I Should Move Where??

[mosquito]

Nothing new, really. The BA is friggen expensive. SF prolly the worse of the worst. I can't ride, 'cause I can't * also * pay for a garage in the City and things are eating up all of my money.

The job pays OK, but doesn't pay like the tech job I had. At least during the time of Coronavirus, the job is consistent and mostly reliable (they are talking about the budget cuts that may be on the horizon in a couple of years...) Other good things about the current job are that I'm fully employed AND I can do this version of my job entirely from home.

When / if they decide that we'll go back to work in person like we all really want to, I should have about four months' notice. I can do a long commute for the remainder of a year to finish out any lease I have at the time.

So, I'm thinking about moving. I'm thinking about moving to the edge of "Commute to SF range". The idea is to live elsewhere to save some money, but be close enough that when I have to I can commute. Where would that be to you?

I'm currently wondering about the likes of Petaluma and Livermore, but even after 20 years here -- and 10 years after I was * supposed * to move away -- I've never commuted here.

 

[wazzuFreddo]

I've been happy in Hayward for the last 12 years. A couple of sketch neighborhoods here but if you do your homework and come both in the day and night before signing anything you should be covered.

 

[greenmonster]

I’m in Pleasanton which is obviously close to Livermore and I BARTed in to the Montgomery St station every day for 3 years up until last year. Count on at least an hour each way once you get to the station. I was 5 minutes away, so for Livermore you can add another 10-15.
Parking is $3/day in addition to the ticket price so it gets a little pricey . My company had commuter benefits which partially offset the cost.
Living this far away from the city means a 2 hour+ round trip commute every day which eats into your private life so be ready for that.

 

[Eldritch]

Nothing new, really. The BA is friggen expensive. SF prolly the worse of the worst. I can't ride, 'cause I can't * also * pay for a garage in the City and things are eating up all of my money.

The job pays OK, but doesn't pay like the tech job I had. At least during the time of Coronavirus, the job is consistent and mostly reliable (they are talking about the budget cuts that may be on the horizon in a couple of years...) Other good things about the current job are that I'm fully employed AND I can do this version of my job entirely from home.

When / if they decide that we'll go back to work in person like we all really want to, I should have about four months' notice. I can do a long commute for the remainder of a year to finish out any lease I have at the time.

So, I'm thinking about moving. I'm thinking about moving to the edge of "Commute to SF range". The idea is to live elsewhere to save some money, but be close enough that when I have to I can commute. Where would that be to you?

I'm currently wondering about the likes of Petaluma and Livermore, but even after 20 years here -- and 10 years after I was * supposed * to move away -- I've never commuted here.

I will try to be succinct and abundantly clear to you. You are not prepared for the commute.

 

[mikev]

livermore sucks stay away

 

[kingmoochr]

Bridges suck. If you're country-ish, I'd say south of San Jose. North is probably nicest, but has the narrowest corridor for traffic. I can't think of any reason I'd move east......

 

[Eldritch]

I can't think of any reason I'd move east......

Because you hate yourself?

 

[Kornholio]

Because you hate yourself?

Because $3000 a month for a 1-bedroom apartment with no garage is fucking stupid.

 

[kingmoochr]

Because you hate yourself?

I try not to remind myself of that fact, lol

 

[kingmoochr]

Because $3000 a month for a 1-bedroom apartment with no garage is fucking stupid.

Agreed, so north or south.

But also, look around, rents have nose dived. Renegotiate your current rate or shop around. I have a friend finally living alone after 10 years of roommates. Definitely don't stay in your current situation.

 

[Kornholio]

Agreed, so north or south.

But also, look around, rents have nose dived. Renegotiate your current rate or shop around. I have a friend finally living alone after 10 years of roommates. Definitely don't stay in your current situation.

I'd love to see someone show me a posting from SF for a 2-bedroom townhouse or house (at least...but no apartments!) that includes an attached garage, a square footage of at least 1200 square feet and photographic evidence that it isn't a total flophouse or a dump that's being offered for $3000 a month or less. I'm willing to bet that this sort of thing simply does not exist in SF and no matter how low the rents drop, it never will again. Those days are over.

You can have what I described all over the East and South Bay easily. And to be frank, I was being generous with the $3000 limit. The rent for such a place I described above can easily be had for $2500 a month or less in good neighborhoods.

 

[kevin 714]

Pre covid your commute from petsluma to an office in city would be at least 90 mins each way, prob more like 2 hours.

I will try to be succinct and abundantly clear to you. You are not prepared for the commute.

This more than you could ever realize

 

[AbsolutEnduser]

Because $3000 a month for a 1-bedroom apartment with no garage is fucking stupid.

I'd love to see someone show me a posting from SF for a 2-bedroom townhouse or house (at least...but no apartments!) that includes an attached garage, a square footage of at least 1200 square feet and photographic evidence that it isn't a total flophouse or a dump that's being offered for $3000 a month or less. I'm willing to bet that this sort of thing simply does not exist in SF and no matter how low the rents drop, it never will again. Those days are over.

You can have what I described all over the East and South Bay easily. And to be frank, I was being generous with the $3000 limit. The rent for such a place I described above can easily be had for $2500 a month or less in good neighborhoods.

Wow.

 

[ejv]

I worked in San Francisco for 4.5 years for my last job. Did the first 1.5 years commuting on CalTrain from south San Jose. Did the last 3 years on BART from Union City. My office was at civic center so BART was about half the commute time. They were both OK but I stopped BART over 4 years ago and I have heard it only got worse. Only been on it a few times since and it wasn't terrible but now with covid who knows. Overall I preferred the higher number of drug addicts and dead smelling homeless people (and others) on BART over the slower and more expensive CalTrain option. Caltrain was cleaner but harder to clean so lots of allergens and faint smells. Quieter ride though on CalTrain. My old boss used to take the ferry from the north bay and he liked that.

All I know is I would have never made that drive. The whole time I worked there I only drove to the interview. I rode the moto maybe 3 or 4 times.

 

[cheez]

I office out of the FiDi in SF 3 days a week and SJC Airport area one day a week in non-COVID times. I commute from Livermore on a FJR1300 51 miles each way into the city, I have five turns then I settle into 580 the entire way across the bridge. Takes between 50 minutes and an hour depending on traffic leaving around 6:45am; takes between 1h15 and 1h30 if I leave around 8am. The return trip takes 50 minutes with no traffic, but normally more like 1h to 1h30 depending on traffic. If I get out by 3:30 1h, if closer to 4:30 1h30+.

It's honestly not bad, the 580 commuters pretty uniformly feel like pros, so they give bikes space and I'm able to flow through traffic pretty easily.

Sample commutes, 3 cam views, from July 2 last year. I usually only run 2 but was testing out a chin-mount cam (too much weight and a PITA for head checks. )


youtu.be/IZZ1dOp_J0s


youtu.be/tUFCxgRkLjQ

 

[Godsdarling]

I want to move to Tennessee, nice house on the river. Fish every single day. Cali is over priced and insane. Good luck to you!

 

[ScarySpikes]

I feel pretty good about my decision to move to Seattle area so far.

 

[Eldritch]

Because $3000 a month for a 1-bedroom apartment with no garage is fucking stupid.

Lots of garages in the North Bay and the Penninsula. Just whatever you do, don't go to the East Bay.

It is full of East Bay People.

:teeth

Pre covid your commute from petsluma to an office in city would be at least 90 mins each way, prob more like 2 hours.



This more than you could ever realize

Yeah, for real reals, Novato is the Northern Limit once SIP is over. Sonoma County to SF is crazy town. 4-5 hours commuting a day will drain your fucking soul to ash.

 

[wazzuFreddo]

Lots of garages in the North Bay and the Penninsula. Just whatever you do, don't go to the East Bay.

It is full of East Bay People.

:teeth

rAiDeR nAtIoN

 

[mosquito]

...
Sample commutes, 3 cam views, from July 2 last year. ...

Cool. What cam system do you use?