Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Good areas to live at in San Francisco
- Thread starter phas3
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I don't know what kind of money you will make from this position, but you should take trip there first to see where you can afford to and want to live.
SF is a beautiful city, but very expensive!
SF is a beautiful city, but very expensive!
Yes it is very expensive to rent let alone buy. Check out the sunset district, north beach, and pacific heights if you're loaded (like really loaded). Also check out South San Francisco, Daly City, and Hillsborough. Avoid "Hunter's Point" and the "Tenderloin" ... also check out the Haight Ashbury part of town and yes these are all very expensive.
Would also help to know general income range, as well as current city you're living in. For example, I live in DC in a nice neighborhood where I am paying $3k/month in rent, and plan on moving to SF in 3-5 years. Odds are, I won't feel the shock as much as if I lived somewhere like South Carolina or Pennsylvania.
Living in SF is very, very expensive-would you be willing to share a balpark of how much you would want to spend on rent? Also, where in SF is your job?
These are more of general tips than recommendations for specific places
1. Unless you must have a car, don't bring one-there is ample public transportation and most places have lousy parking options. If you think you will need a car for day, you can use things like ZipCar and rent a car for a few hours.
2. Unless you get an apartment that has parking or VERY ample street parking, getting groceries and things like that can be difficult without a car, so take into consideration how you will get food and other things. Some places like Safeway can deliver to your door but that is not any cheaper than going there with a car, so either get one of those carts that you push around and put food in and take that around town, or have it delivered if no market is walking distance.
Bottom line-if you can find a place that is near a supermarket, take into consideration that connivence and time savings
Okay so I thought I'd give you guys some info.
I work for ATT as a technician, I started the job about 3 months ago. Rarely do we ever get the opportunity to transfer to other areas in the country let alone the state. Usually it goes by seniority and in my line of job there's a lot of techs that have been with ATT for the past 10 years.
So they opened up transfers, I had three choices I put San Francisco as my top choice just for the hell of it because I knew I wasn't going to get it. San diego and New Hall (close to my current home) where my second and third. LO AND BEHOLD! OUT OF THE 60 TECHNICIANS in my garage I was the first one to get an answer and it was "We have a spot for you in San Francisco if you want it"
Ever since I went to San Francisco 3 years ago I've always wanted to live there. San Francisco and Manahattan(Ny). When I took my girlfriend there last year (her first time) she too loved it (and wants to live there) and we've been there again a few weeks ago. Now we have this big news and we both agreed that I should take the transfer. However, I will be the first one there as my gf needs to finish her school here in Socal until April of next year.
So as far as budget goes, if we can find a 1br 1bath pet friendly apartment in San Francisco for 1800 we'd take it. Other wise we can live on the out skirts as long as it is in a nice neighborhood. So the budget is 1800 for now as I plan to buy a house in the next year. I make about 3600 a month with no over time pay, with over time pay I'm looking at 4k-4500. Plus once I move there I'll be having an additional 2k a month for going to school because I'm using my GI Bill. However we still want to keep the budget at 1800.
I work for ATT as a technician, I started the job about 3 months ago. Rarely do we ever get the opportunity to transfer to other areas in the country let alone the state. Usually it goes by seniority and in my line of job there's a lot of techs that have been with ATT for the past 10 years.
So they opened up transfers, I had three choices I put San Francisco as my top choice just for the hell of it because I knew I wasn't going to get it. San diego and New Hall (close to my current home) where my second and third. LO AND BEHOLD! OUT OF THE 60 TECHNICIANS in my garage I was the first one to get an answer and it was "We have a spot for you in San Francisco if you want it"
Ever since I went to San Francisco 3 years ago I've always wanted to live there. San Francisco and Manahattan(Ny). When I took my girlfriend there last year (her first time) she too loved it (and wants to live there) and we've been there again a few weeks ago. Now we have this big news and we both agreed that I should take the transfer. However, I will be the first one there as my gf needs to finish her school here in Socal until April of next year.
So as far as budget goes, if we can find a 1br 1bath pet friendly apartment in San Francisco for 1800 we'd take it. Other wise we can live on the out skirts as long as it is in a nice neighborhood. So the budget is 1800 for now as I plan to buy a house in the next year. I make about 3600 a month with no over time pay, with over time pay I'm looking at 4k-4500. Plus once I move there I'll be having an additional 2k a month for going to school because I'm using my GI Bill. However we still want to keep the budget at 1800.
Oakland/Emeryville/Berkeley will add a lot of stress to your commute, bottom line. If you work in SF its easier to live in SF. It'll be cheaper in Emeryville as they have lots of new housing available to rent, but I would visit first before you consider it.
1 br 1 ba for 1800/mo in SF...well good luck my friend. That's possible, but expect to work hard finding and getting it. You should also consider commuting costs, which can be non-trivial. There is also the option of living down in the peninsula and commuting with caltrain, but rent doesn't exactly get much cheaper and the cal train gets expensive/time consuming if you live too far off.
A
AhmedFaisal
Guest
I am not sure with his salary if he qualifies but I'd try Treasure Island. Also, commute wise, he's better off looking south towards Palo Alto etc. than anything east of Bay Bridge unless he plan to go in by train, totally right. The only thing I'd cross by car daily is Golden Gate and even that's a bitch. Lafayette and Walnut Creek are not bad for commuting into the city by train. Hands down though, if he can manage it, he should try to live in SF itself. I'd check with some folks at ATT there, they might have some good tips where there is reasonably priced and safe housing in the city.
An the BART isn't exactly cheap if you have to cross the bay daily. Caltrain is surprisingly affordable in comparison.
I always try to live on the cheap. Often I'll end up renting a room out of an owner-occupied house or condo. It wouldn't surprise me if you could find a room in a nice part of SF for less than $1000 per month.
When property costs are high, people try to recoup some by renting out rooms. Take advantage of it! And often there's no lease to sign, so you're free to move as you please.
When property costs are high, people try to recoup some by renting out rooms. Take advantage of it! And often there's no lease to sign, so you're free to move as you please.
A
AhmedFaisal
Guest
Just saw you are planning to buy a house... subleasing/renting a room in a house for now might be an option. As for buying... that's going to be tough, even in this economy and get a decent commute in SF. Again, avoid the East Bay like the plague, because Bay Bridge is an expensive, bottlenecky mess. South Peninsula is your friend and if that's not working north of Golden Gate Bridge.
I don't 100% agree with this. If you live in san francisco, but still need to take public transit to get to your job, it may take nearly the same amount of time as coming from the east bay...if the job is located near Bart anyway. If its deep in the city where bart doesn't directly service, then yes, living int he east bay can make it hard.
I LOVE the east bay and would not live in the city personally. But I just don't think the city is all its cracked up to be. I love Berkeley. I work in Emeryville and think its mostly really good. If you go out to lafayette or ordina or walnut creek, there is some very nice housing that, while still expensive, is a lot cheaper and nicer than what you find in the city.
So really, for me, it depends on where the job is located exactly in the city.
In the city, I do like the sunset (but its way out in the boonies), and I like the haight ashbury area a lot too.
1800 is very plausible for the East Bay - you might even find a decent two bedroom in that price range.
I wouldn't recommend Emeryville - even though there are some nicer developments being constructed, you're at the heart of the maze and traffic is always bad there. On top of that, there's no easy access to the BART and you'd have to depend on ACTransit (the worst in the Bay Area) or the Emeryville Shuttle (free but only effective from the shopping areas to the MacArthur Bart).
I would look in the Temescal area (north of 40th) and the Piedmont area. Both are decent areas, and usually within walking distance to the BART. The BART into SF is around 20 minutes or longer depending on how far you have to go. Companies in SF are required to reimburse transportation costs, so check with AT&T and see what how much they reimburse for public transportation - it's all calculated based on how far away you live from work so tell them a BART station that is close to where you live. There's a limit of about $230/ month I believe.
While driving across the East Bay Bridge is expensive (5-6 bucks toll fee) it isn't as bad as others are saying. You'll be over the bridge in about 30 minutes during rush hour. Again, AT&T will reimburse you even if you drive, but it's mileage based and much less than what they'll reimburse for public transportation.
Another thing to look at is casual carpools - the drivers often don't ask for any money and you get a free ride back and forth between the East Bay and SF. At most, I've been asked to contribute 2 dollars (on super rare occasions) for gas & toll.
Best of luck finding a place!
I wouldn't recommend Emeryville - even though there are some nicer developments being constructed, you're at the heart of the maze and traffic is always bad there. On top of that, there's no easy access to the BART and you'd have to depend on ACTransit (the worst in the Bay Area) or the Emeryville Shuttle (free but only effective from the shopping areas to the MacArthur Bart).
I would look in the Temescal area (north of 40th) and the Piedmont area. Both are decent areas, and usually within walking distance to the BART. The BART into SF is around 20 minutes or longer depending on how far you have to go. Companies in SF are required to reimburse transportation costs, so check with AT&T and see what how much they reimburse for public transportation - it's all calculated based on how far away you live from work so tell them a BART station that is close to where you live. There's a limit of about $230/ month I believe.
While driving across the East Bay Bridge is expensive (5-6 bucks toll fee) it isn't as bad as others are saying. You'll be over the bridge in about 30 minutes during rush hour. Again, AT&T will reimburse you even if you drive, but it's mileage based and much less than what they'll reimburse for public transportation.
Another thing to look at is casual carpools - the drivers often don't ask for any money and you get a free ride back and forth between the East Bay and SF. At most, I've been asked to contribute 2 dollars (on super rare occasions) for gas & toll.
Best of luck finding a place!
I love(d) SF when I lived there a few years ago.
However, the city has declined a considerable amount in the past three-four years. Increasingly dirty, a worsening homelessness problem, a perpetually-bankrupt Muni that desperately needs restructuring.
Definitely go and visit before you get a place -- SF might not be the same as it was when you visited three years ago.
However, the city has declined a considerable amount in the past three-four years. Increasingly dirty, a worsening homelessness problem, a perpetually-bankrupt Muni that desperately needs restructuring.
Definitely go and visit before you get a place -- SF might not be the same as it was when you visited three years ago.
Emeryville wouldn't be so bad if you were able to take the BART. It's just across the bay. I used to drive to Emeryville from San Bruno (which is to the south of SF on the peninsula) and my wife commutes to Berkeley. I currently take the BART to SF itself from San Bruno and the commute is ok.
My job is located at 35 Tubb St in San Francisco, however I don't mind the commute. My gf will be working in San Francisco (though unemployed right now finishing school) she'll most likely end up at a hospital in San Fran.
Where are the good areas in San Fran, north of san fran, south, east bay etc..? I keep reading about how oakland is crime ridden.
We don't mind driving/riding(BART/Caltrans) 30 minutes to get into the city anything longer is kinda eh.
Where are the good areas in San Fran, north of san fran, south, east bay etc..? I keep reading about how oakland is crime ridden.
We don't mind driving/riding(BART/Caltrans) 30 minutes to get into the city anything longer is kinda eh.
Unless you're rich, there are no good places to live in San Francisco. Try Daly City or Glen Park.
Well you're right near the 22nd st. Caltrain stop, so you could consider looking for a place in the peninsula. That particular stop isn't served by any express trains, but you could consider taking a bicycle with you on your commute to 4th and King and then ride down. In which case, you have a wide array of options stretching to about Redwood City, whence an express train will get you downtown in 30 min.
Short version: This.
Long version: I lived in SF for a bit. In the Tenderloin. People say you should avoid it. They're probably right, but I didn't really mind. Great eats (especially Vietnamese), decent dives, etc. There's really only a couple of blocks that you *really* should avoid -- and they're blocks with abandoned buildings and/or warehouses and 'characters' lounging around that you can spot from a mile away as "places to stay the **** away from."