West coast people (especially San Fran)

Hey guys, well I have lived on the East Coast for my entire life (minus birth in MO). Coming this December I am graduating from Berklee and planning to head to San Francisco but I have no idea what the good areas/commuting areas are! If anyone has any tips or info for me I would really appreciated it. December and my degree will be here before I even know it!

is there anywhere NOT good in san francisco?????   i love the whole place from one end to the other.   but i only know it as a visitor, so can't help you much.  you'll have to wait for one of the locals......

San Francisco is one of the more expensive cities to live in. I believe that only New York is more expensive. I lived in San Francisco for 3 months and often used to visit for business. The area around Alamo Square Park is really nice. That is right across the street from The Archbishops Mansion http://www.sanfrancisco.com/archmansion/ and The Painted Ladies http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painted_ladies

San Francisco has one of the best public transportation system in North America http://www.sftravel.com/bus.html. As well as a very strong bicycle commuter community http://www.sfbike.org/ and bicyle commuter maps http://www.bicycle.sfgov.org/site/dptbike_ind ex.asp?id=3178.  

haha I know! I've never been but sometimes you just feel a strong pull towards a certain place. I am excited to go visit at the end of December.
My sister is due in Feb to have her first baby, so neither my Mother or My Father are going to be focused on helping me move. Personally, I want to spend a little time with my first niece/nephew before I leave for the opposite coast as well.

It would just be great to know which places to look for as far as "reasonable" housing (cities are always tough). Money is my big option, if I had a ton I'd just rent in the city. However, that is not the option. I'll just wait til they get up and going, silly time difference haha.

oooh thank you ix! well yeah, im afraid with the "path" i have chosen I have to be in a city. It was between San Fran, New York, and LA. I picked San Fran, if it doesn't work its off to another large expensive city. Thank you so much for these links, i'm going to start looking right now!

hmm, i actually didnt realize it had so much public transportation. That is perfect, the trains lead out into the suburbs. My goal is to find a roommate (s) outside of the city and commute in. Im not stranger to public transport so that wont be a major step or anything. Ok, now I Just want to grab my degree and GO! :)

One of my friends moved out there from Seattle and he loves it. And my best friend has a friend who works for Sony who lives out there too (I could send him your music if you like haha)... He's in A&R I think.

Good thing I've applied for the Peace Corps and not moving to Boston right now. I'd be sad if I moved there and knew no one and you had just moved. :-P

I'm a dork.

I'm not from the west coast, but here's a message board that might help you

http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-hgsanfra n

Ooh you know Ali, seattle is in the realm of possibilities too! Hey, and I am making a demo this coming fall, perhaps then? (That would be amazing) OH and hey, so Peace Corp then San Fran right, thats your plan? haha (also a dork)


clairelaine- thanks! I'll go check it out :)

Oh hey, Kpearson, I lived in Seattle for 12 years. I can tell you it inside out. Heck, I even could tell you every public bus route. If you told me where you were and where you are going, I could tell you which buses to take just off the top of my head. I know every neighborhood, every square inch of that city. I still own a condo in the downtown area. Totally hit me up if you are considering Seattle as an option.

oh wow! Thanx so much! When it gets closer to my visiting I will definitely remember! Thanx :)

Kpearson, My daughter worked in SanFrancisco and Lived in Treasure Island.  It is an old Military base.  All the housing is now being leased.  She paid $450.00 for a room with Kitchen priv. which included utilities.  Bus goes past every15 during the day and every 30 min during the night..  At night she had a magnificent view of the Bay Bridege all lighted up.

love, Karen

Hey, kpearson, you looking for a boyfriend? My brother still lives in Seattle. 28, been with the same company for over 5 years as a graphic artist, never been married, no kids, got money put away in the bank... he's just very shy. I can totally send you a picture! Tall, 6'2", muscular (34-36" waist), light brown hair, very European looking. Nice, generous... interested??? =)

hahaha actually Katy... Peace Corps then boston (or nyc) is the plan. I want to go to grad school east coast. I dunno of any schools in Seattle.

I'm open to suggestions though! ;)

I have two friends who moved to San Francisco from Seattle. One moved back reluctantly, because he could not afford to live there.

The other one was making it, living in a small place with his gf. Then they broke up and he dropped off the face of the earth, so to speak.   It's really expensive, but if you are looking at suburbs instead of downtown, you should have better luck than my two friends.

Public transportation is awesome down there.

hahaha. I dunno about a matchmaking just yet ( the boyfriend wouldn't be too thrilled about that) but does he want a really nice, quirky, roomie that would bake him super duper healthy cookies?

Karen-hmm I wonder if I could still get a rate like that? That would be awesome! I am definitely planning to room w/people. No way could I afford a studio!

Secret- that was really good info. I am definitely looking more suburbs and commuting. With what I figure Ill make monthly. I doubt I could even begin to support myself inside the city.

Ali - umm... Seattle University ...? haha no east coast school are better. Plus, I think i'll do a west coast thing and come back to the east coast eventually. So we are still moving to NYC and taking Zidane and company along. They can bring us toast and show us how to lift weights. (I dont know why they are bringing us toast really, just sounded nice?)

Thank you everyone! These are really great tips and I am getting more excited about graduating everytime I read a new one. *AHH* fresh starts and change. I love it!

His place is too small for roommates. =) Though, um... if you bake super duper healthy cookies... forget about him!!! Move here!! Move here!!! I have plenty of room, wouldn't charge you rent... just make you chase the sheep sometimes, but it is a good workout! I'll even give you your very own sunbonnet and garden hoe! Nothing like fresh organic veggies that you pick yourself!

i do like a good sunbonnet and sheep chase

I live in a musical house too!! (looking at your profile) I took over 15 years of piano listen, got into college on a music scholarship. Know how to pay 8-10 different instruments... sometimes have jam sessions with other local musical people in the area... they would so totally go for some super duper healthy cookies!

I'm in SF right now, actually.  Don't live in Emeryville, it's nasty.  (not really, just not my kind of place.  I'm a small town girl at heart, looks like) 

I would honestly be VERY surprised if you could find anything in the city that is reasonable.  The rents here are astronomical (in E-ville, at least, "low-income" is defined as a single person making less than $60K, yikes! and even then, rent is twice what it is in the central valley)

Working in the city is so cool, though.  Wish I could help you out, but I'm not that familiar with the area.