Moving To The Bay Area

[zerocool84]

I've lived in the LA area for 99% of my life. Grew up on the East LA county area. Most current place was Huntington Beach which was awesome. Lived there for almost three years and was the best time of my life. Was a mile from the beach so had the great beach life. I'll definitely miss living so close to the beach. My work offered me a lot more money to move. Luckily my place is only $200 more a month than what I've been paying in Huntington Beach which isn't too bad for the Bay Area it seems. I'll be working just right outside the bay in Pleasanton and living in Concord because it's still too damn expensive to live close to work. So many people travel REALLY far into the bay because it's crazy expensive.

I'll miss living so close to work. It's just insane how expensive housing is up here. You basically have to have roommates if you don't make decent money and don't want to drive 50+ miles to work everyday. It's definitely a change. There almost is practically nothing outside the bay. A lot of small cities and nothing in between. Plus is that there's actually decent public transportation and even though there's traffic it isn't as bad as LA traffic.

/blog

 

[zinfamous]

Yeah, the commuting in that area is just bonkers.

While rent has indeed gone nuts in the East Bay the last couple of years, I'm surprised you weren't able to find something "reasonable" in Berkeley/Albany/El Cerrito/Oakland?

Assuming you are working in SF or the Peninsula?

 

[zerocool84]

Yeah, the commuting in that area is just bonkers.

While rent has indeed gone nuts in the East Bay the last couple of years, I'm surprised you weren't able to find something "reasonable" in Berkeley/Albany/El Cerrito/Oakland?

Assuming you are working in SF or the Peninsula?

I'm working in Pleasanton. I was looking around Hayward and San Leandro but was still more expensive than I really wanted to pay. I would have really liked to live inside the bay but didn't want to spend a ton. I definitely didn't want to live in Oakland for obvious reasons.

 

[zinfamous]

I'm working in Pleasanton. I was looking around Hayward and San Leandro but was still more expensive than I really wanted to pay. I would have really liked to live inside the bay but didn't want to spend a ton. I definitely didn't want to live in Oakland for obvious reasons.

It's funny because you wrote that, I read it, and totally derped. Why not in Oakland? It has some really awesome and cool areas and frankly the dangerous parts aren't any more dangerous than anywhere in LA. It also has excellent food.

But those semi-suburby places like Pleasanton and Concord are still ridiculously expensive because of all the commuting. That whole region from Sacramento to San Jose is basically "Bay Area commuter housing." It's insane. Concord gets hot as balls in the summer, but at least they have a Fry's.

 

[purbeast0]

My old tech lead got a job with google and moved from MD to CA to Mountain View. He said he has like a 50 minute commute each way, but he's on a google shuttle that has wifi so he can actually bill his commute and does work on the shuttle. That's about the only way I'd ever commute that far.

 

[Sukhoi]

GLHF with the commute on 680. I'm actually pretty surprised that Concord is a lot cheaper than Livermore unless you're living in the ghetto in Concord

 

[Capt Caveman]

It's funny because you wrote that, I read it, and totally derped. Why not in Oakland? It has some really awesome and cool areas and frankly the dangerous parts aren't any more dangerous than anywhere in LA. It also has excellent food.

But those semi-suburby places like Pleasanton and Concord are still ridiculously expensive because of all the commuting. That whole region from Sacramento to San Jose is basically "Bay Area commuter housing." It's insane. Concord gets hot as balls in the summer, but at least they have a Fry's.

Yeah, lots of nice areas in Oakland. Lived on the Berkeley/Rock Ridge line and liked it a lot. Pleasanton/Concord is too far away for my liking. I think at one point I did look at some houses in Pleasanton, not a fan.

 

[TridenT]

I wouldn't have gotten a place in concord. Like others said, it gets fucking hot there. I would've went with a place much closer. Not having to commute adds a lot of time back into your life.

That said, I wouldn't have ever taken a job in Pleasanton to begin with... Basically saying that you will only go into the city on the weekends. Nope to that.

 

[SKORPI0]

But those semi-suburby places like Pleasanton and Concord are still ridiculously expensive because of all the commuting. That whole region from Sacramento to San Jose is basically "Bay Area commuter housing." It's insane. Concord gets hot as balls in the summer, but at least they have a Fry's.

Was in that area last January (vacation) and it was like 95°F. Driving around the bay (80/580/680/780) is so bad, just like around Chicago now.
Bought a shrink wrapped MSI X99S SLI Plus mobo from Fry's for $15 (3 bent pins) and RMA'd it ($15 shipping via USPS).

 

[Leyawiin]

Just remember to say "Conkerd" and not "Con-cord" or you be laughed at. Is your workplace close to the Pleasanton BART station?

 

[zerocool84]

Unfortunately places closer to work in Pleasanton were too expensive for my liking. I didn't want to pay $1600+ for a 1bdrm. Even in the Pleasanton/Livermore area it's the same expensive prices since everyone that works in the bay has to live outside of it because it's even more expensive than that. I definitely didn't want roommates either.

Also I start earlier and leave earlier than most people. I'm at work at 6:30am and leave by 3pm. To get to work it's not bad at all there is some traffic going home but it's not horrible like LA traffic where it takes you an hour to go 10 miles. There's BART about the mile from my home which is good.

 

[BoomerD]

My condolences. I commuted from the Central Valley into all parts of the Bay area for many, many years.

Traffic sucks from about 0530-10:00, then again from about 1500-1900. I used to "give" an average of 4-5 hours each and every day to commuting...and worked 10-12-14 hours per day on top of that...Usually 6-7 days per week. 1000 miles per week was about the norm...and 1500 miles per week wasn't uncommon.

Does it suck? Hell yes. Is it doable? Sure...but it still sucks.

Oh yeah...keep in mind...in Concord, you're basically surrounded by refineries...and they have lots and lots of...incidents. "Shelter in Place" is the normal response...but evacuate "such and such an area" happens from time to time too. It really all depends on where you're at. Martinez/Antioch are a bit better...and used to be a bit cheaper.

 

[TridenT]

Unfortunately places closer to work in Pleasanton were too expensive for my liking. I didn't want to pay $1600+ for a 1bdrm. Even in the Pleasanton/Livermore area it's the same expensive prices since everyone that works in the bay has to live outside of it because it's even more expensive than that. I definitely didn't want roommates either.

Also I start earlier and leave earlier than most people. I'm at work at 6:30am and leave by 3pm. To get to work it's not bad at all there is some traffic going home but it's not horrible like LA traffic where it takes you an hour to go 10 miles. There's BART about the mile from my home which is good.

I pay $1800 for a 1-bedroom, live well outside of SF (Belmont/San Carlos), and people think I got a somewhat decent deal. Biggest upside of my place is that it's month-to-month, double pane windows, and the landlord(s) is(are) pretty chill. Get used to the rates around here... Most places I was looking at were total shitholes and still asking $2200+/month for a 1950s 1-bedroom with original single pane windows.

 

[uclaLabrat]

Just remember to say "Conkerd" and not "Con-cord" or you be laughed at. Is your workplace close to the Pleasanton BART station?

I had exactly that experience doing that with a girl I work with from walnut creek. I still get shit about it.

Least I don't say hella. Fucking inbreeds up here.

OP I live in Suisun City, work in Novato. Commuting sucks. Moved here from costa mesa, and the 80/680/37 bullshit is horrendous. People up here can't drive for shit.

 

[core2slow]

I don't get why you guys from socal are moving up there. Is there not a comparable job down here, or is there a certain company that you want to work for up there?

 

[uclaLabrat]

I work in biotech. SF is the main hub, Boston and SD close behind. I'd love to be in SD but for now I'm up here. Well see where the future takes us.

 

[hans007]

I moved to the bay a bit before i turned 27 or so. Grew up in LA, worked here for a few years, went to school here etc.

I never regretted moving there, because it was great for my career, and i made new friends and just had some great experience.

That said, after the startup I worked for got bought out, I waited for my options to vest and convinced a company in LA to pay me even more to move back (so i lived there a bit under 5 years). I work in tech in software. If you are moving there for that, you can make just as much here though theres just less places (because they have to pay this much to keep people from moving up there). I lived in alameda pretty near oakland but left before this most recent tech boom so rent was actually LESS than LA (or well culver city where i live now, which is now a tech hotbed and expensive) when i was up there.

Personally 90% of my friends are not technical and that is the main thing i hated about the bay. every person you meet is involved in some tech thing or some ultra liberal super hipster douchebag. Its nice to just meet normal people who don't think they are about to turn a pile of crappy scripts and mongo tables into a billion dollars.

 

[TridenT]

I do software development. Honestly, it's going to be financially painful to leave the bay when I do. The salary difference is going to be massive. When I move to NYC, I'll be taking a $50k/yr paycut at a minimum and it'll be an even more expensive place to live. I'm hoping to join a company within the next year or two that has offices in NYC and will let me keep my compensation if I move to their NYC office.

It's unfortunate but the career opportunities here are just lightyears beyond what any other city offers... and the weather can be so nice year round. Only downside is everything else...

 

[olds]

Stay off 580 during commute hours. Unless you like going no where.

 

[tenthumbs]

If you come here, please work from home. Our roadways are full.

I'm not sure why anyone would move here unless you're close to BART even though it's dirty and expensive. You can't go anywhere during the day without encountering stop and go traffic. Then there's the ridiculous rental market alongside the insane real estate prices. Nice weather means nothing if the bulk of your day consists of going to work, being and work and then going home from work.