Moving from New York to the Bay Area

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  • Moving from Brooklyn with 2 young kids - walkable neighborhoods?

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    Mar 19, 2021

    Hi! Thank you in advance for any help and advice from this community! I am writing seeking some advice as my family and I are preparing to move to the Bay Area this summer in a rather stunningly unprepared fashion! My husband and I have been living and working in Brooklyn, NY for 12 years, we have a three year old son and are expecting a daughter in July. Last week my husband was offered a career opportunity that we can't turn down, but it has really turned us on our heels. I have been trying to read a lot (quickly) about the different cities, neighborhoods, in the bay area, and would love anyone's thoughts on where would be a wise place for us to try to narrow our focus as we look for a new home. We will be renting, we have a limited budget, and I have hopes (though maybe it will be impossible) of finding a spot at preschool for my son. We have been thinking about Oakland and would love advice on neighborhoods, but have also considered San Fransisco, and Palo Alto (as my husband will need to be at Stanford once a week). We are used to a high level of walkability living in Brooklyn, and would love to know about even vaguely walkable neighborhoods, but also are open to really any suggestions. I would love a place where I might be able to connect with other parents, build a community, and meet new friends. Feeling very lost adrift! With many thanks. 

    Mar 19, 2021

    It will be helpful to know what your “limited” budget is. What is limited in the Bay Area may be luxury in other places.  I see many 2 or 3 bedroom rentals go anywhere from around $3000-$5000/ month. The 4 bedroom/2 bathroom house with a nice backyard that we rented in one of the listed premium walkable neighborhoods now rents for a little over $4000.
     

    Some of the best walkable areas in my opinion include:

    — lower Piedmont / Oakland (Piedmont Ave.) near Beach Elementary School. This was and is our dream neighborhood. We can’t afford a house in Piedmont and rentals are hard to come by. Piedmont has a fantastic school system and you can walk to Piedmont Ave. We used in this area and miss it very much. 

    — Rockridge 

    — Alameda (don’t turn up your nose at this little place. We regret not buying in Alameda as it is very family friendly and schools are great)

    — If you want more urban feel, grand lake and lakeshore area (this is our current neighborhood and there are many young families and excellent preschools. 
     

    — Berkeley is so family friendly, has a lot of great rentals and schools and very walkable near downtown bart station and north Berkeley Bart station 

    — San Leandro is more affordable and surprisingly walkable. 

    All of these areas have great preschool options. 

    Mar 21, 2021

    Hi!! We moved here from Brooklyn 3.5 years ago and miss it sooooo much, the walkability being the main thing! We at first lived in SW Berkeley, right on San Pablo Ave and assumed we would love it because you can walk to a lot of things. We ended up not really liking it, because, while it was possible to walk to a lot of things, almost no one did, so the streets felt kind of “empty,” especially coming from Brooklyn!!

    we now live In Oakland, between Broadway Ave and piedmont ave, and just south of college Ave. WE LOVE IT!!!! I think the neighborhood is called “piedmont ave neighborhood,” and is just south of rockridge and just west of piedmont. You can easily walk to piedmont ave and college Ave, and importantly- people actually do! So you get that nice foot traffic that makes walking to errands and stuff more pleasant and less desolate.

    good luck with your move!!! California is growing on me now that we found the right neighborhood for us :)

    Mar 24, 2021

    Hi! We moved to Oakland from Boerum Hill, Brooklyn 5 years ago. We opted to move to Montclair hills, which is not walkable, and that is the biggest thing I miss, but that was a conscious choice. You pay a premium to get house with a yard in a walkable area, and we decided to fully embrace Cali living and rely on our cars. I'd be happy to discuss in more detail, just send me a message.

    Mar 24, 2021

    Hi Rosalie, my family made a similar transition 2 1/2 years ago. We moved from Brooklyn (Williamsburg) to Berkeley with our (then) 2 and 4 year olds, and were also looking for walkability and some energy, but more space. In addition to what's mentioned above (those are good recs) I'll give some more specific Berkeley recs. The Claremont and Elmwood neighborhoods are very walkable and near College ave, which has restaurants, shops, etc, as well as near the Claremont Hotel which has some small businesses around it (including an amazing French bakery called Fournee). Also look near the Gourmet Ghetto, which is another area with good food and some energy, nice neighborhoods to the east of it. Another drag is Solano Ave, there are nice neighborhoods surrounding it. None of those areas are cheap but there are definitely a range of house sizes and prices so worth a look, there are smaller homes sprinkled throughout. Berkeley also has the Greek Theater and a bunch of other music venues...which will hopefully be reopened soon!

    Get on as many preschool waiting lists as you can, there's a lot of movement lately because of the pandemic. 

    Feel free to reach out to me directly, I know it's very daunting to move cross country with little ones, especially since you'll have a newborn! We have loved living here though and even though we were longtime New Yorkers we feel very much at home here.

    Mar 24, 2021

    Agree with the other post about neighborhoods :) we ended up in Grand Lake as well as for a walkable option close to the great parks in Piedmont, rose garden, more neighborhoody feel than urban, and a bit cheaper than other areas that are comparably nice. We had a really challenging time finding a place online though and so we chose to put our stuff in pods that could be stored (thru U-Pack) and we stayed at an Airbnb until we found the right place. It was so hard to have a sense for a neighborhood from just looking at google maps and some places we saw online looked great and then we saw them in person and understood why they were cheap...next to a halfway house or moldy or etc. Good luck and if you find yourselves ending up in Oakland, please reach out to me! It’s so tough relocating and especially with kiddos and especially in a pandemic and I found it really isolating at first so I empathize with your situation! My names Jenneva and I have a 1.5 yr old, please reach out when you get here if you need to connect or get mom recommendations for fun parks and stuff to do with kiddos.  Good luck with your move! 

    Mar 24, 2021

    Also commuting over the bridge sucks so if you don’t have to don’t do it!!

    Mar 24, 2021

    Hello fellow NYer. I lived in NY most of my life (from preschool-grad school) so I can appreciate the challenges and adjustment of moving to the Bay Area. I can’t say much about most of the neighborhood in the Bay Area, but I have lived in Palo Alto (when childless) and Alameda (with toddlers). 

    If he is working in Palo Alto only 1x weekly, I would be less inclined to move there. Yes the surrounding area around university ave is walkable with nice restaurants and a Whole Foods nearby, but it is expensive (more than the UWS, which is where I last lived for 10years prior to moving here) and in my opinion didn’t have enough diversity after walking around the downtown area for a couple of weeks. The commute traffic may be miserable for that one day, depending on his commute hours, but think about it sitting in traffic in midtown without cars honking. 

    I have frequented around some parts of Oakland (Montclair and Piedmont), cute shops and nice to push a stroller around or walk around with toddlers for a bite, also pricey, but maybe less so than Palo Alto. We have considered moving there.

    Alameda, we moved here a few years ago, rented an apt and a house. For a young family, I think this is a very stable, nurturing community with lots of parks, restaurants, and other young families. Also the majority of the public schools are highly ranked—there are a lot of elementary schools on this tiny island, which you can apply by lottery or transfer. (A whole different story and confused the heck out of my East coast friends.) From my own experience, I went into shock when I saw that the rental prices were similar to pricing in NY, but we adjusted and learned to accept the high cost of living in the area. Similarly to you, my husband accepted an offer here that he felt he couldn’t refuse and so we left family and friends in NY to establish a life in CA. The people are extremely kind and helpfu. I still hear jokes that I am living in the Staten Island of the West, but for my family it was a good decision and close relationships were easily developed with other families. When I miss the city-life (pre-pandemic), we drive or ferry (for fun) into SF. It’s just a bridge (long with toll—cheaper than midtown, GW, or Verrazano) and tunnel (short and free) away.

    Good luck with the move!

    Mar 24, 2021

    Welcome to the Bay! Just so you aren't disappointed, nothing in Oakland will be like NY/Brooklyn — if you want that level of walkability you'd probably want to live in SF. That said, there are some super walkable neighborhoods in the East Bay. We live off of Piedmont Ave in North Oakland. We can walk to multiple coffee shops, restaurants with food from all over the world, lots of cute shops, a local library, a grocery store and small market that has great produce, and a movie theater (in non-covid times). There are two schools within walking distance that are great for bike riding/scooting with kids on the weekends and a tot playground on Linda Ave. There's also a small creek with a walking path alongside that runs behind Piedmont Ave where my kids love to play. Bigger playgrounds are a little further but there are several that are either a long walk, short bike ride or even shorter drive. And we have the Oakland and Berkeley hills 10-15 minutes away for awesome hiking and mountain biking.

    The area around Lake Merritt is also super walkable with all of the above plus the lake itself. Rockridge is also walkable but quite a bit more upscale (and has immediate access to a BART station if that is a priority). There are lots of up and coming neighborhoods further out in Oakland but these are the ones we've lived in and being able to walk to places rather than drive has been a huge priority for us (we also have two kids). If you have the opportunity for even one of you to fly out for a visit in advance I'd say you'd get a pretty strong feel for the neighborhoods just based on that. Good luck!

    Mar 24, 2021

    Alameda is GREAT. Walkable, good schools, easy commute to the city on the ferry. Less expensive than Stanford area but not cheap. We love it. 

    Note that the commute (not during pandemic times) from the East Bay to Stanford is soul crushing. There is no good way to get there on public transit, and the traffic is horrible. I am reluctant to make predictions about the future, but if things return to normal like before, you would not want to make this drive more than once a week. You'd have to plan a 2 hour commute (one way) to arrive on time - so leaving by 7 am to make a 9 am meeting. But everywhere near Stanford is incredibly expensive, so the traffic is a tradeoff. 

    Mar 24, 2021

    Rockridge (Oakland). You can walk to Rockridge BART, walk to FROG Park (amazing playground; there is also an enclosed dog park), walk to Trader Joe's, walk to Safeway (supermarket), walk to Rockridge Market Hall (gourmet foods, wine shop, butcher shop, fish monger, produce shop, bakery), walk to the library, walk to two great indie bookstores, walk to numerous fantastic coffee places, incredible restaurants... I could go on. In terms of proximity and convenience to life's necessities and pleasures, I think it's the most walkable neighborhood in Oakland or Berkeley. Unfortunately, housing is incredibly expensive. We've rented here for six years (rent control) and wish we could stay, but are beyond unable to buy a house here, so are moving to South Berkeley (not walkable, alas). So if you'd like to build a longterm community, I would consider whether you'd be able to stay here when/if you're ready to buy.

    Mar 24, 2021

    We made the same move a few years ago and ended up in Rockridge. It's good for Brooklyn transplants because it's walkable, child-friendly and almost as expensive as NYC. For preschools, get in contact and on waitlists (if need be) as soon as you pick a city. It's easier to find a spot than in Brooklyn but still competitive.

    Mar 24, 2021

    My wife and I moved from NYC (UWS) a year ago last June due to a similar work situation/opportunity. We are in Poet's Corner in Berkeley and it is filled with families and young ones. Strawberry Creek Park and Hidden Cafe are neighborhood favs. North Westbrae is also a great area as well as neighboring Albany.

    There have been a lot of SF transplants into the East Bay and Alameda County due to the pandemic (three moved onto our street alone in the last nine months). Although we rent, we did attempt to dip our toe into buying but homes are being overbid $400k-$500k with all cash buyers from Silicon Valley. SF is the only place where sales and rentals have dramatically dropped (similar to Manhattan) and you can find good deals. But depending on where the work is located, do keep in mind traffic as it tends to be frustratingly bad. Public transportation is doable, but again due to the pandemic has gotten even worse than usual. If you do move to Berkeley or anywhere in the East Bay, a car is needed.

    Rents in Berkeley did drop since last March, but now that UC Berkeley is going back into session come fall, rents are going back up. Also due to the school cycle, much doesn't come to market until May/June/July. We tried looking for rentals in March/April and found next to nothing. Luckily we were able to stay a bit longer in company housing until we landed on something. 

    Mar 24, 2021

    I feel like a little more detail would help us here.  In addition to the budget issue - You mention that your husband will be working at Stanford one day per week, but you don't say where he (and you, eventually?) will be working the rest of the week.  That will influence recommendations, since the commute on non-Stanford days could also be considered. ANd you mention Walkability - are you also interested in bike-ability and public transit options, or are you assuming you'd drive anywhere that's not so walkable?

    Mar 24, 2021

    Hi! I did this same move two years ago while pregnant with my first child (moved in June, kid born end of September). Prior to that I had spent 11 years in South Brooklyn (ending in Crown Heights). 

    We ended up moving into a small 2br rental apartment in North Rockridge, just off Telegraph and Alcatraz. Rent was $3300 (has since gone down a bit due to pandemic). When I say small, I mean that even by NYC standards—maybe 600 sq ft, all told. That said, the neighborhood was fantastic: two parks (Willard Park and Colby Park) in easy walking distance; shops, coffee shops, and restaurants within walking distance on both Telegraph and College; and very friendly neighbors, many with young children. The outdoor space that generally comes with an East Bay living situation was also very welcome after years with little other to look at than air shafts and other people's tiny concrete yards. Of course, with the pandemic, many of the businesses that made our landing softer are not nearly as bustling as they once were, but presumably that will change relatively soon (fingers crossed)?

    This winter, we moved farther out in the East Bay, and while I wouldn't consider our new neighborhood—Maxwell Park—walkable by my Brooklyn standards, the strip of MacArthur Blvd to the north of us kind of reminds me of Nostrand Ave. when we moved to Crown Heights in 2015: a bit run down but still generally thriving.

    Other neighborhoods that strike me as being good in this regard are Temescal Telegraph in Oakland (perhaps a bit less expensive than Rockridge/Elmwood?), along San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, near the university (though not sure how easy it is to find housing over there), and Grand Lake (which I'm least familiar with of all these). I get good vibes from Piedmont but am not very familiar with it (having a baby and then going into lockdown did not leave much opportunity for exploration of our new city).

    Good luck and welcome!

    Mar 24, 2021

    I agree with everything the previous poster said. We live in San Leandro and I think it's really worth considering. We were looking more in Oakland and ended up here mostly for the slightly more affordable homes. Estudillo Estates and Broadmoor are really family-friendly with lots of kids riding bikes, playing outside, etc. I wish there was more to walk to for it to be considered "walkable" to like shops and restaurants but there are a few great spots here including Zocalo and As Kneaded Bakery. 

    Mar 24, 2021

    I agree with the first response- a lot of it will depend on your finances and on what areas feel good to you. Plus, there's always the weather to consider, too. For example, I love the North Berkeley/Albany area (can't afford it but LOVE it there!), but my spouse gives it a big NO due to the fog. (It’s true that it’s cooler & breezier there, and the fog does tend to roll in… But come on! Those gorgeous neighborhoods? Strolling on Solano Ave?! The cafes & restaurants in the gourmet ghetto!? It’s FABULOUS there!) Besides, anyone who can handle east coast weather will be totally fine. (haha)

    We live halfway between the Fruitvale and the Dimond neighborhoods in central Oakland- I don't recommend that area, actually. It’s sunny and warmer than other parts of Oakland (as well as most of Berkeley and Alameda), which allows us to grow a lot of our food and enjoy our garden, but... The crime and blight is still pretty intense here- more the Fruitvale side than the Dimond. The Dimond's actually changed a lot in the last decade. The Dimond/Glenview/Oakmore areas sort of merge together a bit and are attractive and walkable (so, of course = much pricier).

    The Laurel and Maxwell Park neighborhoods are much cheaper than Rockridge, Piedmont Ave. and Lakeshore -but those are neighborhoods are super expensive for a reason: they are fantastic, sunny neighborhoods with unparalleled beauty and walkability. And you pay dearly for it.

    Personally, I'd love to live by the lake (my spouse says no to that, too- thinks it's too breezy!) because the Grandlake/Lakeshore area is such a vibrant place to be- so diverse and interesting! LOVE it there. I could go on and on about the lake and all the fun that goes on there- esp on sunny weekend days. The Saturday farmer's market there is a good one and there are endless shops to walk to as well. 

    Piedmont Ave. is wonderful, too -definitely one of my favorite neighborhoods! Great shops & restaurants & yoga studios, etc. Love that area. And The Temescal is one that has been completely transformed over the two decades that I’ve been here. Oh, how I wish we would’ve bought an investment property over there… It’s a great little neighborhood that’s cute and close to everything. (Still a little edgy on the outskirts a bit, but worth it for a fried chicken sandwich at Bakesale Betty’s!)

    Rockridge is great as well, but it's a monocultural (in terms of both race and socioeconomic class), which can oftentimes = a less interesting vibe. That's how a lot of my friends feel about it, anyway. I still love it though, because… It’s one of the best neighborhoods (if not, THE BEST) in Oakland. Rockridge has a great library, an easy-access BART station, great shops, restaurants, cafes, bookstores- “the whole shebang,” as my kid would say. I would say that Rockridge is still my absolute favorite neighborhood in Oakland, because of all that it brings to the table- even though I will never, ever be able to afford to own a home there in this lifetime.    

    PS

    I totally forgot to mention the amazingly AWESOME Montclair Village!! (an area up in the hills that likes to pretend it’s in the Swiss Alps- just go along with it.) Great place! And wonderful trails to hike nearby.

    ~Mailisha 

    Mar 24, 2021

    Hi Rosalie,

    congratulations on your move! As an ex-New Yorker who grew up in Hell's Kitchen, I can sympathize. I hate driving and strip malls give me a lot of anxiety. San Francisco will probably be the best replacement for New York life, but it's still a very car dependent place. You'll want to look at central parts of the city (Castro, Duboce, Mission) for proximity to transit. However, these are both expensive and transit is still meh. BART works well enough if you're going on its lines, but otherwise buses and MUNI trains will be needed. 
     

    as for Oakland, we moved here 8 years ago when houses were bought out from under us 2x. We like it here and though I used to yearn for SF I don't so much anymore now that we have two kids and enjoy the trails and the privilege of a backyard. We initially lived in N Oakland because it was closer to BART. We found that was only useful for my husband's commute. We now live near Lake Merritt, off of Lakeshore, and I have to say it's a decently urban existence. I love the Grand Lake market and though we don't shop at many of the Lakeshore spots, it's got thing s that are useful and we can walk to it. 
    It's really hard to find super walkable neighborhoods in Oakland. Rockridge is highly prized for that, but it's almost expensive as SF without the benefits, I'd say. Near Piedmont Ave (still in Oakland, not the Piedmont town) is pretty walkable and near highway and bus lines. 
     

    good luck!

    Mar 26, 2021

  • How to find Short term furnished rental while we look for a house

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    Nov 24, 2020

    Hi everyone, 

    My husband, daughter and I arrived from NYC recently and are looking to buy a home in Berkeley. All our stuff is in storage. As it might take a few months to find the right place, we need a short term furnished rental that works as an office for me an my husband and is big enough to accommodate a nanny for our 21-month old and us coexisting. Airbnb has limited stuff and is expensive. Corporate housing websites are not geared towards families with children. I hear everyone talk about how people are leaving town for a few months and subletting their homes. Where can I access those listings? I checked Craigslist but there weren’t too many listings there either. Thank you for your help.

    Nov 24, 2020

    Hi! I always check sabbatical homes website, most, if not all, are furnished. 

    we had the same situation recently and have found the current place through that site. https://www.sabbaticalhomes.com/ When were you planning to move? 

    Nov 25, 2020

    Hi there,

    We moved my in-laws here to care for my son and needed a similar arrangement for 9 months. Most airbnb prices are set up for short-term rentals. However, I had success by contacting the airbnb hosts directly and asking if they were willing to negotiate a longer-term rate. Most of them jumped at the opportunity. What was listed on airbnb for $3700 a month became $3000 a month when we arranged it directly with the hosts.

    Note that you need to be quite savvy in your contact as airbnb will not allow you to share your email address or phone number. However, if you're in the area you can set up a time to meet at the cross streets near the home or if you send three subsequent messages with pieces of the phone number it will get through.

    Good luck! We had lots of offers for long term furnished rentals since there are not as many tourists anymore, and most hosts prefer the lower-risk tenants who will stay for a while.

    Nov 25, 2020

    Our family used Sabbatical Homes when we first moved to Berkeley while looking to buy a house. We had a really good experience. 

    SabbaticalHomes.com - Academic Home Rental Exchange Sitting - est 2000

    Nov 25, 2020

    Check out the Sabbatical Homes web site. They seem to be better geared to long term stays.

    Be warned that it took us two years to find a house we really loved enough to buy. I recommend Faye Keogh as an experienced, patient realtor (she never pressured us).

    The good news is that we ended up with our dream home!

    Nov 25, 2020

    Have you tried Sabbaticalhomes.com?  Also check on NextDoor.

    Nov 25, 2020

    I have a furnished house in North Berkeley that might be perfect for you (does nothing contain my personal belongings). Feel free to call me so I can tell you more, send you a detailed description and photos. Happy to do a distance showing. Best, Brenda 

    Nov 25, 2020

    Sabbatical.com has homes in Berkeley and Oakland. We are looking ourselves for next summer. We are moving from the North Bay back to Berkeley or North Oakland next year.

    Nov 25, 2020

    Thanks everyone. I will check sabbatical homes. We are a little bit confused right now and wondering if we should do a year-long lease and bring our furniture out of storage. It seems risky buying a home without having lived here at all. Especially finding the perfect house can take a long time as some of you suggested. On the other hand throwing away money on rent is not great either. Has anyone been in a similar situation?

    Dec 2, 2020

    to the OP - I think taking your furniture out of storage and renting for a year is worth considering.  There are some penalties, but you can always break a lease if you happen across the perfect home to purchase, and in the meantime you're testing out the neighborhood and have your own stuff around you so you feel at home and are in less of a rush.  [My business deals with rentals and relocations, so I'm happy to answer any specific questions about lease breaks etc. if you have them, just message me.]  

    Dec 9, 2020

  • Moving from NYC - which school district?

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    Jul 29, 2020

    We just relocated here from NYC and are trying to figure out where to target our housing search which is obviously impacted by schools (i.e., which cities/districts/schools to target, strong private options, etc.). In NYC, there were several individuals in each borough who provided "school consulting" - informing parents on the options in their neighborhood or how to optimize a housing search around schools. Since we're new, the number of district options (Berkeley/Piedmont/Oakland/Albany, etc.) are overwhelming, and we don't know the nuances with each (lottery/ranking/forced assignments/magnets, etc.)  

    There are a few recommendations for consultants like this on this platform, but they're old, and the folks cited are no longer providing the service. 

    Is there anyone in the area who is doing this currently? Should it help, we are primarily concerned with K-5, as that's the upcoming gauntlet.

    Thanks for any recs!

    Jul 29, 2020

    Since you are new to the area, why not rent a house at a price you can afford, to try out a neighborhood? Then research school options in that vicinity (you don't say how old your child/ren are and when you need K-5 schools). An important thing to know about the East Bay that may be quite different from NYC is that there are microclimates here - the weather varies a lot by neighborhood depending on where you are in relation to the bay and the hills. Pick an area where the weather is to your liking, and go from there in terms of your schooling needs. Welcome to the East Bay!

    Aug 2, 2020

    I agree with the previous poster, it’s a good idea to rent and then get ideas from neighbors and people who are like-minded. The East Bay is waaaaay more chill than NY, so you probably don’t need a consultant. In general, if you live in a “good” school district, then you can just send your kids to the neighborhood school. If you don’t, or the neighborhood school is not a good fit, you have to start navigating the maze of intra and inter district transfers, charter schools, and private schools. There is lots of school choice in CA, for better or worse, so you will always have options. I know plenty of people who moved to an expensive neighborhood for the schools, and then ended up in private school anyway, and the inverse is also true - plenty of families prefer the convenience and community of a neighborhood school and many of them offer excellent academics anyway. I also know kids who commute long distances to other districts or charters, and others who walk to school. Once you get a feel for a neighborhood and meet some people, you’ll have more reliable school info. 

    Aug 5, 2020

    Hi and welcome to the Bay Area! I am not aware of schools consultants around here. As the mom of a current college student, my advice is live where you want to live. The house, neighborhood, commute, price, weather, should be what impacts where you live. Register for whatever the public school is in the locale you have chosen (Really. I know many families who "moved for the schools" and were OK but not overwhelmed with the result, and other families who stressed over the "perfect" private school and never found it, and other families who did send their child to expensive and/or highly rated schools and the kid did not end up at a college better than any other.) You and your children will benefit from the sense of community and place that result in living somewhere you enjoy and supporting your local public school.

    Aug 6, 2020

  • Relocating to SF from New York - worried about school assignment

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    Feb 16, 2018

    I am relocating from NY to SF for work. I have 3 children going to 2nd, 6th and 8th grade for next school year 18/19. I want to move to a neighborhood that is 30 mins from work by public transport (Bart, bus or ferry) because I don't drive. And a public or charter school that will preferably offer K-8 grade so all three can be dropped off  and picked up at the same location or walking distance.  Does such a school exist or am I asking for the impossible?

    I spoke with SFUSD counselor and was told that we will be assigned leftover schools when the kids move to SF and it's almost impossible to have all three of them in the same school or even in the same district. So, I decided to look at East Bay which seems like there's a higher chance of getting into a school in the area you live in.

    I am open to any neighborhood that meets these criteria; however, I was told that the enrollment process can only start if I am already living in the area, not the other way round.  I am moving to SF in May and my children in July after they finish school in NY, but, by then we would have passed all enrollment deadline and my children may or may not get into a school of choice depending if the school has any spots left.

    How do I ensure they get into the school then find housing in the area so that the home will be walking distance to the school? I plan to rent so I am flexible in terms of location.

    Any advice?

    Feb 16, 2018

    Move to Albany, where there are only five schools (three elementary, one middle, one high) and all are strong, so you will wind up at one not too far away. Your commute will be farther than 30 minutes, but not by much. Look for housing close to El Cerrito Plaza BART station (but on the Albany side). This also assumes you have a relatively large budget for rent, but hopefully you are already aware of and prepared for the high housing cost here. Good luck and welcome!

    Feb 20, 2018

    I live in Albany (East Bay, between Berkeley and El Cerrito) and the town is small enough that all the schools are walking distance from wherever you live. There's 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school. It's an easy commute to downtown SF via the AC transit transbay bus (coach buses that only run during commute hours) or BART. It's truly a great place to live because it's a great mix of urban/suburban with great walkability. The only catch, is that it's really expensive and the homes are small. Good luck!

    Feb 21, 2018

    Similar to what the previous poster said about Albany - also applies to Piedmont. Piedmont has only 3 elementary schools, one middle, and one high, and they are all excellent. So even if you  move in the summer, there is zero stress about your kids getting into school. The largest elementary school is also the one that is closest to the middle school (there is no K-8). From Piedmont you can either do the Trans-Bay bus straight to SF or the casual carpool in the mornings. Housing costs will be high but you get great K-12 walkable schools.

    Feb 21, 2018

    Hi There!

    We did the same thing in 2010. Managing the lotteries in OUSD or BUSD will be impossible without an actual address. You could go private school for a year while you get settled and then start the lottery process in the fall once you have an actual address. We ended up in private school just for the reasons you addressed. You could also rent a house or apartment now, depending on your budget, so you have an address and go from there.

    Two towns in the East Bay, Piedmont and Albany, both have good schools. If you’re committed to public school, you could move to one of those two towns and goto public school there. They will both be challenging to live in without a car though. Albany is a bit easier without a car and the kids can walk/bike to school from almost anywhere in Albany. Depending on where you live, BART can be a 10/15 minute walk from Albany.

    Good luck!

    Feb 21, 2018

    You may want to consider the west end of Alameda. It's a great place to live, a quick ferry ride to SF, and there are 3 charter schools (Academy of Alameda (K-8), NeaCLC (K-12), and ACLC (6-12)) only a block apart. Even if your kids ended up in 2 schools, it would be no big deal. Good luck!

    Feb 21, 2018

    Hi, I'm in the same position - moving from Toronto and when I visited the schools in January I was told it is impossible to enrol before moving. You must prove residency with a utility bill etc. and likely will end up in one of the over flow schools outside your district (which means no walking). Enrolment is happening Feb/Mar so if you have flexibility, I advise you to move ASAP to at least get into the lineup.

    For this reason we are not taking a chance so instead of moving to our first choice neighbourhood, we are making a compromise and moving to our second choice and sending our son to private school. Then we may try again for the 2019 school year when we are actually there.

    Good luck to you! :)

    Feb 21, 2018

    Our kiddos started out at Claire Lilienthal in SF, which is K-8 situated (K-2nd) at a smaller campus & (3-8th) at a larger campus.  Many students split between these campuses managed with carpools.

    SF has a lottery system to get into the schools. You would need to look at the K-8 schools & list them in the application & show that you reside in SF with something like a utility bill for public school. There are public charter schools, they are less stringent about where you reside but you would need to find one that is K-8.

    Good Luck!

    Feb 21, 2018

    I live in the Montclair village neighborhood of Oakland, which is wonderfully family oriented . My neighbors all send their kids to Montclair elementary (which is terrific) and very close to homes in the neighborhood. For middle school they send them to Monterra middle school by city bus. It picks up next to the elementary school. I see a bench full of neighbor kids waiting together each morning. The school doesn’t look so good on paper, but a neighbor is the pta president and she and other parents vouch for positive experiences there. My husband takes a trans bay bus from the village into downtown San Francisco, so commuting is easy. Don’t see that many rentals here, but they do come up. 

    I would call or email the school district for accurate info about enrollment. 

    Feb 21, 2018

    The only place I can think of where everyone can walk everywhere (school and Bart/bus), and where the kids will be guaranteed space in a school is Albany. It is a self-contained school district, with just three elementary, one middle and one high school, so they can't get spread all over the city or sent to another city. Albany has a walking/biking culture, it is small and flat, and close to Bart, with SF commute buses going through as well.

    Feb 21, 2018

    I was in same situation last year. I came early, established residency. District would not register children until they had a year end transcript. We ended up not knowing where they were going to school until a few days before school started.

    I have seen little in the way of k-8 options, though I’m not familiar with sf, 

    Good luck. It’s not fun.

    Feb 24, 2018

    I can't speak for SF or East Bay but can for the peninsula were I tried to do a similar thing. We were there for just one year so I wanted to rent an apartment within walking distance of the elementary school so I had picked out about 4 possible apartment complexes in different cities that were close to 4 elementary schools I thought were best in 3 cities (Mountain View, Palo Alto and Los Altos.  I then tried to get the school district registration offices to give me info on how crowded my son's grade level was in each of these schools so that I could figure out which apartment complex was best.  Well.  That was almost impossible. From their point of view, their schools are over-crowded and you will just be lucky to be assigned whatever school you get even if it's on the other side of town - which I understand, I just wanted to find out which schools I might have the best chance with and get an apartment nearby. 

    They are very very resistant to this, no one wanted to give me that info even tho they can. They want you to go by their procedure which is get your place, provide your proof, they will try to assign you the closest school but be prepared to have to go anywhere. And this won't even be decided until the last week before school starts as that's when they have a better idea of who has left the district, who is on the waiting list and still might want to switch, then how many spaces there are if any, and then they will assign your spot. And these are the school districts that are supposedly well-run, but they are overwhelmed and unhelpful, really have a hardened attitude if you can't drive your kid across town every morning, too bad for you.

    By persistence I ended up finding out how full the classes were for 5th grade at various schools and what the waiting lists were (which does not mean that those on the waiting list will actually still want to switch over) and took a gamble that paid off as I got the school I wanted.  But to figure that out for all 3 kids sounds really stressful.  I like the advise of Albany - a smaller school district where all the choices are relatively close.  That might be your best bet. 

    Feb 27, 2018

    One thing I haven't seen in the answers yet: Most school districts require proof of residency to enroll your child. That usually includes a utility bill or similar with one of the parents' names on it at the address where you reside.

    Feb 28, 2018

    You'll need proof of residency before the schools will accept you. But what helps is to find a place that has neighborhood schools (i.e. NOT San Francisco, which uses a lottery system), and then call the district and ask if any of those schools have spaces next year. Try Alameda. Chances are one of our schools can accommodate all 3 of your children, and Alameda is so small it will be a short walk/drive to the next school over. Just be warned--many of our schools are great, but not all. So best to look up the schools first and ask around, then choose your first, second, and third choice.

    Mar 7, 2018

    I'd caution you on Alameda.  Only one public school is k-8, Bay Farm.  So you'd probably have two stops for drop off and pick up.  One of the elementary schools, Lum, closed, resulting in the relocation of those students to the remaining elementary schools.  From my understanding only one or two elementary schools have openings this year.  Coming in after school selection will probably limit your choice of school and might place your kids in schools that are far apart.  But at least you should be able to get into a regular public school.  Unlike a charter, which will be full and doesn't have to accomodate you.  As several folks mentioned, Albany and Piedmont would be good options.  Both towns are far smaller than Alameda so your kids could walk to schools.  You could also think about towns farther out such as Orinda or Lafayette.  They are far more suburban but have good schools and BART stations in near their town centers.

    Mar 12, 2018

  • Moving from NYC for a job in Oakland

    –
    Nov 16, 2017

    Hi there,

    I'll be moving to the Bay Area from NYC at the end of the year. I am hoping there is someone else out there who had to make the same move. I have an almost 4 year old who will need a preschool because he is currently in a 6.5 hour a day pre-k program and is learning a lot. I don't want too much disruption for him. The other decision is where to live. My husband's job will be in Oakland so we would like to be within a 30 min commute from there. I'm used to living in an area with a lot of people and walking/taking public transport everywhere. I don't want to live in a very suburban area and feel totally isolated because I don't know anyone in the Bay Area. Am hoping for some advice about starting at a preschool mid-year, if that's even possible, and finding the best place to live that is not too suburban but still feels very safe to walk around.

    Thanks in advance!

    Nov 16, 2017

    I am corresponding with another BPN person doing the same move as you right now, and this is the move my family and I did five years ago (from Brooklyn, but I had lived in Manhattan for many years before that). Oakland is quite big, and there are several walkable neighborhoods throughout Oakland and Berkeley. I can't really speak for other areas in the East Bay as far as walkability goes. I moved here with two children, and while part of our reason for moving was to achieve a simpler and easier life (and having a car was a big part of that), I do miss walking to everything. Much of Oakland and Berkeley feel like the small cities they are; other areas such as the hills in both towns are strictly residential and isolated from commerce and services (and offer lush nature in many areas). Unfortunately for most of us, so many choices about school and whether we walk or drive are based on the lack of affordable housing in the area. Our craigslist rental on the Oakland/Emeryville border dictated so much about how we live; we have a yard and nice neighbors, but we drive to most things that we do. Good luck finding a nice place to live and the other things will unfold when you know where you will live. Walkable neighborhoods that come to mind are Elmwood in Berkeley, and the Laurel District and Dimond District in Oakland, but of course, housing near those areas can be pricey. 

    Nov 22, 2017

    It would definitely help to know your budget as neighborhoods in Oakland/East Bay vary widely based on what you are willing to pay.

    Nov 22, 2017

    Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland!  Right by a BART station, great public schools, grocery stores, markets, shops etc. all within walking distance.  Rockridge is mostly single family homes, but a few apartments are in the mix.  I feel safe walking around; lots of families with young children in this neighborhood.  We even have our own newsletter that comes monthly.  It's a wonderful place to live and raise a family. 

    Nov 22, 2017

    Hi There! We moved from Brooklyn to Oakland 2 years ago, and love it here. We are living in Montclair hills, which I don’t recommend as being walkable, but we are a 15 minutes drive from uptown Oakland, 5 minutes from restaurants, and 5 minutes from amazing Redwood Regional Park and tons of hikes and playgrounds. If you want more walkable, you could look in Rockridge, Temescal, Lake Merritt area, or Alameda. None of it is affordable but you’re probably used to that coming from NYC. ;-) You can look through the bridge at Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette or Walnut Creek but you’ll want to be close to BART for commuting to Oakland.

    Our 3 year old daughter is at Monte Tavor Spanish Immersion. There are a lot of daycares in the area and I’m sure some would take kids mid year. 

    Feel free to reach out if I can help more, happy to welcome another New Yorker to Oakland!

    -Claire

    Nov 24, 2017

    Most of Oakland is safe in the daytime. Maybe the Laurel. If you have more money Temescal/Rockridge. Further afield and less expensive and less walkable El Cerrito/Richmond Annex. Also look at West Berkeley/Albany. A lot of this depends on how much you have for rent. There are many walkable neighborhoods, if you avoid the hills, but they tend to be pricey.

    Nov 25, 2017

    Thank you to everyone who responded.  We are still trying to figure it all out but appreciate all the information. 

    Nov 29, 2017

  • Preschool and Housing Advice for family from Brooklyn

    –
    May 12, 2017

    We are considering a move from Bushwick, Brooklyn to Berkeley or Oakland. My husband has been offered a museum job in SF and we are looking for advice about schools and housing. Our children will turn 2 & 4 over the summer and we will need to find spots for them for September - here in NYC that would be impossible this late in the game. I saw the list of schools with available spots on BPN - can anyone recommend any additional programs that might have openings or we can get on the wait list for? We would love to find Montessori or similar, not much more than $1000 per month per child. Ideally 9-3, but 9-1 could work too. We are also looking for a walkable neighborhood close to BART where we can afford a 3 bedroom (or two bedroom plus office/basement/other workspace) with a yard for about $3000/month starting in July or August. And we will need a decent public school for the following fall.  Huge bonus if the area has other artists and non-profit workers.  We would really appreciate any advice about neighborhoods. It is a great opportunity but we don't know if we can make it work

    Thank you in advance for your help! 

    May 12, 2017

    Move to Alameda. The school district is having a bit of an issue with school placement now (long story but Lum school might have to close right away due to earthquake hazards!) but in general the public schools here are awesome and AUSD will figure it out ...  You can take the ferry to SF which beats BART hands down, and the community is walkable, fun, and super family friendly. Like anywhere in the Bay Area, though, rents are super high and $3000 won't go as far as you'd like. It should be enough for a nice apartment or townhome but a single family home might be out of reach with that budget (see the other posts that appear very week about moving out of the area because it is expensive!) Harbor Bay Realty has a lot of rental listings posted at their website for an idea of the market. (In Alameda lots of landlords use property managers which is a bit quirky in the bay area). Good luck!

    May 17, 2017

    You probably need to find a neighborhood first before looking for preschools. You can find a good one, even this late in the game, and $1k per month for each child part time sounds reasonable. But your rental budget may be harder. I live where Rockridge (in Oakland) meets Claremont/Elmwood (in Berkeley) and a 2 bedroom apartment nearby is for rent right now for $3200. The 3 bedroom house next door rents for $5000 (its big). I think you'll need to budget at least $3500 for a nice 2 bedroom. In the East Bay, Berkeley and Albany have good publicity schools. In Oakland, it depends on the neighborhood. If your are willing to go farther away, Walnut Creek had pretty good schools and will be cheaper. But it is really the burbs. You might also look at El Cerriyo.

    North Bay is pretty but the commute to sf would kill me. South of SF is either super expensive or really industrial.

    we don't have the same rental broker system here-rentals mostly will be listed on Craig's List and what you see there should be pretty accurate in terms of pricing.

    good luck!

    May 17, 2017

    If you only need part-time childcare, you could try a pre-school co-op (but substantial parent participation is required). ECPC in El Cerrito is an awesome preschool, and way under $1000/month for half days. Pine Crest is another good option (not a co-op), but it's a bit more than $1000/mo for part time.  They just opened last year, and may still have space for next year. We have sent our kids to both and love them both. In general, El Cerrito has most what you're looking for. It's not as charming and walkable as many parts of Berkeley and Oakland, but its very functional, and has good public schools, although they are filling up early because so many families are moving here.

    May 18, 2017

  • Moving from Brooklyn - seeking housing under $1700

    –
    Mar 24, 2017

    Hello,

    My husband is being transferred to the Bay Area in July. Moving from Brooklyn. I've been reading about the unaffordable housing market in San Francisco and am slightly worried... Our rental budget is max $1700 (ideally less). Anyone moving to Brooklyn? Maybe we can swap apartments? Or can anyone recommend an area or neighborhood that's affordable with low crime? How far out should we be looking? 

    If we can't find a public school we may homeschool. My son is in a French language program and really likes it, are there any French programs in the Bay Area (free, public or charter)?

    Thank you very much!

    M.

    Mar 24, 2017

    Hi and welcome!

    The Berkeley-based ecole bilingue goes k-8 but is pricey. There is a charter French school (free!) that opened last year in Oakland.

    Mar 29, 2017

    I can't speak to your apartment search but there is a French charter school in Oakland called Francophone Charter School of Oakland. If your son speaks French he should have a good chance to get in. There's also a private school called Ecole Bilingue but it's pretty pricey.

    Mar 29, 2017

    I think that you're going to have a difficult time finding a decent rental with that budget. Where is your husband's job going to be? There's definitely more affordable housing the farther away you go but you should be choosing areas to look at based upon where his job will be. Certain commutes are much harder than others. For example, the commute from Berkeley to Silicon Valley is hideous and not something that you'd want to voluntarily sign up for. But the commute from Berkeley to a job that's close to BART isn't bad at all (most days!).

    Mar 29, 2017

    There is a French immersion charter school (Francophone Charter School of Oakland) that may be able to accommodate you depending on your son's age; the lottery for next year has already run but things always shift over the summer and spots may open up, especially if he is in grades 1-4 and already proficient in French. That housing budget is going to be extremely tough, however. There's not much in Oakland/Berkeley/surrounds in that price range (and what is there will generally be a 1BR). If you don't need to be close to San Francisco you could look further out in Contra Costa County or even Vallejo if you're hoping for a 2+BR at that price point. You might also consider looking to share a house with another family if you want to be closer in. Good luck!

    Mar 29, 2017

    There's a new-ish French charter school in Oakland: francophoneschool.org.

    Mar 29, 2017

    If you have rock solid references and can act very, very quickly, $1700 *MIGHT* cover the rent for one single bedroom within a home or apartment in San Francisco city limits. If you can look further out, you might be able to find some 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartments out in Concord, Antioch or Pittsburg for that price range. This would work best for people whose jobs in the city are close to a BART station, and would mean commutes of 90 minutes each way.

    If I'm being honest, I do not recommend the move if that is absolutely the maximum amount of rent you can afford. As a young couple, it might be more doable, but with kids I just don't see a home conducive to a family with kids in that budget. Yes, rents are cooling, but not that quickly.

    As to the French schools, how old is your son? There are a couple of French language preschool programs and private schools, but my Haitian friends weren't able to find a French language elementary or middle school that met their needs. Doesn't mean they don't exist, just means with a bit more information about age, requirements (immersion, one school period a day, after school, etc) we might be able to help identify any that would keep him happy.

    Mar 29, 2017

    There's a French-language charter school in the Oakland hills (by the zoo, I believe.) Our neighbors send their kids there: http://francophoneschool.org/

    Mar 29, 2017

    Hello!  and soon welcome to the bay!  We just relocated from Indianapolis about a month ago.  In truth, I fear your "rent-spectations' might be unrealistic... We were hard pressed to find a place that would suit our families needs (family of 4) for under 3000.00/mo (we were searching in San Rafael, SF, Albany and Berkeley).  We now have a 2 bed 1 bath 1000 sq ft duplex with as small yard, and minimal amenities in the 3000.00/mo price range (read: outdated appliances, non renovated for at least 40yrs interior, good neighborhood in Berkeley).  Perhaps if you looked further out, you may find something less expensive... or if you can live in a 1bed apartment, you may find something nice... 
    I'm unfortunately not familiar with much outside of the areas we were searching, though depending where your husband will work, Sonoma is reasonable, as are, likely, further out parts of the east bay and some areas south of SF.  

    We are just entering school world (First is in Kindergarten), though know that in Berkeley anyway, public schools are on a lottery system, so you order the ones in your district by preference and get what they give you in the end.  One of the schools in our district has a Spanish program, though my son did not get into that one. Perhaps some more seasoned parents can speak to the French Language schooling opportunities...

    Best of luck and I do hope you get all you are looking for!!!! You will love the Bay Area!  It truly is an incredible place to live!!!

    Mar 29, 2017

    The housing is indeed crazy expensive here. I suggest that you look into Zillow and Craigslist to get a gauge. Price is also determined on the school rating. 

    Outside SF, Peninsula area is generally more expensive than the east bay.  And also depend on how long/ far you are willing to commute to work.

    Mar 29, 2017

    When people say there's a housing crisis in the bay area, it's not a lie. For that price, you may be able to find a studio, maybe 1 bedroom, apartment in an area about 1.5 hours commute to the city. If you just want a room in someone else's apartment, you could get closer to the city and/or be in a safer neighborhood. You could look in the Vallejo (north) to Hayward (south) area in the East Bay, and point in between, and have a reasonable commute, but beware there are some really sketchy areas, especially in parts of Vallejo, Richmond, and Oakland- but some nice (though correspondingly expensive) areas too. If you're up for a longer commute, you could look into Tracy, Stockton, and Mountain House, but if you're traveling during rush "hour", you'd count your commute time in hours.

    I'd advise that you carefully consider how much money you'd be making here to judge if it's really worth it to move, or how much lower your standard of living will need to be, even with an objective salary increase.

    Mar 29, 2017

    Hi, I'm pretty sure you'll hear this from others, and I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it's not possible to find housing here in your price range.  Studio apts may occasionally appear at $1700, but not 1 bedroom (and I'm not sure if even a 1 bdr would work for 3 of you?). There are private schools in both SF and the East Bay that are bilingual French; private school costs $20,000 -$30,000/year or higher, though partial scholarships are sometimes available. If you do find an apt listed at $1700, check the neighborhood carefully. I wish you the best and wish I had better news (or some advice!) for you, it's just really tough here now. A room in someone's house can go for $1300-$1400 month. Best of luck. 

    Mar 29, 2017

    Charter French school in Oakland: http://francophoneschool.org/

    Mar 29, 2017

    I think $1700 for a family may be tough unless you're willing to squeeze in a 1 bedroom. SF has a lottery school system, but here's a link for school districts: https://www.niche.com/k12/rankings/public-school-districts/best-overall…

    Good luck

    Mar 30, 2017

    Thank you for the helpful advice. My husband will be working in Brisbane, we are flexible and willing to make sacrifices. I'm sure we can squeeze into a tiny apartment for a year or so. 

    I grew up in San Diego and have been waiting for the chance to move back to California. We've been very lucky, we live in a great neighborhood in Brooklyn, rent controlled apartment, way under market rate. (Been here nearly 20 years). Nice school with a French program, progressive community. But we are ready for change! 

    I will check out the recommended neighborhoods. As for schools, I'm happy to homeschool, we just need to be close to an excellent public library. 

    Thank you everyone!

    Apr 5, 2017

    Think about someplace closer to Brisbane -- Daly City (a very multi-cultural place, mostly different Asian cultures), Brisbane, Millbrae. You also would be near the Outer Mission/Sunset in SF. I don't know what rents are like there now. 

    Apr 7, 2017

    Hi there, closer to Brisbane for more (on a relative scale) affordable housing you can look at Brisbane proper, South San Francisco, Daly City, and San Bruno.  We just moved from Millbrae (referenced by previous poster) because we were priced out of the housing purchase market there, and bought in Berkeley instead.  I don't know what the going rate is for apartment rentals now but the schools are very highly rated so I'd expect to pay rent accordingly (and I would expect far above $1700).  

    Apr 12, 2017

  • Advice on communities for job in SF, family with a teen

    –
    Jan 22, 2017

    Hi everyone!  My husband recently took a new job in the San Francisco financial district.  We live in CT and he currently commutes to NYC.  His commute is about 2 hours (on mass transit).  We are looking to cut his commute to about an hour (on mass transit).  We are looking for decent schools (they don't have to be top notch super competitive).  We want a community that is down to earth and chill. Diversity would be nice as would a downtown area and walkability.  I understand our house will be smaller with less land there.  We would like to keep the home price under $1m.  My older two daughters are in college so it is just my 13 year old who will be in high school next year.  She is a softball player so a good travel team would be nice or a community that is easy to commute to fields from would be nice.  She also plays trumpet so a school with a strong music program would be a good selling point. 

    We like the sound of Alameda but my concern is getting off the island for practices, dr appointments etc.  Also not sure about the housing inventory there. 

    I like the sound of Balboa school in Southwest SF but the school system and policies in CA confuse me.  Here in CT you go to the school in your town no option other than private school but in CA it seems like there is some sort of choice.  Not sure how much choice we would have moving in August though. 

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.     

    Jan 22, 2017

    El Cerrito would definitely fit all your criteria! BART or bus to San Francisco is 30 minutes each way. It is a walkable city. El Cerrito High School has an excellent music program and a softball team. The local travel softball team is called the Crossfire and a few ECHS players are also on Crossfire. El Cerrito High School is so diverse that there is no majority ethnicity. Plenty of down to earth community events though the city and the community center. Homes will be under 1M. By BART or driving it is easy to get to Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco for more variety.

    Jan 25, 2017
RE:
North Berkeley Neighborhood or Block Association? (May 13, 2021)

Look up the group "NYC Expats in the East Bay" on Facebook there are a lot of us! And, welcome :-)

May 19, 2021
Recommended:
Moving from New York to the Bay Area

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Questions

Moving to the East Bay from Brooklyn - which neighborhood?

Oct 2014

My family of 4 (myself and my husband with our two sons, aged 2 and 4) is moving to the Bay area this winter, and I'm hoping this forum might help me with some questions! I have extensively read through old posts all over BPN, but could use some more specific advice on choosing a neighborhood. We are pretty sure we want to move to the East Bay, and are looking specifically at: North Berkeley; Albany/Kensington; Rockridge in Oakland, and perhaps Lafayette a bit farther afield. Our ideal community would include: the ability to walk to amenities (a few cafes/restaurants, groceries, etc.); walking distance to a BART station, and a commute of under 40 minutes to Embarcadero area; some proximity to nature; good local public schools and preschools for young children; some parks/playgrounds nearby; a safe, family-friendly neighborhood where we could rent a single-family house (our budget is pretty high, so that's not a major obstacle right now). I would love to hear from locals about how these neighborhoods compare, pros and cons of each in relation to the others and in terms of these criteria. I would also really love some tips on how to house hunt. So far, I'm looking at Craigslist and Sabbaticalhomes.com, as well as Trulia, but I'm not seeing much! Can people recommend good real estate agents who deal with rentals, or other sites we should look at? We want to rent for a year or so until we determine if/where we want to buy. Thank you so very much for any help you can give!

Relocating from Brooklyn

Congratulations! This is a wonderful place to live. Our favorite neighborhoods are: Elmwood (not so close to BART, but we think the very best neighborhood), North Berkeley/Gourmet Ghetto, and Rockridge. The area around upper Solano Avenue is also very nice. THE best realtor I've ever met is David Anton, WPM Properties, (510) 508-1313. Mind-blowingly good service. EastBayAPhile

One word: Alameda island mom

We live in Lafayette on a cul de sac. Each afternoon and on weekends the neighborhood kids are out playing, laughing, riding bikes, scooters, and skateboards, or exploring the creek nearby. Many kids walk, ride their bikes, or scooter to school. After school they walk to the library or hang out downtown. It is very safe and feels like a place where I can feel comfortable letting my son begin to spread his wings and experience some freedom and independence. Happy and relaxed Mama

House hunting for rent is almost impossible for people who already live in the area. You are already using the few resources that are out there.

Since your budget seems to be sufficient for high rents and you only need a rental for about a year, how about looking at airbnb and vrbo. There may be people willing to rent out for multiple months or even a year and long term rentals are not as expensive as real vacation rentals that are short term. Good luck with the search.

After living in New York for 11 years, I returned to the East Bay with my husband and young daughter. We are living in Lafayette. I couldn't be happier with our choice. We knew that no new urban experience would compare to our New York years, so we went the complete opposite direction and settled in charming suburbia. Lafayette is fairly small but offers everything on your list. I live within a 5-10 minute walk of restaurants, a major grocery store, the library, playgrounds, jogging/biking trails, public schools, and several preschools. The town is very safe and family-friendly. Although I don't know about availability (the housing market is very competitive here!), there are many homes within close proximity to BART and the main street, Mt. Diablo Blvd. There are many excellent preschools offering a range of scheduling options. Although there are waiting lists at many schools, the process is much more low-key than in New York. I find the people of Lafayette to be friendly, educated, and down-to-earth. My daughter is only in preschool, but the public schools here are very well regarded. Lafayette has extensive trails and parks, and it is also within easy driving distance to Tilden Park in Berkeley, where I often take my daughter for a variety of activities. I would say that the one thing Lafayette lacks is diversity. On all other accounts, it is lovely. Unfortunately, I can't provide much insight on the topic of real estate, because we chose to rent an apartment to start. I'd be happy to share more information about my experience here if you wish to email me. Good luck with your move! Heather

Moving from NYC with 13yo - need affordable and safe

April 2012

Hello! I realize this question has been posted many times, in one way or another, but most of the posts I could find were outdated and I figured it couldn't hurt to request some advice specific to my situation. I grew up in the Bay Area but moved to NY City in 91' when I was 13. I am now moving back to the Bay Area with my 13 year old son, our 2 cats and one dog. My husband will be coming out to join us in the near future. I have been researching towns, counties, neighborhoods and I am more confused now then when I began. I want to find an area that is 'safe' but I feel that what is considered safe varies greatly from person to person. For example, I feel perfectly safe in NY but many people do not. My main concern is gang presence, since I have a teenage son. 'Affordable' is another word that means different things to everyone. Basically, around $1500 for a 2 bedroom is the max for me. More for a 3 bedroom obviously, because I could get a roommate in that case. Good schools are very important to me as well. I don't mind communting to SF but I would love a town with a vibrant downtown so that mayve I can find a decent job. I work in Food and Bev, which is decent money in NY and SF, but not necessarily everywhere else. I've read some negative things about the schools in the East Bay and that snobby attitude of Marin. Any advice about these things would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!!! going back to Cali

Have you considered Santa Rosa ? Lots of food and beverage jobs around here since it's the Sonoma wine country and you can find decent housing in your price range especially in one of the historic neighborhoods near downtown. School quality varies so you should definitely examine that closely but there are some excellent public charter schools in addition to neighborhood schools. Santa Rosa's population is greater than 160K so while it's certainly much smaller than many cities, it's not a teeny tiny town either. Santa Rosan

Hi: I've also lived in NYC as a child and young adult, Marin as a teen, and more recently I've been in the Bay Area for 20+ years, in Oakland for 13 and Albany for 3 (whew!) I always felt safe in Manhattan, not as much in Brooklyn, but that was in the late 80's. So I get where you're coming from! I also have a 13 year old, who has begun to walk around with her friends and alone. (We now live in Albany). I think that if you want the urban amenities such as great food, great grocery stores, some degree of diversity and safety for kids who are out and about, Albany and North Berkeley are by far your best bets. Albany and Berkeley public schools are used by many people and are good (other than the Prop 13 issue but that's the case all over CA) IMHO, Elmwood and Rockridge are very pricy and do not offer as much for kids to do alone. Solano Ave and anywhere within walking distance is safe, there's lots of low cost food options for kids (pizza, burritos, coffee shops) and there's tons of kids out and about. If it were me, and you want urban life, I'd avoid the hills, but you're not going to find a rental there in your price range anyway. I have a friend who is raising her 13 year old girl twins in the Mission area of SF and she has a very similar life style, but her girls are more street smart than mine. Good luck with your decision! anonymous fellow traveler

New Yorkers relocating to the Bay Area, looking for a walkable neighborhood

Sept 2011

Hi All! My husband, two and a half year old daughter and I are relocating to the Bay Area this December, for my husband's job. We're New Yorkers who've spent the last two years in LA, and are really, really excited to move to such a seemingly wonderful, diverse, and WALKABLE place. Our biggest issue though, is getting our daughter into a preschool/ nursery school or even activity centered part time daycare, where she could begin in January.

We understand the process is long, as it would be in NY, and so far have scheduled tours, etc., for places where she would begin the following September. She's already beginning part time preschool here. I'd hate for her to miss out on nine months of school, friends, interaction, just because we need to move on such short notice. Does anyone know of any great places that might consider or be able to accommodate a new child mid-year?

We have a lot of freedom in what neighborhood we choose...although it can't be outrageous. For now what draws us most is the inner sunset/Richmond areas, bernal heights, Berkeley, and the safer but more citified parts of Oakland...we definitely don't want to be driving a lot. Other than that, we may very well plan where we live around where we can get her in school! thanks ahead of time for any suggestions! Sam

If you're relocating to the Bay Area, I hope you'll consider Alameda . It's less expensive than San Francisco, has a few destination restaurants, some nice shopping areas, a mall with a future despite past struggles. Alameda has a great climate, has an up-and-coming art scene, and the schools - despite admitted funding issues - are decent to excellent (as far as I'm concerned, the distance from ''decent'' to ''excellent'' is as wide as these three letters: ''P-T-A''.

Alameda was formerly a base town and has been something of a hidden treasure (some might say a backwater) but more and more young, progressive families are moving in. Most neighborhoods are walkable. There's a rather sparse but decent network of buses connected to AC Transit and BART, and on the West End there is now a bike commute shuttle through the ''Posey Tube'' connecting Alameda to Oakland, BART, etc.

In terms of preschools, talk to Fuzzy Caterpillar, Little Lions, Rising Star, KinderHuis, KinderCare and Child Unique Montessori - among many others.

Drawbacks (or benefits, depending on your POV)
- no big-box stores
- occasionally if a drawbridge is up over the estuary, it can be hard to leave town
- 25 MPH speed limit even when I'm in a hurry
- public beach isn't great for swimming, and public pool arrangement is lame
- very limited range of seasons: we get spring, we get something sort of like fall, no real winter, and summer has cool nights

Hi- You didn't say where your husband will be working but you did express some interest in the Sunset or Richmond area of San Francisco . If you are looking for a family friendly and walkable area in SF I highly recommend the Laurel Heights nieghborhood. It is flat and very walkable to everything you'll need and I do mean everything! The only issue is the public school situation. If you're kids are going to be in elementary school soon that is something to consider. Definitely research the SFUSD process to see if you can stomach dealing with the lottery. We just moved to the East Bay from Laurel Heights in SF because we didn't want to deal with the public school situation there. Other than that, it is heaven! Good luck with your move. Former city girl

We were in a similar situation last year at this time, when we moved to Berkeley too late to apply to preschools. We were lucky enough to find a very good preschool, The Model School , that does not have a college-like application process. They operate on a first-come, first-serve basis and new kids can enter when space becomes available. It is on Prince at Telegraph, in a very walkable neighborhood close to Elmwood, Whole Foods, Berkeley Bowl, Ashby BART. themodelschool.org Happy Model School Parent

We live in and love the Rockridge area of Oakland It's highly walkable and close to BART, good restaurants, etc. though as not as comprehensively useful as Piedmont Avenue. Admittedly it's not the cheapest place to buy a house.

We also adore our pre-school, Room to Grow . It's a reggio inspired program with really caring adults, who go the extra mile for the kids. You'd be amazed what kids can accomplish given adults who are open to seeing what they can do. The outdoor space is small, but they make the most of every inch. You get yoga, lots of art, great science exploration, cooking, and a gentle place that really understands kids.

It currently has openings. Our older child who is now in elementary went there for 2 years, and our youngest has been for six month. Happy Parent

If you are still looking for a preschool you should definitely be in touch with Betsy at Griffin Nursery School . I just saw on the website that she's still looking for girls in the morning program. We've been delighted by Griffin in the year that we've been there. The teachers at Griffin are warm and deeply experienced. I feel like I learn from them all the time (and I've spent a good chunk of my adulthood studying how kids learn!) When I share a behavior that I am trying to resolve with my son, their answers often surprise me (in a good way!), and help me think about the issue from his perspective in ways I could not have otherwise. It's such a safe and sweet setting, really very charming. We found it easily, since our close friends had sent their kids there and were very happy with it, but some of the parents of our son's Griffin-friends checked out many other preschools and at least two of them have emphasized to me how lucky we were to find our way to this special place. The big trick is that kids only go for half a day the first year, and in the second year you can add extra hours, but I think it's worth it to figure out other childcare for the rest of the time you need. And yes it's not the co-op I'd always hoped we'd join once we had kids (we're in South Berkeley and I didn't want to spend so much time commuting to preschool, but I can understand your interest!), and I don't know what being in a co-op is like, but I think this is as close as you are going to get outside of a co-op. Maminka

Moving into Bay Area from Brooklyn with 4-year-old

March 2011

Help! I just got a dream job with a wonderful SF company after having lived for over 25 years in NYC, 21 of them in Brooklyn. And while I'm definitely counting my blessings, I'm also grappling with my sense of loss (I developed an amazing network of friends during my 25 years and I love Brooklyn) as well as panic--we have about five weeks to find a place and get settled before I start my job. I'd like to get some recommendations from members about the best places to live--that are family friendly, ethnically diverse, have strong public schools and interesting communities (by which I mean, not exclusively the hedge-fund type). And the names of some good realtors as well (we'll be renting at first). Thank you! G.

I hope you'll check out Alameda . Buying is less expensive than San Francisco or Berkeley, although rents are probably higher than Berkeley's because Alameda doesn't have rent control.

We have at least 29 languages spoken in the public school district, which like all districts in California, struggles for funding and does a decent job considering everything.

There's a reasonable diversity of restaurants and small businesses. There are a couple of shopping districts with cute boutiques; there are several independent bookstores that kept a toehold while Borders came and went. We have a mall called 'Towne Centre' which unfortunately is nowhere near the center, often referred to by its old name, 'South Shore'. Towne Centre was recently purchased by a major developer and there are improvements in shopping choices in the works. Currently the mall is kind of low-rent. But there is a Trader Joe's with the best parking lot of any Trader Joe's I've ever shopped (usually they're a nightmare for some reason).

Alameda's flat (great for riding bikes and trikes), has many well-kept parks. Alameda has a low crime rate, 25-per-hour city-wide speed limit, and most neighborhoods have high walking index scores. There are many lovely views of San Francisco Bay. Housing options are diverse, all the way from hideous 70s era apartments to adorable bungalows to Victorian mansions and storybook cottages and beachfront condos, the occasional art deco or midcentury modern and... ok, no mud huts.

Note, I'm not a real estate agent or professional booster or anything, I just love this town - have lived here 10+ years and while it can be a little on the sedate side, it's getting more interesting every day. I hope you'll check it out. +++ happy in Alameda

What a great problem: dream job *and* in a great part of the country

I'm tooting my own horn here - my husband and I are great real estate agents! I hope you'll give us a call when you're sorting out whom to work with. I can honestly say my clients are a very satisfied bunch, and we can give references.

So: you have budget, schools, commute and community to sort out in your decision. You didn't say if your budget would allow you to live in San Francisco , closer to where you'll work. If budget and schools bring you across either the Bay Bridge or the Golden Gate, there are many communities to choose from. I know you'll get many great opinions from the members here, and I'll add my vote for you to consider Albany , Berkeley and Montclair (in Oakland). I'm leaving out El Cerrito because you're coming from Brooklyn and my opinion is that you'll feel more at home in these areas, and many neighborhoods in SF.

Whichever neighborhood you choose, I'm sure you'll build another great network and community out here - welcome! Jessica

My main advice is to rent for a year or two before buying a house so you can spend time visiting neighborhoods. Berkeley is reasonably diverse, has decent public transit, good schools. Albany has most of the above advantages but is not as racially or economically as diverse as Berkeley. There are some towns on the Peninsula to consider as well -- San Mateo is less diverse, but has a nice downtown, ok transit to San Francisco (though not anywhere else) and good schools. I wasn't clear from your note how much money you have -- San Mateo is pricier than Berkeley, as is San Francisco. In San Francisco you might want to consider Noe Valley, Bernal Heights or the Inner Sunset or the Richmond. The school assignment process in San Francisco is complicated, so be sure to research that before choosing a long-term unit there. Noe Valley looks more like Brooklyn, but I think Berkeley is more like Brooklyn demographically -- depending on where in Brooklyn you were living before. Luckily with a four-year-old changing schools on your way to finding the best community is less of a problem than with an older child. anon

Congrats on the dream job and your move! You'll soon see, the Bay Area trumps NYC for raising kids- really! I have a 4 and 2 yr old. Having lived in NY for many years, as well as many other places around the world, here is the place we want to settle.

The East Bay, particularly Berkeley and Oakland , is the most like Brooklyn you will get. It's very diverse, a lot of stuff is walkable, more bike friendly here and there is TONS of stuff to do with kids. We live in Berkeley (we also love Rockridge in Oakland). Both have great elementary schools. For middle/high school you would probably have to move out of Oakland though or go to private as I understand it. (We only moved here in May so are still learning). Berkeley has great high schools. You could also consider Albany , just North of Berkeley. Same vibe, great elementaries, cute main street and accessible to everything as well. If you are commuting daily into SF (I do as well), all 3 are great options. My commute door to door is 35 min including a 10 min walk to the Bart in the morning. My commuting time far beats what I used to do in NY.

We're also a multicultural family so feel very at home here- we last lived in a place where we were one of the few intercultural couples we knew and it has been so refreshing to be around so many others families like us.

Starting over anywhere isn't easy and it takes a while to form the same awesome community you are leaving (we are in the process of that now) but I bet you will love it here. I would never want to live in NY again after life here!

Feel free to get in touch with any questions via the moderator (don't think it lists my email here but not sure). Also, I'm not sure what you meant by interesting community being not hedge-fund like. Are hedge funds ever interesting (I worked at one)? Stephanie

Montclair Village , Lafayette or Berkeley , unless you are unGodly wealthy, then Piedmont or Orinda . If you opt to live IN San Francisco , near Golden Gate park. Julie Gardner is your realtor http://juliegardner.com/ . If she's too busy, Aaron Brown, same office. You'll LOVE IT HERE!!!! Welcome! Now you can get a puppy! Reenie

Welcome to the west coast! I feel your pain about moving, but know that you are moving to a WONDERFUL and vibrant place - I HIGHLY recommend you look at living in Alameda , it has everything on your list and more! Alameda is a small island directly across the Bay from San Francsico, great commute, great weather, tons of families and great schools. You can rent through one of the many agencies in town. For sales I highly recommend Valerie Ruma with Alain Pinel Real Estate, (510. 579-3614 or vruma [at] apr.com) she's lived in ALameda for 20+ years and knows the town and the East Bay like the back of her hand - good luck! island mama

I highly recommend Alameda as a place to live with young children. Alameda is a small island off Oakland, and it has a small community feel. The public schools are generally considered good (although with widespread budget cuts all schools are suffering right now), the area is safe, and it is VERY child friendly. Kids still walk or bike home from school in Alameda, and there are lots of trails around the lagoons and the water for biking or walking. Alameda won't be as 'city' as Brooklyn, as it is a suburb, but it's more of a 'small town' suburb rather than a sprawling mega-suburb.

What might affect your decision will be where your office is. The Bay Area is a lot bigger than East Coasters imagine (I used to live on the East Coast), and you might want to figure out where your work is before you choose a neighborhood, to save yourself a 2 hour commute each way. Alameda is pretty close to San Francisco downtown btw. You can take the ferry there, or else get dropped off at the BART (commuter rail). Lots of people drive into the city but the traffic often gets bad. For realtors, I recommend the one who helped us buy our house: Catherine Bierwith, longtime Alameda resident who is very knowledgeable. (http://www.alamedafinehomes.com/) --Alameda Resident

It really depends on your budget, since housing it very expensive in the Bay Area and in certain communities in particular, but you're probably used to that from New York. I live in Alameda , and think it would meet your criteria very well. It's got good schools, is diverse, safe, and has a small-town, neighborhood feel that you're probably looking for. It's actually an island, right next to Oakland, so it's off of a lot of people's radars. The one drawback is that since it's an island, the best way to access it is by ferry, car, or bus. BART doesn't reach it, although you can take a bus to a BART station pretty easily.

Another good neighborhood is Piedmont , although it's pretty upper-crust and expensive. The schools are amazing, though. And Berkeley and Albany are both really great cities with great restaurants, good schools, and lots of little neighborhoods within them. I lived in Berkeley and Albany for a decade, and finally moved to Alameda because I was sick of fighting with all of the people who crowd those two towns for a parking space, restaurant reservation, daycare spot, etc. I find Alameda to be much more relaxed when it comes to those kinds of little things that make life so much easier, and I've been happy that I moved ever since. If you need specific Alameda location recommendations, feel free to email me. Cassie

In the East Bay, Berkeley and Albany have good public schools, and Oakland has some good elementary schools. Linda Elkin is a great Realtor (and also my sister). I recommended her to another family that is moving from Brooklyn (I used to live in Park Slope) to the East Bay and she is currently working with them. She helped them find a rental, and has been introducing them to different neighborhoods that fit their needs. She is a great resource for school information and life in the Bay Area. Linda Elkin Red Oak Realty 510-282-5666 linda [at] redoakrealty.com Loved Brooklyn and happy here too

Congratulations on your new job and move! I too moved from the east coast, and have really grown to love the bay area. I highly recommend checking out Alameda . It's close to the city (takes me 15 minutes to get to the financial district from my home in the west end; would be a little longer from the east end), it has great schools, restaurants, beaches, toy stores, book stores, yoga studios, and farmer's markets. Is crazy diverse (in the five houses that surround mine I have one black family, two gay couples, one Chinese woman, and one white couple) and it's a real biking/walking town. Everyone is always walking or biking to restaurants/beach/parks etc. And it is the strongest community I've ever lived (neighbors really get to know each other) in the east bay so far (having lived in Montclair, Elmwood, and Rockridge prior--which are all very nice, too). Last but definitely not least, it is kid heaven here. I honestly had no idea until I moved here how much freedom the kids can have and how much they really thrive in an environment like Alameda. If you're into some of the concepts of free-range kids, Alameda is the place. The schools are great and very neighborhood oriented so the kids develop a really strong network of friends from an early time. They all walk/bike to school together. Once they get old enough (usually 8 but depending on the maturity of each kid) they walk/bike to school on their own and go to friends house for playdates. Then later they start to bike everywhere around town (it's an island so they can't go too far) to the beach/parks, to the shops/restaurants on Park Street (main shopping district), to the movie theater/plays/etc. It's amazing--the kids just blossom here. They can have that sort of freedom because Alameda is really safe (both with crime and with having a speed limit that is 25mph on most of the island), and people really look out for each other. If needing advice and guidance, I would highly recommend checking out Gallagher & Lindsey. I used them to buy our house in Alameda and was really impressed with their knowledge and professionalism. They've been around a long time and they really know the neighborhoods and current market. Best of luck with your move! Alameda Mama

Where's the 'Park Slope' of Berkeley/Oakland?

March 2011

We live in SF now but I would love to get recommendations on which Berkeley-area neighborhoods to check out in case we decide on an East Bay move with our 2 year old for more space, better weather and more affordable private schools. I'm originally from NY and miss the density, buzz and foot traffic so ideally, I'd love to live in a neighborhood that has the best of both worlds in terms of being near a BART station with a walkable, urban shopping area and yet still have a yard, leafy streets and block parties.

I've only done a few drive bys but the area near the Rockridge BART and the North Berkeley area near that Totland Playground seem nice. My husband lived in Berkeley long long ago for grad school and seems to like the Hills area but I feel like we'd always be bound to have to drive then.

On schooling, I'm particularly interested in Mandarin immersion and know there is AIM, GMIS and Shu Ren in addition to the new Charter School.

In NYC, I'd probably be inclined to live in or near Park Slope, Brooklyn. In SF, my favorite area is probably the neighborhoods near Dolores Park. Considering all this, which neighborhood do you think would have the best vibe for me?

Thanks for any thoughts! Ponzu2

I am totally unfamiliar with Park Slope, but your description of what you're looking for is *exactly* what Rockridge is like.

I've also lived near the North Berkeley BART station, and it's a great neighborhood -- compared to Rockridge it's a little less affluent and a little more crunchy-hippie, with somewhat smaller homes on average and not quite so leafy, but the two areas are not wholly dissimilar, especially if you go a bit more east and north than the area right around the N Berk BART station. My husband and I moved from Rockridge to Albany because, among other reasons, we wanted to send our kids to public school -- but for you, planning on private school, probably Rockridge is better located for commuting too. The area has plenty of great private schools although I don't know anything about Mandarin immersion options specifically. We love Albany, and Solano Ave has a sort of similar vibe to College Ave in Rockridge, but I do sometimes miss being *so* close to a BART station! Holly

I suggest our area - the LeConte (sometimes called Lower Elmwood) area of Berkeley. Our borders are Telegraph & Shattuck, Ashby & Dwight. We are seriously in walking distance to everything - we haven't had a car in years. We walk to bart, our choice of well-stocked grocery store, Telegraph, Shattuck and Elmwood shopping districts, schools and parks on tree-lined streets with yards. Families, college students, aging hippies, a great mixture of friendly neighbors. We love the neighborhood! It's just the right mixture of urban and suburban. Love our spot

From everything you said, Rockridge sounds like the best match to what you are looking for. I think it resembles Park Slope the closest, although you will never get a perfect match. Walkable shopping areas, close proximity to BART, good public elementary schools, tree lined streets, and nice weather. M

We moved to Rockridge from Park Slope 8 years ago -- in fact, we call Rockridge 'Park Slope West.' We LOVE it here. Though not nearly as dense as Brooklyn, this part of Oakland has a similar feel with highly-educated, interesting people, nice housing, and an easy walk to shops, school, and transit, plus it's only 20 minutes to downtown SF on the train.

Coming from New York, you will find the pace slower, but it is also much easier to cope with daily life. You'll never have to haul a stroller up subway steps again. As in the slope, public schools are less certain after elementary, but our neighborhood middle school is getting better all the time and more neighborhood families are choosing it each year. Lastly, although the bay area is expensive compared to most of the country, we've got nothing on the most desirable parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan so you should be spared some sticker shock. Good luck in your choice!