The location on Dolores would be excellent for public trnsportation, and a somewhat interesting neighborhood. 3 blocks to BART (which will get you to the airport & Walnut Creek), 2 blocks to Market St (lots of transportation). Close to scads of restaurants in the Mission, close to Dolores Park - (lots of events), etc. Walk to a large Safeway. Difficult parking on Sundays.

Stu Dudley

GREAT neighborhood. I lived right by there from 1st-6th grade.

If you're looking in Oakland, definitely look in Rockridge--very upscale and mostly pricey--and Temescal, which is still on the verge and thus a bit less expensive.

RBNWDLN - you never know how much the new rent will be. The rent controls in SF are so strict that as soon as a tenant moves out the rent goes way up. My daughter and husband had a 2 bed 2 bath on Chestnut Street with secure u/ground parking. They were paying $1000/mo because my son in law had lived there so long. When they moved away last year the new rent was $2500.

>>My daughter and husband had a 2 bed 2 bath on Chestnut Street with secure u/ground parking. They were paying $1000/mo because my son in law had lived there so long. When they moved away last year the new rent was $2500.>>

$2,500 seems like a great deal for this area.... I'm sure it was snapped up quickly if the apt was nice.

Stu Dudley

Stu - It was a lovely apartment but you had to walk up two flights of stairs as they were on the top floor. They were even allowed to have their dog there. Their neighbor is a single elderly lady who has lived in the building for years has a gorgeous 3 bedroom and is only up to $800 in rent. It seems if you have your rent locked in like that you just don't move!! They were transfered out of town or else they would still be there.

rbnwdln, unless I misunderstood, that's what they told me the new rent would be for anyone moving in. The parking privileges did go up from what we were paying (but as Stu points out, parking is difficult in that area).

likeswords - your daugther's apartmtent is on craigslist. There is an open house for it. My son will be going out to SF in mid-Dec. to check out the neighborhoods and the surrounding communities. We will meet up with him there in Jan. to actually, I hope, help him find a place to live.Thanks for all your help. SF is beautiful, for sure, but soooo expensive!!!

>>SF is beautiful, for sure, but soooo expensive!!!<<

It's soooo expensive because it's beautiful.

People here pay a higher percent of their income on housing - by choice. We have enough equity in our house that we could live elsewhere like Kings - but there's no way we would choose to do that. Our neighbors feel the same way. I don't know any neighbors or friends who have "cashed in " on their equity & moved out of the Bay Area.

Stu Dudley

It is expensive, because enough people think it is worth it (same for many parts of California). I'd live there in a heart-beat if I could afford it myself (though I do love Seattle too).

Stu, I know people who have cashed in and regret it. Actually, one of them moved up to Suze's area and they don't regret it. DH and I will most likely stay put in the bay area after much discussion.

Actually I have known several families in the SF and the BayArea that have sold their houses and moved to less expensive areas. I have lost touch with most of them however and so don't know if they are happy with the decision or not.

One family, very close friends, recently sold their house and moved and they are thrilled with their decision. I wasn't sure if they would be but am happy that they feel they did make the right decision. And various family members have all left SF and although they loved living in SF they all seem content with their new areas.

Like Suze if I could afford to I would love to live in SF as would my daughter and son-in-law but I don't see that ever happening.

>>one of them moved up to Suze's area (Seattle) and they don't regret it.<<

E-mail them today. If their house was not blown apart by the big storm and you can get through to them, ask if they still don't regret it.

Stu Dudley

OK, my son just found a listing for what looks like a great place at Post and Pierce. It says it is near Japantown and Fillmore. Is that an OK location? The apt. looks awesome.

PS, the rbnwdlr is the screen name from my work but it is me, rbnwdln.

It is a safe location, I believe its a huge apartment complex, opposite the Japan Center Close to Fillmore Street, which has lots of stores, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Will have to take a bus to get to BART but good public transportation options to downtown. BTW you can get a look at area by using Google street view maps.

Thanks! Google maps don't really tell me about the ambiance of an area. Can you walk to areas where younger people hang out? He will work in a home office so BART access is not important. He will have a car.

Just a few blocks away & to the north is the Fillmore shopping/restaurant/cafe/bar area that's very nice (my wife's favorite shopping area) & quite active with both the younger set & the Pacific Heights set. However, I would be a little concerned with what's immediatly around Pierce & Post. It is not opposite The Japan Center - it's a few blocks west opposite Hamilton Rec Center.

Stu Dudley

Molly Stone's grocery (very nice) is just 5 blocks away on California St between Fillmore & Steiner.

Easy access to 101, which goes to SFO. Probably 30 mins to SFO in non-heavy traffic hours/days.

Stu Dudley

I used the Street View feature on Google and it looks like a very nice, average San Francisco neighborhood to me.

Love that street view feature!

Well, my son says the relocation package doesn't come through until next week so he will not be able to jump on anything until after he gets his final info. But we are getting good ideas. Thanks for the info on the apartment. It looks beautiful in the pictures, but don't they all!