Which Neighborhood for Buying an Affordable House?

Parent Q&A

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  • My wife and I recently relocated to the SF Bay Area from Alexandria, Virginia for my job in Mountain View. We'll both still be remote employees and I'll only need to travel into the office as needed for meetings and major work events. We've been exploring several neighborhoods that feel safe and inclusive for us to raise our daughter (and hopefully, a second child soon). We've been drawn to the Kensington neighborhood (near Tilden park), but are realizing that list prices are far lower than what sellers actually want for their homes so we're quickly becoming priced out, which is so tough. We've been exploring some properties on the outskirts of Kensington in El Cerrito (mostly in the hills), but those are competitive as well. People must just have gobs of money here as high-interest rates just aren't deterring people from escalating.

    We're ideally seeking a 3-4 bedroom / 2 bathroom (1750-2500 sqft), private yard with trees (we have two dogs), mid-century modern or simply modern and updated, open floor plan, lots of natural light, maybe some unique architecture, at least 3 bedrooms all on the same floor, space for us both to work from home, parking for one car, and walkable to cafes/restaurants/markets/parks and situated among a really liberal, educated, inclusive, kid-friendly community with good schools (we're open to private, but want to be in a good school district for potential resale value). 

    Where else should we consider? We're curious about some neighborhoods in the North Bay, as they seem more affordable ($1-1.4M) - Fairfax, Petaluma, Santa Rosa, and Sebastapol. The South Bay just seems way beyond our means, and the East Bay is a mix of safe and unsafe for our comfort. Where is a lesbian couple with kids to go these days to safely and comfortably raise their children among a like-minded community situated near nature?

    If California fails us, we're open to looking elsewhere along the west coast - for instance, Southern California, Portland, or maybe somewhere in Washington State. Or... we give up and go back East. 

    We'd love to hear any suggestions and perspectives from this community. Thank you!

    I think the good news is that many neighborhoods in the greater Bay Area have plenty of same-sex couples, so you don't really need to filter for that on your first cut. As you have found out, houses here are expensive. Especially given your worksite, even if you don't have to be there every day, you could look at Oakland Hills, San Leandro, or Castro Valley.

    Point Richmond — a cute little hidden gem, family friendly, friendly neighbors and walkable with shops and cafes and the beach. There is a wonderful and affordable private school nearby called Crestmont — very progressive and inclusive.

    San Leandro — nice sized houses and a lot of Oakland / Berkeley folks moving there for more space 

    El Sobrante is also worth checking out.

    Pleasant Hill — we have 4 friends who moved to PH from Oakland/Berkeley. All are very happy with their larger homes, yard, and school. Hey report that the community is diverse and inclusive.

    You may have written Oakland out but Oakland Hills are more affordable and beautiful. Not quite walkable though.

    Alameda — I wish I had bought in Alameda instead of Oakland. The entire island is walkable and has good schools. 

     

    We recently moved to Redwood Heights/Laurel and are loving it so far! The neighborhood fits a lot of your criteria and is very diverse, liberal, friendly, etc. with a great community feel. 

    I think for your price range in the near east bay, you'd be looking at a smaller home with some fixer upper elements to it. Anything recently updated at that size will be higher than your stated range, especially in desirable school districts. Alameda is a great option - it is safe, walkable and has a desirable school district. Commuting to the south bay might be tricky though. Overall though I would recommend a re-set in your expectations of what you want vs need in a home. It is hard coming from the east coast and seeing how much less far your money goes here.  

    I will be honest. You're asking for a lot.  3-4 bedrooms for $1mil in the Bay Area with good schools in a good neighborhood will not happen. Unfortunately in California, you can't have it all - size, location, look of the house, and price. So you'll have to choose. We chose to give up size for a walkable neighborhood with good schools. If you remain fully remote, you might consider a different state altogether. Many people have left the Bay Area in search of more reasonable cost of living. I have friends who went to Colorado and have remote jobs in SF. 

    If I could do it all over again, I would have set up my family life outside of the Bay Area, but I had no remote options when I first started working at Google (I assume this is where you are working; apologies if that's not the case). I love it here, and now we have a lot of community and family so we're stuck, but it's a hard, expensive place to live. I love your Sebastopol and Fairfax ideas, and of course everyone from here goes to Portland for similar lifestyle and lower costs. Also check out Santa Cruz. Some of the areas in and around Seattle could work for you too if you can stand the grey skies. Or even look down south at San Diego and its suburbs. If you're committed to the Bay Area, Alameda is wonderful but the lots are tiny, maybe check out Walnut Creek as well; you might find what you want but be careful which school district your house is in. If you only have to go into Mountain View on occasion, I would probably just look elsewhere to get all the things on your list, and pay for flights a few times a year to go back to the office (and push your manager to let you go full remote eventually or be based out of another office like Seattle or San Diego, if you're working for Google). You can probably get a much nicer house, have a better quality of life, have great public schools, less traffic, and pay a lot less overall if you broaden your search to more places on the West Coast. Or even Boulder!  Good luck. 

    Davis! It’s not in the Bay Area, but if you only need to go to Mountain View occasionally, the extra distance won’t matter. It’s a college town, with a lot of amenities, one of the best farmers markets in the country, good schools, affordable childcare (compared to the Bay), lots of nature within easy access, and steadfastly liberal. Come on a Saturday morning to check out downtown!

    Try Alameda! We have relatively safe neighborhoods, good schools, and a diverse, welcoming population. My teen kids have had LGBTQ families in their classes since preschool. You might need to compromise a bit on some of your home requirements, but you might not. We have plenty of housing in your price range, and most houses are within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and parks. We have lots of parks and miles of beaches, and although it feels more urban than Kensington or the El Cerrito Hills, it's also much more walkable because it's flat. It's very common to see kids roaming around neighborhoods on bikes or on foot, and my impression is that most kids walk or bike to school. Good luck with your search!

    I live in East Richmond Heights and love it. It's more affordable than other East Bay locations, has sidewalks, is pretty quiet and near Alvarado Park. Houses and lots vary in size, but there are occasionally ones that fit your requirements. No walking to cafes, though! And I've heard mixed things about the local elementary school. The neighborhood feeds into the El Cerrito middle and high schools. 

    With some exceptions, the further you get from the Bay Area the trickier things are likely to get  - I think you would have an easier time in the East Bay than you would in Petaluma/Sebastopol/Santa Rosa, for example. The Hayward Hills, unincorporated Fairview, and Castro Valley are both worth considering. You'll still find the occasional conservative/right wing household, but they're fairly rare in my experience. We have LGBT+ friends in San Leandro, Alameda, Hayward, and all over Oakland. The outskirts of San Jose might also be worth considering, though I feel like you'll run into more conservative folks in that direction. You're 100% right that school districts matter for resale value, but they'll also drive the prices up. Several of my recommendations aren't in the best school districts, but I figured if you were going to flex on something, it would probably be school district rather than LGBT+ friendliness. Good luck!

    My wife and I moved here from Del Ray and live in El Cerrito (in the flats). I think it checks a lot of your boxes.  But it is pricey for houses, you’re right, and you don’t really get what you pay for in terms of city services (parks are mediocre, restaurants are uninspired, etc) but you can head over to Albany and Berkeley for all of this. Happy to chat if helpful!

    I'm from Mtn View and lived as an adult in Kensington. The drive between the two cities can be horrific. There's no way I'd choose to be that far away even if I didn't have to regularly drive in. Maybe look at the Willow Glen neighborhood in SanJose. It's cute and you won't want to stab your eye with your pencil when you have to drive in. I might also look at Redwood City. Pick a place without a bridge between you and the office. The LGBT thing is fine anywhere in the bay area.

    Not sure why you’ve written Oakland off when it’s the most LGBTQ+ friendly city in the Bay Area

    We had been looking for a house for over two years and had almost all the same questions/wants as you. We absolutely loved Fairfax and found the culture to be super outdoorsy and very progressive. The houses closer to SFD are walkable to town and the schools are amazing. The issue was that a lot of the houses are super old and funky. There was almost always a concession we were having to make or the house needed lots of hidden work. That being said, the prices are the most reasonable outside of Novato (for Marin). Novato was cute, has tons of open space, and is walkable as well in certain neighborhoods. Plus and the houses are newer. It's much more conservative though. The schools are also pretty conservative from what I've heard from a few co workers who live there. 

    Ultimately, we ended up finding a great house in West Berkeley that we just recently moved into. The vibe here seems to be progressive with lots of young families. There are tons of kids around all the time. The houses seemed to range in work needed, but there were definitly lots with upgrades, nice finishes, and all that we looked at had yards and garages. 

    Before moving out of state, we lived in the Montclair neighborhood of the Oakland hills. We loved it. Our neighbors were the type you describe, our views were amazing, and we could walk to the shops of Montclair village on the stairs near the back of our home. (We lived at Colton Blvd and Snake Rd.)

    So many dreamy memories from our days there. 

  • Hi parents,

    Our kid is now 2 years old and we’re looking for a new slightly larger house. Mostly interested in oakland and San Leandro. I’m honestly going crazy with trying to find a house under $1M and in a neighborhood that’s nice to grow up in with good schools. By nice to grow up in, I am looking for access to nature areas and/or parks, close to school, a playground, and a close feeling in the neighborhood. 
     

    Does anyone have recommendations for neighborhoods?  Schools?

    My dream neighborhood is Sheffield Park but the houses are $$ and there isn’t much for sale. Also saw a nice house in Maxwell Park. Advice on these 2 neighborhoods and their associated schools?

    We live in Maxwell Park, for 1.5 years,  and love it.  We paid under one million for our place since it's on the edge of the neighborhood and not remodeled. Our block is super close with people knowing each other's names,  a mix of new people and folks who have lived here for decades and everyone looks out for each other. There's a mix of professional and more working class and some retired people.  Variety in racial and ethnic backgrounds. Maxwell Park itself is a long walk or short drive for us and works well as a neighborhood park with a playground. It's also easy to go hiking in the hills for us after a short drive. There's an active neighborhood association that takes on some great projects.

    For schools, Horace Mann, the elementary school we're zoned for, is supposed to close at the end of the year. I'm not sure what the new neighborhood school will be.  We were interested in Spanish immersion for our kids and there are several nearby so we never looked into the neighborhood option. Though our middle child did get speech therapy at Horace Mann last year and it was excellent.  But our elementary school is only a 5 minute drive away which is very reasonable. The other two families in our block with elementary school students also send their kid to a (different) Spanish immersion option and to an out of neighborhood school were they felt like they got better special needs support.

    For us Maxwell Park has been a great fit. 

    This is the unfortunate thing about living in the Bay Area. The homes are extremely expensive and the schools are very bad. We moved a year ago and were trying to buy a house in Castro Valley because the public schools are pretty good there but even offering well above asking prices we were being over bid by $300K every time. For houses that were just kind of basic, nothing special. So I realized that we need to just buy a house that we like in a neighborhood that we are OK with and feel safe in and just come to terms with the fact that we will have to send our kids to private school. The cost per year for our 2 kids to go to private school versus the amount we would have paid to live in a good school district is still less. We moved to San Leandro and our street is quiet (what I was looking for) and our house is big enough for all of us to be comfortable and happy. We spent about $300K less than we would have in Castro Valley and I like that our neighborhood is flat so the kids can ride bikes and scooters and stuff when they get older. 

    I'm interested to see if anyone here can recommend an area with houses for less than a million with good schools because I could not find that myself. I'd love to know if that even exists! I'll move there too! ;)

    Good luck to you and your family!

    Hello! Curious-are you open to Alameda? We were facing a similar challenge last year and growing very frustrated. The West End has a number of new townhomes being developed that are less than $1M. We toured several and they are very nice! And, the West End is great-ferry, Encinal beach, and breweries are walkable, and there’s lots of options with Alameda schools. There’s also lots of great playgrounds. We ended up buying in a co-op in a community called Woodstock and have been really happy with the area. Good luck with your search!

    We live in Maxwell Park and love it here ( have a 3yr and 5 month old), we also house hunted in San Leandro and Oakland. There’s friendly neighbors in MP, lots of families, active neighborhood FB and Buy Nothing Group, halloween block party, and the Get Goes coffee truck on Friday mornings! Also conveniently near the freeway and Laurel District. I can’t speak to the public schools yet, but there’s lots of preschool and daycare options. In San Leandro we also liked the Broadmoor, Estudillo, and Assumption Parish neighborhoods too, but I haven’t watched their house prices lately. 

  • Buying a house under 750K

    Jun 14, 2020

    Hi all

    I've found looking through threads here very helpful, but wanted to pose some other questions.  We have moments when we are feeling great about our search, and other moments when we feel like we are losing our mind.  We are in contract right now, but think we have to pull out - our inspections revealed over 100K in extra work that wasn't part of the seller's disclosures.

    Here's what I'm wondering - any advice on what neighborhood where we can find an attractive 3/2 or 2/1 with bonus space house in an attractive neighborhood?  Meaning - when you walk around houses and lawns look cared for, neighbors are friendly, kids can play.  For under 750K.  This seems like so much money yet we are having trouble finding a home and wonder if we should just give up and move out of the bay.  At first we were also trying to take public schools into account, but with our daughter still just a baby, it seemed like that added a whole other dimension to the search that we just couldn't fathom.

    We've been considering: Richmond annex, various neighborhoods around the Laurel and Dimond ( tho so far nothing close to Dimond has been affordable) and areas around Mills College.  My husband really wants a walkable neighborhood and I really want a house over 1000 sq feet on a lot of at least 4000 sq feet.

    There is so much that varies so quickly in neighborhoods.  Any tips appreciated!

    -Eli

    Redwood Heights.  Just up the hill from the Laurel. 

    Look into Hercules. Have lived her for thirty years. Close to San Francisco and also easy access to Hwy 4 and Hwy 680. Culturally diverse and safe neighborhood. Elementary schools are fine. Good luck. 

    There's so many pros and cons to all neighborhoods. Richmond Annex, Point Richmond, Marina Bay (Richmond), Pinole, Hercules all might be options for SF homes in that price range, maybe. You might also want to consider condos/townhomes, and maybe that leads you to Walnut Creek or Pleasant Hill, where a very small condo might be in that price range.

    As someone who bought a house when we had a one year old and were expecting #2, I am very happy we bought a 4/2. It has been great to have that extra room (now my home office, thanks to shelter in place). All our school friends in the neighborhood who have 3/1s or 2/1s say they feel like they're cramped as the kid or kids have gotten bigger. #firstworldproblems for sure, just a data point for your consideration.

    You’ve just described San Leandro! It gets written off by a lot of people, but in many ways it’s one of the last affordable gems in the East Bay. Check out the Estudillo Estates and Broadmoor neighborhoods. It’s right off the 580, is flat so it’s great for biking and walking, there’s a co-op preschool in the neighborhood at Roosevelt Elementary, walkable to an amazing coffee shop (Zocalo) and restaurants (like Top Hatter, which is worth checking out in any case). Who knows what’s going to happen with the pandemic, but the city was also in the process of rebuilding the community pool at Roosevelt Elementary, which would make a pool within walking distance. When our kid was a baby we loved walking the neighborhood, and the Oakland Zoo and all of its space was just next door. The Broadmoor neighborhood has smaller homes/lots, but I’d imagine that most are over 4,000 sf. Estudillo Estates has bigger homes and is more leafy in general. Good luck!

    If you are willing to purchase a duplex or townhome (many of which are wonderful) you can still find a place in Alameda for under $750K that also meets your other desires - walkable, comfortable neighborhood, yard, friendly, kids can play. Plus you'll get excellent public schools. I would recommend concentrating your search on Bay Farm (94502), where there are many duplexes/townhomes on lovely quiet streets. I haven't seen single homes going for under $750 but there may occasionally be one of those as well, either on the main island or on bay farm.

    Hi Eli

    I'm sorry to hear about the additional inspection costs. We were in the same boat back in 2017. We were renting a place not far from Mills college and desired all the things you mentioned in your post. We did not find that on the west side of the Caldecott tunnel. We ended up moving well past Mt Diablo into Brentwood. If you work out in Oakland, this may not be a good solution for you. Otherwise, our neighborhood has well maintained homes, the neighbors are friendly, our kid plays with other kids almost daily out in the cul-de-sac, the schools are well rated, and we have a 4/3 2000+ sqft home on a large lot with a pool, small orchard, and additional yard space (for about 650k). Every week we ride our bikes as a family to downtown Brentwood for the farmer's market (under 2 miles from our neighborhood and a lovely, ride through nice neighborhoods). BART is available in the next city over, Antioch. We've taken BART as far as SF for day trips as a family. 

    Any who, this solution may not work for your needs, especially if you have to drive past the Caldecott for work. But, if you are willing to extend your housing search, your family may be happier for it. (We certainly love it out here. I'm writing this post in our small orchard shaded by our fig and apricot tree. You may love it out here too!)

    Looking for the exact same thing and coming up with very little! I'd add El Cerrito-- usually more expensive than 750K but once in awhile I see something. And the North and East neighborhood in Richmond is fairly nice. I'm eager to hear what others suggest.

    Have you considered Hercules? There is a lot of new construction and many options around your budget. They are currently building new residences with retail on the bottom which will look like Emeryville's Bay Street. There are plans for ferry service to Sf in the future and there's a transbay bus called the Lynx to take you directly to Sf. It's safe and family friendly. https://www.redfin.com/city/8519/CA/Hercules/filter/viewport=38.03446:37.97793:-122.22204:-122.30135

    Wow, its like you are living inside my brain. My hubby and I have been desperately looking for a home in that same price range, same neighborhoods, same sqft, we also have a baby. 

    If you figure out the sweet spot, let me know! Good luck to you!

    We live in May Valley in the Richmond/El Sobrante area. Up Morningside Drive is a fairly charming And diverse neighborhood in your price range with a well liked (If not high scoring) elementary school. Not walkable as it’s in the hills and not much in terms of nearby restaurants (Pinole is strip malls and el sobrante is pretty depressed) but it’s safe and friendly and clean. Houses selling in the 750 range are over 2000 sq feet. 

    We live in Pinole Valley, and last I checked, houses like ours (3/2, 6000sqft lot, 1300sqft house) were going for between $600/650. Our neighborhood is super friendly and has lots of (and ever-more) kids! In a normal summer, there's a whole gang of young elementary school kids down the street from us who literally ride bikes in the street every afternoon like it was 1960 ;) Our 3.5-year-old has tons of neighborhood friends and there is a fairly active parent community with neighborhood activities (again, when circumstances allow -- not so much this year but we'll be back!). In the last 2 years, we've had a Halloween party, spring egg hunt, and MLK Service Day food pantry drive (with 10 toddlers walking around with a wagon collecting toilet paper ;)) plus tons and tons of informal events. There's a big group that goes trick or treating together.

    As far as other neighbors, the neighborhood's definitely in transition -- we have a lot of seniors and empty-nesters as well as young families. We really do love where we live; the only hassle is when my husband has to commute to his job in Berkeley. Can't speak to the schools yet as I don't have a school-age kid, but I know families who are sending their kids to the local public elementary school (walkable from our house) as well as various private ones (full disclosure: we're probably leaning private, but it's more to do with our family's specific needs than the general quality of the local schools).

    Let me know if you have any questions. Happy to help!

    Hi, I wish you luck in your search.  From what we understand, the days of being able to buy a house near Berkeley , much less in Berkeley, for $750,000 are long gone. I’m sure you’re working with an agent, and I’d be surprised if they’re not telling you the same thing. A quick look at Zillow homes for sale between $700 and $800K with some of your other wants shows there are 38; less than half under $750K, and very few located in Oakland or Richmond. There are quite a few in Hayward, which may not be what you want.  I hope we’re wrong, and you can find your home.

    Someone else asked a similar question a few months ago.  It can be done.  You'll be able to find something in Concord, Martinez, Castro Valley, Novato and Rio Vista.  I've been watching housing prices and was expecting a drop due to covid-19.  Hard to believe but prices are holding firm and buyers are paying over asking. I don't get it. 

    Good luck

    That was our situation in 2018, which was the year when prices shot up to their current plateau. We felt like we were losing our minds, too! After many months of nail-biting we eventually found a house close to where you've been looking: in the Allendale district. We ended up spending $800, which was more than we'd budgeted for. But the house is on one of the loveliest, friendliest streets in the district, and it's 1150 sq ft in near-perfect shape with a huge, beautiful garden, so we went for it. There are a few houses around here going for under 750K, but they usually have much smaller yards or need work.

    All houses need work. I know 100k seems like a lot, but having bought a home twice now, we always lost out to all-cash buyers for the move-in ready homes (And sold our first home that we ended up updating to an all-cash buyer). Yes, you may end up spending more on this particular house, but you know you can get it. If the needed work are things that you can do over time my first recommendation would be to try and negotiate down the price and if not, plan ahead and save. 

    Consider the north area of San Leandro near downtown, great library, shopping. Easy access back to Oskland. We made the choice for a bigger house and private school over staying in our Oak neighborhood which we loved. SL offered nice quiet neighborhoods to choose from. Also walkable to BART if you look in the area near city hall called Best Manor. I understand your exact frustration but very happy with lir choice.

    If you are willing to go out a little farther like parts of San Leandro, Concord, Walnut Creek (good schools, sub $750k will get you a 3/2 townhouse). We have 2 elementary school age kids, just moved from Oakland after 13 years to WC and couldn't be happier with our neighborhood and amenities. 

    San Leandro or San Lorenzo. We wish we had bought in San Leandro instead of stretching our budget to buy a smaller house in North Oakland with a "good" school. San Leandro is close enough, has lovely suburban / family friendly vibe, surprisingly walkable. OUSD has so many problems, but because we are house poor, we can't afford private school. Especially, nowadays, we really wish we had a bigger yard for kids to run around and play and live in a family friendly neighborhood.

    -- Feeling stuck in Oakland and wishing for a more spacious suburban life

    I have lived in Hayward for almost 20 years and I have loved raising my son here. I’m not oblivious to the negative things people say about it, but honestly, that hasn’t been our experience at all. We live on a kid-friendly dead end street, very safe (Sometimes we forget to lock our doors type of safe), solid public schools (Stonebrae Elem/Bret Harte Middle/ Hayward High kids do very well, but there are others), great farmers’ market, small walkable downtown, fabulous parks and rec, brand new library, etc. Also very progressive and diverse. I’m sure you’ll find more and better services and vibe in “more desirable” towns like Alameda, Albany, etc, but for the price tag, the right neighborhood in Hayward cannot be beat!

  • Is there anywhere in the greater Bay Area where you can buy a single-family home (not a condo) for $500,000 or less?

    I’m working on finalizing a divorce and trying to figure out the future for me and me 2 kids, of whom I have custody (ages 7 and 10). I had hoped to stay in the house my ex and I bought together, but I can’t afford to buy him out given that the current appraised value is almost triple what we paid for it (bought during the Recession).  My income is very modest, but I expect to have a decent amount for a down payment if we sell the house.  After running some numbers it looks like 500K is about the max I can afford.

    I’m a Bay area native, grew up in Berkeley and El Cerrito, and have lived in Oakland for 20 years, but I know I couldn’t buy a shoebox for 500K in any of those cities.  For those of you who have been in the market recently, where should I look?

    I’m not looking for anything big or fancy, just a single-family home with a yard, in a relatively safe neighborhood (wouldn’t expect it to be crime free, since crime is a reality in an urban area, just want my kids and I to feel safe walking to the local park, or sitting on the porch after dark, that kind of thing).   I don’t care if it has an updated kitchen or the latest fixtures, but I do need it to be structurally sound, since I won’t have money for a big project like a new roof or foundation anytime soon.

    Other things that are important to me: racial diversity, a decent-sized liberal population, and good special education services in the local public schools (one of my kids has learning disabilities). I work primarily in Berkeley but spend 1 or 2 days a week in Hayward, so anything too far north would be too much of a commute.

    Leaving the Bay Area entirely isn’t an option for a variety of reasons.

    Thank you in advance for any helpful suggestions!  This process has been really hard--soul-draining, to be honest--but I’m hoping for a better life for me and my kids in the future.

    I don't think you can buy a single-family home with a yard in a safe-ish neighborhood in the East Bay within a half-hour commute of Berkeley for $500,000. You might want to consider buying a condo/townhome or renting. Your income level may qualify you for affordable housing developments, and you could get on a waitlist now for family-sized units. OR, consider a bigger move including a new job that you could reasonably commute to from Brentwood/Oakley, where single family homes are pretty affordable (compared to El Cerrito). Finally, perhaps you and the kids could negotiate to stay in the family home and you pay your ex "rent" as part of buying him out - but I'm not a lawyer, so please consult with one on your options. Good luck!
     

    At your price point only Richmond and the flats of Oakland between Fruitvale and San Leandro have SFH in "large" numbers.  There are a tiny number in San Leandro, Hercules, Rodeo and El Sobronte.  If I were in your shoes, I'd try to stay in your current home or rent if you want to stay nearby.  I'd also explore trying to buy a duplex for around $1mm with another party.  It'll be tough to buy a 2 br condo on your budget.

    If you commute to Berkeley, Crockett is a reasonable option, and there are still houses for sale in the $500,000 range sometimes.  The school district is small, but extremely diverse.  We have had very good luck with the special ed department for our special needs child, and also good experiences for our gifted child.   Crockett has a great small town vibe, and people really do know their neighbors.  Commuting to Hayward might be unpleasant, but if it's only one day a week, it's worth taking a look.  

    Definitely suggest renting! Invest the cash in a diversified portfolio!

    Regardless of your income, putting that much of your wealth in a single investment this late in the market cycle would not be a great idea.

    We moved to El Cerrito last year from Richmond View which we really liked. Looking at some of the homes there, it may be just above your price range. You might be able to find something in Richmond North & East which is pretty nice IMO.

    You didn't mention how big a home you were looking for but there appear to be some smaller 2BR homes that went for less than $500k. 

    It's a little further north, but you might also consider El Sobrante. Homes there are nice, but it definitely has a more suburban feel and may not have quite the diversity or urban access that Richmond does.

    You can absolutely buy a home in the bay area for under $550K. Can you save a few thousand more and stretch to $550K?

    Look at Pinole, El Sobrante, and San Pablo. Hercules is nice and super safe, although if you grew up in EC/Berkeley, I think the aesthetics and lifestyle of Hercules might not be your jam.

    If you start looking for a home between November and February, the prices soften in those areas. 

    I wish you luck. Work with a Realtor, it's at no cost to you as the buyer. YOU CAN DO IT! 

    Actually, you can still buy a house in the Bay Area for less than $500k. I bought my house 4 months ago for $450k, three bedrooms and a large yard and it’s really close to the 580 freeway and it doesn’t need a whole lot of work! It’s definitely not Berkeley, (I also grew up there and el Cerrito) but we are hoping that it will change like Oakland did. My son who is two loves the yard and an old high school classmate turns out to be my neighbor. Schools in Richmond as you know are not the greatest, but I’m thinking of investing in private school. If you need the info of a realtor let me know. 

    I just bought a small house in Allendale neighbors of Oakland this year for 500k and find that proximity to three good kids’ playgrounds, Farmer Joes, everything going on in the Laurel, and closeness to the freeway has made this the perfect spot. Yes, some crime. Yes, kind of an old house with some issues. Yes, wow crazy fireworks almost all summer long.

    But our great neighbors, lots of other little kids around, good size backyard etc have been way more of a pro than a con! 

    Hope you find what you’re looking for! 

    I'd say Richmond and San Pablo. My understanding is that San Pablo is safe and much of Richmond is.  Good luck with the search!

    I am sorry to hear about your divorce. I agree with the other posters that you should consider renting for a while, at least till things settle down. You still need to sell your house, you and your kids still need to settle into your new life. And from the chatter that I hear from my Realtor friends, the market is slowing down. Don't buy now, because the prices are coming down slowly. Take your time and don't rush to buy!

    Answer is yes.  Surprised no one mentioned Hayward or San Lorenzo.  I'm seeing 2, 3, 4 bedroom houses in nice shape with yards for $500k.  Not sure how racial diverse or how liberal Hayward is but in general I would consider it safer than Berkeley, Oakland and many other cities.

     

    Look in San Leandro. Zip codes 94577 and 94578. I had been living in Montclair when I was married. I ended up renting two houses after my divorce and finally bought a small 2 bedroom house several years later. Good luck!

    Probably not for $500K, but if you could stretch to $600K, I'd check Coldwell-Banker California Moves and do a search for Richmond.  Better areas are the Richmond spots weaving in and out of El Sobrante, and the unincorporated section on the side of San Pablo nearest the hills (my neighborhood off the Arlington is lovely with a great community: young families, older families, many cultures, many ethnicities, LGBTQIA+, beautiful views and decent schools).  There is some crime, mostly car burglary.  I'm sure there are other areas, (maybe a condo down by the water) but these are the ones I know, and are some of the most undervalued property in the Bay Area.  I ran a quick search for you, if the link works that might give you some idea.  Here it is: https://www.coldwellbanker.com/for-sale-homes/Richmond-CA-7450c/minprice_500000/maxprice_600000/beds_2/view_map?src=view

    Good luck!

    I’m in the same boat as you financially. The bay area is brutal. Try looking in Martinez or Benicia. Decent prices, good open-minded and friendly community, and good schools. Sending positive thoughts your way ❤️.

    A coworker of mine just closed on a house within the past few weeks for less than $500,000. He got a two bedroom home, yard, all appliances were new as of a year ago, and a lot of work had been done to the home in recent years. It is located in San Pablo just off of the Solano exit, which is an easy commute to Berkeley. Within his first week of being there all the neighbors had come to him and introduced themselves, he feels completely and totally safe in his new home. San Pablo is in the WCCUSD and has a lot of resources for kids with additional needs. However, I'm not sure of what public schools are like in that area.
    Best of luck to you during this difficult time.

    You could consider buying a condo or townhome in Alameda. Some of them have nice shared yards and most of Alameda is pretty safe. There are a few listings in your price range. Good luck!

    Yes - Try El Sobrante, Pinole, or Martinez. El Sobrante is the closest but all have reasonable commutes (by Bay Area standards) to Berkeley.

    San Leandro, Hayward, Union City, and Richmond have houses in this price range but are likely to not be in such great neighborhoods or maybe won't be such great properties. Eastward Pleasant Hill looks like it has some. Vallejo seems to have a good amount.

    I suppose it is unorthodox, but could you both stay in the house after the divorce? I know some couple issues make this impossible, but with others, it just takes a bi of creativity to make it work. Don't reject this idea until you think about it. Some couples get tiny places for themselves elsewhere, so they are never in the house at the same time. 

    https://www.itsovereasy.com/insights/post-divorce-parenting-whats-deal-nesting

    If you can stretch your budget a little bit to 600 Richmond Annex seems like a good option for you that I've been looking at lately. It's zoned for El Cerrito schools even though it's Richmond.

    e.g.

    https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/richmond/6214-sutter-ave-richmond-ca-94804-…

    https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/richmond/1676-shasta-st-richmond-ca-94804--…

    https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/richmond/5431-santa-cruz-ave-richmond-ca-94…

    Check out El Sobrante. There are houses there going for about $500,000.

    I think it's possible - a redfin search just came up with a cute little (576 sq ft) 2/1 house in Hayward - 22748 2nd street listed at 499, sure it will probably go over 500 by a bit, but maybe not much - I also agree you might think about a condo or townhouse that has a small garden/yard. San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Hayward are all areas I think you might want to search in...I think you can do it - I will hope for the best for you!!

    Sorry about your situation - sounds very stressful.  I ran a search on Trulia for the Bay Area for all single family homes currently listed for sale under 500k - here is the result  - https://www.trulia.com/for_sale/37.36925,38.20491,-122.84231,-121.55759_xy/300000-500000_price/SINGLE-FAMILY_HOME_type/10_zm/

    It's pretty clear one has to focus on some areas of Oakland, San Leandro, Richmond, Vallejo, Pittsburg, Antioch. (To do searches like this in Trulia, pick a central city like Oakland, then on the map, select "move map boundary" so you can enlarge the map to the communities you want to see).

    This might be more helpful - this is the map & list of recently SOLD single family homes for under $500,000 - so here you see where the homes are that are actually in your price range and not just the list price - again similar area but appears Antioch, Richmond and Vallejo have a lot that sell under 500k https://www.trulia.com/sold/37.37307,38.20869,-122.87115,-121.58643_xy/0-500000_price/SINGLE-FAMILY_HOME_type/

    Lastly I know you specifically want a single family home with a yard. I would encourage you to just look at a few condos and townhomes. First you will probably be able to get a much nicer (more cheerful for the kids) place, in a nicer/safer neighborhood. Many have great amenities the kids love - pool, cabanas, bbq, pingpong or even tennis courts. Lots of families live in these now because housing so unaffordable, the old ideal of a house is way out of reach and you'll find nice hardworking families, often quite educated or high earning living in condos, apartments, townhouses, so lots of nice friends for your kids. We found that when we had to move back to the bay area for a year 2 years ago. We loved it. I was absolutely surprised how much I liked it, and how great the community was. Loved not having maintenance (you might want to consider a house upkeep), loved the pool for my kid right there, loved the friends he made, nice kids from great families. Many have big grassy areas the kids can play in. We had a 800sf 2br/2ba so totally downsized and surprisingly loved it.

    So on that note, here is a search for all condos and townhouses listed with 2+ bedrooms https://www.trulia.com/for_sale/37.3573,38.1931,-122.76583,-121.48112_xy/2p_beds/200000-500000_price/APARTMENT,CONDO,COOP,TOWNHOUSE_type/

    Of course listing doesn't mean it won't go for over

    I wrote before but just did some looking - real estate is my hobby :) but yikes. While there are single family homes somewhat near schools for under $500k, most of these schools were rated a 1 or 2 out of 10 (10/10 being the best) by the Great Schools rating - that seemed to be the case for basically all the houses for sale in Oakland, Hayward, San Leandro, Richmond, Bencia etc. The condos/townhouses were generally far from the schools and not rated much higher than maybe a 4/10. There were a few houses in Concord  under 500k and close to an elementary school rated 5/10 (you'd have to see what the comments are exactly on those schools to determine what you think). For example (and note, must condos are just 2 bedroom, only a few with 3), remember condos have the HOA but it pays for the maintenance, homes get expensive.

    - a SFR in Concord  https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/concord/810-oak-grove-rd-92-concord-ca-94518--2083270921 or https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/concord/1943-n-6th-st-concord-ca-94519--2117131376 

    - SFR in Richmond close to a 5/10 elementary school (but the middle & high schools drop to 1 or 2/10) https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/richmond/3455-fleetwood-dr-richmond-ca-94803--2083993174

    Alameda had one condo a little depressing, but very close to schools rated 9/10 - basically the only place I found close to Hayward/Berkeley with highly rated schools https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/alameda/2209-otis-dr-l-alameda-ca-94501--2083179691?mid=16#lil-schoolsTab

    There were a few other place not too far from schools 4/10 or 5/10 that were affordable -

    - townhouse in Hercules not too far from a 6/10 elementary school (but requires taking a bike under the freeway overpass) but there are several nice townhouses in this area https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/hercules/178-s-wildwood-hercules-ca-94547--2117134976

    - condo in Martinez couple blocks to a 6/10 elementary school https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/martinez/1645-ashwood-dr-martinez-ca-94553--1005817625

    - townhouse that looks like a house in Benicia close to 6/10 elementary school https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/benicia/525-military-w-benicia-ca-94510--2117130056

    So that gets me to Walnut Creek - have you been lately?  The downtown is charming, actually has a little bit of urban feeling, tons of great cafes and shops. Great schools - through high school. You can also pick up bart - if you are a cyclist, it's not a bad ride. So if you can think about a condo, you could consider these

    - this one has been on the market for a while and just dropped it's price, that's good as you're less likely to deal with a bidding war - has a 7/10 elementary school right nearby, a 8/10 middle school and 9/10 high school, small pool and gorgeous views https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/walnut-creek/2101-vanderslice-ct-2-walnut-creek-ca-94596--2083820111

    Also Walnut Creek with same schools, cute pool - https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/walnut-creek/1411-creekside-dr-1-walnut-creek-ca-94596--2083818226

    Same building but with 2 bathrooms  https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/walnut-creek/1411-creekside-dr-11-walnut-creek-ca-94596--2083818221

    There are a few in Walnut Creek north of Ygnacio Valley Rd, closer to BART and close to the middle school but further from elementary schools, but these have tennis courts, multiple pools, gyms, sauna etc - my kid and his friends at the building loved these  https://www.trulia.com/p/ca/walnut-creek/320-n-civic-dr-304-walnut-creek-ca-94596--2117147267

    Good luck!


     

    I was going to echo the previous reply about Richmond and to look into what affordable housing options there are in the areas you want to live. A good real estate agent should be able to tell you if there are other areas in your budget. I just started looking for housing with a similar budget and have resigned myself to condo-living for now. Perhaps we can combine on a duplex?? Stranger things have happened. Feel free to contact me if you want to talk.  

    I don’t know if you can get a house in Hayward for $500Kish, but if you can, I would at least check it out. I have lived in Hayward for the past 17 years (rented in Berkeley before that), and given my modest income I LOVE it. Despite the low ratings, there are several good schools in Hayward. I know tons of kids who have gone through Stonebrae Elem/Bret Harte Middle/Hayward High and have thrived, but there are also other strong schools, so don’t limit yourself to those attendance areas. HHS and Mt Eden HS have lots of AP options and programs for all types of kids, including high achieving ones, musicians and artists. Burbank Elem and Stonebrae Elem have dual immersion programs and higher test scores than other schools. Both buildings are fairly new. I can not vouch for the special ed dept. I fear your child would be underserved, but I really don’t know. There are a bunch of charter schools at the high school level and a very popular Montessori charter that starts at 1st grade. Since you spend time here, you probably know that Hayward is very diverse (majority Latino and many racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic groups represented) and also very liberal. It’s a union town, sanctuary city and very accepting in general. We have an awesome gay prom every year, just for the record! Like many gentrifying and blue collar cities, homelessness is a problem. The city council is working on it, but not making huge headway. We have a good farmer’s market, brand new library and small downtown with new restaurants and things to do. If I were a millionaire plus, then maybe I would choose to live in N Berkeley (my old hood), but on my income, Iiving in hayward means I have enough cash after paying the mortgage to take a few vacations, do some shopping, go to theater in the city, etc without breaking the bank. Good luck!

  • Hello all,

    My wife and I have recently moved from Boston to the Bay Area for my job. We are currently renting in Danville and aside from it being totally untouchable to us price-wise, we are not connecting with the community and would really prefer an area with more diversity and more of an LGBTQ presence. It seems like Oakland is the best option for that sort of area but the schools as a whole are not rated well. We have a 3 and 1/2 year old son and an 11 month old daughter and we are hoping to buy within the next year (trying to stay under $850K if we can). Are there areas we are overlooking? Affordable private schools that we should look into to make Oakland work? Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!!!

    Kira 

    I have two pieces of advice for you.  One is to not make your determination about what schools are good based on the test scores.  Generally, really high test scores correlate with really high incomes among the parents and/or and intense testing focus by the school.  I would think about the kind of climate you'd like for your children to go to school in, and try to find that, with the understanding that in elementary school at least any "gaps" in instruction tend to be easily and almost effortlessly closed by engaged  parents who read to their kids and take them to museums, etc.  I myself went to high school in Danville and was absolutely miserable there and at my elementary school in San Ramon.  The quality of teaching was mediocre at best, but everyone was affluent so the scores looked good.  My daughter, in contrast, goes to Ellerhorst elementary in Pinole, and although I was very nervous at the start of the year because the test scores aren't very good (and in fact almost panicked and moved to private school), we are very happy there and her own test scores are showing remarkable progress.  The school is extremely diverse, and we have been blown away by the kind, supportive, family-like atmosphere of the school.  Some schools achieve good test scores by sacrificing many of the things we value in our children's education: PE, music and movement, science, art, imaginative play, and it was a game changer for us to realize that while we valued quality education, that did not always mean picking the school with the best test scores.

    My second piece of advice would be to check out West Contra Costa County.  I lived in Oakland for a decade and will always love Oakland, but it is pretty much out of reach for under $850k in the kind of family friendly neighborhood I'm imagining you would want (especially when you consider that the listing prices tend to be $100k or more under the eventual sale price).  El Sobrante, Pinole, and Hercules are the hidden gems of the East Bay, and although the WCCUSD schools often are not super highly ranked, we know many, many families who are extremely happy with their neighborhood schools.  I can only speak to Pinole, but it offers a lot of the good parts of growing up in the TriValley area (amenities, greenery, safety) without the competition and snobbery and intense social pressure that made it so awful as a child that didn't fit in in Danville and San Ramon.  The area has been filled with a lot of older folks for a long time, but in the last two years or so, we've seen a huge wave of older folks moving out and young families and couples moving in from Berkeley/Oakland etc.  Check it out! 

    I agree with the previous poster! Schools in West Contra Costa and San Leandro/Hayward may not have great test scores, but many of the students do very well and the schools are very diverse. In fact, Korematsu Middle School in El Cerrito is the 4th most ethnically diverse middle school in the entire US. The basic curriculum is the same at every public school in California.

    I'd highly recommend Alameda. It's an island town outside of Oakland that feels like a close-knit community, yet is close to everything. The housing market is competitive, so you'd probably be looking at a 2 bedroom home in your price range, but it's definitely more affordable than Oakland.  The schools are all excellent and the community is extremely welcoming. In particular, I've found it to be super family friendly with lots of events, resources and parent groups. 

    Just here to echo what previous posters have said - you should definitely have a look at West Contra Costa. I grew up in Oakland and went through the city's public school system but when I moved back to the Bay Area two years ago and started looking to buy a home, I was deterred by how poorly the public schools were rated. Granted, one shouldn't entirely judge the system on these ratings, but with friends who actually teach in some of these Oakland public schools who shared some not so great stories with me, we figured it was worth widening our house-hunting options (and who knows, perhaps in a few years' time, Oakland public schools will be doing better with the shift in demographics/continued gentrification of the city...as another poster pointed out, parental involvement is critical). In any event, we were pleasantly surprised when we ended up buying in El Cerrito. This city also seems to be going through a demographic shift, with a mix of an older generation who've probably lived here all their lives and younger families/couples moving in. Our kids are still young so haven't entered the public schools yet, thus, I can't speak to that, but we're also liking its proximity to Berkeley/SF/Oakland in case we need to head to any of those spots. Overall, we've been really happy with our decision to move out this way.

    Check out the Grass Valley neighborhood in Oakland. It’s diverse, quiet and can fit in your 850k budget. We bought here a year ago and couldn’t be happier. We anticipated going with private school when our child reached school age and now we are hearing such great things about our local elementary school that were considering it when our son starts K in another year. I’m happy to answer questions you have about the neighborhood. 

    Hi, welcome to the Bay Area!  I’m sure you’ll hear a lot of this, and you probably know this already if you’ve looked around much, but even a 2-ber will be impossible to find in Oakland, and even more so in Berkeley/Albany / other parts of Alameda County. You could try the Richmond Annex, but from what I understand your kids will pretty much have to go to private schools if you go that route. I wish your family the best of luck; housing is a real problem here, though other aspects of living here are nice. 

    I know a couple families in Oakland who weren't happy with their public school assignments this year (mostly because the assigned school was very far from their homes) that have been looking at St. Theresa school in Oakland. It is a Catholic school but according to the families I know, it is very welcoming to non-Catholic families. It is significantly cheaper than ordinary private school, although obviously more than public. Might be worth a look. 

    We recently decided to relocate to Davis for better home prices (yes, you can buy for under 850 there) and strong schools.

    I'd second previous poster's glowing recommendations of Pinole. I can't speak personally to the experience of LGBT families, but can say that there does appear to be a lot of diversity here (ethnic, economic, generational, etc). My 20-month daughter and I go to our local playground almost every day and see kids there from all different backgrounds. Our neighborhood has a lot of empty-nesters but also a LOT of new families moving in. We're probably going to send our daughter to the East Bay Waldorf School for at least her preschool education, which would not be everyone's choice, but have also heard wonderful things about Ellerhorst and are still thinking seriously about going the public route for grade school. I'm happy to talk in more detail if it would help -- feel free to PM me :)

    Hello, and welcome to the area! We bought in Oakland in December 2017 for 750K (I still feel my heart rate jump when I say that) and we are really happy with our neighborhood. My daughter is finishing up the school year in Berkeley and will be starting at a public school in Oakland in the fall. It's not our neighborhood school but it is a diverse public school not too far and we're hopeful about it. I would echo the words of other parents that test scores reflect little more than the socioeconomic status of the families, not the dedication and strength of the teachers. BPN is actually a great forum for parent feedback about specific schools, so you can search old posts when it comes time to make your school selections. So I wouldn't write off Oakland just yet. We live in Fairfax, close to Maxwell Park, and I think you can still buy for under $800K there. Happy to talk more - and recommend a great realtor! - if you want to message me :)

    Another vote here for considering more than test scores (which might as well be a proxy for housing costs, it's so closely related to local average income) when considering local public school districts!  School quality is about a lot more than numeric "ratings".

    For whatever it's worth, even in school districts with an overall poorer reputation, such as Oakland and West Contra Costa, involved parents tend to like the elementary schools very much.  Your children are so young that a lot can change between now and when they are ready to graduate from high school, and you don't know yet whether they may have any special needs in school (even well-rated schools often don't do a great job of supporting kids who are exceptionally gifted or who have learning disabilities or other particular challenges).  So if you find an area that's a good fit for your family, you may want to start your kids in the neighborhood school and revisit the private school decision when they reach middle or high school age.

    All that said: Besides Oakland, and El Sobrante/Pinole/Hercules as suggested by the previous person, consider Albany (there are condos selling in your price range; the town is very white but is adjacent to more racially diverse neighborhoods, and there's a substantial LGBTQ+ presence) and El Cerrito, and also San Leandro and Castro Valley (I have a few friends who've bought homes in that area after being priced out of Berkeley/Albany, and they are very happy with their neighborhoods and grade schools; none of them happen to be LGBTQ but in general, those cities are a lot more diverse than anything east of the hills). 

    Take a look at Alameda. There are lots of LGBTQ families. Housing is not affordable overall, but there are still nice smaller homes available in the price range you mentioned. Public schools are good K - 12, with regular and charter options at every level. Very family friendly community, lots of parks, access to the beach. Easy access to BART, SF, etc. We've never regretted moving there!

    I agree with the first poster. School ratings correspond to test scores, which correspond to the socioeconomic status of the children’s parents, which of course often correlates with race. People say they want diversity, but then they don’t tolerate it in their schools, except in very small amounts. Sorry to be blunt, but places like Oakland don’t need more gentrifiers who don’t want to be part of the community.

    Oakland is really wonderful but it's also blown up, price-wise. And there's no such thing as an affordable private school. You have to come look at Richmond. I'm in Each Richmond Heights, but there are many really fantastic neighborhoods here. You can contact me off-line. We have an amazing LGBTQ community and a diverse elementary school. Same-same about test scores, that's often a reflection of how many English-language-learners there are, which = diversity. Talk to parents at the schools you are thinking of and come look at them. 

    I like to tell parents the best determining factor for a child's success has little to do with the school they attend and more to do with the family environment they come from. Parents (caregivers) who care and are involved in their child's education both at school and at home make the difference no matter where their child attends school. They also make the difference at the schools their children attend. Schools with not-great test scores but great parent involvement should not be ruled out. We attend a fantastic school in Pinole (Ellerhorst) after moving here two years ago. It is very diverse in every way you can imagine- we have socioeconomic diversity, cultural diversity, ability diversity (we have 3 classrooms for severely and non-severely handicapped children) and political diversity. We have a strong and committed PTA and a very active Dads Club. I'm so happy to be part of this community. Some other pluses of this particular area (Pinole Valley-the community that begins at the east side of the freeway off the Pinole Valley Road exit) are the lush rolling hills with hiking trails, the wildlife, the better summer weather and safety. My big kid can ride his bike freely throughout the valley with the other neighborhood kids. But hurry before home prices get crazy- prices here are starting to take off! 

    Loving Pinole

    We just moved to the El sobrante section of Richmond and love it so far! Our 12m old will likely attend Valley View elementary which parents seem to like. The neighborhood is diverse but a little light on the LGBT families as far as we have seen so far but we are queer and recruiting;)

    Don't discount Oakland schools. Oakland gets a bad rap in so many ways, yet there is so much to love. It is extremely diverse, family friendly, amazing food, LGBTQ friendly, and yes, have great schools. Like previous poster said, don't rely on test scores or great schools.org to be the only data in your school research. When we applied to K, we had more than the 6 allowed schools you can apply for that I would send my kids to. She is now in 1st grade and extremely happy in an Oakland public school.

    As for buying a home within your budget, that may be more challenging, but there are still some diverse, affordable areas. Some areas to look are Maxwell Park, Dimond District, Santa Fe, Longfellow, Laurel, Golden Gate...

    Good luck!

    We live in El Cerrito and really love the neighborhood and our school.  El Cerrito is close enough to Berkeley and Oakland to still be able to easily access all the fun those cities have to offer.  We have awesome parks, a rec center with pool, libraries, natural food store, brewing company, movie theater, local cafes and shops and largers chains like Trader Joes and Bed, Bath and Beyond.  El Cerrito is also BART accessible with two stations stopping here.  The homes are somewhat affordable (prices are going up currently but a few yrs ago you could definitely buy a 3 bedroom house with a yard for that amount).  We send our kids to Crestmont School in the El Cerrito/Richmond Hills (https://www.crestmontschool.org/).  It provides a wonderful, diverse, nurturing environment.  It is a co-op so the tuition is much less than other private schools and the community is tight-knit and conscientious about diversity and family differences. It is small and has a community school house feel.  Check it out!

    Hi,

    We were looking for the same thing (we are a diverse couple), and ended up buying in Albany.  We considered Berkeley as well, but did not end up with a house we liked there, and the housing market there is much more competitive.  Another option we considered very heavily is the (Island Republic of) Alameda.  Alameda is great, probably our favorite in many ways, but did not have good commute options for us.  For all of those, you probably can find a house in your price range, but that is the lower end of the price range in any of the cities.  Based on a quick search, out of the 10 houses recently sold in Albany, only 3 sold for $850k or less.  Not that I put tremendous stock in it, but Albany's schools are always rated 9/10 or 10/10.  Much more important to me, Albany has immersion after-school programs in Spanish or Chinese (based on which elementary school you go to).   In terms of diversity, looking at the school numbers on Great Schools, Albany is less diverse than Berkeley, more middling in terms of diversity.  Walking around the streets, Albany appears more diverse that the school numbers would led me to believe - likely because it is a tiny town smack between Berkeley and El Cerrito, both of which might be considered more diverse.

    Speaking of which, I have not checked in a while, but El Cerrito was considerably cheaper when we were looking.  It also has two BART stops.  

    Good luck!

    Check out Alameda. Although you can certainly spend more than your budget, you should be able to find something for less than $850K, particularly on the west end. The schools are generally good, and there are also some excellent charter school options. We have many LGBTQ families in our schools, along with a high degree of diversity in general. Good luck with your move! 

    Another plug for Oakland! We live in what I think is called the upper Laurel (it's between the Dimond and Laurel districts) and it is known for having a really great LGBT community (really mostly lesbian families with young children). You can definitely find houses here for under 850K, although if you want 3 bedrooms you will get close to that. And you just never know what school you will be assigned- I think Sequoia Elem also has a good LGBT community. Good Luck!

    San Leandro all the way.  Several neighborhoods that have more affordable homes in your price range and are safe, family-friendly, diverse.  Roosevelt Elementary is a great school and there's a LGBTQ family group I believe.

  • We did what we were supposed to do.

    We worked hard and saved diligently for the last 8 years and have saved up $140,000 for a down payment, despite the crazy expensive living cost of SF Bay Area. But, we are completely priced out of our or nearby neighborhood in Oakland and can't afford to buy our first home. We are 41 years old and still renting. Our household income is over $250,000 and we can't afford to buy a home that can reasonably accommodate 2 adults and 2 kids! People tell us to move somewhere else but San Francisco is where our kind of jobs are. We work 9 - 10 hours a day and the thought of buying a house farther away and commuting 3 - 4 hours a day feels like a death sentence. We'll never get to see our kids! I'm so sick of paying $3500/month rent plus $2000/month childcare.

    We see our friends buying houses around us with the help of their parents. Really, unless you win the startup lottery or the actual lottery, the only people we know who can afford to buy a house around us are people whose parents help with the down payment or childcare or both. Our parents are poor. In addition to living in this crazy expensive place, we have to support our own kids, save for our retirement, pay off our own student loan, save for the kids' college, AND have to send money to support our parents from time to time. Our elderly neighbors who own these lovely homes were not doctors or lawyers or investment bankers. They are regular people -- retired mailman, teachers, firefighter, etc. How the heck were they able to afford a house? Their kids will inherit a goldmine. I am so envious of people who were born in the SF bay area with parents who own a house. I'm so envious of people whose parents provide $100 - $200k for the down payment. From the govt perspective, we're considered "wealthy" because we make over $250k. We get taxed at the same rate as people who make $450k!!! Because we can't afford to buy a house, we have nothing to deduct from our taxes. We don't feel wealthy, we are not wealthy and we don't live luxuriously. We bargain shop, we don't go on fancy vacations, we drive a 15 year old beat-up Honda and we feel like we're barely making it. We limit the number of steaks we eat a month to save food cost, despite my husband being a red meat lover. I'm getting really depressed.

    Is there a neighborhood that is within 1 hour commute to San Francisco, safe for us to walk around with kids, with decent school, close to shops, where we can buy a 3 bedroom house (1600+ square foot) with a nice yard for the kids to run around and play for $850k - a million dollars? (At this point, we're willing to take a 401k loan to increase our house buying power.) Or have we completely missed the window on buying this type of house because we weren't able to buy back in 2009 - 2012 and now we're dreaming the impossible?

    We spoke with a real estate agent and were told that for a million dollars, we can only get a 2 bedroom (1100 square foot) in a transitional neighborhood in Oakland or Berkeley. We were told to look in Gaskill, Bushrod, Berkeley/Emeryville/Oakland border or go way down near Fruitvale Bart station or Mills College. 

    -- Extremely frustrated North Oaklander

    You can absolutely find a great house in that price range in my neighborhood, East Richmond Heights. Very near the Del Norte Bart, easy commute to the city, really great area -- I call it the next Oakland. I know Oakland is wonderful and I would be sad to leave it too, but I promise you we have scrappy charm over here, and I love the schools (I am in the Mira Vista district). Feel free to HMU if you want me to look at particular houses and advise you. 

    Have you thought about looking in El Cerrito or the flats of Richmond. There you could buy a home in your price bracket and be about an hour or less by Bart to the city.

    I live in El Sobrante. You can get a great home in your price range. We have easy access (excluding rush hour) all over the area. There's a Trader Joe's, Peets, people with chickens that sell organic eggs, nice neighbors, a Waldorf school. Check it out.

    Have you considered only putting 10%-15% down instead? I have friends that were able to get into the market this way. Your interest rate will be slightly higher but it is still doable. The bank they used to do this is SoFi. I would also look in Kensington/El Cerrito area. Kensington is a great little city in the Berkeley hills area close to bart with a great K-6 school. The houses in this area seem to go a little lower than the rest of the overpriced bay area. Real Estate cycles historically last 6-8 years we are on year 6 for the latest cycle. I have a feeling there will be less buyers soon which will bring prices down. 

    See recent post on "where is the next great neighborhood" blah blah. If you need to be on a BART line, El Cerrito or San Leandro will get you to the FiDi in an hour or less. Spend a Sunday afternoon in each bopping around the open houses, checking out the neighborhoods, meeting a few realtors, and seeing what you get for your budget. $1M should get you a 3br in El Cerrito within a 15-20 min walk to BART. (I don't know current market in SL as well.) 1600SF, probably not, that's quite large. Consider a townhome in San Ramon if that amount of square footage is what you really need. We have a 4 br/2ba in El Cerrito that is only 1400SF (but doesn't feel small for our family of 4).  After you buy, consider one parent reducing hours or going to some less-pressured, less of a commute job to keep the family sane.

    Yes, many people get assistance from their parents to buy a house, and at times before we bought a house I felt bitter too. But keep in mind there are always strings attached to family money, and personally I am glad my husband and I did it ourselves, even if our house isn't the fanciest.
     

    Are you only looking in Berkeley and Oakland?  If you are open to places behind, el Cerrito and Richmond heights to the north and Castro valley to the south are places to start that have good schools and are near Bart stations. 

    You can get a lot more bang for your buck if you go upper East Bay, like Walnut Creek or Concord, or lower East Bay like Dublin or Pleasanton. Plenty of beautiful family homes within your price range! As long as you are on the BART line your commute to SF should be around an hour, give or take. 

    It is frustrating, and the market is crazy!

    I think that you can find something, but you are probably going to need to compromise on one of your requirements - either go further away (try El Cerrito or Richmond?), or look for something smaller. We were lucky enough to get something recently with similar requirements to you in Alameda - have you looked there?

    Good luck!

    Try Castro Valley! BART station, great library, Trader Joe's, good schools, mild weather, more affordable housing.

    In your price range, you could definitely afford a 3 bedroom house within a 1-hour commute of SF in a decent neighborhood. I don't think you'll get your square footage wish (1600+ is pretty huge for the East Bay), and you won't be in Rockridge, but real estate is all about prioritizing, especially in a hot market.

    I wouldn't be so quick to write off those "transitional" neighborhoods in Berkeley and Oakland, especially the former. We bought our first house over in West Berkeley (in the neighborhood sometimes called Poet's Corner), and, while we didn't know much about the area before we lived there, we ended up really loving it. Lots of new shops and restaurants popping up, easy bus access and pretty close to N. Berkeley Bart, safe, and we had a huge lot. The area north of San Pablo Park until it gets a little pricier near North Berkeley Bart is still relatively affordable and really wonderful. Great schools, too. I've also noticed more friends with kids buying in the Bushrod and Dimond district areas of Oakland, and they all seem really happy in those neighborhoods.

    It's tough out there, for sure. We submitted close to a dozen offers this last go around (bought towards the end of 2016), but try not to get too discouraged. Find a realtor you get along with, get a mortgage broker to explore all financing options, and keep going. Good luck!

    You have missed the boat in the Berkeley/Oakland/Albany area.  I would check out San Ramon.  San Ramon is 25 minutes from Oakland, all the schools are great, it has a low crime rate and a new downtown is being built and will be ready by October 2018.  http://www.citycenterbishopranch.com/    It takes one hour to commute to San Francisco and is also an hour a away from silicon valley.  There are parts of San Ramon where housing is within your price range.  

    You can definitely buy a house for this amount of money, but you may have to compromise on some of the things you're asking for. Decide how important home ownership is to you, and what you're willing to compromise on. There are a lot of lovely places out there that may  not fit exactly into your check boxes. We bought our first home last year in Maxwell Park (aka "way out by Mills College") for far less than a million dollars, and we love it. It's a little smaller than we'd like, but we have a huge yard, are blocks away from a great public school, and within a mile/mile-and-a-half pleasant walk from the Laurel shopping district. The neighborhood feels safe and friendly, and we're about a 30-minute drive from downtown SF. I don't know if this applies to you, but I know a lot of people overlook some really lovely parts of the Bay Area and Oakland because of prejudices about those neighborhoods that are based on ignorance. 

    Also, if you're willing to get creative on your home financing, you should consider a mortgage where you put down less than 20%. Yes, it means you will owe more in the long run, but it will stretch your $140k much, much farther and make it far easier to get your hands on a piece of property. Most commercial lenders will accept as little as 5% down, and if you go a FHA/govt backed loan route, you can put down as little as 3.5%. 

    In short, you can do it. But if home ownership is as important to you as you seem to say it is, you may have to compromise on some of the "perfect" fantasies you've been imagining about what owning a home means. Good luck. 

    I have a couple pieces of advice for you.  One of them is to focus not on those around you who have more or who have better luck, but to focus on the fact that your family is in fact one of the lucky families here.  We make half as much as you do, but we still make more than plenty of other families who also have to pay outrageous housing and daycare costs.  I understand your feelings of envy, I've had to struggle with them too.   I did grow up here but my mom was never able to own a house as a single mom and in fact had to move back to Indiana recently because she was priced out after 35 years of living here.  My husband's family owned a house in Lafayette, but sold it back in the 80's due to divorce.  C'est la vie.  I've lived in the Bay Area my whole life, went to UC Berkeley, moved to the city as a teenager, lived in Oakland for ten years, and I always thought that I would work hard and be frugal and eventually we would buy a little house in a funky area of Berkeley.  That isn't going to happen.  With a lot of luck and good timing we were able to buy a little house in Pinole (a seriously hidden gem) back in 2010.  I'm a teacher and my husband works for an environmental nonprofit, and we did it without any help from family.  For a long time we talked about how this was just a short term move and that eventually we would parlay this back into living in Oakland or Berkeley again.  It caused me a lot of angst and I resisted really settling in here, because I had a vision in my head of the kind of people we were and the life I thought we should be living. I really had a wake up call when my daughter said, "We're not moving! We have a nice house and we like it here and we are going to stay!"  That's a long winded way of saying that I became a lot happier once I stopped focusing on all the things we couldn't have that I thought we should be able to, and instead focused on how lucky we were to have the things we do.  It's also cheesy, but I started repeating the mantra "Bloom where you're planted" when I found myself feeling envious.

    The other advice I have would be to consider El Cerrito.  Assuming you can take Bart to work, that should be under your 1 hour commute guideline and you could definitely get a house there in your price range.  Also, I know how painful $2000 a month in daycare is, but if you send your kids to public schools that number should be going down in the future.  My oldest heads to kindergarten next year and our childcare costs are dropping from $1900 a month to $1300 a month, and will drop to $600 a month in two years when we just have to pay for after care.

    My point is that you are very fortunate to have such incredibly high incomes and such a huge amount of money in the bank.  You have more options and choices than you realize and you absolutely have enough to make a life for yourself here that feels like one you want to have.  You might just need to think outside of the box a bit.  And if you really want a bargain, come check out Pinole.  It's one of the last places in the Bay Area with the same chill vibe that I remember so fondly from my youth, and it's full of regular people like us.  If you came here, you would be the super rich family that made everyone else envious ;)

    Have you considered Alameda? $1M for a 3 bed and 1600+ is just on the edge of possible here for single family homes. Many go for above this, especially those in pristine move-in condition. There are lots of townhomes that are very nice. Not the same as a single family, but you can get more for your money that way. Plus, you can take the ferry to work in San Francisco. Schools here are great and so is the sense of community. The house search, however, is not for the faint of heart. Typically houses get 5+ offers and sell for 10-25% over asking, so for a good gauge of prices look at sold figures rather than listing price. Good luck in your search. 

    I feel your pain. We just bought in Bushrod and love it! 5 min bike ride from Rockridge and 8 min for macaurther Bart. We spent 820, but invested over 100k to remodel. If you are ok with piecemeal remodeling, you can get it for cheaper. It's only a 2-1, but with potential for converting the garage into living space. Our kids share a room, but they are still young. I hear spring picks up, so it may make sense to wait for the slower market. We signed our offer Dec 21st. Good luck!

    You can probably get something with 3 bedrooms for $1 million but it might not be in your preferred neighborhoods and the schools won't be good and it won't be move in ready. It is what it is. Keep looking, keep saving until you find something. 

    Dear Impossible Dreamer

    You are doing everything correctly to buy your first home. There are some "marginal neighborhoods" where there are young families like yours working to make them better. Remember that it may take years to transform neighborhoods into what is considered desirable by today's standards.  All those  retired mailmen, teachers, government workers, and retired military bought their homes for prices that were only two to three times their annual gross income. The Bay Area was an industrial area then, with only a few upper middle class families. In this post-industrial economy almost everyone is upper-middle class, so there is much more competition for the limited housing stock.

    I doubt if a few steaks more or less will make that much difference in your budget. Good luck!

    "We limit the number of steaks we eat a month to save food cost, despite my husband being a red meat lover. I'm getting really depressed."

    Look no further than Alameda.  Some of the neighborhoods will be out of your price range but many will fall perfectly within it.  There are some good public elementary schools and lots of nice parks (eliminating the need to have a large yard, although most homes in Alameda do have at least some backyard on par with Oakland/Berkeley homes).  It is a very family-oriented community.  Lots of kids.  It is safe, the speed limit is 25 mph almost everywhere, and there is a beach!  You can commute to SF by ferry or by the transbay bus lines.  There are also local lines that travel to BART.  

    Is Alameda as hip as Oakland?  No.  But the island has its own charm which is why so many families stay in Alameda and why so many new ones look to move here.  

    Like most of the East Bay the real estate market in Alameda is competitive (we had to place several offers before we won our home) and there is less inventory so you may need to be patient, but there are definitely homes to be had that check all of the boxes you listed above.  

    I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone!  We were able to buy a condo in Adams Point that has gone up significantly in value.  Our plan was to sell it and use the proceeds for a down payment.  But even if we end up with $200,000 cash for a 20% down payment, 800k won't get us what we want -- and the monthly mortgage would be stratospheric, too!  All we can afford is the same houses we turned down in 2014 only now they cost $200k more.  And I am from the Bay Area but having a "goldmine" SF house in the family is not enough -- the owner of said house has to be willing to cough up the cash and not all parents/grandparents want to do that, contrary to norms around here.  So, I will follow your thread with interest because I'm in the same boat except I can't even afford a second child!

    There are some real gems in the Richmond and el cerrito hills in your price range 

    you should check out san leandro. you can definitely buy the  3 bedroom size house you are looking for within your price range. it's also close to bart and trans bay buses. there's not as much to do as oakland but you may be a lot less frustrated ( i feel your pain... it's insane here). check out farrely pond or broad moor neighborhoods. it's getting more expensive, but nothing close to oakland. wish you the best of luck! 

    also terry martinez and amy robeson are two helpful and knowledge real estate agents in the area.

    Hi! 

    We all feel your pain! 

    We are in the same boat, and what we did is that we decided to buy land in montclair. It was hard to find a good deal, but with the help of our awesome relator and some patience we were able to buy two lots in the middle of December during the raining season, when most people are desperate to sale. This allowed us to negotiate hard and get down to a price we could afford. We will be start construction next summer. This is the only way we could afford a home in this area. I highly recommend you looking into this option. You'll be surprised. There are many  benefits to this, brand new construction, design for your family needs, and immediate higher property value. The downside is that you need to be patient and find a good architect and contractor.  

    Google "Paymun", they are based in Lafayette, they do  real estate services all the way to managing construction. 

    Best of luck! Keep positive you are doing all the right things!!

    also, laurel district and the mills college area are really cute. they are getting expensive too but may still be in reach. through our preschool community in the laurel, we've met lots if great families who live in those areas. wish i would have considered them more ( choose san leandro). there are also great bilingual school options, charter (urban montessori) and public options within reach. farmer joes and food mill aren't too far away for good fresh food and natural health needs.

    Not sure who your realtor was, but I live in the Dimond neighborhood of Oakland, near Dimond Park, with easy access to the freeway, a casual carpool pickup point and transbay buses -- the 1 hour commute to San Francisco that you asked for.  The house next door to mine, a 2 BR, 2 full bath house on a corner lot, just sold for about $760,000.  Not a million.  The house had been gutted and completely renovated (it had formerly been a 2 BR, 1 bath house).  So the kind of house you want is out there.

    My husband and I have a similar background. Our combined income was about $250k in 2015 when we decided to leave our 1-bdrm rental in SF, and buy our first 2 br home in El Cerrito. The downpayment was over $120k, and we paid it all ourselves. We don't come from rich families either and didn't ask for help. We drive a 2001 Honda Civic. The main difference is that we didn't have any kids at the time (we now have 1).

    I think it's still possible to find what you're looking for. Almost. You might not check off all the boxes, but I think in places like El Cerrito you can get a 3 bedroom house with a yard near BART for less than a million dollars. Your commute might not be under 1 hour, but if you work near BART downtown, it comes close. I'm thankful my job allows me to work from home twice a week so I get a break from the constant commuting. My husband is not so lucky and his office is near the ballpark, so more like a 1 hour 15 min commute (he walks fast).

    We are in the Mira Vista elementary school district and it's not as good as the nearby Madera, but I'm hoping in 5 years it'll be better.

    It's tough and you probably have to make some trade-offs. Good luck.

    It's a little unclear from your post whether you're seeking a 1-hour SF commute by car, or are open to public transit but opposed to the neighborhoods your realtor suggested. Have you considered other points on the BART line? We have friends who live within walking distance of El Cerrito Plaza station and paid ~$750K for their house last year. We have been in our house in Pinole 3 1/2 years and similar houses now seem to be going for between $550-600K; we're not on the BART doorstep but there is a bus connector that runs every 20 minutes during commute hours. We have a 1300sqft 3-bedroom ranch house, 6000sqft lot. We are around the corner from the local elementary school, within walking distance of hiking trails and playgrounds; the public library, coffee shop & Trader Joe's are about a 1.5 mile walk.

    I would also strongly recommend our realtor, Declan Spring; he was very good at helping us as first-time homebuyers to form realistic expectations about what we could get and where. Good luck. 

    A couple years ago I would have said El Cerrito for sure. We love our neighborhood and community and are quite happy with the public schools. I think you can still get a three bedroom for 850 to 1 mil. Also try parts of West Contra Costa that are a little further out. There are many good schools in WCCUSD. Test scores are lower because the schools are diverse in all ways-- something we like a lot. Best of luck. No rich grandparents here either.

    Hi. I do not have an answer but wanted to say thank you for your honest question. We are pretty much in the same boat, and while it doesn't solve this impossible puzzle, it was nice to know that others are sharing our frustration. So thank you. 

    Check out Canyon, CA -- on a back road between Moraga and Montclair, Oakland -- a former hippie community, now evolving beyond that, with an excellent public school -- 20 minutes to Berkeley, less to Oakland. Hard to find anything to buy there, but be persistent and something you can afford, even if it's a bit funky, will pop up. It might need some work, maybe a lot of work, but no one locks their doors there -- can you imagine?
     

    I think you can find what you want in San Rafael or Novato (Marin).  We don't have BART but there are lots of buses that go direct to the city, and the drive takes us 45-60 minutes. Very family-oriented, and good schools.

    Also, you will probably find a credit union (if you are a member) is much more flexible than a bank in making loans.  I recommend you join one.

    If you want to contact me off-line, I can refer you to the realtor we used for Marin County.

    Good luck!

    Would you consider San Leandro or Castro Valley? They both have BART stations and would not add on significantly to your commute times. Downtown San Leandro is actually really cute and there are good sized houses in nice neighborhoods.

    We live in Bushrod and love it. We feel safe and there are several neighborhood parks that we see children at all the time. We are within walking distance to Ashby BART and close to all amenities. I know that prices are increasing here as the neighborhood becomes more well known, but there are still some deals to be found. (Article about Bushrod here.)

    I totally understand your frustration and can certainly say more things to fuel your frustration, but doing that  won't solve your problems. I feel that you may need to reexamine your life style/spending habit and find ways to save more (I think you can do it!). With your price range and $250k+ income, you should be able get something nice. I'd suggest you look at North Berkeley neighborhood, Kensington, and Albany. (If you still can't find anything, you can also try El Cerrito.) Each has its own charm. They are all very livable, quiet, safe, and have great schools (except El Cerrito). Of the 3 cities, Albany schools are probably the best, academically speaking. And because of the school reputation, there are not a whole lot of inventories on the market. Houses get snatched up pretty quickly. The houses in Albany are also the smallest, so a lot of people remodel almost right after the purchase. Kensington is also a great place to live. The lots are generally bigger so there's a bit more living space. Kensington elementary school is excellent, but it has no middle/high school so the kids will have to go to schools in El Cerrito or go private. In general, Kensington kids attend private schools. Kensington is woodsy and hilly, and you can often spot deer and wild turkeys. It's a pretty place, but a bit remote. Another upside with the city is that it's close to El Cerrito BART station, which means that you can always find a seat in the morning (since most people hop on later stations). People also take the AC Transit to get to the cities. Anyway, the houses in all these cities are in your range (though they may need some remodeling work). Last thing, there is also an advantage of purchasing a house in the Contra Costa county for various reasons (Kensington and El Cerrito are in CCC.). Anyway, your agent should be able to help you with that. Look north! Don't be frustrated.

    Have you considered El Cerrito? I think you may still be able to find a good deal there and it's safer than the "transitional" neighborhoods in Oakland. Another option is Walnut Creek, if you don't mind the summer heat. Both towns are near Bart so the commute to San Francisco is not too terrible. 

    One place to look is El Cerrito/Pinole/El Sobrante. We are in El Cerrito and see 3 bedroom homes in our neighborhood going for 800-900K. Our son goes to a wonderful public school just a few minutes from our house and my husband and I both commute to SF from Del Norte Bart and it is under an hour trip. We drive about 15 minutes to  to Berkeley and Albany on weekends for activities and restaurants or walkable shopping so we don't really feel like we are out in the far suburbs. Most of the people buying homes around us are young families with kids who feel priced out of Berkeley/Oakland!

    I feel your pain.  It is so tough to buy here.  I love my neighborhood, but I don't know about the "decent school" requirement.  I live in the El Cerrito hills, near the Richmond line. It is a straight shot down to the freeway entrance to I 80-W (SF), and in addition, there are express buses running during commuting hours to SF, and BART is actually walkable for me... you might be able to snag a parking place at the Del Norte BART station if you leave early or park (illicitly, but may do) at EC Plaza and take BART from there.  So the commute is absolutely doable.  My house is now valued at about $735,000, and it has three bedrooms, two baths, and a very nice open living room area and big eat-in kitchen (plenty of room for a table for four plus cooking space.  And a two-car garage.  My housing costs me $3,000/mo. including property tax and all utilities (internet, garbage, electricity and gas, water) -- though I bought in three years ago, so now the payment would be higher (I paid $585,000).  My son was already out of school when I moved here, so the school thing did not occupy my attention.  Maybe you could check in with the other parents on the network to see what they say... if you were prepared to go up to a million for your home, maybe you could afford private school.  Anyway, check us out -- I love the beauty and the peace and quiet of our neighborhood.

    good luck!

    I live near the Oakland/ Emeryville boarder and am loving it.  Diverse, friendly neighborhood.  I moved her after my youngest was in high school so I don't know about living here with young children. I have noticed a wonderful park with great playground full of happy kids and parents.  It's called Temescal Creek park.  Entrance is on 47th Street just west of Adaline.  You might consider bringing your kids to play in the park and asking the parents how they like the neighborhood.  Don't write off Oakland or Emeryville. These cities have a lot to offer.
     

    I feel your pain... we are pushing 40, 2 kids, still renting. We are actually thinking of relocating to the mid-west, ouch.

    Im petrified.

    Caroline

    I feel for you!  But don't forget what you do have now -- a neighborhood you must like, apparently great jobs, a huge savings account, and two kids!  

    How did I do it?  I bought a house in a crappy neighborhood, that has since turned into an extremely desirable one.  I intentionally bought a larger house and had between 2 and 4 room-mates to help pay the mortgage for several years, even with a kid.  I rarely splurged or ate out.  Vacations were almost always to visit relatives.  It was touch & go for a lot of years, but of course it has paid off in the long run.

    What about the Sunset in SF?  Moving even closer to your jobs.  Or Daly City.  What if you buy a property that doesn't meet all of your ideals, but gets you some equity.  That way you are benefitting from rising real estate from the inside, rather than watching it continually be out of your reach from the outside.  Best of luck!

    Look, these are hard realities of our choice to live in the Bay Area. It's not that it isn't frustrating and hard, but living in a 1100 sq foot house in what you call a "transitional" neighborhood isn't the worst thing -- you're still living in a beautiful place, with many options and quality of life that clearly matter to you. We visited our friends in Copenhagen -- the 1100 sq foot house (with a yard) that you can get in the neighborhoods you listed are pretty comfortable by comparison. Our friends live in a ~800sq ft apartment with 2 kids -- sure they have amazing quality of life there, but they have crappy weather and little light at least half the year. 1100 sq ft is not such a burden to adjust to. Yes, it would be nice to live in a more walkable and safer neighborhood, but many people in the country, in this world, don't get those privileges. I am often reminded that one of the hardest parts of the Bay Area is the visibility of privilege -- as you said, you have to win the startup lottery, come from money, or have been earlier generation Bay Area person. That's not most of us. And that's ok. It really sounds like you need to adjust your expectations. We bought our house a few years ago in what you're calling a "transitional" neighborhood, and though we wish we had more trees and less sounds of gunshots (something I'm committed to working on for all the members of my community), we also like the heterogeneity (class, ethnicity, etc) of our neighborhood. Our house has appreciated, and we think at some point, we may be able to expand it enough to make it larger for our family of 4. SF has become homogeneous and is mostly a playground for the rich. I wish I'd had enough money to buy something in 2000, or 2010, or....or....but we didn't. I've chosen the overall value of staying in the Bay Area and the relatively central location of our neighborhood over suburbia because I want to have some of the things I value. I have also struggled with the frustrations of what I can't have -- but relatively speaking, I try to remember how privileged it is to have these complaints. I realized a while ago that all our friends who purchased houses/apts. in SF were people who sold their companies. I don't have any friends in their late 30s or early-mid 40s, who've worked consistently their adult lives, who have bought in SF without having sold a company. Period. Including people without kids. That's just what life means here. Why not move on and find a block you like in one of these "transitional" neighborhoods -- most of them have an eclectic community and people who are pretty friendly and invested in where they live. I never had neighbors in SF who felt as present and engaged as I do in Oakland. What seems less ideal and foreign may also come to feel more familiar once you make peace with these limited (yet still pretty good) choices. 

    Have you tried looking El Cerrito?  The schools are good and it is a very family orientated community.   With two BART stations to choose from, it's convenient for commuting to SF.

    Orinda or Walnut Creek?  I found some postings on Trulia for 800k-1 million that are in walnut Creek or Orinda and meet your criteria (well, not sure about the nice big yard part...).  Also not cheap, but might be marginally cheaper than the nice parts of Oakland/Berkeley. My husband and I are in a very similar situation to yours, except we only have 1 kid.  Otherwise, your post looks like a clone of what I think about at least once/month.

    p.s. rent in walnut Creek for a house is also $3500/month. This is what the market will bear. So, if we/you don't want to pay, then the obvious choice is to move out of the bay Area.  Commuting from walnut Creek BART to downtown SF (Embarcadero area) takes about 1 hour or less, if you are lucky. If you have to deal with taking the Muni or go further into the city, it could take longer. Orinda is closer, though not quite as close as Oakland.

    Take a look in Alameda. There are houses in your price range. The community is wonderful and public schools are strong. Many people commute to SF by ferry, bus, or BART. If you work downtown the commute would likely be well under an hour. 

    El Cerrito! Fits into your price range, easy to get BART into San Francisco and a nice place to live with a young family.

    I hear your frustration... similar stories (2nd kid on the way)... while you may not be able to get the square footage you are looking for, you can definitely get a small 3 bedroom house in a decent neighborhood. We were priced out of Berkeley/Albany/el cerrito so we just bought our first house in the laurel district of Oakland which for us is nice. The house is 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and is small (only 1,200 square feet and a smallish yard) BUT it has a basement that's the same size that bit by bit we hope to raise and refinish down the line. Husband works in SF and I work in Berkeley and we got our place for 688k-- it does need some work though, so that's not where the costs end. Laurel and divine districts are between hwy 13 and 580 which helps with commutes while still being in a nicer neighborhood. You are going to have to make some compromises on type of house, square footage etc. we got a deal on our house because the inside was very outdated and didn't have the modern/staged look. A diamond in the rough.... I'm just saying that it IS possible... if I were you I'd get a new real estate agent and start attending open houses to check out the neighborhoods-- yours doesn't sound like they're advocating for you much. 

    Try Walnut Creek

    You might look at Benicia. We moved here in 2001 when the housing market was just as crazy. We have good schools, and you can commute to SF by ferry or even casual carpool. Benicia's very family oriented and very friendly. I still miss Oakland but there are no bad neighborhoods here and I think it's affordable by your standards. I highly recommend my close friend, Maria Jensen of Twin Oakes Realty at 707-339-1879. Good luck. 

    Hello,

    i think both your gut, and your real estate agent, are telling you the sad truth. To (further?) convince yourselves of that, you could try speaking with another agent or two, attending the home-buying seminars that some agencies ((Redfin being one) offer, and signing up to receive real estate listings for your specified "possible" neighborhoods in your inbox. 

    It is a very different world, and I think the general feeling out there is it's not going to change (much?) anytime soon. I wish you the very best of luck, and wish I had some secrets or words of wisdom. Our family can't imagine living anywhere but here, but we've certainly heard the stories, increasing in number, of those who've had to go elsewhere(or those in different positions who've chosen to go elsewhere after learning firsthand what their homes are now worth). Best of luck in your journey. 

    Have you looked into the Laurel area?  I have happily lived in the Laurel for 10+ years. Lots of young families and access to SF is great via BART and bus. 3 bedroom homes are selling within your budget. You should check it out.

    Thats really tough. Have you considered moving a little away and taking Bart to the City? That may open up more areas for you. I hear that Dublin and San Ramon areas have great schools and nice housing.. best wishes.

    That is depressing. The Bay Area is really expensive and it is hard to get ahead. I don't want my kids to move back here - too difficult to make a decent living and have a comfortable life. I moved away from Oakland a few years ago, but I wish I'd kept my house with what you are saying about home prices. We spend ten years in Redwood Heights in Oakland. It was our first home (when we were in our 30s) and was a great place to start or even to stay longer term. If that area is too bid up, what about The Laurel, an adjacent neighborhood? How about considering San Leandro? Again, I may be out of touch as I left a few years ago, but those may be options. Also, if you can take Bart to your jobs, how about looking in Pleasant Hill or Walnut Creek? There are also townhomes in Moraga and Lafayette that are below a million and should be big enough for a family of four. Just today a realtor friend of mine was talking about a townhome that was $900,000 in Lamorinda. If you land in a good school district, then you won't have to pay for private school - bonus! Good luck!

    Have you looked at Albany? That may conform to some of your criteria (decent schools, and prices in your range, maybe).

    I am not a financial advisor, and you may not want to hear this but:

    Financially, it may make more sense to continue to rent. 3500 for rent sounds like a decent deal if you are in a place you like that meets most of your criteria.  The money you spend owning (property tax, insurance, earthquake insurance, maintenance, renovations, interest and more) adds up very, very quickly, more quickly than you can really imagine, and this could all be going into a nice diversified portfolio without the single concentrated risk of a house. I would not count on real estate going up the way it has for the last 20 years; it could but it also might not. Historically, equity markets have done better than real estate; the key is diversification and low transaction costs (index funds, for instance, or a service like wealthfront). 

    I understand the emotional attachment to owning one's home, but from a rational, realistic point of view I would really look critically at whether or not it is worth it. The interest tax deduction probably won't even cover the property tax. And you may get hit with AMT trying to deduct local taxes. Even as a long term investment, it may not make sense. I know what I'm saying goes against the american home ownership dream, but I have been advised caution on home ownership by many a savvy financial advisor (not TV talking heads). It took reams of excel spreadsheets to convince me, but we chose to be happy in a decent rental and not rush until the time was right while we watched our savings grow. We rented for years before buying during the crash. Sure, I wasn't able to nest as much as I would have liked but it was one of the best decisions we ever made. I know plenty of people who lost their homes by over-extending themselves. There will probably be another crash.

    I know your frustration. You need to look a little farther north.

    El Cerrito has safe neighborhoods, good schools, nice people, and two BART stations. You can still buy what you want in your price range.

    If you don't have an agent, contact Karen Sanders Moss at Marvin Gardens on Fairmont Ave. in El Cerrito. She is an El Cerrito native and knows the area well.

    Former extremeley frustrated North Oaklander

    Look in El Cerrito or parts of Emryville, Fremont?

    I can imagine how frustrating it is. We are one of the lucky ones who just moved back to the Bay Area because my mother is giving us her house.  We live in the Richmond annex and love it. My son is only 2 and will be starting preschool at the Berkeley School in the fall, but we may consider sending him to El Cerrito Public school when he is old enough. If he loves the Berkeley school and we can afford it/get enough assistance we will continue there. I think it would be good to expand your search beyond Berkeley and Oakland. You may need to look into areas that are "up and coming" like Maxwell Park or the Richmond annex. Homes in the Richmond  annex seem to go for between 500-700k and in el Cerrito are probably more around 6-850k.  

    I can only speak for the Richmond Annex/ El Cerrito since that is where we are now and where I have the most experience. In the annex most of the homes are on the smaller side, but there is a home down the street that recently sold and was closer to 2000 sf. there are larger options in El Cerrito. The annex is located in between El Cerrito Plaza and El Cerrito del Norte Bart station, and the area is zoned for El cerrito public schools which are fine. In fact I know a lot of people that are very happy with them.  Despite Richmond's very negative reputation, the annex is extremely safe. Lately ive heard of people having packages stolen off of there porches and occasional car break ins, but when I lived in Berkeley near the campus, the crime was much worse.  I feel safe walking around at all hours. If you live in the southern part of the Richmond annex you will be within walking distance to EC plaza, Albany bowl, the farmers market, etc. We live in the central annex and are a 10 minute walk from the EC pool, the library, some small shops on San Pablo and two great parks. There is a lot of development along San Pablo in our area and I have high hopes that with all the building they are doing, even more amenities will come into the area.  In the hilly part of the annex, many houses have breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay. I feel very, very lucky to live here. I love Berkeley, but there are other great places to live in the area.  This is one of them. 

    Check out El Cerrito, especially around Harding Elementary. It's cute, flat and walkable (including to the Plaza Bart station).

    problems: not a lot of inventory. Also, houses tend to be on the small side.

    best of luck!

    I would consider El Cerrito.  You can get a 2-3 bedroom for that price; however, it is very competitive.  They have two BART stations and it will get you to the city in about half hour.

    Dear Frustrated:

    I feel for you. We were able to buy years ago and I do wonder how people do it now. The situation you describe is part of why I believe we are near another peak and are in for a correction. It happens regularly. However, there are no guarantees. If you want to buy now, I would suggest looking at El Cerrito. You mention kids but not schools. If public schools are an issue, than El Cerrito might be preferable to West Oakland. I think Emeryville schools are pretty good. 

    Best of luck.

    It's not the sexiest place to live, especially if you are used to Oakland/Berkeley, but have you considered living further out, like Castro Valley?  The community is safe, good schools, parks, not much else (no real shopping and very few decent restaurants), but still semi-affordable.  It's probably more than an hour's drive to SF, but does have a BART station. 
     

    I've mentioned it before, there is the Richmond Annex. As our son-in-law says, "El Cerrito living at Richmond prices".

    When our daughter there had a child, a neighbor on the next block brought over a large flag of a stork, embroidered with the names of all the children born within a couple of blocks in the last 20 years. For our daughter and son-in-law to embroider next.

    Is there any other neighborhood in the Bay area with a tradition like that? Seems at times the Richmond Annex is frozen in time, like a 1950's neighborhood, where parents embroider a shared stork flag with names of their new children. Most neighborhoods today far more sophisticated than that, perhaps their loss.

    Richmond Annex has El Cerrito Natural Foods too, and the Annex deli next door, both on the Richmond side of the San Pablo sidewalk. And both as sophisticated and as up to date as you might want. Also BART on the other side of San Pablo. Richmond Annex is quite a stimulating combination. And lower home prices.

    You aren't chasing the impossible. It just likely that your standards of "decent school" and "safe to walk around with kids" are distorted. You want caviar on a Jiffy peanut butter budget. I'm in 94606. There's a 3 bedroom/2 bath house around the corner listed for $525,000 right now. Even with a bidding war, it's in your price range.

    Hello,

    Richmond Annex or parts of El Cerrito. We live in the Annex. Make sure when you make your move that you are in a part of El Cerrito or the Richmond Annex where you are Zoned for El Cerrito High School,Not Kennedy or Richmond. We are within that zone but we know of some people who aren't (thought they were) and the current Principal has hinted that the district may try and re-zone such that ECHS will have a smaller area to draw from in the future. This is due to the fact that ECHS has "recovered" its earlier not-so-hotso reputation (the administration of ECHS drives me nuts sometimes but that's a different story, and it's a good school). Fairmont, the elementary used to be kind of ugh, but has recovered over the last several years and is considered a desirable school. 

    . We've lived in the Annex for close to twenty years. Driving into the city never takes more than an hour, BART is a ten minute walk from our house, the transbay bus is about 7 minutes walk. Walk scores around here are high- there are a lot of places we walk to and children can walk to on their own. There are a lot of "regular people" in our neighborhood, though prices have gone up enough (from less than 300K to more like 750K); that may change. 

    I would recommend Albany but even with your funds, you may have missed the boat for that one, especially if you want 3 bedrooms. It's pretty safe here. Kensington might also be a bit of a reach but is pretty nice. At any rate I would move on things soon b/c when I got to open houses in my neighborhood, I again and again hear the refrain of "We live in the city and our agent says this (Richmond Annex) is a hot neighborhood (Still affordable).

    -Chillin' in the RA.

    Hello,

    I understand your frustration. I'm a Realtor and at your price point, you may still have some options.Don't give up until you have tried!

    I would suggest Laurel District, Maxwell Park El Cerrito, some areas of the Richmond Hills. Of course it is very personal. You should go see this areas, talk to the neighbors. Feel free to contact me and I can send you listings. Or call me and we can chat., and for sure I can drive you around, take you to see some homes.

    Just interview different Realtors, you can choose someone who understands your needs and wants. It won't take too long for you to see if you like this alternatives and then you can make a decision on leaving the Bay Area.

    Best of lucks,

    Mariedda Grynbal

    Mgrynbal [at] aol.com

    Perhaps I'm giving away one of the best kept secrets in the East Bay..  We moved to Hayward about a year ago and we are very happy with our decision.  My husband works in SOMA and if he takes Bart, he can be in the city in about an hour.  If he takes the ferry, he can be there in a little over an hour but it's a very relaxing ride.

    There are still areas in Hayward that are affordable if you have $140k down payment.  And having lived in Oakland as a home owner and now the same in Hayward, I can say that we much prefer Hayward as far as governance, taxes, level of public service, amenities, safety, etc compared to Oakland.  It doesn't have much of a night life, good eats, shopping, etc. so if you think you'll miss those big city activities, then Hayward might seem a little too quaint.  

    Judy

    You might want to think about this in steps -- start with a two bedroom house and then move to something bigger after you've built up some equity. The other thing is that with a house your children will have outdoor space, so they don't need as much indoor space. Sharing a room works for many, and there are fairly creative ways to subdivide one if you need to. There are some decent neighborhoods in N. West Berkeley and El Cerrito where you could do buy a 2-bedroom in your price range. One big advantage of a closer-in housing unit is that when your children get older they can be more independent -- in the suburbs they will need you to drive them everywhere.

    Just wanted to say that I can absolutely relate to your frustration. My husband and I make a decent salary, similar to yours, and are stuck in our 1 br condo with 2 kids because we can't afford to rent or buy anywhere else. What we've come to realize is that it doesn't matter what your salary is, it's the quality of life and cost of living that matter... what you have in your bank account at the end of the day... which for us... despite making the most money we ever have, is close to nil. So, that's fantastic that you've been able to save that much money so far!

    I understand your frustration with not getting help from parents. I never cared if our parents helped us financially but found myself feeling resentful that despite being retired and living less than 20 minutes away, they did not help us with our kids, not even for a few hours a week, when other friends' parents watch their preschool aged kids full time. It's cost us an arm and a leg to pay for childcare but I try to remind myself to stop having a pity party and comparing my situation to others. It was our choice to have two kids and it's our responsibility to care for them. We have to take ownership of the choices we make. We can't change the housing market, so we can be angry and dejected or we can do something about it. I hear many families, especially with 2+ kids, are leaving the Bay Area and that's probably what we will end up doing too. Yes, this will require a job change for my husband with a greatly reduced salary. But what's the point of a big salary if you're still broke?

    Thank you all for your comments to date. 

    It's comforting to know that we're not alone. It's helpful to be reminded of great things we have (good jobs, healthy kids, our health, amazing rental home in one of the best neighborhoods in Oakland at below market price, happy marriage, etc.)

    We'll look into Alameda, El Ceritto, Richmond Annex, Dimond, Laurel. Walkability is important for us, but we are beginning to accept that we probably will need to give up walkability We might not be able to walk to shops but we still want to take a neighborhood stroll, so we'd like a safe area. We are a bit afraid of condo's and townhomes, because my husband and I are both musicians. We used to live in an apartment before we had kids and our neighbors complained a lot. I don't think our music is horrible. We used to play paid gigs regularly before we had kids, but I guess some people didn't enjoy hearing us play string and horn instruments. Speaking with different realtors may be helpful. I commute by BART to Civic Center and my husband's work is not near BART, so he drives into San Francisco. We're hoping to keep the commute within 1 hour door-to-door. Our jobs are not flexible and due to the highly specialized area of work, there aren't a lot of employment options out there. In addition, work-from-home arrangement at our companies is rare. [No one works from home at our companies.]

    We have one child in Kindergarten and one child in preschool. We were paying $4000/month childcare until last year when our older child started kindergarten. It was terribly expensive to pay $7500 on rent and childcare every month. We are very happy that we now pay preschool tuition for one kid. We have a babysitter who does after school pick-up, because neither of us can get out of work in time to make the 6 pm pick-up time, which adds expense. We knew we couldn't afford 2 kids and weren't planning to have 2 kids but kid #2 happened miraculously and completely by surprise. Both my husband's and my bosses have commented that we seemed to be missing too many days (2 kids = double the sickness) or aren't in the office long enough, because we want to come home and see our kids before bedtime AND want to limit the childcare expense, as the longer we stay at work, the more money we have to pay the babysitter. Of course, we are exempt employees, so we don't get paid more if we stay longer in the office. 

    One person told us to look at our expenses and save more. We are really trying and are meeting with a financial planner to help us trim the fat even more. I haven't bought new clothes for myself in 2 years, and we try to get hand-me-downs from friends for our kids' clothes as much as possible. It's not easy to save when in addition to rent and childcare, we also have to send money to our parents and grandparents. In 2 years, our younger child will go to elementary school, and hopefully we can speed up the saving. We had never head of SoFi before, but it seems like a great platform for us. 

    We have thought about the possibility of moving closer to my husband's family. Unfortunately, he's from a small rural town in Arkansas. We will not have the job opportunities that we have here. I don't think living 2 hours away (nearest city from his hometown) from the in-laws will be much help in terms of childcare support. 

    Wow, that's crazy. I have lived in hayward for 15 years now, and I love it. It took a major attitude adjustment on my part, because Berkeley was pretty much the center of my universe back then. I'm a single mom, public school teacher - trust me, you can make this work. 

    Hi

    We LOVE El Cerrito.  We have kids in El Cerrito schools too.  Don't look only at test scores. These are highly correlated to poverty and don't tell a whole story.  Go and visit and tour. We absolutely love their diversity and believe it will take our kids far.  Also, Mira Vista area as well. Great principal and staff.   Also look at North and East Richmond.   

    See you around the neighborhood!

  • Hello, Husband got a job offer of $140k before taxes in San Francisco (and I don't plan to work until after 5 years), but we are reluctant to accept and move because of the cost of living. My husband likes this company very much and we believe this will open many doors for him in the future. Here are our plans and wishes and what we have: We own a car. We have no debts. We want to send our 19 months child to a particular private school in the Peninsula in about 4 years from now (tuition is almost 40k for upper schol). We eat mostly paleo and organic. We want to save from zero for a newly made house. We want a community full of families for the sake of our child's social skills. And we are Christians (if it means anything ). So, where should we live? (I was thinking Fremont ). Where should we buy our groceries? What are the pros and cons of whatever you may think? Is 140k before taxes enough?

    Congratulations on your husband's job offer. Our family (I am also a stay at home mom) makes about $140k before taxes, too, and we bought a 1920s house in San Leandro because we were priced out of the more "desirable" parts of the East Bay. I have friends on the Peninsula who have much, much higher incomes (both spouses working) and they are comfortable (homeowners, no consumer debt, do most of their shopping at Whole Foods/farmers markets, etc), but they send their kids to public school and it would be a stretch for them to do private school. So first, I suggest thinking very carefully about how wedded you are to each of your "wants" (Paleo, saving for a new-construction house, 40k/year private school). I'm sorry to say that I think trying to do all of those things on a $140k salary would be stressful. Second, I suggest looking at schools wherever you end up; it's easiest to become part of your neighborhood community when your kid goes to school in that community. And commuting to the peninsula in time for school every morning (even if it's just from Fremont) would, to me, really negatively impact my family's quality of life. These decisions are always challenging. Good luck to you!

    If I were in your shoes, I would be very hesitant to make a move to the Bay Area if you want to check all of the boxes you list.  It will be impossible to buy a house on the Peninsula on a salary of $140K.  Even if you end up in the East Bay, you still need to consider the commuting times, both for your husband and for your child's school.  You mention Fremont, but that is a 50 minute commute on Bart for your husband just to get to downtown SF, not even factoring in the walk or drive on the front or back end.  Moreover, the drive to and from the Peninsula to school with your child would pretty awful, in my view. You should check out the Waze app every morning to see how long it would take to drive from Fremont to the school during rush hour.  If you are willing to do without the private school on the Peninsula, I would check out Alameda or Albany.  Those town are full of families and have good public schools (especially in Albany).  You would not find new home construction, and you may need to settle for a condo or small older house, but your husband's commute would be a lot more sane.  If you are deadset buying a newly-constructed house and sending your child to any private school, especially on the Peninsula, I would advise against moving here as you will be facing lots of commuting and financial stress.


    All in all, you should evaluate the 

    We are also a one-income household in the same income ballpark, and I agree with the previous poster that private school + a brand new house might be a challenge. My husband works for a tech company in Berkeley, and we opted to take our house search north (West Contra Costa County/Pinole) rather than south or east because it seemed most likely to give us something affordable -- we are in a 40-year-old house that we're slowly upgrading, have a new baby, and are very happy with our neighborhood. We also have friends and neighbors who commute from our area to the city (there's casual carpool and an express bus as well as public transit to BART). There are churches of every stripe in this area, more so I believe than in many other parts of the East Bay. We can walk to the library, the grocery store and a coffeeshop; in the other direction, there are neighbors with horses. The area is definitely changing (gentrifying) as more families are priced out of Berkeley and Oakland -- there is a brand new plaza w/a Trader Joe's and Peet's Coffee, and a Sprouts organic grocery store is being built downtown right now. Elementary schools are pretty good and I suspect the middle and high school will look very different by the time our kids are ready to go there as well. I know it's some distance from the area you originally had your eye on, but I'd encourage you to think about broadening your scope a little if you can. ~loving life in WCC

    Thanks for the posts so far! I want to update that the company will allow husband to work from home two days per week, and they also provide free breakfast, lunch and dinner for the employees (and snacks). The private school in mind offers financial aid (they gave 5 million in financial aid for one academic year), so we are hoping we could get some. The commute to the school is what makes me unsure about Fremont (since husband doesn't mind 1 hour commute because he has done it before in another country for 2 years). I'm looking as far as San Bruno (the last station of the BART for the Peninsula) and Fremont (last station in the south of the East bay). Both cities are 45 minutes away from this school, but I can't find anything cheaper than $3,000 (for a 2 bath) near the school.

    Maybe church attendee connections could help us find a cheaper place, but we don't know anyone.

    Maybe we won't be buying a house, because we are open to other far future opportunities, and renting sounds like a better option for us, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area.

    140k sounds low for this area. I would say you'd need closer to 180-220k for house savings, private school, organic food, etc. It's really hard to save here and most people I meet have financial support from wealthy parents. I'm assuming your husband wasn't offered big bonuses and stock options. If you have a lucrative career you can get back into in 5 years without having to work your way up and your husband is willing to switch to a job with more benifits I think you could consider this 5 years as a holding period.

    If you would mention the city in the Peninsula where the school is, it would be very helpful.  There is a big commute difference between SF and Palo Alto vs SF and Millbrae.  Honestly if it were me, I would focus on living in the same town as you want your kid to go to school, if you don't, you'll soon find as they grow a little older that they will be isolated.  You will have built a community of friends whom you can never easily see, play dates and school events will all be a hassle.  People will think twice including you knowing you have to drive there and then wait around to drive back.  All the spontaneity of your relationships will not exist.  Part of a community feeling (in my eyes anyway) is running into people in the grocery store, at the library, having people you can call in a moments notice to watch the kids if you have an emergency.  These relationships usually come through the school your kids go to.  This is just my opinion but I would rethink how great you think this private school is, there a lots of good ones and trust me lots of good public schools to avoid the cost.  Also check with them to see if you would really get financial help BEFORE you base your whole life around it. 

    Renting is great.  We rented last year after being away for many years, lots of nice families live in rentals, lots of tech families.  Keep this in mind though - most rental management companies have become predatory about money. They WILL raise your rent the next year by $200-400 on average.  Most WILL make you sign another one year lease - no month to month.  If you want to live there only another 6 months, most will charge you a LOT more.  For example, we had a 2br/2ba semi-nice semi-run down apt in Mountain View last year with a top ranked elementary school near by, nice pool, not close to anything but still had lots of google or linked in tech families.  We paid $3000 a month.  That did NOT include water and garbage (which used to be included in the rent but no longer are) which added about $125 per month so our rent was really $3125.  When the end of one year lease was coming up, they wanted us to sign a new one for $3300 per mo or $3425 if you throw in the Water/Garbage and that is at the 12 month rate. A 3 month lease at something like $8000 PER MONTH - or just one extra month would be $12,000 PER MONTH!!   So you must take that into account.  The other thing is the rents fluctuate not just seasonally but daily, however generally you will pay 15-25% more per month if you sign you lease in the summer when there is most demand.  

    To avoid this you could consider renting a condo/house from a private owner, I don't think they try to squeeze so much.

    But despite the above, we loved renting and at one year we had to move out anyway for other reasons.  I would have liked to stay another 2 months but instead we crashed at my mom's house.  We were only in the area for one year on sabbatical but had we planned to stay longer we definitely would have bought a condo or townhome which the mortgage would be about the same - I am not taking about a new one or a big one but you may find that you can adjust just fine, there are LOTS of people in the Bay Area who live in homes that aren't as nice as where they lived before.

    I totally agree with the other poster who said that Fremont would be a crazy commute. 

    I greatly appreciate all your detailed posts!

    The school is called Sacred Heart in Atherton, CA. It's exactly what I want for my child : runs from K-12, is Catholic, and independent (not under the diocese ).

    We could rent in Walnut Creek and possibly move somewhere else in the Bay Area near the school in 3-4 years. I'll try find a private -own place. I still wish to move near the school this early to build relationships, a strong sense of community and social skills for both child and myself. I'm a stay at home mom with no friends in the US and it is bad for me too.

    Husband's company give bonuses and stocks.

    I'm using trulia to search for housing because it also gives me a crime heat map of the area.

    To be honest $140k might not be enough if you want to send you kid to a $40k a year private school, eat organic and rent or even buy in the peninsula/bay area. You can buy your groceries from farmer's markets, whole foods, ethnic grocery stores, safeway, there is no lack of restaurant and variety of grocery stores here. 

    I'm one of the earlier posters, and based on your updated info I'd suggest looking at places on the Peninsula, like Redwood City (traditionally cheaper than its more upper-middle class neighbor, San Carlos, but easy access to Caltrain to SF and lots of good restaurants, community, etc.). You might want to check out Atherton and the school before setting your heart on it; there is no shortage of good schools in the Bay Area, and depending on your child's emerging personality you might change your mind in a few years. In other words, I'd suggest keeping your options open, rather than basing a life on a school that your child may not end up attending or, in the worst case, be admitted to. Walnut Creek, in my opinion, isn't a good place to bide your time over the next 3 years. The commute to SF from Walnut Creek isn't great (riding a crowded, unpleasant BART train everyday, especially all the way to Walnut Creek, takes a psychological toll even if your husband is used to commuting). Instead I suggest moving directly to the Peninsula; there are lots of communities there, all with a bit of their own flavor/culture, and only living there will give you a good sense of the place. The East Bay has a very different feel overall (even Walnut Creek, which has always seemed to be more Peninsula-like than most other places in the East Bay), but if you're set on it and don't mind a BART commute to SF, then you could also look further east -- Castro Valley, Dublin, and Pleasanton are safe and (relatively) more affordable than places closer to SF. 

    Hi!

    I agree with others that $140K is low for your wishes, particularly the school in Atherton. Atherton is a very, very, very wealthy town. Admission into such a desirable school would be a lottery for anyone (many applicants, few spots), and a financial aid pool of $5m for a K-12 school is by no means a particularly large amount. You would not likely qualify for much financial aid if any on $140k (and both parents would be required to work, so your income will be higher). Honestly, you should be looking at your current child care/housing needs, not four years away, we have so many wonderful private & public & parochial schools. 

    Walnut Creek, Concord, Dublin, Pleasonton, Livermore, WCC, Fremont appear to be better matches if you want a newer house (not a cute older bungalow), more conservative folks around you (if that's what you mean by Christian), and don't mind commuting to work.

    Another poster said Fremont is predominantly immigrant Indians -- true -- but that means strong family values emphasizing good schools, safe streets, conservative morals, financially ambitious -- and the schools are excellent. People will be of several different religions including Christians, but there will be more actively practicing religious people in Fremont than in many other areas around here -- so you will not be out of place if you attend church weekly, speak about God, etc. I'm sad that the other poster didn't like being the only white person in the mall, that's how people of color feel in pretty much every single other place in the US and we just have to deal with it, so why can't white folks deal with it too? And religion = loving God, so why should a religious person care if folks pray at a Catholic church, protestant church, temple, synagogue, mosque, etc.? India has freedom of religion, and millions of Christians are accepted & welcome there. 

    Hi, and welcome to the Bay Area!

    As some people have mentioned San Leandro, as a very happy resident and home owner (4+ years) in San Leandro, it's a great town. Very down to earth, friendly, and it's a great place to live. Our next door neighbors send their kids to St Leander's Catholic school and love it. Their two sons are great - friendly, polite, and engaging. The school is about a mile from their house. Their oldest now goes to Moreau Catholic High School (13 miles from us, he chose it over St John's in Alameda, which is about 7 miles from us) in Hayward and he loves it and his parents also really like the high school. (he wanted more sports and drama opportunities which is why he chose Moreau). If I remember right, Catholic school tuition is about $6000 per year per student and scholarships are available. We really like St Leander's church. 

    We currently live on $115k, have no debt except for our house, own our cars, and yes, we can absolutely make it financially. We live without cable tv (not interested in it nor the expense), but buy organic (mostly at costco because it's so convenient and nearby), BART is nearby (1 mile) and if you're smart with your money (as it sounds like you are), then you can definitely live comfortably. But I would recommend that you avoid lengthy commutes as traffic here is formidable, and most people avoid being on the road during commute times if at all possible. Live and go to school locally, especially if you can use BART for commuting to work. 

    I'm happy to tell you more about San Leandro if you want to send a message through the moderator. 

    If you want to have any money leftover on the $140K year salary, Id say drop the private school idea until your child is older. I really dont think sending a young elementary aged child to a private school is worth it, but thats just my opinion for what its worth. Wouldn't you rather have money for fun weekends to explore the Bay Area? Summer vacations? And until you go back to work, it would be cheaper to rent house, especially since you're not even sure what town/what area you want to live in. And Fremont has the kind of things you seem to be looking for, but like other posters said, it will definitely be an hour commute on BART (which I think would be kind of relaxing frankly) but it is 40 miles from SF. San Leandro is a nice family community and you get good bang for your buck in terms of housing costs, but I have a feeling it has more crime than other suburbs around the SF area and might not be the kind of chi chi I think you're describing. If you're willing to rent, look in the San Mateo area. 

  • Me and my family are relocating to California, July of 2017. We are both business graduates, so we're looking to find work within three months of moving. We plan on buying a house (500k to 750k) and finding a wonderful charter school near Berkeley. We were told is Berkeley is gay friendly. We have been searching but several places that many be affordable, are showing high crime. We are also SERIOUSLY looking for diversity. Any suggestions??

    Diversity?  Absolutely NOT a problem. Housing for $500,00 - $750,000, not so much, especially in Berkeley. Housing near (above) the upper end of your price bracket will likely get you a house in a rather "meh" neighborhood, both crime and school-wise. The Richmond Annex just possibly, but you'd then have to be able to afford private school ($20,00 - $35,000 / year). Best of luck. 

    Hi there, when you are moving to such a highly populated area there is always going to be crime issues. While Oakland is known to be one of the worse cities for crime in the US, there are VERY nice areas of Oakland. We lived in El Cerrito and we loved it. "The hills" are really nice and the area is really safe. It gets looked over because it's close to Richmond but we never had any issues there. I suggest renting before buying so you can get an idea of the areas if you are completely new to SFBA.

    Please consider checking out Alameda! The west end in particular is more affordable, and you will get a great neighborhood, low crime, and wonderful, diverse charter schools. We commute from the opposite end of Alameda to one of them - Nea. The school is great, the administration is great, and you will not find a more accepting community of kids and adults from as many backgrounds as you can think of. Good luck with your move!

    I recommend Alameda or San Leandro!  Alameda isn't exactly affordable, but it's very safe.  San Leandro is more affordable, diverse and lower crime in general than Berkeley and Oakland.  Feel free to contact me with any questions as I've lived in both places and I'm happy to share my experiences.

    If you want affordable, forget Berkeley. Take a look at East Richmond Heights, which is gay-friendly, has homes in your price range, and doesn't have high crime rates.

    I'm a little taken aback, however, that you are specifically and exclusively looking for charter schools, however. Our public schools are very, very good, and our district (West Contra County) as well as the districts in Oakland and Berkeley are suffering greatly from an influx of charter schools with poor oversight and no transparency. I would enthusiastically encourage you to look at the public schools in the area, taking tours and talking to parents, before writing them off. There is zero reason for you to reject the great schools we have for you.

    Redwood Heights Neighborhood in Oakland is very LGBTQ friendly, although home prices are always going up.  Great elementary school and acceptable middle school.  

    You are going to be very hard pressed to find a house in your price range in the Berkeley/Oakland area with lower crime rates (condo options may exist however). Single family homes at those prices don't exist here. It's hard to tell from your post how big your family is, but if you have children and 2 working parents, want diversity (not sure if you mean cultural or economic), lowish crime rates (the perception of what "lowish" is varies by person), and can only afford a $500-$750K house (and you really want a house) you're going to have a hard time checking all those boxes in Berkeley or Oakland. Either start thinking condos (maybe you can get a 2BR condo for $750K) or consider other parts of the country. 

    HERCULES, CA, no question about it! I've lived in Hercules for over 25 years. My kids were born here and grew up here. Hercules is 10 minutes from Berkeley and very centrally located. About 24 miles from San Francisco and on the corner of Hwy 80 and Hwy 4 that leads to Hwy 680, so very close to Concord, Walnut Creek etc.

    Hercules is very diverse and family friendly. It's affordable with lots of young families moving in. There is no crime and a great community feel. I lived in Marin before and had never heard of Hercules. Once I checked it out, I've never left.

    You won't be able to find a house in Berkeley for under 750K. But Berkeley is definitely not the only gay-friendly city here.  The entire Bay Area is the most gay-friendly area in the country, maybe even the world. I think most cities within an hour's drive of Berkeley are going to be equally welcoming of same-sex parents. So you should expand your search beyond Berkeley.  

    Regarding diversity, it depends on what you mean. The Bay Area is very diverse with many different cultures and skin colors and languages, much more diverse than the rest of the US. Yes, there are suburbs here that are mostly white, and there are neighborhoods in the bigger cities that have a majority of this culture or that one. But in general it's pretty diverse. 

    Not sure why you are only interested in a charter school. Some cities like Berkeley and Albany have zero charter schools. Other cities like Oakland have a lot.  Some charter schools have a great reputation, some don't. There are quite a few good public schools in most all of the East Bay cities so you should keep your options open on that.

    San Leandro! 

    Affordable, up and coming (new technology growth), centrally located, BART stations handy, great library, great city which really pays off if/when you need to get a permit or help (we took the awesome seismic retrofit class at the city and then retrofitted our home), gay friendly, diverse (http://www.sanleandro.org/about/demographics.asp), safe with a fabulous police force that is fast, responsive, and positive (https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/san-leandro/crime/) if/when you need them, quiet, friendly, and more. We were looking for a town where people smiled and said hello when you walk by, and found it in San Leandro. Loving it here. 

    Yep, I suggest Hayward. Diverse, welcoming, and cheap. 30 minutes from Berkeley if you live near 580. The crime rates might look bad on paper (I live here, but I don't look), but there are many safe neighborhoods, so you can get a better feel for that by asking neighbors when you househunt. Check us out!

    Hi there!

    It's great you're posting here as hopefully you will learn more about the area to help you make your decision. From your question, you can tell you aren't very familiar yet with the Bay Area.

    First off, you can't buy a house in Berkeley for that price range. The cheapest house you could probably find in Berkeley right now is maybe $850k if you are lucky. And it would be a fixer. You can potentially find that price range as you move further out into certain suburbs (El Sobrante, San Pablo) but you won't really find what you are looking for in terms of the diversity of Berkeley or lower crime.

    Yes Berkeley is gay friendly and diverse. Crime is not high here although looking at crime maps could potentially freak you out if you don't know it I suppose. There is some crime but if you want little to no crime, you need to move to the whiter, wealthier suburbs of Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Danville, much of Marin, etc. Most of the Bay Area is gay friendly, you just might not get racial/ethnic diversity in those places. Personally, diversity is important to me as I would not raise my kids somewhere not diverse. For that reason, Berkeley and Oakland are the only places I would consider.

    Also, there are no charter schools in Berkeley. Berkeley public schools are great and the majority of people I know send their kids to them.

    I'm reading the responses and seeing the one that says that you'll have to pay for private school if you buy in the Richmond Annex. That's not true. The Annex is zoned for WCCUSD schools, exactly the same schools as the kids in Kensington and the El Cerrito Hills go. Fairmont has a very strong parent community and the kids really like going there. Then all kids in the district go to Korematsu middle school and El Cerrito high school. I love the Annex. It's really walkable and friendly. I would definitely choose the part of the Annex that's on the east side of highway 80 though. The other side is much more sketchy with parking issues. Plus it's a lot harder to walk anywhere. My friend who lives in the Annex walks her kids to Fairmont in the morning and then walks to BART to go to work. She really likes it.

    We live in West Contra Costa County (Pinole) and love it! While I don't know specifically about LGBT resources here, our area definitely meets your other criteria (diverse, low crime and affordable). We moved here 3 years ago and when we moved in, our neighbor across the street told my husband about how he and his wife had had their house broken into! ...in 1975. A big change from where we were living in Oakland.

    We are a white family; our neighbors are white, black, Hispanic, East and South Asian. El Sobrante (the next municipality over) has a huge Punjabi-speaking community because it is the home of the only Sikh house of worship in the East Bay. The elementary school around the corner from our house is 40% white, 40% Hispanic, 10% Asian and 10% black. If I walk in one direction from the bottom of our street, I can get to the library, Trader Joe's and Peet's Coffee within a mile; in the other direction, I pass horses and cows.

    There isn't a whole lot of "culture" here yet, but that is changing rapidly (gentrification, for better and worse, as people get priced out of Berkeley/Oakland) -- and we are only 20 minutes from downtown Berkeley outside of rush hour. I'd definitely encourage you to look at West County -- am happy to give more info if you want to contact me directly.

     The neighborhood public school, Fairmont, is just fine. We go there; it is zoned for Richmond Annex and part of El Cerrito, very diverse demographics (and some gay families, since you note you are looking for gay-friendly). Fairmont is in fact the most racially diverse school in the West Contra Costa school district. And as other posters noted, Richmond Annex is a nice little neighborhood with some very cute houses.

Archived Q&A and Reviews


Questions


Affordable area (low $300k's) with good school district

Aug 2012

Hello, Has anyone buying a single family house in the low $300k's found a wonderful public elementary/middle/high school? We are thinking of moving, but basically can afford to buy a 1-2 bedroom condo in Berkeley, a fixer upper on a busy street in Berkeley or a small nice house in Oakland (Maxwell Park, etc.), maybe Point Richmond or Richmond Hills. The question about schools is where should we buy? Living in a small condo for 18 years to be in a good school district seems like it could be (relatively) tough. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!


I would suggest the Richmond area ... So many wonderful things happening here! And you can still get great housing at reasonable costs! We live in the Bella Flora Community right off of the Richmond Parkway. Only about 5 years old we got our 5 Bdrm 2.5 bath home for a little over $300,000. It's a very diverse community. My children play outside, ride their bikes to our neighborhood park, have made friends and we genuinely love where we live. There are several homes up for sale in our development unfortunately, lost due to foreclosure. I would suggest Washington Elementary Schools Spanish Dual-Immersion which is doing Very Well. After that for Middle School I suggest Manzanita Middle School which is a charter, then for High School Middle College High located on the Campus of Contra Costa College. My Babysitter who is an entering Junior this year will graduate with both a High School Diploma as well as an A.A. Entering college as a Junior! We are very proud of her and we hope to make the same educational plan for our children Mama of 3


I live in Albany . The school district has a good reputation. Other school districts with good reputations and without risk of a lottery system (for elementary, middle and high school) include (but are not limited to) Piedmont and Orinda. One of my neighbors rented a house and said the only reason he was renting was so that his children could attend schools in Albany. I have a colleague that rents in Piedmont, so his children can attend Piedmont schools. If it's possible, look into renting. It may open up possibilities of expensive (to buy) school districts and take the pressure off of needing to buy into a desirable school district. There is also flexibility in renting. You could rent in a great elementary school district in one town and move when middle school comes along, if needed. Best wishes! anon


I'm sorry I didn't see your original question, so I don't know what your other criteria were - such as commute distance, or diversity of various types. Also, what's affordable to one family may be out of reach for another. That said, I will mention that when browsing around, Castro Valley seems to have highly rated schools and is much cheaper for what you get than Berkeley.


Buying in the 650-700K range in a good school district

July 2012

My husband and I hope to buy our first home in the 650-700K range--a three bedroom 2 bath with yard. We have a one year old and hope to land in a good school district, at least through elementary. We have bid on five properties focusing on North/Central Berkeley and Albany and we're now realizing we prob can't afford these primo neighborhoods in what is quickly becoming a very competitive market.

My question is how to extend our home search to other neighborhoods, specifically comparing North Oakland vs. El Cerrito, focusing on home values and school quality. We want to live in a walkable neighborhood, ideally close to Bart or easy public transportation to SF, so the El Cerrito hills are not an option (this also rules out Kensington). Which school districts in North Oakland are worth considering? How are the El Cerrito elementary schools? (All the reviews on BPN are older). How do these districts compare? We're both public school grads and hope to use public schools, but we've heard terrible things about the middle and high schools in both El C and Oakland, so we'd want to preserve our exit strategy and be able to sell our house in 10 years and move to a better district by the time our son is middle school age if need be. Comparing El C and Oakland, which neighborhoods would be most likely to retain their value?

Our final concern is safety. We hate the idea of spending so much on our home and ending up in a dicey neighborhood. Any and all advice is appreciated. Discouraged by Bay Area home prices


Your questions make a lot of sense, considering how expensive both real estate and education are in the Bay Area. Threading the needle of buying a home in a great elementary school district with the intention of moving on in search of a better high school is tricky but possible if you keep a few things in mind.

Let me back up a little and give you a few numbers to start with. As a real estate agent, it was easy to pull up recent sold homes as well as current active homes in the the areas and price range you mentioned. Since March 1st of this year, the three bedroom/two bath homes that sold in Albany were 4, currently Albany has 4 available; Berkeley 16 sold with 2 available; North Oakland 19 sold, with 0 available; El Cerrito 14 sold, and 2 for sale. While Albany has the lowest inventory, oddly enough, right now Albany has the most for sale.

This year has proven to be a very difficult one in regards to inventory. But what you are looking for IS achievable. The fact that you require a home near public transit is sort of a built-in price protection. Being close to transit is going to become more and more valuable, so buying now close to transit will only enhance your long-term value.

As far as the schools, have you done any research on http://www.greatschools.org? It's useful, as well ashttp://www.ousd.k12.ca.us, which is a great site for finding your school district in Oakland. My daughter went to preschool in North Berkeley and we had quite a few families from El Cerrito, Albany, and Berkeley. I was one of the few families from Oakland. Schools were a constant topic of conversation and I heard a lot of good things about Albany, Berkeley, AND El Cerrito public schools. I ended up choosing to stay in Oakland for elementary (Peralta), and have been enjoying it. The level of involvement required is pretty intense, but it really helps create community.

Right now, you can get a little more house for your money in El Cerrito, directly comparing El Cerrito to North Oakland. I would say the school piece would be a little trickier - there are some North Oakland schools that do not rate as well as El Cerrito. The final concern you mention, safety -- if you go to http://spotcrime.com and plug in some addresses, you can see for yourself that generally El Cerrito is a safe area. I hope this information helps; the bottom line is that what you are looking for is achievable, you just need to keep at it in this market. Please let me know if I can be of any further help, Robin


Schools, commutable,urban for under $500k?

Jan 2010

We have been renting in Berkeley for the past 5 years and are now looking to buy. Ideally, we would love to stay here but preliminary looking shows that we probably can not afford to, so we are looking for recommendations of other Bay Area neighborhoods. Our considerations (not necessarily in this order) are: 1) quality of schools, child-care options and extra-curricular activities; 2) proximity to San Francisco (where I work) and Emeryville (where my husband works); 3) urban feel - i.e. we want to stick to 1 car and don't want to be dependent on it for everything, would like to be able to walk or bike to parks, restaurants, etc.; 4) diversity; 5) affordability (we would like a 3br/2ba house, about 1500 sq.ft., under $500k). Any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated! Julia


I just bought a house in the Bushrod neighborhood in North Oakland five months ago. It has almost all the things you are looking for: diversity, affordability, close to FWY and emeryville, and we can walk to rockridge, elmwood, temescal, and berkeley. Some of the schools are a little sketchy, but others like Peralta are great. Its a really great area!


We are looking to buy a house to rent out in Albany . It has highly rated schools and is walkable, and has many other features you desire. Look at trulia.com or redfin.com. A friend bought a 3/2 for around $500 last year, although that seems to be the going rate for 2/1 or 3/1 from what we've seen. I'm actually even trying to find an agent to help with a purchase of a foreclosure...there were 29 listed on trulia. happy house hunting


Three words for you - Alameda , Alameda, Alameda.... island momma


Try searching on redfin.com. There are some houses right now under 500K in Berkeley with 3/2--though they will be fixers.

Otherwise, the great value neighborhoods I know where you can find a move-in-ready house are:

1. West Oakland --take Hollis from Emeryville under the freeway and you'll come to some ''gentrifying'' blocks. I have a friend who was going to buy on Hannah and 32nd, that's how I came to know this area. Very ''urban'' with that mix of hipster-ghetto vibe, but nice houses, many fixers, some cool businesses here and there. And walkable/bikable to Emeryville. Some crime here and there but pretty safe.

2. Richmond Annex , more like N. Berkeley/Albany with cute 1930s+ houses(good El Cerrito schools K-12), walk to El Cerrito Bart, EC Natural Foods, etc. 500K. Diverse, friendly, safe. Lots of tiny little playlots--short drive to Bay Trail, Pt. Isabel, etc.

3. Richmond View , high up in the hills and not walkable, definitely suburban, but with larger houses and yards in the 300K-400K range. Good elementary school options both public and private, and the charter alternative high school is now in the area. Safe, diverse, friendly. Tassajara Park and hiking in Wildcat Canyon.

4. El Cerrito near EC Plaza BART. Occasionally you get 3/2 houses in the 400K-500K range. Berkeley expat happily settled north of Berkeley

 


Cheaper but safe enough neighborhoods

Sept 2008

I am considering, for financial reasons, selling my North Berkeley home and finding a less expensive home in what will, of course, be a less desirable neighborhood. I'm fine with living in a ''lower end'' area, can handle ''rough around the edges'', but don't want to live where I'm going to hear gunshots on a regular basis or be afraid to walk a few blocks.

I would appreciate hearing from people who live in lower-priced communities within reasonably close range to Berkeley about where you live, the pros and cons, etc. I'm thinking about Richmond, San Pablo, Oakland, maybe San Leandro, but am open to all possibilities. Information about specific areas within different communities would be very helpful. If you have any sense of current real estate prices in your immediate area, and/or real estate agents to recommend, that would be useful also. Anon


I grew up in the Richmond Hills on Bernhard Ave, which borders Wild Cat Canyon. That particular area is very nice, but with many of these places, all of Richmond included, the schools are horendous. You may end up paying more for private school that living somewhere where public schools are good enough. Personally I like that area and El Sobrante/Pinole better than San Leandro, but I don't know what your commute looks like. Good luck! Richmond bred mom


We live in what is sometimes referred to as 'Arlington Heights' or sometimes lumped into Richmond View . I prefer our area over Richmond View, as our houses have triple sized lots, thus have more of an open feel. With the housing downturn, homes in the area have gotten really well priced. We feel safe - have only heard gunshots on the fourth and NYE, but they sound like they are from the revelers in the flats of Richmond.

We live on N. Arlington, which borders Alvarado Park. The park is great, Wildcat Canyon is walking distance. We have Raley's for a grocery store (which is fantastic). We unfortunately do have a few bad houses in the 'hood, where obvious drug addicts live and unfortunately, those two or three houses seem noticeable. We have a few odd characters, but generally seem harmless. We have had a few in home burglaries of late, but I have heard of nice areas in Berk / El Cerrito that have that problem, which can be avoided with an alarm system.

As far as safety, I feel very safe. The houses facing the city are more charming than the ranch houses facing the El Sobrante Valley. The neighbors are wonderful and there are lots of outdoor activities. Oh! and the best part - most houses have a million dollar view! lovin' what's known as poor man's marin


As far as ''cheaper and safe enough,'' I think Richmond View has everything you're looking for! The Richmond View is actually unincorporated CC County, and the main thoroughfare is Arlington Blvd (basically between Barrett & McBryde). It is 7 or so miles from Berkeley. Closest BART stop is Del Norte. We've lived here for 8 years (priced out of Berkeley ourselves) and have been very happy. The neighborhood families are a real mix racially, ethnically, and economically, but it seems like many have owned their homes for years and are nice people. It is very quiet and safe -- we walk all the time, including at night. Our neighborhood elementary school is Mira Vista, which is a great little school, and the middle school is Adams. Alvarado park (which connects to Wild Cat Canyon and Tilden) is a beautiful park in the area.

As for the cons, hill living means less amenities within walking distance, though we do have the Arlington Market nearby. I wish there were some better restaurants nearby but if you like El Salvadoran food, La Bamba can't be beat!

There are a lot of good deals in real estate right now, and I think the range around here is in the $400 - 550,000 range. I'd recommend taking a drive down Arlington -- catch it at Marin and head north -- and then meandering in the little side streets once you've passed Barrett. It's worth checking out. Christine


In 2000 we sold our Elmwood area one bedroom and bought a 4 bedroom, 2000 sq. ft. home on Albany Hill for less than we sold our Berkeley house for. The neighborhood is definitely not as great in a lot of respects (mainly in respect to the architecture), but the schools are much better, and it seems to be much more of a community here, almost small town-ish. In 8 years we've gotten to know so many of the locals and can call some business owners by first names, and they in turn know us and our kids. There aren't a lot of wealthy stay at home moms here, but there are tons of moms who are willing to help out with car pooling, etc. I would definitely check out Albany. I think it is safer than Berkeley. There are something like 26 cops in the APD for only a mile and a half square little town. Glad I left Berkeley for Albany


We live in Oakland, in Leona Heights , between Edwards and Seminary - Houses are much less expensive here then in Berkeley, Rockridge, etc. The upside is that it is quiet, sunny and not much happening on the streets -on the downside we don't have many services - no stores, only one bus line that's very infrequent so it's not an area where people hang out - anon


Maxwell Park in Oakland, near Mills College. My family and I have lived here for four years and love it. We know all our neighbors and have made great friends. There is a great sense of community with community run, volunteered, and attended community events. We have wonderful block parties in the area and there are neighborhood yahoo groups for a variety of groups: families, school improvement, community improvement, gay and lesbian group and even one that is working on improving the neighborhood playground. The prices (like everywhere) have dropped significantly and you can now buy a great home in the 400's and 500's. Good luck! Maxwell Park Neighbor


How about Crockett ? It's safe - my 7 year old walks around by herself, and you never hear gunshots! There's a great feeling of community, with lots of community events and meetings. It's a small town where it's easy to get to know people and become part of the community.

Advantages: small, friendly, surrounded by parks (so easy access to hiking and biking), and quite affordable. There is a NICE house down the block, 3 bedroom/2 baths, for $399,000. Oh, many houses have fabulous views, too. The area is pretty staunchly Democratic, too, being an old mill town. Lots of funky, interesting things like the Sunday jazz performances at the local deli, the tiny little weekend farmer's market, and the very nice community pool.

Disadvantages: Lack of public transportation. The nearest big grocery store, as well as the elementary school, are in the next town over, so I end up driving more than I would like. Not many restaurants out here, and not a lot of variety. The nearest truly great pizza is Berkeley (lots of mediocre pizza out here, but it's a long way to Lanesplitter).

Finally, to live out here, you have to have a tolerance for oddity. The houses all have quirks, as do many of the residents. But if you like quirkiness, you might love Crockett. Happy transplant from San Francisco


I have lived in Richmond Annex for 15 years now. Re Safety, I feel safe in my home, I have good neighbors, it is very quiet here. Over the years, I do hear of a few more burglaries, but I believe that is everywhere. Violent crime is rare here. anon


You don't say how much cheaper you need to go, but we love our neighborhood- the Richmond Annex . It's a tentacle of Richmond that extends alongside El Cerrito all the way to the Albany border. Homes here sell for considerably less than in North Berkeley, but we are within walking distance of El Cerrito Plaza BART, Trader Joes, Peets, the Cerrito theater, and the El Cerrito Natural Grocery. It takes about 5 minutes to drive to Solano Avenue. Our public schools are all located in El Cerrito. We also have a strong neighborhood association and a very modest crime rate. Before we lived here, we lived in Albany where we experienced a home break-in and the neighbors were not as friendly. We would, of course, prefer to live in North Berkeley, but we are very pleased with our choice. Happy in the Annex


What about El Cerrito ? Some of the houses there (esp in the hills) are just as expensive. But the ones on the flatlands aren't as bad as Berkeley. You didn't mention just how low you'd go. It's still pricy, but not as pricy as Berkeley. anon


A response to the post about cheaper but nice neighborhoods... We bought a house in Richmond near Barrett and San Pablo Ave. and really really like our neighborhood. It's very quiet, the neighbors are friendly and look after each other, and we can walk to some really great restaurants. A Target just opened up on MacDonald Ave. and we can walk there too. I was initially totally not interested in living in Richmond but after being priced out of Albany, Berkeley and El Cerrito, we decided to expand our search. We've lived here over a year and I feel safer in this neighborhood than I did when we rented in Albany (my car kept getting broken into there).

I'm not so sure about the school district here, my daughter is just 6 months old so we haven't had to deal with schools yet, but I haven't heard the best things. But for now, we're happy here. Tegan


I live in Pinole . It is a lovely community, and there are many price points within our City. Our schools are good, check the STAR stats online. IMHO San Pablo and parts of Richmond would be too rough. There are some great neighborhoods in Richmond, you just have to hunt for them. Good Luck in your house hunt. volvomomma


Come check out San Leandro ! I live on the north end of town (Estudillo Estates) and although it's not North Berkeley, it's a beautiful neighborhood. The homes were built mostly in the 30's and 40's, there are lots of big trees and good community spirit. We have a good elementary school with great parent involvement. We have a coffee shop with a really nice kid's area, a meat market, a produce market and a few restaurants all within walking distance. I don't know current home prices but I'm sure it's less expensive than Berkeley. anon


I would say do your calculations very carefully. Be sure to calculate property taxes, moving expenses, added gas and so forth. My impression is that it wouldn't actually save you that much money to move somewhere that's still IN the bay area. Prices are, let's say, plus or minus 20% of your N Berkeley home, IF you were buying today. But you're not; you already own something and have equity and property taxes at a certain rate. However, if you're downsizing to a smaller home in a less expensive neighborhood, that might make sense. Mom of 2


Hi There! I have to chime in with praise for Richmond ! I grew up here, married moved to both Hercules and Pinole and found my way back to Richmond. Let's face it ... Commuting is awful and with the cost of gas it's just crazy! We have purchased a brand new home and are completely happy, we don't hear gunshots and might I add growing up I never heard them either and I lived in the ''flatlands''! Lots of changes are being made in Richmond ... go to the city website to check it out. You have to also keep in mind that Richmond is a large city most of the stuff that is hyped up on TV is located in a small isolated section. Crime happens EVERYWHERE (and always has) and in this economy we shouldn't be surprised. We moved to the Country Club Vista Area which is a newer community near the Richmond Country Club, off of the Richmond Parkway. We walk our children to the neighborhood park, our neighbors are amazing and we got a really good deal on our home. Definitely worth checking out!

Good Luck to you and your family! Born in the City of Richmond and still love it!


Not sure on real estate prices but I'm guessing you could get a great deal. Back in 2002 when my partner and I started looking we desperately wanted to live in Berkeley (north) or Temescal . Needless to say, we chose the 3 bedroom place with tons of yardspace in ''Mosswood'' park area which some consider ''lower'' temescal. We mostly do not regret our decision aside from the Berkeley public schools thing. We can literally walk to Piedmont ave. shops and restaurants within 10 min. and Temescal yumminess within 10 min. as well. Even better we can jump on bus to downtown or get to SF within 15 minutes. It's an amazing place with lots of resources and diversity. We relish it. Hope you will join us. Downsides - ''motels'' ie prositution havens and liquor stores, freeway noise.... mostly loving the neighborhood


Glen Cove in Vallejo . Next to Benicia. Doesn't even seem like we live in Vallejo. I take the daughter to Benicia for swiming, recreation, etc. Easy commute to San Francisco on the ferry or there is a casual carpool, bus to BART, etc. Take a drive out, we are off of 780 (Glen Cove Exit). Clean, safe neighborhood with good views of the Carquinez Strait and low housing prices. Local elementary school is O.K., but will probably send the daughter to private as she would be out of the neighborhood for middle school. BUT, for what we are saving on housing, we can afford a private school. Glen Cove Fan, Lukewarm on Vallejo


Affordable place for single mom to buy a house

Jan 2008

My sister is hoping to move to California with her 1 year old daughter. She would like to find an affordable place to own a home that is near a good hospital (she's a nurse). She's hoping to be outside the metropolitan Bay Area but not in the middle of nowhere. Maybe Santa Rosa area. She can afford to pay about $2000 a month in mortgage etc. Any suggestions?


I'm a single mom who chose San Leandro. You can buy condos and homes cheaply that are near hospitals, doctor's offices, grocery stores, banks and a mall with Target, Macy's, BART etc. It's very convenient and affordable. Lori


My coworker just offered 50% of the asking price on a house in an outlying suburb, and his offer was accepted. Your sister can check out what's available in the Santa Rosa area by going to www.ziprealty.com. In Santa Rosa, there are currently 1,364 homes for sale, many with the price reduced at least once. Waiting for buying opportunity


There is a great book by a local realtor named Tara Nelson - she was a single mom too. The book is The Savvy Woman's homebuying guide. her website is www.rethinkrealestate.com christina