.

If you have a dog- I would probably look for a short term lease to get you moved out here, then check Craigslist for a rental house or duplex/etc. Your money can go a little farther that way, and you do have more options.

As for geography- we live in Hayward, and I commute to Santa Clara. The husband commutes to SF. I drive and it takes about 45 minutes to an hour most of the time, though an accident on the freeway can mess that up pretty quickly. DH's work is not near a BART station, so he has to take Muni in addition to BART. His commute is about an hour and 15 minutes. Our commute cost is also about 250 a month for him to get to work. (roughly 80 of which is Muni, so you can save there if you aren't having to take that)

If you are in Sunnyvale or Palo Alto, check out around the Santa Clara/Campbell areas. South San Jose has some nice areas too, but the traffic can be a pain. Try to avoid commuting on 101 unless you have a reverse commute, but 280 wouldn't be too bad depending on where the office is located.

If you are looking at SF, check out the East Bay. Hayward, Oakland, Union City, Fremont are all on BART, so that you can get to the City easily. We also have a ton of parks (dog and otherwise) Hayward and Oakland both have parts that are not so great, but also have some pretty nice areas as well. Oakland in particular is beautiful- especially near the hills. (However, there are also some parts that you DEFINITELY want to avoid!) What we love about where we live is how easy it is to commute anywhere in the Bay Area(could be very helpful if BF needs to find a job as well), the open space, and that it is still pretty affordable for the area.

Keep in mind that our traffic is unpredictable, so what a map says takes an hour may very well be a lot more than that.

 

[barkley]

be cautious with Vallejo-it has some nice areas, but some very high crime terrible areas as well. also-take care when considering rentals, there have been some real problems in Vallejo and some other areas where people have represented themselves as property owners in rental solicitations only to have the renter find out (after they've made deposits) that the property is an abandoned bank foreclosure that the 'landlord' has no connection to


that said-we moved from northern California in '07, and you've been given some spot on advice in this thread. def. keep utility costs in mind when looking at cost of living expenses-power and water can be very costly, renters insurance (A MUST esp. with a dog) as well as car insurance can vary wildly city to city (and to some extent, neighborhood to neighborhood), yearly car registration is expensive in California as well. when your looking at the great benefits package an employer offers-look to how it's structured. my employer offered some great benefits too-esp. medical BUT it was a program that had a defined geographical area for providers (so if you commuted to a lower cost of living area you had to plan on going closer to work anytime you needed to see your doctor/go to urgent care...).

commuting options are out there, but research the true costs and what you're employer actually pays of it. there's the Vallejo ferry (good option, but only if it works within your schedule otherwise you're looking at getting to work way too early or having to find an alternate way home), bart has always been pretty spendie, and the parking lots fill up really early in the morning. I had co-workers that opted to drive to an adjacent city to a park and ride bart bus b/c it was easier to find parking (added some cost but allot less hassle). if you look at driving to work (if there's decent/affordable parking near your job) plan on more travel time than what mapquest or other sources say (non commute time I could make it from my home to work in 45 minutes, commute times I had to allow at least 2 hours).


when we were looking to move to a new state we did something we found helpful-you might want to give it a go. we started reading some of the local newspapers (on-line) to get an idea of what different communities were like. it gave us an idea of the crime, weather, housing costs and activities/open space. for Vallejo it would be the Vallejo times herald, for walnut creek/concord it's the contra costa times (central county edition). if you want an idea of cost of living as far as food (groceries)-pull up the websites for some of the major retail stores (safeway, Albertsons) or if you're into it-the more organic choices (whole foods and trader joes) and plug in a city name (or zip code) to get the weekly ad for that location.

good luck with your decision-there's def. some great areas for people who enjoy the outdoors.

 

[barkley]

I've lived in the Bay Area most of my life- and it is definitely expensive! But, we have tons and tons of great outdoors areas, and you really can't beat the weather.

If you have a dog- I would probably look for a short term lease to get you moved out here, then check Craigslist for a rental house or duplex/etc. Your money can go a little farther that way, and you do have more options.

As for geography- we live in Hayward, and I commute to Santa Clara. The husband commutes to SF. I drive and it takes about 45 minutes to an hour most of the time, though an accident on the freeway can mess that up pretty quickly. DH's work is not near a BART station, so he has to take Muni in addition to BART. His commute is about an hour and 15 minutes. Our commute cost is also about 250 a month for him to get to work. (roughly 80 of which is Muni, so you can save there if you aren't having to take that)

If you are in Sunnyvale or Palo Alto, check out around the Santa Clara/Campbell areas. South San Jose has some nice areas too, but the traffic can be a pain. Try to avoid commuting on 101 unless you have a reverse commute, but 280 wouldn't be too bad depending on where the office is located.

If you are looking at SF, check out the East Bay. Hayward, Oakland, Union City, Fremont are all on BART, so that you can get to the City easily. We also have a ton of parks (dog and otherwise) Hayward and Oakland both have parts that are not so great, but also have some pretty nice areas as well. Oakland in particular is beautiful- especially near the hills. (However, there are also some parts that you DEFINITELY want to avoid!) What we love about where we live is how easy it is to commute anywhere in the Bay Area(could be very helpful if BF needs to find a job as well), the open space, and that it is still pretty affordable for the area.

Keep in mind that our traffic is unpredictable, so what a map says takes an hour may very well be a lot more than that.[/QUOTE]

in California if you ask someone for directions you quickly get used to them immediately asking back "what time are you going?"-so much depends on the time of day a person is going anywhere

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I'm a CA native who has lived on the east coast for many, many years. I love the Bay Area, but would never live there. The traffic is HORRENDOUS, and the cost of living is out of sight; everything from gas to a gallon of milk is far more expensive than the DC area. Taxes are high and CA has, in general, a terrible public school system (excluding universities) and financial problems. My husband has been offered a number of fantastic jobs in SF, but even though we have relatives there and love the area, we aren't even tempted to accept.

 

[3boymthr]

Don't live in CA but I was friends with someone who lived in a low cost of living area who was offered a great job with great benefits and while the compared the cost of housing there were a few things they didn't think about when comparing the cost of living:

Cost of insurance - health and car and rental were much higher than he was used to.
The cost of food was half again as much -
Sales taxes were different. Clothes and food were taxed.
The cost of gas was higher
The cost of parking in a city and constantly having to pay for parking
The cost of the dry cleaning (he said the cost was double what he was used to paying).
Paying city and county income taxes as well as paying state income taxes.

There are cost of living calculators online - many job search sites offer them - look them up they will tell you if the jobs you are looking at are really going to give you the style of living you think you are going to get based on your current cost of living.