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SF BayGaf
- Thread starter PseudoKirby
- Start date
I heartily agree with you there, even though I am fairly sure they weren't cute gays who were complimenting me. SF is one of the best places, if you need an instant ego boost.
Sorry we couldn't get another meet going. Glad to hear you enjoyed yourself let us know if you're ever back as well.Moving to the Bay at the end of August, beginning of September! More specifically, South Bay (North SJ). Relocating for work from Dallas.
Anyone have any pointers or things that I would need to know? I've already been to SF, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and SJ for 2 separate weeks on business, but any other bits of information would be nice.
Oh, I'd be down to attend a meetup once I am permanently in the area!
Anyone have any pointers or things that I would need to know? I've already been to SF, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and SJ for 2 separate weeks on business, but any other bits of information would be nice.
Oh, I'd be down to attend a meetup once I am permanently in the area!
charlequin
Banned
Don't let Google Maps fool you with that 101 shit, 280 up to the city all the way.
Giant Robot
Member
North SJ is boring and nothing but tech companies that surrounds new housing developments. Depends what kind of lifestyle you want. Most of South Bay cities are known as "commuters" or "sleepers" because it's a place for work. Palo Alto, Campbell, and downtown Mountain View are probably the most "hip" places in the South Bay.
Haha, good advice right there. There is constant construction on 101 between Palo Alto and SF at ALL times of the day for no reason.
PseudoKirby
Banned
Theres BART and MUNI as well, so instead of settling for a shady place in SF, you could pick a place like Berkeley or Hayward.
thezerofire
Banned
kind of in the same boat, just got a job in SF. does anyone have a good resource for neighborhoods to live in? like where's good, where to avoid, etc. 20's, max somewhere around $1800 probably.
Avoid the Tenderloin, Visitation Valley, and Hunter's Point.
Noe Valley or Bernal Heights might be good choices. Do you drive? Where in SF is your job? How close do you want to live to public transportation?
thezerofire
Banned
I don't drive, my job is on Sansome right off Market. Being close to public transportation would be nice, but I don't mind walking or biking
SoMa if you can afford it, Though I think the best places close to public transportation going to downtown are Noe Valley, Hayes Valley, Pacific Heights, North Beach, NOPA, Cow Hollow/Marina.
Apparently Marina has the highest female to male ratio in the city if that matters to you lol
thezerofire
Banned
do you happen to know average prices around there? probably for a studio
charlequin
Banned
Recent average price map for SF proper: http://sfist.com/2013/03/07/map_average_rent_for_1br_in_san_fra.php
$1800 isn't gonna get you far. :/
FelixOrion
Poet Centuriate
thankin' my lucky stars for my sub 600 rent back home. shit's outrageous.
thezerofire
Banned
that's 1br, studio is less. been looking on livelovely.com but I don't know enough about the neighborhoods to know where I should be looking and what prices are reasonable
I found padmapper more useful than livelovely
http://www.thebolditalic.com/drewhoolhorst/stories/1958-moving-to-san-francisco
Giant Robot
Member
If you like good beer go visit my friend's family restaurant Harry's Hofbrau.
I used to go there for their roast beef. Good stuff.
thezerofire
Banned
thanks, I'll check it out
Believe me, I really wouldn't mind living in the PA or MV areas, but paying $2k/person with a roommate seemed a little unreasonable for something not that great. Campbell would have been a little too far from work, otherwise I would have considered something that wasn't too far from Santana Row and Willow Glen.
Giant Robot
Member
Campbell is next town over from San Jose. You can find some bungalows in and around Willow Glen and Campbell/Saratoga border. Otherwise, the rest of Willow Glen is damn expensive and weird like that.
A little further down from North SJ closer to the Luna Park/Japantown of SJ is a bit more affordable than Campbell. It's also closer to downtown SJ and light rail/train stations.
Cornballer
Member
"Climate best by government test." But seriously, the weather is really nice although it can be a little dull compared to other parts of the Bay Area.
The SF Chronicle neighborhood guide has some capsule summaries and links to more detailed information.
thezerofire
Banned
I already found that, but a lot of the summaries were written in 2002 or 2005 so I don't know how accurate they still are.
Hey, SF-GAF. I'll be joining you guys in about a month. I'll be working in SoMa (near Giants stadium). Could I get a decent apartment there for around $2k, or should I sublet / share?
Hm, from the graph I'd be looking at around $2500. That's managable, but I'd prefer a bit less. What's the price difference between a 1BR and a studio?
Hm, from the graph I'd be looking at around $2500. That's managable, but I'd prefer a bit less. What's the price difference between a 1BR and a studio?
Cornballer
Member
They're not too bad - things haven't changed that much in the last ten years. The one from the Bold Italic is deliberately inflammatory, but it's not to say that they're too far off base with some of their generalizations. I think between the two of them you can start to get a rough idea of what the neighborhoods are all about. Ask questions if you have them.
thezerofire
Banned
Well a lot of the summaries mention how people live there after the .com bust which is pretty dated at this point. I guess a couple of places that sound nice are Mission and Lower Haight. is the fog really that bad of a thing in Inner Sunset? for someone who doesn't really mind fog
Cornballer
Member
Both fun neighborhoods and you'd have good access to public transportation downtown. It's tough finding something in the Mission these days - it's very competitive.
Yes. It's overcast most of the time, in my experience. Something like the Inner Richmond will give you a little more sunshine but it'll still get a fair amount of fog in the Summer.
thezerofire
Banned
but prices are lower to compensate?
Cornballer
Member
Yes. Look at what charlequin posted earlier:
If you're further away and sitting in the fog a lot of the time, it's not going to cost as much.
thezerofire
Banned
how much, if you don't mind me asking?
850/mo w/utilities
I think I got lucky but it is a tiny studio (in law) - maybe not big enough for some people but I had enough space for me
thezerofire
Banned
that's pretty amazing. I could probably make do with something like that
any tips from relocaters on dealing with the DMV for cars and drivers license? I'm trying to find everything i need and the list of stuff they want is long and confusing.
I'm annoyed because my lease doesn't start until the week of me starting work, but I will be there a few days early, i'm assuming I can't get a DL on my days off a few days prior to my lease starting? I highly doubt it, because i will be forced to go on a weekend and wait hours
I'm annoyed because my lease doesn't start until the week of me starting work, but I will be there a few days early, i'm assuming I can't get a DL on my days off a few days prior to my lease starting? I highly doubt it, because i will be forced to go on a weekend and wait hours
Cornballer
Member
Regarding the DMV, I usually arrive a half hour before they open to get in and out reasonably quickly. The other options is to use a less-busy DMV somewhere other than in the city proper (San Mateo, maybe?) The SF office is a mess.
I'm moving to Foster City, so that is easy for me... have you had luck on weekends with that? I've never had an easy in and out in the Philly suburbs, i expected it to be worse in CA.
Does anyone know about the lease thing? I'd like to deal with it when i'm there before i officially start work, but it would be prior to my lease start date.
Cornballer
Member
I've never been on a weekend. Last time I went, thankfully, was a couple years ago on a Tuesday morning or something like that.
I don't know.
thanks! Actually i don't even see weekend hours in San Mateo, but at least i think i can get in prior to the 8am open and deal with it before work
dakkumauji
Member
Alternatively, you could always try the DMV at Daly City.
There is a wait but it's not as bad as SF's one assuming you get there early.
There is a wait but it's not as bad as SF's one assuming you get there early.
Devolution
Member
If your budget is low for housing always try checking out Oakland/Berkeley/El Cerrito by the BART stations.
thanks for the help from both of you. I accepted an offer on Friday, signed a lease and bought a car on Saturday and flew back to my house on Monday to get ready to sell it. Its been a whirlwind weekend that I'm just trying to catch up from. I'll catch my breath sometime in September
charlequin
Banned
I did this back in 2011! It's a rough ride but it'll all be worth it soon enough. But on to your question:
First off, see if you can make an appointment on the website, it'll save you a lot of time.
Secondly, you don't actually need proof of your new address. Check it out here:
- Social Security number.
- Your valid out-of-state driver's license.
- Proof of your true full name.
- Proof of your birth date and legal presence.
- Driver License or Identification Card application (Form DL-44). This form cannot be downloaded as original signatures and a barcode are needed to meet legal requirements. You may request a DL-44 by calling (800) 777-0133, or pick one up in person from any DMV office.
- Payment to cover the $31 license fee. CA DMV Offices accept cash, checks, money orders and ATM/debit cards.
If you can scrounge up your original birth certificate, social security card, and passport you should be fine. (Bring the lease agreement anyway, though.)
Yeah, it will definitely be worth it, I love the apartment we managed to grab and got the exact car I wanted waiting in a dealer garage for when i do my one way flight out there. Just have to continue downsizing from a house to an apartment at home and pack up, say my goodbyes and get on a plane (i'm tall and really really dislike all these coast to coast trips i've been making the last few months). I got the job I wanted/the experience I wanted moving out to Silicon Valley, got in on a start up (ish, a few years old and still private) that I think makes a fantastic product, so its definitely exciting to go from a mega corporation to this.
i saw that but for all the hoops and crazy shit California makes you do, i couldn't believe that they didn't need proof of address... which only confused me more.
This whole "making an appointment" at the DMV challenges everything I thought i knew about the DMV, I'll definitely be going that route.