Question about San Francisco

[SoCalifer]

I am planning on moving up to the Bay Area and wanted to know what areas are bad areas that should be avoided and what areas are nice areas......something in the middle-class to upper middle-class that a 78k salary can afford. For now, just looking for rentals.

I appreciate any input..

Thanks guys/gals.

[femmecahors]

1. All the areas of San Francisco are great . . .

only the rich can afford to live here. Even our "slums" are pretty upscale . . .so my advice is just to come up and walk around . . . try and pick a place where you won't need a car to get around.

[Book Lover]

2. Maybe it's my NYC perspective, but there are no

bad areas to be avoided in the Bay Area. Deciding where to live should be done in conjunction with where you plan to work, I think - you may have mass transit as an option if you plan on living within the BART or CalTrans corridors. Are you thinking of renting a home or an apartment/townhome?

How could I forget? Check out craigslist.com for apartments/other rentals.

[SoCalifer]

3. No real bad areas sounds good

As for where I'd be working.....Well, I am a Longshoreman from Los Angeles, and I can work out of Oakland if I wish. Any nearby areas within, lets say, a 15min drive that you would recommend?

Thanks for your input guys

[Gormy Cuss]

4. Alameda

Nice little community, lots of diverse housing and rentals and near enough to the port of Oakland for consideration. Alameda is an island so there are limited access points but not too bad.
Parts of Oakland and Richmond are affordable and pleasant but you need to know exactly where the property is to be sure. Not my zone but there are some Oaktowns here so maybe they'll chime in.

[Book Lover]

5. I like the Lake Merrit area in Oakland

Adding to the above post, Alameda is also a nice place; very community-oriented.

[nini]

7. You're a longie from the H.A.???

I grew up in Wilmas! (you should know what that means) :D


I bet we know some of the same people.

:hi:

[ronnykmarshall]

9. Lake Merritt - Oakland

Nice place and very close to where you work.

Also Alameda.

[hiphopnation]

6. SF, while mostly friendly and entirely gorgeous,

is not without its bad areas, just like any major metropolitan area in the country. 78K in the city will find you a nice apartment with plenty of space in a great area.

Parts that you may want to avoid are:

Hunter's Point
Bayview
Parts of Bernal Heights
The Tenderloin
Parts of the Mission
Parts of Civic Center/Van Ness
Parts of Western Addition

Nice areas include:

North Beach
Parts of the Mission
Pacific Heights
The Marina/Cow Hollow
Nob Hill/Russian Hill
Hayes Valley
Noe Valley
Castro/Upper Market

But like most people have said here, almost all of the city is gorgeous and nice and, even if you find yourself in a semi-rough area, it's nothing that a little bit of street smarts won't do to keep you out of trouble.

Good luck!

[SoCalifer]

8. Sounds good

Thanks for your help guys, I really do appreciate it..

[demosincebirth]

10. 78k will not get you anything in SF if you are buying. Renting, about

$1600 and up will get you something a little decent. I'd go to the E.Bay, Oakland, San leandro, Hayward. Stay out of Oakland's (E. Oakland) Flatlands. The hills in Oakland are great with view.