OK, so for a while there, I thought I might get a chance to move from S. Florida to Maryland. Just found out there's a better opportunity for me within my company in the Bay Area.

My obvious concern is over the economics. To wit, I need your help. If I had to be within a reasonable distance (30 min. drive each way) to an office in San Mateo, where could I live? Meaning, where could I buy a home of some sort which will yield a little space, a two car garage and a bit of grass for my dogs?

I really need some help understanding what areas can be considered without the fear of a 1000% mark=up simply to be near the city or the "valley"

Any and ll thoughts would be sincerely appreciated!

(Here's hoping I'm a Bay Area member in the next 60-90 days.)

 

The amount of time it takes to drive to work is irrelevant without disclosing the time that you plan to leave the house.

 

i love the bay area (my cousins are all up there), but if you could get to your work with BART or MUNI, don't drive man! if i could get away from the commute i would! and save a bunch of miles on my baby.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Hootsama
[B]OK, so for a while there, I thought I might get a chance to move from S. Florida to Maryland.

 

Most of the decent houses within 30 minutes of San Mateo are at least $600,000-$700,000+.


http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?Pyt=Tmap&...&poititle=&poi=

Here are a few cities:

San Francisco
South San Francisco
San Bruno
Millbrae
Burlingame
Hillsborough <- $1,000,000 minimum
San Mateo
Hayward <- Just across the San Mateo Bridge
Foster City
Belmont
San Carlos
Redwood City

 

unless you're not going to work during peak commute hours, YOU DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE THE SAN MATEO BRIDGE! I cannot stress that enough!

Live on the peninsula - but expect high prices. Fortunately, prices have begun leveling off recently due to the economic slowdown that has affected the Bay Area in a very big way.

 

I understand that the San Francisco area has one of the highest costs of living in the U.S. Is the quality of life really worth it? I understand that they are now covering a sex change operation up to 80K if you work for the city.

 

San Mateo is very expensive; however, if you can live with the fog, Daly City, norther part of San Bruno and Pacifica are cheaper. Cheaper is relative as the average 2000 sq.ft home with a 2 car garage is like 600 to 700K (as stated above), depending on neighborhood - some way higher.

Good luck, btw, I live in Burlingame (it's in San Mateo).

More Stookies in San Mateo the better!!!

 

All I have to say is good luck. I hope the difference in pay is substantial.

Examples:
A 2bed/1bath house in Leesburg (15 minutes off the Dulles Corridor) is ~$130K.

A 2bed/1bath house in Tracy (1 hour from San Mateo) is ~$300K

A 2bed/1bath shotgun house (house is 50% size of the lot with no side yard) or a 2 bed/1 bath condo in Menlo Park is ~$450K.

You might get $20K more, but your standard of living is 50% less for the same money. As far as startups go, some people make serious money. 1 out of 10 startups don't make it past the first phase of funding (1 year). 1 out of 10 of those make millionares. I have friends in two companies that had a huge IPO. Only the first 20 or so are millionares and are driving Ferraris. The rest are busting their butts for average wages and serious overtime for minimal stock options.

That's my rant for the day. Don't get me wrong, I like living in the Bay Area. You just have to look real hard at what your priorities are.

PS: The housing prices are starting to drop. People are starting to wise up to the fact that the 50 year old house, falling off its foundation, with no yard in a crappy neightborhood is not a half a million dollar house.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by lvs2k
[B]I understand that the San Francisco area has one of the highest costs of living in the U.S.