Where should I live in the SF Bay Peninsula?

[goofyballer]

In June I graduated college, and on August 6th I begin my new career as a software programmer in Redwood City, CA. The one problem is that I don't have anywhere to live yet. I get a $2k moving allowance as part of my contract, so my plan when I get back from Europe on Tuesday is to use that allowance to move into a hotel for a week or two while I search for apartments in the area.

Anyway, I know we have some experts on the Bay Area here so I figured this would be a good place to ask what a good city/neighborhood would be for someone with my lifestyle. Relevant factors:
- Based on salary + a conservative estimate on poker winnings, I expect to make $70,000 to $100,000 per year after taxes. I have no idea how much that means I should be spending on rent per month.
- My office is 3 miles from the Redwood City Caltrain station; sadly I think this eliminates the option of living in SF itself and taking the train to work. I really, really don't want to spend 2 hours in a car every day, and I expect to be driving to work, so being in a location suitable for a shorter commute is important to me. The office is off of 101 at the Woodside Road exit.
- Ideally, I'd like to be near some nightlife where I might find people my age (22), or at least not that much older. I do plan on going into SF a lot, as I have friends there and am planning on getting season tickets for the Giants, so if I just have to go into SF for that whole bit I can deal. However, my friends have said that SF nightlife tends to be older people (like, late 20s plus) because of how expensive it is.
- I don't want a roommate at this point. This may change in the future if I meet someone I think I'd have a fantastic time living with, but I want to enjoy being a young professional and don't want to roll the dice moving in with someone I don't know very well.

I grew up in Marin so I'm not really that familiar with the other side of the City; so, thanks in advance for any advice you guys can give me.

[Boris]

You want to live in a place where you can ride your bike to work in under 20 minutes. DO NOT CHOOSE THE LONG COMMUTE TO WORK OPTION! trust me. I don't know about Redwood City night life. You can take the train to Palo Alto, San Mateo, Mountain View or Sunnyvale. All of these places have some decent bar scenage. If I was your age I would be hanging at Miyake's in Palo Alto on Friday nights. And of course there is San Francisco.

[john voight]

Hey man, you are working in a very nice part of the bay. I mean you are right between SJ and SF, and the neighborhoods between these cities are amongst the best in America.

Lets start off from the North:

SF: alot to choose from. There are like 7 different neighborhoods, each w/ their own unique flavor. The city is relatively small, and you can easily get to places via car or bus or moped (sp?). My favorite area would be either SoMa (where the giants play) or the Presidio which overlooks the north part of the bay (Golden Gate). The commute will be about 20 minutes on good days, and half hour on most (via 280). Getting back may be a bit longer. If commuting via 101, get ready for some long, and stressful commutes.

In general neighborhoods around 280 are much nicer than the ones by 101. You can take both freeways from SF to SJ. I suggest making a round trip, just to get a feel for the difference in home quality.

South SF/ Pacifica and Daily City. Generally less desirable due to the poor weather. Bay has unique weather systems, and you would be amazed at how drastically weather changes due to the environmental predispositions ( some place can be foggy year round, and 2 miles down it is sunny year round, craziness). I would not suggest living in these areas.

Millbre/ San Bruno. West San Bruno is very foggy year round, stay away. South Millbre bordering Burlingame is becoming a very nice neighbor hood. Also there is development going on on the east Millbre and Bruno side, thus I suspect the neighborhood will be nicer 5 years from now.


In general as you head from SOuth SF south, the property value rises. You eventually get to Burlingame, Hillsborough, and San Mateo.

Burlingame is a very clean and nice town. About 30k ppl here. Burlingame Avenue has great stores, bars, and restaurants. Great schools too. The houses in the north cost 1 million minimum I would say.

Bordering it is Hillsborough (south west) and San Mateo (south east). Hillsborough may be one of the most expensive cities in the Bay Area (along w/ Atherton, and Pacific Hights district in SF). If you live here, you know you have made it. Often times you will drive and see like 10 houses in a row with huge gated walls, each sitting on 1 or 2 acres. IMO the best place you can live in the Bay Area.

San Mateo is very nice areas (close to 280) and poor ones (101). The main street is about as lively as Burlingame's, but you will notice a difference in atmosphere; a lot more poor ppl here and by poor, I mean bay are poor (so really they are rich). [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Then you get down towards a bunch of other towns/cities I dont know as much about; Bellmont (not so good) Foster City (not so good) Redwood City (decent/ very nice in some areas), Palo Alto (awful in some, amazing in others), Atherton (in general very, very good, some strait up villas here), Menlo Park (pretty good as well).

Once we get to Los Altos Hills (nice in many parts), we start getting closer to SJ. In general Santa Clara County and San Jose are nice areas. OBV there will be bad neighborhoods, and good ones. I go to school in SJSU. I would say the part North of the school 9toward downtown) is very nice, and close to everything. The part south of the school is yukky.

DO not venture past SJ, as the commute will get hectic, and you will be isolated from SF.

I would suggest finding a place anywhere in between Millbre and Los Altos Hills. Redwood City is just about smack dab in the middle of SF and SJ.

Oh, and dont go to east bay, those East Bayers are weirdies.

[bruin]

I would try to get something in Menlo Park--it's cheaper than a place like Palo Alto but still nice.

[El Diablo]

goofy,

Back when I was close to your age, friends at Oracle used to live in Belmont because it was cheap, close, and a little closer to SF. Back then, at least, it was kind of a sh**hole, though.

Palo Alto seems like the natural choice, though it does take you a little farther away from SF, and quite a bit farther away from Marin, etc.

[suzzer99]

EPA ftw!

[gusmahler]

Redwood City is a nice place to live. Obviously very close to your work and decent prices (cheaper than, e.g., Palo Alto or SF). But there is basically no night life at all in Redwood City. Palo Alto is only about 10 minutes south and SF is 30-40 minutes north.

Menlo Park is nicer and has some semblance of a bar scene in its downtown area, though still not as much as PA or SF.

[cbloom]

goofy,

I think everywhere around there sucks really bad, it's all like office parks and suburbs and the night life is awful, so I would just suggest living somewhere close to work and plan on going to the city to go out.

[XXXNoahXXX]

I don't mean to hijack, but since this thread beat me to it, and I can't start a new SF living thread for 5 years in OOT, maybe i could get some general answers.

I'm applying to a bunch of law firms for next summer and eventually after graduation if it all works out. My gf would be coming out with me. Can I get a basic review of areas inside SF that would be nice to live in?

[gusmahler]

[ QUOTE ]
- My office is 3 miles from the Redwood City Caltrain station; sadly I think this eliminates the option of living in SF itself and taking the train to work.

[/ QUOTE ]

One other option to consider is taking a bike on Caltrain. They have special cars that allow you to carry the bike on board.

Or you can go to 511.org and find the bus route from the Caltrain station to your office.