Need San Fran Advice

[diiulio]

Hey-
I have decided to move to San Fran with my girlfriend from the glorious area of Buffalo, NY. She has visited there and loves it, I have been through Hermosa Beach and Manhatten Beach and thought Cali was awesome.

So, we are planning on going out there in August and am pretty damn excited. I need some insight on decent areas to live, possible employment opportunities, and any and all advice on the area. I am currently a civil engineer for an environmental consulting company and am going to just move out to SanFran without any gig. I am very open minded and do not need to stay in the engineering field, I also have an MBA with concentrations in finance and operations. I would love to get into the bicycling industry (of course), but don't know what the opportunities are for that in the area. I realize the area is very costly in terms of living, but would like to get your thoughts on it.

I have no family or friends out there except for a sister in Hermosa Beach that is out of town until August/September, and my plan is to be there by mid-August. We are considering getting a realtor for the apartment hunting since we don't know the area and aren't in the area.

Thanks for your time and thoughts,
Jason

[bomberz1qr20]

have a garage sale before you go and sell your snow shovel and heavy winter clothing - you won't need it...

:D

SF is pretty hefty as far as rent and property, I'd look at the East Bay for starters. North Oakland/Piedmont/Berkeley are all very nice places.

Watch out in East and West Oakland, although coming from Buffalo you might feel right at home there...(is all of Buffalo a dump or just the neighborhood I was visiting...?)

Stay out of the bicycle industry here unless you want to starve.

[bomberz1qr20]

P.S.:

Craig's List is THE site to look at if you're on your way here, really good listings for jobs and housing, furniture, etc.

http://www.craigslist.org/

[-BB-]

Gary Fisher is based out of Marin... as is some other bike co.
Zoic is out fo there as well, as is Swobo (if they exist any more).

As far as living, if you want to move into the city, try the mission, Haight, Hayes Valley, or Potrero Hill.

Anywhere else, try to live near BART (the subawy/train)

[diiulio]

Hey-
Thanks alot for your time. It gives me a better idea of the area and of good postings for jobs.

What about having a car in San Francisco? I am going to keep my truck, but I was thinking my girlfriend shouldn't, especially if we live in the city and she works in the city.

Is the BART system a decent network for transportation? Is it sketchy at all because I wouldn't want her to be riding it if it was.

How's the riding in the city? How far of a drive is it for sick trails?
Jason

[diiulio]

Oh yea, Buffalo has it good and bad places like everywhere else. Of course there are really sketchy areas and then two blocks away are the filthy rich who do not flash it like alot of other areas I've seen. Buffalo is full of 'old' money from the steel plants and other various activities that use to thrive here. Now the families just sit on their money instead of screaming around in Ferrari's and Lamborghini's, even though there are a select few who do.

Buffalo is mainly a blue collar town who loves their sports and drinking, sometimes it is hard to determine which is loved more.
Jason

[awholelota]

Living in the city is expensive. I wouldn’t try doing it unless my girlfriend and I made at least 80k a year. I used to be a realtor for the bay area, but gave up on it a few years back. I still know the market and still have realtor friends that could be helpful to you.

As for a car I don’t think you’d need more than one between you and your girlfriend. Keep your truck. You’re going to need it to haul your bike around. There are tons of great trails, but everything is out of the city. Northstar @ tahoe is great. About 3 hours away tho.

BART is safe.

[Jonny Wray]

Jason,

it's a great city, but as others have said, expensive.

Car's can be a liability in the city, especially when renting. A lot of rentals don't have parking, and in most places parking is a nightmare. That said, I currently live in the Mission and around where I am parking is no problem, at least on an evening. That's because it's semi-industrial around my block. Other places in the Mission, you'll almost never find parking. Same goes for almost all residential areas, except maybe the sunset and richmond (nearer the coast than downtown). Also, never leave anything visible in the car or it will get broken into.

BART is safe but mainly used for longer distance. ie to east bay or now down to the airport, unless you happen to live in one of the few city areas that has a stop (like the Mission). In the city there is the muni system (buses and trams) which are alright, as long as you can get where you're going without changing. Same as any public transport system really. It's not the best system I've seen, but certainly not the worst.

Riding. You'll need to leave the city, although some Marin trails (xc) can be accessed by riding over Golden Gate.

Hey-
Thanks alot for your time. It gives me a better idea of the area and of good postings for jobs.

What about having a car in San Francisco? I am going to keep my truck, but I was thinking my girlfriend shouldn't, especially if we live in the city and she works in the city.

Is the BART system a decent network for transportation? Is it sketchy at all because I wouldn't want her to be riding it if it was.

How's the riding in the city? How far of a drive is it for sick trails?
Jason

[Dingus McGee]

I didn't catch what kind of riding you're into, but just south of S.F. ARE SOME GEMS! S.F. is kinda spendy but it's all relative...Richmond is cheaper but it's Richmond (no offense R-town thugees, my pals just bough a house there cuz S.F. was too much $$), BART is good, S.F. is tiny, you can bike commute anywhere all year around - the lack of real seasons may be a shock to a 'Lonian. I have lived here since '86 (moved up from SC after college) and I have gone thru phases of appreciating it and not.....it just depends. I did the East Bay thing too; East Oakland - yikes, Rockridge -too froo-froo nowadays and $$$, Berkeley -can very cool and still phunky/cheap, West Oakland -Phoenix Iron Works -R.I.P. -Gnar at night unless you travel by ghetto-beater
in a pack, Alameda -developed (stuck on the )Island Fever there.....but I digress, back to S.F.....The gentrification continues despite the DOT-BOMB, there are many hoods that used to be scary-cool back in the 90's that have come up so pick your weather. Sad to say, stay away from Hunters Point and Bayview (I work there). Having a car in S.F. practically requires that you have parking. Otherwise the City will chew it up and spit it out- general damage, endless parking tickets, unauthorized people living in it, etc...

The Bay Area is still very cool despite the normal strains of the urban struggle!- Welcome!!!!!

P.S.-One of my best friends here is from Upstate NY (Clinton) and spent time at Buff State...he's down with the 'Lonian scene. Sounds pretty grim in the winter!

Oh, and whoever said check Craigslist/SF was right...much info there.

[mealsonwheels]

Tip #1, don't call it san fran or cali. :) Not trying to be rude, just trying to help you fit in sooner. You also have Specialized down in Morgan Hill south of San Jose, but that's probably an hour and a half from the city. It may be doable if you lived on the peninsula or closer to San Jose.

[diiulio]

Thanks again.
Can anyone hook me up with either an apartment realtor or realtor company who deals with finding rentals? I am not looking to buy, just rent.
You can post it here or pm me with the contact.
Thanks,
Jason

[snaps-alot]

Tip #1, don't call it san fran or cali. :) Not trying to be rude, just trying to help you fit in sooner. You also have Specialized down in Morgan Hill south of San Jose, but that's probably an hour and a half from the city. It may be doable if you lived on the peninsula or closer to San Jose.

^^^that's really funny - but true. worse would be calling it 'frisco' like one of my LA buddies refers to it. As others have said, it can be pricey, but if you don't have to have a car and live in a decent neighborhood, it makes up for it. I went to school at SF state and I used to drive around for half an hour in the middle of the night in the Haight ashbury trying to find parking. eventually I would just give up and pay tickets for parking illegally all the time. As for jobs, I would check with the east bay parks -my brother was a civil engineer with them for a long time before he moved to Tracey. They've got alot of parks and construction going on usually so they may need help. As for rides, theirs great stuff in Marin , except for the trails that they police with radar :mad: , and the eastbay has got a whole network of stuff - both are maybe 30mins from SF. Definitely get some opinions on areas before deciding to move, as you'll be spending alot of time there and having to walk in the neighborhood alot - unlike LA...

[Bicyclist]

SF is cool, I just visited for the first time recently. BART's a cool system but it's pretty expensive. It's worth it thought 'cause traffic/tolls/parking is a pain.

[Backpack1]

It's been OK to call it Frisco for about 15 years....first the Hells Angels then the rap community took the name back from Herb Caen. Better is The Bay, Yay Area, or ,yes......the 'Sco. People hate it when I utter these blasphemes, but that's the truth.....the "Dont call it Frisco" mantra now makes you look like an outta towner trying to be in the know. Cali is fine too...esp Califas Aztlan....I like Sufferincisco, too.

[snaps-alot]

It's been OK to call it Frisco for about 15 years....first the Hells Angels then the rap community took the name back from Herb Caen. Better is The Bay, Yay Area, or ,yes......the 'Sco. People hate it when I utter these blasphemes, but that's the truth.....the "Dont call it Frisco" mantra now makes you look like an outta towner trying to be in the know. Cali is fine too...esp Califas Aztlan....I like Sufferincisco, too.

those are some colorful names, although I don't see how Cali refers to San Francisco bay area only? as for 'tryin to be in the know', having spent the better part of my childhood and college years there takes me out of the out of towner category- hell I was riding bikes there before most people new what mtn biking was...

[alloutproductio]

hey jason --
a friend of mine does property management & rents out apartments --
they're all either in berkeley or north oakland...some of em are a lil
hoody, but he manages lots o' units, so let me know n i'll give you
his #....

[Backpack1]

those are some colorful names, although I don't see how Cali refers to San Francisco bay area only? as for 'tryin to be in the know', having spent the better part of my childhood and college years there takes me out of the out of towner category- hell I was riding bikes there before most people new what mtn biking was...

Just sayin....seems like usually the people who say 'Dont Call it Frisco' aren't from here...I've been here for 20 adult years, not born here like my wife was, but the DCiF thing is dead, R.I.P., Passed...I mentioned Cali cause the original post mentioned it, LL.

peas

[Backpack1]

I'm 45. FRISCO FRISCO FRISCO .45

[OGRipper]

I'm a lot older now than I was when this thread was last active.

[Backpack1]

aint that the truth....."Fast Old Fart" yuck