SF Bay Area

[laura]

It has been a few weeks since we used them but I *think* it was $80/hr. My brother is a plumber in the Midwest and he said I would be hard pressed to find such a reasonable hourly even in his area. And the guy was really nice. We called bc of our garbage disposal and he actually tried to fix it instead of just replacing it, which two other places I called said they wouldn't even consider doing. Also, I called the day before at around 3pm and the guy was at our door the next day at 9am. If you call, the ladies who schedule the appts will give you the hourly rate- they were very up front. Sorry to go on and on, but I am psyched that I found such a gem on a random selection from google!

Keska- a friend of mine raves about her interior designer. I'll see if I can get the info.

[keska]

Thanks!

[shortcake]

While we are talking about recommendations - can anyone recommend a landscaper or landscape designer? We are looking to make some major changes to our backyard (not maintenance).

[meaneygal]

anyone know of good residential neighborhoods within commuting distance to santa barbara, ca? two biggest requirements are nice, quiet neighborhood and great schools.

tia!

[Jennifer]

While we are talking about recommendations - can anyone recommend a landscaper or landscape designer? We are looking to make some major changes to our backyard (not maintenance).

Ditto - we are looking for a designer to completely replan our mid sized front yard...prefereably one who will charge for design and have the ability to bid on the build out too - but who would let us take the design and go on our own if needed. We're in the East Bay (Walnut Creek/Concord area).

[Nakakna]

My cousin's and aunt/uncle have all had their backyard's redone and most used this one person who designed the layout, and someone else to build it. I don't think the design person does any building, though. I'll try to find out the name of the person.

meaneygal - I'm not sure if I read your question right, but if I did, Santa Barbara is closer to Los Angeles and hours away from the Bay Area. Maybe you mean Santa Clara?

[meaneygal]

nakakna - sorry my post is confusing. i just figured since you ladies are from california, you may be familiar with the santa barbara area. i am looking for residential neighborhood recs near santa barbara, not in the bay area at all. i know it's a long shot, but i figured it's worth a try.

[Nakakna]

Ladies, this is who my relatives used: http://candicestein.com/

All of my relatives who've used her have loved what she's done and all have followed through with using one of her designs. I've seen the finished products (both paper and in real life) and they look great. They all said she's quite easy to work with.

meaneygal - I understand! Unfortunately for myself, I've only visited the LA area and don't know anything about Santa Barbara. It's just not close enough for me (as a native southbay-er) to know anything about the place. There is a LA thread, you might want to try and post there!

[smiles33]

Anyone able to recommend a window repair vendor? Our kitchen window got "shot" out by a pellet gun that the police officer said could only have come from our neighbor's home--the neighbors we have a poor relationship with because they hold late night parties with booming music where they sing karaoke with windows and doors open. It's dreadful and we actually call the police to file a noise complaint once it's after 10 pm. Unfortunately, there's nothing the police can do about it but advise us to file small claims court for the cost of the window. So they don't get held accountable at all! ARGH!

The phonebook has tons of auto windshield repair places and a few regular glass places, but I thought I'd check here first since YELP only had auto windshield reviews.

On a side note, I agree w/Nakakna that Meaneygal should check out the LA board. SB is about an hour or so from LA, as opposed to 4+ hours from the SF Bay Area so it's unlikely anyone here would know SB neighborhoods unless they moved from there. I visited SB once when I lived in LA, but we stayed around the UCSB campus and Isla Vista. Good luck!

[Chicksinger]

Anyone able to recommend a window repair vendor?
First step would be to identify the make of the window (Anderson, Simenton, etc.). Some window companies will send someone out to replace a small section for not too much $.

[Lucy Van Pelt]

Ok, the weather over the next few days is going to be horrendous for those of us who don't have a/c. Any suggestion on where to go to cool off? I have a 15 month old and would love it to be a place she could run around. Bonus points if it's a place that is dog friendly. It's easy for me to get out, but I have horrible guilt leaving my dog behind to suffer in the heat.

[SiValleySteph]

Anyone able to recommend a window repair vendor?

We had to replace a cracked pane in our old house. I just called around to find someone that could do it and brought the window in (it happened to be the sliding part). They had to replace the entire section since it was double pane to get the gas sealed inside. If I was going to be living in the house (we were selling), I would have wanted to get an actual window replacement from the window manufacturer. The one we got was close, but it wasn't exact.

Refinancing - Has anyone refinanced to a jumbo conforming loan? The rates have come down and we're going to be shopping around now. Just seeing if anyone had any recommendations. Thanks!

[smiles33]

Just coming back to report we went with Roadrunner Glass in Fremont. They're coming out tomorrow to replace the dual-paned window.

Another request: anyone able to recommend an auto repair shop that can handle Nissans? DH hates the Fremont/Newark Dealership so I'm hoping to find a local trustworthy shop.

TIA!

[bluhimmy]

Another request: anyone able to recommend an auto repair shop that can handle Nissans? DH hates the Fremont/Newark Dealership so I'm hoping to find a local trustworthy shop.

DH feels the same way about the dealerships in Fremont/Newark. When I had my Nissan, we took it down to Steven's Creek. :rolleyes:

[smiles33]

Wow, that's quite a trek! :) I found on YELP recs for a place called Fremont Auto United that has some great reviews, but I've been disappointed by YELP in the past (at least when it comes to restaurant reviews)....

[laura]

Yikes, I didn't realize it has been a month since I've checked in here! Sorry, keska! I have been unable to get the info from my friend (conflicting travel schedules). Do you still need it?

steph - Have you guys done this? Any luck?

Refinancing - Has anyone refinanced to a jumbo conforming loan? The rates have come down and we're going to be shopping around now. Just seeing if anyone had any recommendations. Thanks!

[shortcake]

I'm curious about this too - last I checked the rates weren't any better than the loan we had, but he said the new rates were supposed to come in May and I haven't heard from him.

[SiValleySteph]

Hey guys. We did just close on our refinance. We ended up with 6%, 30yr fix, max 70% LTV for $500 closing costs, no points, for our jumbo conforming mortgage. I think what we had was 6-3/8% for 10 yr ARM from buying the house in July - that was the best we could get at that time.

LMK if you want the name of the person - I'll have to get it from DH. I've been busy with a new baby, so he did most (all :p) of the work.

[shortcake]

Hey Steph - yes please. We have the same loan as you used to I think!

R

[Nakakna]

Has anyone ever bought/ordered things from Baby Super in San Jose? How's the service? How was the delivery - was it on time? Was it easy to order things from them? We're considering ordering baby furniture from them, but I'm nervous without knowing if they're any good! I was hoping for personal opinions =)

Thanks!

[smiles33]

We bought our DD's crib from Baby Super, as they were the only local place that carried the Baby's Dream line that was highly rated by the Baby Bargains book (but still under $300!). We picked it up, so I can't comment on delivery, but everything went smoothly. They also have a great selection of strollers--MUCH better than Babies R Us, Target, or the 2-3 smaller boutique baby stores I visited.

HTH!

[laura]

Sorry, can you clarify what "non-conforming" means? My understanding is that the amount we have financed is/was a jumbo mortgage but due to some factors in the economic stimulus package, it now would qualify for a non-jumbo rate... is that what you mean by conforming? I am honestly an idiot about all of this (obviously!) and I have an email in to our mortgage guy, but I was just wondering about others' experiences. The $500 part sounds great, though!

[shortcake]

Laura - I think that what she probably means is a loan that is over the $417 that used to be a jumbo loan - but is under the new limit for the non-jumbo rate. I've been told by my loan agent that even though these are now "conforming" loans, the rate is still higher than it would be if your loan amount was under $417K. Just not as high as the rate for a real "jumbo" loan. So far each time I've emailed my guy, our rate (6 and 3/8) was as good as we could get. But we have the added factor of a "stated income" loan - which means we got the loan without having our income fully support it (we are using savings + some family help!). I think they are being really strict with those these days.

[SiValleySteph]

Sorry, can you clarify what "non-conforming" means? My understanding is that the amount we have financed is/was a jumbo mortgage but due to some factors in the economic stimulus package, it now would qualify for a non-jumbo rate... is that what you mean by conforming?

shortcake explained it pretty well. The "jumbo conforming" loan is for the loans above $417k but under $730k in Santa Clara county that temporarily have better rates due to the simulus package. The rates are quoted seperately from the regular conforming loan (under $417k).

We did our refinance through:
American Internet Mortgage (http://www.aimloan.com/)

They were really helpful and patient. A notary came to our house for us to sign the paperwork. Our loan has already been sold to Citi, which we had on a previous mortgage, so that's fine.

Right now their jumbo conforming 30yr fix and the standard 30yr fix seem to have the same interest rate of 6.125%. It went up slightly since we locked in.

[SiValleySteph]

natasha, We got our glider at Baby Super in 2004 and had no problems. It came as ordered and in the time they said.

We got our baby furniture over at Babyland (next to Pink Poodle ;)) and that we got in stock.

Both places were fine, IMO.

[laura]

Great, thanks for the feedback. That's what I thought, but I wanted to be sure we were talking about the same thing. We have 6.25% on our jumbo, so I'm still waiting...

[Nakakna]

Thanks smiles33 and SiValleySteph! I've never heard of BabyLand, so we went over there this past weekend! They have a lot of stuff!

[QT Pie]

Hi! I used to see tons of coupons for discounts at the Monterey Bay Aquarium but haven't seen any lately. Does anyone know of any? I checked AAA but couldn't find anything. TIA!

[shortcake]

Ok, I know people have already asked & answered this but I can't find it...

We are planning a weekend getaway for August, and looking for suggestions! We thought heading down to Monterey/Carmel might not be good because of the fires - too smokey? So maybe up in Sonoma area? Or does anyone else have any suggestions about that distance or less? We'd like to keep it under 200/night for sure - maybe closer to 150/night. Any ideas? Thanks!!

[laura]

Are you going away with kids or without? I think it is smokey all over right now. We were up in Napa recently and it wasn't awful, but it was hazy. If you can, I would wait a bit to book to see what the fires do. If you can't, I don't know. Monterey/Carmel area will be cooler. What kind of trip are you looking for / what do you hope to do?

[shortcake]

Laura - without the kids! :) As for what kind of trip - we just want to have some kid-free time and relax, pretty much. It's too bad that it's hazy up in Napa too. I was looking at Saucalito online and that would be a cute/fun town but I think lodging is even more expensive there.

[ejs]

Laura - without the kids! :) As for what kind of trip - we just want to have some kid-free time and relax, pretty much. It's too bad that it's hazy up in Napa too. I was looking at Saucalito online and that would be a cute/fun town but I think lodging is even more expensive there.

What about Mendocino?

[Katie]

I was just in Monterey this weekend and it wasn't hazy at all! I was really surprised. It's definitely worse up here than it is on the coast - maybe due to the sea breeze?

And the weather is definitely cooler down there. I wish we had planned to go mid-week so I could escape this awful heat! ;)

[SiValleySteph]

shortcake, We like to go down to Monterey and stay at the Plaza and get spa treatments. The spa is up on the roof and the hot tubs are on a deck over the ocean. We would also go kayaking in the bay. I would love to go on a kid free weekend! :D Or even just 24 hours.

[kristin]

Just hoping you ladies could help me out....

My DH is comtemplating taking a new job - our options are Boston, Austin, or San Franscisco. He is on his second interview for both the Boston and SF jobs, but the better opportunity and fit for him is in SF. So he doesn't even have an offer yet, but I am trying to figure out if I would even be willing to move out there.

I've lived on the east coast all my life. We have lived in the NYC metro area, so we are used to living somewhat modestly to have the opportunity to live near the city. However, we recently moved to a small, rural town and have 4 bedrooms with 1.5 acres. It's an older home, but I love it. DH does like his job here and could probably stick it out another 2 years, but after that room for advancement is uncertain.

I am not a city person - I hate noise! I'd prefer to have a 3 bedroom house (we have 2 kids and 1 on the way) and we don't need a big yard, just a little space for the kids to play. We plan on using Catholic schools, so the school system isn't a huge factor for us. DH would prefer to have a short commute and live in the city, but I am really reluctant.

Any guidance on what suburbs of SF that we should investigate? I guess I am trying to figure out if moving out there is really an option at this point. Thanks!

[Jill1228]

Kristin, would he be cool with taking the BART (subway) or Cal Train into the city
I am an East Coast girl and I love San Fran

[justHB]

Kristin - you could totally live in Oakland and your husband can take BART into the city everyday. I do it and while I complain about the train, it's actually not a bad way to live. I would caution you not to read the national papers about Oakland because all they seem to report on is the crime and death - the crime (like any big city) is something you need to be mindful of but the shootings and stabbings are predominately centered in a very bad part of town that you would never live in anyway. I do live in one of the more urban parts of Oakland and we feel perfectly safe. You could also live in Alameda which has a very small town feel and your husband could take the Ferry into SF each day for work. I know a couple of people who do this and LOVE it. If you want to be more rural/suburban, you could go further out to Castro Valley or the Dublin/Pleasanton area. I'll warn you, whichever you decide, houses are NOT cheap, but I know a lot of people that are renting and are getting pretty decent deals (as far as the Bay Area is concerned).

[Bloomwood]

Hi Kristin. You'll likely get a number of responses from us with great options. As you've probably seen, SF is at the tip of a peninsula, so you have to go North, East or South for the 'burbs. That said, SF proper actually has quite a few neighborhoods that would be fine to raise a family without the feeling of a big city. Most people move out of the city b/c the public schools aren't that good, but if you're going Catholic, there are a number of good schools in the city.

I've lived South in Burlingame, just across from SFO (big bonus if you travel a bunch). The neighborhood is very typical suburby with tree-lined streets and central commercial areas. The weather is great, you get a bit of fog, but not to the point of always being socked-in. The town just south of Burlingame is San Mateo, also a great town and even slightly better weather. Both towns sit between the two main freeways into the city so the commute options are great. Either way, it takes about 25 mins to get to downtown SF. There is also a Caltrain (like BART) that goes down there.

I now live in Marin - just north of the city, across the Golden Gate Bridge. Another great place to live, but IMHO, even more special as it is surrounded by redwoods and is very wooded and serene. Also about 20 mins to downtown SF, but not really the same public transportation options.

I lived in Boston for 5 years and absolutely love the East Coast, but I am very spoiled by the weather here now. If you do decide to take the plunge and move out here, you're certain to fall in love! Good luck and keep us posted.

[kristin]

Thanks so much for the suggestions!

Jill - Yes, DH would be willing to take public transportation into the city. When we lived near NYC, it took a little over an hour for him to get to work via train, but it was really the only option available. He tells me the trains system is more efficient in SF. We'd like to keep his train ride under 35-40 minutes though. Is that doable?

DH is from Sacramento, so even though most of his family doesn't live there anymore, he is really excited at the prospect of moving closer to where he grew up. He still has alot of friends in the area.

JustHB - We do plan on renting, so hopefully we'd be able to find a good deal. DH has mentioned that he would like to live in an area where he could take the ferry, so I'll definitely check out Alameda!

Bloomwood - DH keep strying to convince me that there are family friendly enclaves in the city, that are nothing like big city living. When I picture living in the city, I imagine noise and traffic all hours of the day and night. Since I'm a (mostly)SAHM, and it would drive me crazy to have constant noise outside my front door! DH's father grew up in Marin, so we'll have to check that out. Would you take the ferry into the city if you lived here? DH's job would be near the "wharf" as he puts it. I will also check out Burlingame, as DH will likely travel about 25% of the time. Right now we are really far from the airport, so it's really hard on him when he travels.

I'm most concerned about the fact that I'll probably not be a SAHM if we move to SF. I can't imagine there are many SAHM with the cost of living there. I've always worked since having the kids, but it's been a mixture of part-time, full-time, and weekend only (so as not to need daycare) kind of work. I'd have no problem going back full-time now that my kids are 3 and 4, but with a DC due in April, it's going to be difficult having all three in schools with tuition (daycare and Catholic School). DH has said that he would not accept the job if it the salary wasn't high enough for me to be a SAHM, but when everything is so much more expensive, it's hard for me not to work if we are struggling.

Thanks again for all your suggestions!

[meatpie]

The good thing about Oakland/Alameda/East Bay is you don't have to go to SFO to travel. Oakland is a small but a nice airport depending on where your husband travels for work.

Marin County is one of my most favorite places in the world, but it is super expensive. The public schools are very good, and I'm not sure about the Catholic schools in the area.

We have been trying to move from LA to the SF area for a year now but we're focused mostly on Lafayette and Orinda, though I long to live in Marin County. The Larkspur area is incredible and you can take the ferry to the city very easily.

And I would not rule out living in SF. There are pockets that do not feel like city living.

[jarocha]

Has anyone seen any discounts/coupons for Gilroy Gardens?

[CityGirl]

kristin - We live in Alameda and LOVE it here. We were in the city for 10 years, but moved here when our son turned 1. DH carpools into the city in about 35 minutes. He could also take the ferry, BART, or the bus which is actually very nice (even has wi-fi). Public schools here are very good, in case you want to consider that option. It is safe, and has a very small town feel. There has been a surge of young urban families moving here in the past 5 years, so we have a lot of great restaurants that are also family friendly. Hope you find what you're looking for :)

[meatpie]

Anyone have any ideas for a gret caterer for Mill Valley. We are doing an alumnae event (meaning all women) with wines in January. Thanks for any ideas, suggestions!!

[kristin]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions and support! I knew I could count on my CC friends!

Looks like we will be making a trip out there in the next week or two. DH got a call from an HR rep who told him that they were "crunching numbers" and putting together an offer that will be presented tomorrow. He spoke to his recruiter, and the salary range he thinks they will offer should be good.

I'm scared to death. I've never lived this far from family, not that we are super close, but it's still family. I can't imagine no snow. I worry that we will never be able to buy anything, since we will likely take a bath on our current home that we purchased last spring. We will definitely rent for a while. I'm worried that DH will have to travel alot (as he does now) and I will be by myself with a 4 yo, 3yo, and a newborn. I guess this explains why I am up at 2am :rolleyes:.

DH really wants to explore Alameda and Marin. One of my closest friends has family in Marin, so it would be nice to be close to someone I know. I'll let you know how our trip goes and where we decide on settling down (for now, anyway).

Thanks again!

[laura]

kristin - How did the offer turn out? Are you headed westward? I haven't chimed in b/c I live on the peninsula, almost in the south bay near San Jose so probably not an area you would be interested in. However I wanted to say that every single person I know who lives in or has lived in Alameda LOVES it, so I think that is a good recommendation. Marin is also nice, but very expensive as I understand it. Beautiful areas, though!

As for west coast living - we moved from the east coast about 5 years ago and it was a big adjustment, but we have really settled in and we enjoy it here now. The weather is very difficult to beat! Definitely keep us posted if it looks like you all are headed this way. And stay positive about your house! We just hired a candidate from the midwest and she sold her house in less than a week for her asking price- unbelievable in this market, but true!

[LRL]

Kristin- Just wanted to chime in and say that your husband will have few problems commuting to the city from the East Bay or Marin. I also live in Alameda, and commute to the city via all the modes mentioned above: Ferry, BART, and Bus (it's nice to have options in case I get bored :p). None of these take me more than about 50 minutes to get to the financial district. Good luck, and let us know how the offer goes!

[kristin]

Laura - Thanks for thinking of me! We are still waiting for the final details of DH's offer. The CEO of the company personally called DH on Friday afternoon to let him know they were still crunching numbers to get the best possible offer together, and to ask DH not to consider any other offers until their's was on the table. DH had relayed through his headhunter that he wanted a comprehensive, detailed package when he got the offer, so I imagine that is why it is taking so long. He was able to get some info on the base salary from his headhunter (a number we are very happy with), but we still need to consider relocation and moving expenses, and God -willing, some sort of sign on bonus.

I'm glad to hear about your easy transition to the West Coast. That is foremost on my mind right now. We had never considered moving out there, but it seems like a good move right now. Also, thanks for sharing your coworker's story about selling her house so quickly! We just went through the process last year, and it took 9 months to sell our home. We are hoping we've learned a few things from that experience, and it will be easier this time around.

LRL - From all the research we've done, Alameda sounds like a great place for young families. It's closer to some of DH's family than Marin, so we will definitely be taking a look there. It's also nice to hear that there are multiple options as far as mass transit.

We've hashed out all sorts of scenarios over the weekend. It had not occurred to DH that I cannot fly after mid-February, so we need to decide whether we will live in temporary housing in SF or I will be flying solo here in CT waiting for our house to sell. Should be interesting.

Thanks again for all your input! Keep your fingers crossed for us!

[laura]

FWIW, when we moved here we were re-located so we flew (free! first class!) but my husband's business partner and his wife (they moved here with us; we relocated as part of an acquisition) wanted to 'see the countryside' so they took the Amtrak. It took them longer (obviously), but it was fully covered in the relocation and it allowed them more flexibility during the trip (they stopped off a few days in a couple of places along the way). Maybe that won't work for you since you have two kids and yikes!, but I just wanted to put it out there.

FWIW, we had never considered moving out here either. In fact, neither of us had ever been to California before our house-hunting trip about a month before we moved! So I definitely get how stressful it is, but it has been really fantastic for my husband's career and neither of us would change that part for anything. Good luck!

[kristin]

FWIW, when we moved here we were re-located so we flew (free! first class!) but my husband's business partner and his wife (they moved here with us; we relocated as part of an acquisition) wanted to 'see the countryside' so they took the Amtrak. It took them longer (obviously), but it was fully covered in the relocation and it allowed them more flexibility during the trip (they stopped off a few days in a couple of places along the way). Maybe that won't work for you since you have two kids and yikes!, but I just wanted to put it out there.

FWIW, we had never considered moving out here either. In fact, neither of us had ever been to California before our house-hunting trip about a month before we moved! So I definitely get how stressful it is, but it has been really fantastic for my husband's career and neither of us would change that part for anything. Good luck!


Thanks Laura. I am definitely looking forward to our house-hunting trip. I had never even considered Amtrak. It might be fun to do one day, but I'd definitely have my kids fly with DH if I had to take the train - it might even be relaxing! Actually, I did some research on the major airlines and very few of them seem to have strict rules regarding flying while pregnant. Obviously, the earlier the better, but I could probably travel as late as mid March.

I feel exactly the same way about this opportunity for DH. It really is his dream job. I can be a SAHM or a nurse practitioner anywhere. And honestly, when DH is happy in his job, life is pretty good.

Still waiting on the final details - we've had a few more tidbits from the head-hunter, but I don't think anything is set in stone until we hear from the company. I'll keep you posted!

[kristin]

X posted with the Selling in a Buyers market thread:

DH got his final relocation package today, and we were floored. Basically, they will give us 20K for the entire move. This money is supposed to cover moving all our household goods, cars, and house-hunting trips out there. It's ridiculous. Twenty K would likely not even be enough for our household goods - it cost us 12K to move from NJ to CT!

He was offered a high level executive position in this co (reporting directly to the CEO). Even his head hunter couldn't believe it. He stipulated before he interviewed with this company that they would have to help us with our move. It really sucks, because it's a great job opportunity. DH outlined a proposal of his concerns regarding the offer and submitted it to the company today, so hopefully they will cough up some bucks!

The funny thing is, I'm actually disappointed. Even though it's not a great time for us to move, the more I hear about SF, the more I like it. I am glad my DH isn't too disappointed - he is adamant that they help us with this move too. But we are really hoping it still works out. If they could just give us a little more, closing costs, or something, we'd probably take it.

[laura]

About 5 years ago when we moved cross-country from Boston our household goods + 1 car cost us (the company - it was direct-billed, I just saw the invoice) ~$10K or $12K, IIRC. I think they get a really good corporate rate- at least they must!

I'm sorry you are upset about the package, but hopefully it's just a beginning conversation. Maybe ask them to get you some quotes, or suggest getting some quotes for moving your household goods and using that as a starting point? Also, don't forget about gross up for taxes. That didn't even occur to us but it was invaluable for relo costs. Crossing my fingers that this works out the best way possible for your family!

[kristin]

Thanks, Laura!

[kristin]

It's on! DH accepted the job in SF this evening!

There was a little room for movement with the negotiations, so we have enough for moving our household goods and a few months of temporary housing (during which time our home will hopefully sell). THe bottom line was its a great opportunity for DH, and there was no way he'd be happy declining the offer. The timing sucks, but we are hopeful it will work out in the end!

They are flying us out there this Friday for a househunting trip (no time to lose, I guess). We will likely be there until Monday and will spend most of our time exploring the area for towns/neighborhoods where we'd like to live. I'd love to see one or two houses in our (rental) price range, just to get an idea of what we can afford, but DH really wants to make this a fun trip and does not want to be bogged down by meetings with realtors.

The more we research, the more we like about the Orinda/Lafayette area. Good schools, not too bad commute. We both like Marin, but DH is concerned with the limited options of traveling into the city from there. ANy thoughts?

[Abby'sMom]

Congrats Kristin! I hope your house sells quickly.

My DH grew up in Lafayette and his parents still live there. Lots of trees, park land, etc. and BART is *right* there.

[kristin]

Thanks Abby's Mom!

We'll see how the weekend goes, and then I'll be back with tons of questions!

[meatpie]

I'll be interested in what you think of Lafayette as we are considering moving there within the year.

[LRL]

Congrats Kristin! Lamorinda (Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga area) is a really popular place to live for young families. The schools are good, and the area is safe. You will find that there are a lot of stay at home Moms and plenty of outdoor recreational space for kids. Youd DH is right about the commute- it is really easy from that area.

[laura]

Congrats kristin! Good luck with your visit!

[kristin]

Thanks, Laura, Abby's Mom, and LRL!

We just got back from our weekend trip out to SF and my head is spinning! SF is such a nice city, nothing like NYC (where I've lived near most of my life). People are so friendly and laid back, no jostling on the streets to get by. I can definitely see us living in this area for a long time!

On Sunday we narrowed our search down to the East Bay, after a frustrating Saturday in Marin (pretty, but just not us). Also, it seems like commuting options would be better for DH in the EAst Bay. We looked at Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda, which DH loved (probably due to what would be an easy commute). I thought it was a great area too, but I worry about being able to buy something there in the future (for now we will def be renting). I thought Walnut Creek was a good compromise, but DH did not like how commercial it is. I've got to imagine there are some nice communities in this area, though.

We've also tossed around the idea of Danville and Alamo, both seemed like nice communities, but I don't want to set DH up for a terrible commute either.

We've been sucked into the "we must live in the best town" attitude before, and it never turned out well. I just want a place with good schools that is family friendly.

I know I'm getting pretty specific here, but you all have been so helpful already, I decided to press my luck!

[Natasha]

Walnut Creek has lots of nice areas. It also has a really nice downtown. I love the Lamorinda area, but it's pricey, and I feel like it's kinda far away from everything. Walnut Creek/Pleasant Hill would be my preference, but it's quite a commute compared to your other options.

[Scooter]

Kristin, if you're concerned about affording a house, Alamo is probably not the way to go. ;) As far as commute goes, Dublin/Pleasanton/San Ramon/Livermore areas might actually be a good idea because of the Pleasanton BART station. The commute is definitely comparable to the Walnut Creek area, because 580 is one of the better freeways--no trucks are allowed on it, so it is much clearer than many of the other ones.

[Natasha]

Scooter, I had forgotten all about the Pleasanton BART station! That's a pretty nice area too, and not crazy expensive!

[kristin]

Natasha and Scooter - Thanks so much for the info! This is exactly the type of info I am looking for. I'd be interested to get your thoughts on Walnut Creek vs Pleasanton. It look like we can get a little more house there than in Lamorinda. Although DH is still hoping we can find something there!

Interestingly, I researched the Catholic schols in the area and was surprised that the student teacher ratio in no less than 35:1! I guess the public schools are so good that not many people use the Catholic Schools? I cannot imagine having 35 kids in a kindergarten class! We are rethinking are choice to use Catholic Schools now.

[Natasha]

My son goes to a public school in the Oakland Hills, and his kindergarten class is 20:1 plus 2 student teachers.

Pleasanton is more upscale than Walnut Creek. I am partial to Walnut Creek because I grew up in the Concord area, so I am familiar and comfortable there. Pleasanton feels kinda like the middle of nowhere to me, even though I know that isn't actually true. If you have specific questions about Walnut Creek, feel free to ask me!