I'll also be in the bay area this summer, working in Mountain View but hopefully living in the city. Looking for a roommate?
Ask HN: Moving to San Francisco: Best way to find an appartment
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Re: Ask HN: Moving to San Francisco: Best way to find an appartment
#22I live in the Dogpatch, within 5 minutes walk of 22nd Street Caltrain (to the east), and commute to Stanford by train.
Nice neighborhood. The disadvantage is that it's not right next to very much, but it's a quick bus ride (on the 22) to the Mission, the T light rail goes downtown, and if you have a car then parking is easy.
Re: Ask HN: Moving to San Francisco: Best way to find an appartment
#23I think someone else mentioned it, but BART doesn't go to Redwood City. Caltrain does. As a daily BART rider from the East Bay, occasionally needing to be in Palo Alto, I don't recommend combining a BART and Caltrain commute. If you want to live in SF, and commute to Redwood City, your best bet is to ride the 8:44 or 8:59 baby bullets on Caltrain. The one at 8:59 gets you in Redwood City in a scant 30 minutes. Pick a…
I've driven it before, the 280 is kind of bad but tolerable and the 101 is definitely bad.
Re: Ask HN: Moving to San Francisco: Best way to find an appartment
#24I think it's Caltrain, not BART in Redwood City
This is correct, BART stops in Millbrae. The San Francisco Caltrain stops are at 22nd (in potrero hill) and 4th and King (SOMA). If you don't live in either of those neighborhoods, you'll need to take a bus or MUNI train to the station.
Speaking from experience anytime your commute in sf includes more than one bus or MUNI to another system like BART or caltrain your soul will be quickly crushed.
A bike ride to caltrain from the Mission or greater Castro area is also doable. One other thing to consider is that redwood city is pretty spread out and you may find yourself needing to bike from caltrain once you get down there. Avoid the 101 (sf) or 880 (east bay) drive down south if at all possible. 280 from sf to Palo Alto is the only reasonable driving commute from sf as far as I am concerned. I did it for a year to cupertino and it was... bearable. Email if you have any specific questions.
Re: Ask HN: Moving to San Francisco: Best way to find an appartment
#25I think someone else mentioned it, but BART doesn't go to Redwood City. Caltrain does. As a daily BART rider from the East Bay, occasionally needing to be in Palo Alto, I don't recommend combining a BART and Caltrain commute. If you want to live in SF, and commute to Redwood City, your best bet is to ride the 8:44 or 8:59 baby bullets on Caltrain. The one at 8:59 gets you in Redwood City in a scant 30 minutes. Pick a…
I've driven it before, the 280 is kind of bad but tolerable and the 101 is definitely bad.
I drive the 280 every day now to Palo Alto. After 9:15 am from Noe Valley and after about 6:30 PM, it's a breeze. It takes me 35 minutes.
Re: Ask HN: Moving to San Francisco: Best way to find an appartment
#26i found my short term lease in SF thru this leasing company:
http://www.archstoneapartments.com/
they have a couple buildings in and around the city. hope this helps!
Re: Ask HN: Moving to San Francisco: Best way to find an appartment
#27Craigslist and Padmapper are the best. I just did this, it took me about a month and a half to find a place. I ended up getting a place in Noe Valley of 27th.
I drive the 280 every day now to Palo Alto. After 9:15 am from Noe Valley and after about 6:30 PM, it's a breeze. It takes me 35 minutes total, and I got 75.
If you don't want to drive, Portrero hill is your best bet. If you don't mind driving, Bernal, Noe, Glen Park or the mission (or portrero) is your best bet. Castro, SOMA, or anything north/west will pretty much suck unless you leave after 10am.
The real problem with RWC is that it takes a long time to get to the downtown section from the 280, so you might have to think about the 101, which WILL suck, no matter what. The 101 doesn't really settle down at night til 7 or even 8. I've only tried a short stint from PA to RWC on it in the mornings and usually that sucks too.
Portrero is your best bet for caltrain though. You'll probably spend $150 a month on caltrain passes. The big thing there though is you'll have to find somewhere in portrero/dogpatch to stay, and I think that's harder to do because there seems to be fewer places. Also, if you live there, you'll probably want to live close to 18th or 3rd to be within walking distance of anything.
Check walkscore.com for any places you find to see what's around them.
Re: Ask HN: Moving to San Francisco: Best way to find an appartment
#28I think someone else mentioned it, but BART doesn't go to Redwood City. Caltrain does. As a daily BART rider from the East Bay, occasionally needing to be in Palo Alto, I don't recommend combining a BART and Caltrain commute. If you want to live in SF, and commute to Redwood City, your best bet is to ride the 8:44 or 8:59 baby bullets on Caltrain. The one at 8:59 gets you in Redwood City in a scant 30 minutes. Pick a…
Agreed, and I didn't think of that. A reverse commute would've been a dream when I lived there. Leaving the city in the morning and returning in the late afternoon/evening? Yes please. Unless of course it's Friday.
Re: Ask HN: Moving to San Francisco: Best way to find an appartment
#29I'll also be in the bay area this summer, working in Mountain View but hopefully living in the city. Looking for a roommate?
Best idea. Definitely contact him via email.
Re: Ask HN: Moving to San Francisco: Best way to find an appartment
#30Craigslist and Padmapper are the best. I just did this, it took me about a month and a half to find a place. I ended up getting a place in Noe Valley of 27th. I drive the 280 every day now to Palo Alto. After 9:15 am from Noe Valley and after about 6:30 PM, it's a breeze. It takes me 35 minutes total, and I got 75. If you don't want to drive, Portrero hill is your best bet. If you don't mind driving, Bernal, Noe, Gle…
Potrero Hill also features some great affordable subleasing in some nice old houses. It's also, iirc, more "suburban"-feeling than other parts of the city.