Coming off the heels of my post about a modern, Swedish home currently for sale by some clients contemplating their move here to San Francisco or the East Bay, it inspired a long overdue Battle Royale (perhaps on par with SF v. NYC):
San Francisco versus East Bay (I leave the “what exactly is East Bay” interpretation up to you). If you had to choose and why. Please share in the comments below.
On the map it hardly seems fair with the East Bay being so much larger than San Francisco, but we all know size doesn’t matter right? At least “that’s what she said.”
–More Battle Royales [theFrontSteps]
East Bay advantage: Houses are much cheaper.
San Francisco Advantage:FAR fewer [comment removed by editor]
I think the East Bay is the better choice if it is close to BART or other public transportation and not right on the Hayward fault.
Don’t get me wrong, but we have more sunshine in the East Bay. We also have more room for fruit trees and a yard for the dogs as well as access to miles of parks and trails.
I considered moving to SF years ago for the night life and the multitude of awesome restaurants, etc. However, I can now find all of that in the East Bay and don’t have to worry about parking when my parents visit, or where I can walk my puppies.
I think you get more bang for the buck in the East Bay.
Hmm, let’s see, old, foggy, cold, damp, mildew infested, dirty, and overpriced with nothing but homeless shuttles (I mean Muni) for most public transportation, and rude chinese people, or:
Newer, cleaner, sunnier, warmer, safer (Oakland aside), and more affordable?
Yeah, tough “CHOICE”.
SF, get over yourself!
East Bay definitely! Cleaner, safer, and better environment to raise a family.
BTW–
Skippy McLuvvin: “Rude Chinese people”? You are such a racist. There are many Chinese people live in East Bay, too! It has little to do with race, bur rather soci-economic status and how a person was raised.
Hmmm love the ebay but San Francisco gets this. As an allergy sufferer I prefer San Francisco, unlike what some say I do prefer the fog to bring in that coolness. The restaurants, theater, ease of transportation. The easy access to the beaches, twin peaks, fort funston, museums and work. So many east bayers have to travel to San Francisco for those things while we get to enjoy those things right in our backyard.
My spouse and myself re-located from NYC 4 years ago and just purchased our house a year ago…
East Bay…hands down –
I’ve lived in both places, and while both have their unique charms, the East Bay is a much better value for home purchase. Go to trulia or zillow and type in $500k, $1MM or $2MM for both areas and see the results for yourself. (And yes the weather is much nicer.)
loving SF over any other place in the world so far … I’m looking at what could be a reason to move to the east bay. One pops to mind: school districts are probably easier to navigate.
I’m a city girl – and everything that is horrible about a prime city simply doesn’t compare in SF.
smelly? you have never been to XXX obviously. (let’s not be rude ;-) )
foggy? have you ever lived in london?
pollution? San Francisco doesn’t even know the word
homeless? have you ever set a foot in Paris?
junkies? zurich is getting better, but it’s still a big problem in most european cities
cold? gimme a break and ask Chicagoan and Bostonians if they liked the weather this season
public transportation? at least WE HAVE SOME – taking you from anywhere to anywhere at any time of day and night … and/or you can iphone-touch a cab for an IMMEDIATE pickup at a ridiculously low price.
san francisco is a city for SF lovers … once you fall in love, you make it work for you – such as insulate your house to live virtually without any heat (no A/C being obvious anyway), with no car (by choice – thank you rental companies for fighting the turf and making more cars available that I can ever use), with tons of food/eat/bars/park within minutes from home.
We do have fruit trees – our block produces more apples, cherries, lemons, oranges that we could ever eat.
—–
I agree with Teresa – there are awesome places to live in the east bay – but also in SF. so let’s make sure we don’t compare rockridge to tenderloin – or pac heights to cuttoff road.
BTW – my pick for the east bay are rockridge and niles. which are both better that some parts of SF – but obviously not as good as where I live in SF.
Well….usually people that cannot afford to live in SF will buy in the East Bay….
pretty much the same all over…if you cannot afford to live in NYC, you live in hoboken….
If you cannot afford to live in Newport beach, you buy in inland empire…
etc. etc…
The are giving away houses in the East Bay….and I’m talking about all those fake rich areas….ask yourself why ????
For all those who think East Bay is better, think about this: higher price says it all. Expensive places are expensive for a reason. BTW, Pennisula is the best! haha
The reason why is better, beautiful and why is expensive than there,, the how is call?,, oh yeah the east bay hahaha…is that we have everything aside since walking, driving, taking transportation, cycling within minutes from our houses, and all of this is along SF, the peninsula, Marin county and the silicon valley. The Bay area wouldn’t be the real “bay area” without this four counties “marin, sf, san mateo and santa clara”, and I am talking seriously, without us, this urbanity could just be as any urban area of the USA like, Buffalo, Cleveland, Saint Louis, Boise or Detroit.
Easr bay is far better, Especially if you are near a bart station. I live two blocks from the W. Oakland bart station and I tell people I get to San Francisco faster now than when I lived in SF! I lived in SF for 21 yrs, it has some of the most miserable weather you can imagine year round, parking is a nightmare, most people I know just figure in a few more hundred dollars extra a yr for parking tickets.
Last but not least the diversity thing in SF is a big joke, you never see minorities out and about in the clubs and dining establishments, most of the whites act like they really do not want you around and unless you are going to major show or something your comfort zone in most places is awkward, they just play you like you are invisible!
Depends on your lifestyle:
Singles, DINKS, Late-nights activities – San Francisco
Raise a family in safe, affordable, sunshine, – East Bay
Long Term winner: East Bay…
san francisco, where I was born and raised, also had many negros , but were pushed out by the realtors and many relocated to Oakland. I have lived in both places, and I like the warmer weather in the east bay. The outer richmond is freezing. Right now, you can buy a forclosed home in East Oakland for about one tenth of what a san fran home costs. You could sell your san fran home, buy ten oakland homes, live in one and rent out the rest and retire on that income. But then again , you might get shot and get killed. It takes less time for me to get to downtown san fran from east oakland on bart, than it takes for me to get from the outer richmond to downtown san fran by bus. So oakland is closer to san fran than some parts of san fran. If Oakland could cut down on crime, it would be a paradise. Oh by the way, all us rude chinese people are selling our homes in san francisco to stupid white people for a million dollars, and buying ten houses in oakland, retiring, then spending all that section 8 rental income in Thailand. Thanks.
For me it is San Francisco. I don’t own a car nor do I want to so getting around the City by public transportation is great. What I pay in rent iss offset by not having to pay for a car, gas, oil and maintenance as well as insurance.****The diverse culture is wonderful. I love going to various parts of the City to enjoy learning about different cultures, their fine restaurants, etc****As for the nightlife it’s SF hands down. Whether at a club or the symphony or taking in a ballgame SF is TOPS****and finally Mr. Hardesty you words are racist.
I grew up in Danville, lived for 2 years in Rockridge, and recently purchased a home in Walnut Creek. These 3 areas are the best. I would put San Francisco 4th on the list.
I’d pick Neither. They are both overpriced and lacking in so many amenities (besides food, but Im a great cook at home). Anyone who thinks either is “nice” or has “more too offer” needs to travel the rest of the Country and see how good really can be.
East Bay, better weather, better value, more parks, better schools. Just better in general. As for Big Cities…..San Francisco is the Best. The beuaty of living in the East Bay is the fact that it is so close to such a greta city like San Francisco.
actually, you can fight all day n all year as to who’s the best. to me SOUTH BAY’s better than those two & weather’s just adorable all year round & not as damp as SF & hot/humid as in the EAST BAY! SF’s just 45min. away by car & visit the spots all you can & suffer the agony of finding your parking spot.
Mr. Hardesty,
What a dumb and insensitive comment. I wouldn’t want to move near you either with that racist attitude. Were in 2011, not in the 1950’s.
Why are so many people in here using the word “Negro” I find that quite offensive. Is this still the 1800’s or something?! East Bay is better, more space, better weather, if you are close to a bart station, SF is still easy access, and you don’t have to pay for parking. The only problem is if you want to go to a club or something and you catch bart, you have to leave at midnight or else you’re stranded, lol.
East bay…..and this is a decision I just had to make in the last year, I bought in north west Oakland very close to Emeryville.
Reasons: more affordable by far, better weather by far, more room by far, better connected geographically/logistically by far, and culturally-I’d take it any day over stuffier SF the tourist mecca.
We just moved to the Bay Area from San Diego – unfortunately we are stuck in the East Bay for awhile. Not looking forward to a gruesome hot summer that I was hoping to escape – love the fog in the city! East Bay is dull & ugly -the city is vibrant & cool! I’m so excited to be only an hour drive outside my favorite city now instead of 8! If I could afford to choose I’d definitely take the city – I know you can get a big-ass house the further east you go, but we’re DINKS, so who needs it! I’d rather be closer to the places & activities I enjoy!
Mr. Hardesty,
You are a jackass.
EAST BAY-specifically tri-valley: Livermore/Pleasanton
lower cost of living
lower crime
less homeless
MUCH better weather
closer to the mountains
closer to Santa Cruz
still close to SF
better family values
great schools
beautiful vineyards
great shopping
open space
parks
and did I mention the MUCH better weather? haha
I bought a 1910 craftsman house within walking distance of the coliseium bart station for only 70k. I spend a couple months living there while fixing it up and got to know all my neighbors. I live in a million dollar neighborhood in San Francisco, and dont even know the people a few houses down from me or across the street. In Oakland, there was no need to even have a car, and street vendors come to your front door selling ice cream, corn on the cobb, even fresh vegetables, at very low prices. You can watch the Oakland a’s play ball for two dollars and eat one dollar hot dogs. The Oakland flea market has live music and is like visiting another country. If you can free your mind and get over the whole race thing, Oakland is a better place to be.
I was born in San Francisco, and was very snobby about it. I moved to the East Bay 15 years ago, because I couldn’t afford a house in SF. It really grew on me. Seven Years in Oakland were just fine (before school age kids). The last Eight Years in Alameda… absoultely the best place to live in the Bay Area.
Oakland – more sun, more fun, lower cost – a great place unless you need a public school or a policeman
People think the east bay is really hot all summer. Actually, most days it’s in the mid 80’s, with nights in the 70’s-perfect for bbq’s. We only get a week here and there where tempuratures soar to 90-100, and then it’s pool party time!
I lived in SF for four years and LOVED it! I was single and went out all the time and had lots of fun. I fell in love in SF and my wife and I decided to head for the E. Bay because we needed more room and a yard. I do miss the city but from where we live in Alameda, it takes us less than fifteen minutes to get into the city, especially with Fastrak. SF is a great city for young singles who want to go out a lot. For those of us who want work space and peace and quiet, many parts of the East Bay are nicer.
I dont have school age children any more, but if I did, I would not mind enrolling them at the local school in East Oakland. They might be the only ones of their race at the school but so what? the curriculum and teachers are pretty much the same as in say Danville or Alameda. If it was a concern, you could always home school them. If I wanted my kid to grow up in an all white environment, I would move to North Dakota.
If you are single, San Francisco is the best place, too many things to do including San Francisco University. Living here does not require owning a car since you can’t find a parking space.
If you want to raise a family, the east bay is a much better choice with much better weather, homes are more affortable and larger in size and you can get a back yard and less traffic.
Exception: Do not move to Oakland downtown or within 10 miles ratios from the coliseam. This place is worst than San Francisco.
It depends. If one wants pure urban living, I’d happily live on Nob Hill or Russian Hill or Telegraph; really almost anywhere bounded by Market, Van Ness and the Bay. Otherwise, the nicer parts of the East Bay – Berkeley Hills, Elmwood/Claremont, Rockridge, Piedmont. East Bay has more sun, better access to nature, often better access to the SF Financial District for work. (My commute from the Elmwood in Berkeley to Montgomery Street is about 1/2 hour, mainly on BART. My commute to Financial District from Noe Valley was about 45 minutes. The folks who live in the Outer Richmond can count on a commute of an hour._
I bet there will soon be a nice house in the Oakland Hills near Redwood Regional Park for sale at a good price. The owners don’t feel safe there any more.
The Oakland coliseum area has world class entertainment, the world champion raiders, oakland athletics, and home of the golden state warriors basketball team. entertainment of all types plays at the oracle arena. Oakland international airport is also nearby, and San Francisco bay is just across the freeway , with boat ramps for launching your boat into the bay. It is nice to have a yard big enough to park an r.v. or a boat. Impossible in San Francisco. International blvd is just that. You can get soul food, Chinese food, Mexican food, even kfc and mc donalds are an easy walk or bike ride away. San Fran is just too hilly to ride a bike around in my neighborhood anyway. The best solution is to have two places. San fran and Oakland. When you get sick of one, you can head off to the other.
the BEST place to bye is OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA ,,, this state has become a overpriced 3rd world S**T HOLE
I wouldn’t be able to tolerate the chill of San Francisco, but the East Bay would be nothing more than shallow suburbia without the culture that The City provides. So, though I made the choice to move my family to Lafayette, I wouldn’t be here at all without San Francisco being within easy shot. (Motorcycle is the mode of choice for the most discerning, of course.)
However, it has to be said: if you could live anywhere around here, wouldn’t you really rather live in Mill Valley?
East Bay – we’ve lived in Danville. The weather is better, the schools are great. SF is still accessible to experience city life. East Bay is where you raise your kids!
It’s all about lifestyle choice. I personally like the South-East Bay for raising my family due to the great schools and great diversity. I lived on the peninsula for ~30 years and don’t miss it at all. If I want to go to San Fran”disco” I just hop on BART.
VERY RACIST COMMENT MICHAEL HARDESTY. YOU RATE THE LIFE QUALITY OF A REGION BY THE COLOR OF THE SKIN OF IT’S POPULATION. I FEEL VERY SORRY FOR YOU.
Well… consider I have lived in both area.
I lived in SF for 6 1/2yrs and EB for 25yrs hmm… you decide for yourself where i decided to stay. :)
I can take public transport into SF and not deal with parking and buying those stickers to park on the street in front of your own home!
its always cold.. but i have to agree that you have less case of allergies than the EB.
EB housing was cheap… so dependant on where you are.
Tri valley is cheap like the rolling hills.
Love to go to Mt. Diablo ride my bike up and just cruze down with easy… SF.. .LOOK OUT it’s another crazy driver who isn’t looking!
Fight traffic… or live the simple life with big houses, big yard and a Prius!
AWeSOMe! :)
You can go to the Pavillion for outdoor concerts.. wait you have to go to Golden Gate Park for that.
It just really depends on the personality… if you like city life and pay the higher prices and hope to God you don’t get laid off than go ahead…
however, the other alternative… EB… simple, BART, malls, parks, farms for fruit gathering… I have friends in SF who come out to the EB to enjoy the hot weather :)
East Bay hands down. City life where cars zoom by with little regards to your child or your dog? NO THANKS!! Where people give you the middle finger because you slowly changed into their lane?! NO THANKS!!!
SF = broke snob rude single HAHAHA
The one thing San fran has that the east bay lacks is a nude beach. On a summer day when it is hot, there are lots of naked people at Baker beach. In the East bay, the closest thing is the Pool at u.c. berkeley, where there are some topless girls. But for consistent heat, you cant beat waterworld in concord. get a season pass and go everyday. Not quite bakers beach, but sometimes people are more attractive with their bathing suits on. Thailand has year around sunshine, but no nude beaches!
As long as you stay away from African American communities the East Bay is very nice. Excluding: East Oakland, Richmond, San Pablo from the east bay: Fremont has a good downtown, Oakland (lakeshore/grand neighborhood only), Emeryville/Berkeley area, Moraga, Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Danville, San Ramon, Dublin.
San Francisco is great of your single, no doubt. But, when talking family… not the first pick.
Down the peninsula is a bit bland until you hit San Jose.
The east bay is my choice.SF is great for night life,entertainment,etc.
Long term,family wise,I believe east bay is far superior.I grew up in Oakland,live Sequoyah Highlands (back behind Oakland Zoo)so peaceful,it seems as though you are hundreds of miles away from a inner city.Wildlife,hiking,biking trails
etc. The tri-valley is lovely.Great schools,there are jobs also.Bishop Ranch,Lawrence Livermore Lab to name a few.
I enjoy visiting SF,but not to live.
I think if I were African American, I would not mind sending my kids to an African American school. By the way, My mom was born in South Africa, Does that make her African American as well? I think lots of Chinese parents want their kids to go to school in San fran because there are lots of other Asian kids and Asian teachers as well. Everybody likes to stay close to their own race. Does that make us all Racist? At least Mr. Hardesty is honest about his racism. Everybody else says the schools are no good, the crime is too high, when they really mean to say it is too black for them.
If you are just trying to invest, have at least 550,000, and do not mind a lot of cold, foggy windy weather much of the yr and do not have to send your kids to a public school San Francisco is great! The schools in both places leave a lot to be desired but there are some good ones, public that is.
San Francisco is a great city, sure people come from all over the world to visit and when you meet people in other parts of the world/country who have been here they all love it!
The houses there are some of the most gorgeous if you can get a good one- you need at least $700,000 to be in the ball park, maybe if you are lucky you will have a garage?
But again the city has a diverse population but many of minorties are not to be seen out, part of that has been the escalating costs and part of it is just a national trend of blacks and latinos leaving urban areas for the burbs.
You may see more asians out and about because many have used their education to climb the ladder and they can afford to go out more, but even then.
San Francisco natives are great people, very open minded and politically aware; but over the yrs there seems to have been an onslaught of people from other places who do not fit the open minded character types from other places, and yea some SF people are snobs but most are very cool, most of the snobs are people from outside now claiming to be cool because “I live in SF”
Oakland is having its problems for sure but is changing slowly for the better because more people with money are moving in, for the most part these are people who seem to be pretty down to earth types who are not afraid of the dreaded Oakland streets. I hate to say it but it seems like the whites that live in Oakland are less afraid of blacks and more comfortable with the idea of living around minorities, however I am not implying that most in SF are racist, they are far more open than most places around the country. I live in the worst area but the trouble makers are a small group who do a lot of damage; in almost 70% of the murders the perpetrator knows the victim, just dont be around when they shots are being fired in certain parts of East and West Oakland, also quite a few breakins.
The bad parts of San Fran are hidden away but they are just as bad as Oaklands.
But when all is said and done the weather can make a big difference; Oakland wins hands down here, I can have patio parties several months a yr in Oak, rarely in SF. And Yeah
you can have a house and yard for a little more than half of what you would pay in SF, you probably need a car though and you will most likely not be able to walk to one of your favorite dining places.
East Bay if you like crappy aggro drivers, hellish commuter traffic, having to drive around in a car to get anywhere and do anything, paying bridge tolls to get anywhere nice, having nothing to do outside of wasting away at cookie-cutter shopping centers, filling homogenous track homes full of mass market distractions, settling for b-grade dining experiences, and being surrounded by people who live and think inside of a bubble. All wonderful things if you are miserably locked into a marriage with children I guess.
If you are young, free, ambitious and adventurous, there’s always life in San Francisco, which is a new experience every day you wake up and walk out the door. How do you pigeon hole the character of a city made of of so many neighborhoods each as different from the next as the people that live in them? Who has the time? You will literally be bombarded with such an endless supply of communal activities catering to all types that enables a small city full of strangers from all walks of life and every corner of this planet to encounter each other on a purely random basis, create wild and amazing experiences, and leave you with a humbling realization about just how big and diverse this world is through the lens of this uniquely cultural patch of land.
So ya, take it from someone whose lived the first 20 years of his life all over the East Bay, San Francisco is where my heart is.
Can we keep the racist comments of this blog? Come on folks, grow up already this is the 21st century.
As a Giants season tix holder, theater and art lover (w/current memberships @ SFMOMA and The DeYoung) and someone who works in the city, I choose Marin!
It’s the most gorgeous place in the bay area w/the closest proximity to all the great stuff SF has to offer without the crime/cruddy homeless issues/constant smell of urine w/THE lowest crime rate and easiest commute (I take the Ferry every day to work and to Giants games), nicest neighbors, best schools (even though I don’t have/want kids), fabulous open spaces, hiking/biking/walking trails and steady property values, it’s a no brainer.
You all can just keep on battling it out for 2nd place…
San Francisco is a nice place to visit, but the houses are just too expensive, so it is not the best place to live in the Bay Area. A few days ago, a local TV station shows us that you can get quite a bit more house in the East Bay for the same $500,000 than you can in San Francisco. Besides, earthquakes of the past have shown that they do more damage in the city than in the East Bay. Given the cost of earthquake insurance, it is a good idea for those who are thinking of skipping on earthquake insurance to settle in the East Bay.
Kitty’s points about the East Bay certainly have merits. I live closer to SF so thus perhaps I haven’t had the exposure to the cookie-cutter shopping centers and such as she has.
Where I live in Oakland, I can walk to many restaurants, shops, stores, even the Farmer’s Market at Grand Lake (one of my favorite Saturday past times). It shares much of SF’s diversity, yet also has a sens of newness, and sense of community unmatched in my 13 years living in SF.
That said, I’m happy for my time living in SF and glad it’s so close. But to the thread’s question — where’s a better place to buy a home — you’ll get way more bang for your buck in the East bay. Sure not all neighborhoods are great but I would stay away from the Tenderloin or Bay Point as well.
I knew a guy who was the only white kid in a all asian school in chinatown, and guess what, he lived to tell about it, is still white, and got into a great college because the college admissions people figured his experience was unique and not like the zillions of other applicants out there. So maybe if you want your kid to get into harvard , yale or west point even, send him or her to a school where they will be the only one. I guarantee they will have a unique educational experience, be able to write about it in their personal statement and get a scholarship to the school of their choice.
I moved back to Oakland after being out of the Country for eight years. I could not believe how much the City had changed for the better. For a real maverick Oakland is truly a diamond in the rough, so much opportunity and potential. Not only the weather but the diversity or people, cultures, and events. A 10 minute BART ride to Downtown San Francisco and a 40 minute drive to Silicon Valley ~ perfection. The neighborhoods are stabilizing. This is a real urban secret. Imagine the two cities both being built up. This would be the most interesting place on the planet. What other cities have such natural beauty, world renowned education and medical facilites and brain trust. Let’s work together and make both cities the envy of the World!
Hardesty is your typical hipster left wing wack job racist San Franciscan. Another reason why I left the city, it’s full of trust fund geeks who chase after Asian women to satisfy their pathetic yellow fever. The City is nothing but white men with sellout Asian women looking for their white night.
Ok, let us all be honest about this racism thing: You are not going to buy a house in a black neighborhood. Period. Right? Here is why, while leaving out the bullshiz political correctness: African Americans earn and build their own stereotypes, and your not going to put your 1 white kid in a school full of homies.
For those of you who are not street smart, keep your political correctness bullshiz in your cubicle.
Hey American Joe, it’s not because it’s “Black” it’s because it’s low income you inbred moron. There are plenty of well to do Black neighborhoods in oakland as well as LA and all back east. If your mother and father were not brother and sister you may know this. Trash boy.
SF without a doubt. Lake Merritt is cool and the hills are nice, but geez getting there is unbelievable!
Hey North Oakland, I see you don’t live in East Oakland do you?
Case and point.
Name a good African American community?
After North Oakland commences a long Google search to find a good community, no word yet.
Notice this persons inability to be civil and resort to name calling and belittling.
It is pointless to argue with people that clearly live in fairyland.
After reading “North Oakland’s” comments, I would say that commenter is more racist than anyone on here.
To you six imbeciles who are too lame to think independently
and have to resort to the tired old ‘racist’ epithets I feel
very sorry for you.
I have lived in Oakland 31 years and am in my 14th year as a homeowner here. My Jewish and I have experienced intense ongoing anti-Semitic and anti-White racism exclusively by Blacks. I can cite chapter and verse but I don’t need to, you all know it’s true.
Since I used Negro which was used by Dr. King, there’s nothing “racist” about it. After being born and raised in the DC area before I came out 38 years ago I don’t require lectures from libtards. There ARE racial differences as well as sexual ones and you can take your PC platitudes and put them up your alimentary canal.
The only thing worse than ghetto trash Negroes are white trash leftists who abound in both SF and Oakland.
Thank Allah California is getting no new Congressional seats.
SF, Berzerkeley and OakTown all should forfeit home rule.
Please call out the “white trash leftists” posted names, so that we can understand the commenters you are referring.
Ladies and gentlemen: In summarizing the comments posted above, people prefer the East Bay due to pricing and family-friendliness (with consideration for certain areas).
It’s city life versus suburban life. If swimming pools, backyard barbecues, lawn mowing and SUV driving are what make you happy, then the East Bay is definitely for you.
I agree with Vince Chang’s ideas on frugal, hardworking and yet smart Chinese people who are good savers and good homeowners in this country. That applies to all immigrants from the world, just to name a few: Mexico, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Africa, Germany, Turkey and etc. Just because your ancestors have come here 100-200 hundread years adhead of today’s new immigrants and can afford to live in Marina and San Francis Woods doesn’t mean you have to exclude people of color and give a black eye on all those waiting on a MUNI bus line plus those who can only afford crime-filled Oakland.
North Oakland,
Just got dumped by an Asian woman?!
Please learn how to spell first — white knight, not white night.
East Bay by far.
I guess you would look for a white knight as well if you were treated like a second class citizen when hanging around with your own kind. Having a big white guy around opens many doors for oppressed brown people , male or female. Hetero Asian woman are no more desparate or sell out than any other women, they are just willing to give a poor white guy a chance after he has been crucified by all the feminazis out there, who have either divorced him, dumped him, or would not give him the time of day. If you think guys in san fran have asian fever as you put it, you should see the 60 year old white guys with 20 year old girlfriends in Thailand. Shocking.
[Editor’s Note: Usually I edit comments, but this time I’m letting it roll. Keep it civil and try to avoid racial comments one way or the other. Jeez!]
There is no correct answer to a wrong question.
The San Jose/South Bay is clearly the better choice. People vote with their feet, and Santa Clara county, the largest county, wins in a landslide. It’s fascinating watching San Francisco (#3) and East Bay (#2) counties arguing among themselves, without even mentioning the winner going away, San Jose/Santa Clara.
No culture in suburbia ? Get your head out of 1950 ! There are 4 regional theaters in the San Jose Bay Area (yes, that is the correct name for the nine county region) and HALF of them are in Santa Clara County. That’s to start.
Hey San Francisco ! Want to hear a world-class symphony on 4th of July like real cities (Chicago, Boston)? Oops ! You have to come to the BIG county… to hear your own symphony ! And they play almost as many concerts in Flint Center as they do in Davies ! San Francisco has an edge in culture ? HAH !
Sports ? We have the Sharks, the Niners, the A’s (soon enough), pro lacrosse, pro soccer, we might also soon have the Raiders, if Al Davis can stand dealing with Jeb York.
The weather is BY FAR better than “The (small) City” and it is neither as cold as Emeryville, nor as hot as Livermore in the East Bay.
San Jose ALONE provides more jobs than San Francisco has, and they are GOOD high paying jobs, not tour guide and waitress jobs.
For non-parents, the state API scores just came out. Once again, I think 18-20 of the top 25 schools came from Santa Clara County. I don’t think San Francisco had one school in the top 25, although I think Piedmont was in there somewhere.
If you need to be constantly bashed in the head with advertisements to find culture, you should stay in tourist-based San Francisco. If you can find culture without a bullhorn shouting in your ear, you may find the South Bay surprisingly busy.
How can you compare the City and County of San Francisco to the East Bay? How can you compare a small city to 2 large counties 20 times the size of SF? How can you clump (Orinda/Moraga/Blackhawk) with (Richmond/East Oakland)? Blackhawk is like Hillsborough or Beverly Hills while Oakland or Richmond is like the slums of Haiti.
Hey Valleyboy, the Wall St. Analyst Rob Black of CNBC said never to buy real estate in an area with too many “Spanish” people (Santa Clara). The Hispanic population is divided up into 2 street gangs, the Nortenos or Surenos. I don’t want to be caught in the crossfire. Hispanics rarely go to college.
To Vince Chang:
The nude beaches in SF are 99% gay men. The 1% females look like they just crawled out of a petrie dish.
LOL@ Investigazoni
True! LOL!
Soooo…. What if you don’t care what cultures you live around and simply want to hunker down somewhere for a year or two, while renting a cheap and decent 1 or 2 bedroom place, while working your 9 to 5 in SF’s Financial District, and saving money to eventually buy a small income property in the Bay Area? Where would you choose to live if that was the case?
Atlas,
I’d live right smack dab in the heart of San Francisco, walking distance to your job. No car.
Maybe I’m not looking in the right places or maybe I’m looking for a gem that doesn’t exist, but I’m finding it difficult to find a 1 or 2 bedroom place for around $1,200/month. For $1,700/month, you can live in just about any area. But, if you want to spend a year stashing that extra $500/month, I’m feeling like it’s not possible in SF.
Atlas,
You might have to expand your search. There are good 1brs for that, just not in the “heart” center. Two beds will be a bit tougher to find for that $$.
I’ve lived all over the Bay Area and know the two best spots in terms of safety, quality of life, people, affordability natural beauty, things to do and commute… Usually we try to keep people out so I’m not going to share either one of them with you dumb chumps. HAHAHAHAHA!
Ha Ha! That’s good. We were waiting to learn where is Nirvana…
East bay without. Sf is not bad, but I guess it depends in the person. It is too cold and foggy in sf, to say nothing of the ghettoness. I ve never lived in the city, but if I did the. I’d choose some quiet place like forest hill. I was in Berkeley for six months – hated the homeless people and the students (I lived in an apt near Bart). Then I moved to walnut creek/Lafayette which I would claim is the best living experience ever. Commuting to Berkeley was still easy with Bart. I very much did enjoy working in downtown Oakland and the lab/university, with all the things to do there. Now though, I moved to Santa Clara with a new job. This place is probably the best. Great weather, no bums, and clean and posh. I still go to the lab for work reasons occasionally, which makes me happy.
I would, however, never want my kids to grow up in east Oakland, or in sf ghettos. You need clean atmosphere. For this reason I would think of Livermore or pleasonton. Or some of those expensive places in the peninsula or Siuth bay (stay away from east sj or downtown though). Walnut creek/Lafayette/tri valley and maybe Fremont (but far from mowry). Rock ridge too.
All in all I’d prefer east bay. But it depends on whether it is a good area. Sf is ok but it’s just too cold and its hard to drive there.
Definitively sf, expensive and crowded…but expensiveness brings you everything aside you, same in the península cities.
Clayton, Danville, or Walnut creek is the best place to raise your child. Or anywhere close to Mt. Diabo. Clayton was actually rated best place for trails and scenery by several magazines. I see it working in 3 phases: Young and single through your mid to late 20’s in SF. Save a little more money and get a bigger place in the hills or by the water in alameda or emeryville in your late 20′ to mid 30’s. Then Raise your kids either in the North bay or Clayton, Walnut Creek, or Orinda.
I’m 27 and I’m seriously tired of San Francisco after 6 years. It can suck the life out of you. I really love the air and sun in the east bay, it makes me feel more alive. Berkeley and Okland actually have amazing new venues and bars that can kick many spots in Sf in the ass.