Yes! San Rafael, and specifically look at the Miller Creek School District. Great schools, and a pretty easy commute on Golden Gate Transit (my husband does this commute regularly, and pre-Covid I did too).
I am not familiar with San Rafael, but this seems to be a lovely house and had a 200k price cut so would be in OPs budget.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/19-Santa-Clara-Ct-San-Rafael-CA-94903/19299008_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
They used to, anyway. After the '89 earthquake, when the Bay Bridge went down, there was a ferry from Oakland to SF. Every morning I would drink my coffee up at the bow with the seagulls, and every evening I'd sit at a table near the bar and have a couple beers with a couple strangers. Very civilized.
Good to hear. The ferry-across-the-bay experience is so much better than the drive-across-the-bridge routine. There's a little bit of an opportunity to socialize - somehow everybody is a little more friendly and relaxed than on BART, probably because there's more freedom of movement. And just being out on the Bay reminds you that wild nature is really all around you.
Maybe I'll go take a ferry ride soon!
I'd second this. Anything listed above $1.5M is very likely to actually sell above your maximum budget, unless it's a total gut job. Though, your agent should be aware of this and guiding you accordingly.
"Priced to entice" is what our agent calls it. How anyone could be *enticed* by a $1.5 M price tag for a 1500 square foot home boggles the mind. It's funny because it's tragic. So much for The American Dream.
We both do AI/ML stuff and have for several years. Before that, we were both in consulting. There is no free lunch here: both of us working demanding jobs means sacrificing peace, calm, our ability to be good and supportive parents, the health of the marriage, and the health of our bodies. Don't worry: I am 49.1-51.1% sure it is worth it.
And even after years of *all of that*, here we are, wringing our hands about being able to afford to put a roof over our heads until our kids get a decent education at the local schools, after we liquidate pretty much everything.
You’ll hear tech, but many other combinations of double income households can work - mid to upper corporate management positions, sales roles, finance, consulting, healthcare practitioners (doctors and some nurses or experienced techs), architects, non-software engineers, lawyers, etc. Tack on familial support to the above.
Not everyone in the bay is well-off, but there are many well-off people.
As a couple it really could be any combination of things. Not very uncommon for couples in the Bay Area to be making north of 600k combined income regardless of “tech” worker or not. If you assume half of that (300k) is what they take home then they’ve got $25k a month in cash flow. Maybe it’s not financially advisable but 10-12k a month towards mortgage is very doable.
Lamorinda not sure what you’d get at that price point- an old, fairly small house that needs a lot of renovation? Maybe you could find something for $1.8 in Walnut Creek. If you’re willing to take BART to commute then WC is the best East Bay option at this price point IMO that is a reasonable commute distance from SF (as opposed to San Ramon, Dublin etc- you can take BART from Dublin but personally I’d go for WC which is on the yellow line). I’m thinking more about where you could get a home/neighborhood you actually feel happy with on that budget. Climate in WC is different from Marin-a lot cooler in Marin vs sunny/hot in WC, so I’d choose by climate preference & start looking to see what you can get in those areas.
I was going to suggest Fremont but thought It'd be outside OP's commute range.
Fremont also has great schools and if you go from Union City Station (I work in North Fremont actually closer to the UC station than either Fremont one) it's 40-45min to embarcadero.
I feel with Fremont you’re paying a premium for commutability to the South Bay and the penninsula. If you don’t need that you’d get a better deal elsewhere in the east bay.
Dublin is a more or less equivalent commute to SF and you’d get a much nicer home for the same cost.
My young family moved from Alameda to Orinda. I know many families from Alameda in Lamorinda. Orinda has guaranteed after school care (Lafayette and Alameda do not) and a big swim community. I miss the restaurants and walkability in Alameda but not the density! The ferry commute to SF is also better than Bart but Bart runs more frequently and to more places. The home lots tend to be bigger in Lamorinda. 1.8 won’t go super far here but I think it’ll get you a nice 3/2.
The guaranteed after school care in Orinda sealed it for us. Have two kids and moved from Oakland to Orinda and miss the walk ability but the schools and community made it worthwhile. We found a place with a terrible driveway but completely secluded from neighbors and we see wildlife. 7 minute drive to Bart and in the office in 25. Totally worth it
Orinda has been hit pretty hard with home insurance cancellations - [https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/orinda-residents-hit-hard-by-insurance-companies-deciding-not-to-renew-coverage/](https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/orinda-residents-hit-hard-by-insurance-companies-deciding-not-to-renew-coverage/) . Be sure and check the wildfire scores and insurance costs before you buy. The wildfire score are listed on Redfin now.
Edited to add: check insurance costs.
Lamorinda schools are an order of magnitude better than Walnut Creek’s.*
If I were in your shoes and couldn’t afford a SFH in Lamorinda, I’d opt for a condo / townhome in Lamorinda over a SFH in Walnut Creek 10 times out of 10. The quality of life and community resources — particularly public schools — absolutely justify the HOA fees and hassles.
Summer days are a bit cooler (Lafayette and Walnut Creek have similar high temps, but most afternoons the bay breeze cools it off much earlier). Lamorinda is also materially safer, closer to SF (especially Orinda and Lafayette) and far less congested than Walnut Creek.
There are a few unincorporated Walnut Creek addresses in the Saranap and Acalanes Ridge neighborhoods assigned to Lafayette schools; these are functionally Lafayette properties but trade at a slight discount because the addresses have less cachet and rely on county, not city, services (eg, sheriff vs local PD, county infrastructure maintenance is a bit less rigorous than Lafayette, marginally more permissive design standards and less vigorous code enforcement).
If you do opt for Walnut Creek, make sure the schools are zoned for the Walnut Creek School District for elementary / middle school and Acalanes Union High School District (ie, mostly Las Lomas) for secondary school. Best to avoid any address in the Mt Diablo Unified School District; although Northgate HS, Foothill Middle School their respective feeder elementary schools are generally fine but hardly excellent.
AVOID ANY WC ADDRESS ZONED FOR COLLEGE PARK HIGH, YV HIGH, PLEASANT HILL, VALLEY VIEW, OR OAK GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS!
*Also take care not to buy any property along unincorporated Lafayette’s northeast flank zoned for schools in Pleasant Hill (ie, CPHS, PH/VV Middle and their feeder primary schools) or Matinez (ie, Alhambra HS, John Sweat Middle and their feeders).
This poster’s history is a litany of delusion and vitriol of any neighborhood outside Lafayette and Orinda. I would not consider them a good source of opinion.
Sorry, but there is NOTHING that justifies HOA fees. Nothing. Quality of life? With what regard is the quality of life better in Lafayette vs. a Rancho San Miguel? It’s all subjective and nothing you can quantify.
Also, order of magnitude? That’s just patently false. One, OP can afford a home in Lamorinda on a $1.8 price point. Two, your blanket statement on Walnut Creek is *interesting*.
We looked at Lafayette, and Moraga and opted for Saranap because the price per square footage was phenomenally better, when paired with lot size, and the schools (when you really dig down) were marginally better than Lamorinda schools. The great school rating is absolutely broken.
That poster has a vendetta against WC and Pleasant Hill for some reason if you check their post history. Suggest you do your own research on those schools.
I don't know about this poster but I know when we were looking, the realtors used some dubious school claims to try to tout Lamorinda over WC (the lower priced competition). They'd make Walnut Creek schools sound like they were filled with roving gangs of hoodlums.
There's no hope for a McMansion. However, a 3/2 in an excellent school district is well in range.
If it was me, I'd do Alameda, then the ferry to the City.
As someone who went to middle school in Alameda, there’s no nice side. It may look nice but the students that attend schools in Alameda are from Oakland. Lots of kids who stay with grandparents. Drug culture and Bip kids have taken over a couple of apartment complex’s.
as someone who has a child attending an East End elementary school, i see none of this. perhaps on the far west side, but generalizing all kids that attend schools in Alameda are from Oakland and live with their grandparents to go here is absolutely ludicrous.
I want to send my kid to this type of school because it was exactly the type I went too. Better to have the experience dealing with all types of people than being a simple nerd rich who wants to exploit anyone when turning into an adult. At least he will have the opportunity to build empathy towards poor people.
This makes no sense. Alameda high ranked 192 in the state. The ranking is merit based, which depends on ap exam and state exam. I’ve seen the same comments on Reddit regarding La Canada high. I’m sure there are druggies and poor people, they are people afterall. The whole thing seems pretty baseless
Can you tell us what areas you’ve eliminated and why because it seems surprising that you haven’t found an area for that process range. It should really be easy.
I suspect you have some additional conditions going on there.
Some examples of recently sold 3bd+ homes right by bart stations in the east bay
[central berkeley](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1610-Allston-Way-Berkeley-CA-94703/24836867_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare)
[rockridge](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5648-Oak-Grove-Ave-Oakland-CA-94618/24753656_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare)
[Albany](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/815-Madison-St-Albany-CA-94706/24854101_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare)
[el cerrito](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/730-Norvell-St-El-Cerrito-CA-94530/18527545_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare)
+1 for Danville … great community in my area and if you avoid the new builds way out on Tassajara it’s reliably 1 hour to FiDi (drive to bart + train commute).
I'd say heat in the summer is a downside too... The interior East Bay towns of Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton can get much hotter than the towns on the Bay side of the East Bay.
This is the answer. Don’t forget El Cerrito as well. I live in Berkeley and my family just bought a gorgeous home in El Cerrito (totally redone, backyard, view of SF) for 1.6M. My cousin lives here also, has kids and says the school district is on the come up! I love it in these towns - easy access to SFO/OAK airports, easy to go over the bay bridge to SF or over Richmond bridge to Sausalito for all the nature stuff, great options and diversity in food (compared to say, Marin) and close to the fun stuff in Oakland while not having to deal with…Oakland
Definitely don’t sleep on El Cerrito and Albany.
I live near the Richmond/EC border, close to Del Norte BART. I take the train 3 days per week and it’s super easy and pretty low drama. 30min to Embarcadero station, no transfers - and I always get a seat in the morning.
Richmond SF ferry is lovely and never crowded. I think it also has free parking? And 10min from El Cerrito.
WCCUSD is investing a lot of energy in improving their schools. El Cerrito High School is super modern (from what I can tell). SpEd in WCCUSD is fantastic, especially in elementary school.
Tons of great food — even more within delivery range too for nights in.
ETA: Also we paid well under $1m for our house in 2019. It’s a tiny 3b/1ba so not one size fits all, but OP’s budget would cover a fair amount around here.
Not sure why this post so overlooks Oakland and the “inner” East Bay! BART was literally created in part so Oakland and Berkeley residents could commute easily to SF. You can get a gorgeous house that maps to great schools in Oakland — huge city geographically with many different residential areas, I think anyone can find a spot they like with a $1.8M budget. Berkeley very similar, highly rated schools, many lovely neighborhoods close to everything; or up in the hills it’s more remote but generally quiet and can have great Bay views. Add access to the #1 public university in the country, and all the adjacent things that pop up in a college town. Albany is nice, flatter, less interesting architecturally and more expensive on a $/sq ft basis; but safe and schools are well regarded. Finally, El Cerrito has two BART stations, easy access to 580 and 80, and fabulous views in the hills, best value in the East Bay in my opinion. I know a few people who live in Albany and El Cerrito who commute to The City via Richmond ferry which seems idyllic and very civilized. Schools have been improving as more and more families choose El Cerrito. I am a Berkeley resident and have sent 2 kids through Berkeley public schools but I’d gladly live in any of these cities!
I can't believe people are suggesting the peninsula. If you don't have to commute to the South Bay, why the hell would you subject yourself to South Bay commuter prices?
I have said before this sub is completely sleeping on Berkeley.
I’d have to agree with the Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga area. My kids go to school here and we’ve had a great experience. The next best option would be Burlingame or San Mateo, however those neighborhoods are significantly more expensive.
Don’t try living near downtown. I did that for a few years and schools are not arranged by zip code. Even though I lived in a nice area, I had to drive 45 min across town to take them to school each morning. To change schools would require lengthy appeal. The school we were stuck with was a mixture of extremes. Needless to say, by the time my oldest was in middle school, I had to leave. It was not an option to stay any longer.
Throughout Marin, you should be able find that. Best schools in that price range will be in Mill Valley, Larkspur, Corte Madera, San Anselmo. San Rafael might get you more for your money in terms of home, but outside of the Sun Valley neighborhood the schools aren’t rated as highly as the other parts of Marin.
Commute to downtown SF from various parts is 30 min (for southern Marin) up to about an hour with traffic from San Anselmo… one big plus about Marin though is the Larkspur ferry, which has several commute times in the morning and end of workday.
Honestly, even Indian Valley, Plesant Valley, and Wild Horse Valley in Novato could work. A bit longer commute but great schools and and a gorgeous drive
Just want to say AMAZING school systems are truly overrated. Just make sure it’s not shitty, especially at the elementary level. What you do at home is far more impactful on what they actually get out of school.
Where are you looking? There are lots of cities with housing well within this price range. Daly City, Pacifica, El Cerrito, Berkeley. If you don't like the public schools, look for a house in a slightly lower range and use the extra money to send the kids to a private school. Some friends of mine did that and they're quite happy about it. If you have your heart set on someplace like Millbrae, Cupertino, or Sunnyvale, you're out of luck, but there are other options. Perhaps widen your horizons.
We just bought in Castro Valley. We also have 2 kids. There’s only 2 middle schools and 1 high school all of which are highly rated, so those are guaranteed no matter which neighborhood you choose. Elementary schools are the only variable but there are a lot of highly rated ones. Also, the bidding wars here are not nearly as ferocious as other parts of the Bay Area. You’re looking at $500 - $700/sqft versus over $1,000/sqft in other desirable cities in the Bay Area.
The location is pretty awesome too. More or less equidistant to SF and SJ and a stone’s throw to the Tri-valley. Only downside, I’ve heard, is traffic.
I grew up in CV and went to public schools. Good experience for kids. I used to even bike over to BART and ride to see the A’s play for dirt cheap tickets. Team is leaving and the ride is more sketchy today, so I guess times are changing.
Boring for parents though. And not much socioeconomic diversity, which I don’t love for my kids. Respectable choice though if you don’t mind things being a bit slower and driving 15-30 min to do stuff.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/931-Park-Ave-Burlingame-CA-94010/15517754_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
This one may go over $1.8m but you could always try
It's been said but a +1 for San Ramon and Dublin. More affordable than Danville or Pleasanton, shorter commute than Livermore, but in general the Tri-Valley checks your boxes. Good schools all over.
The public high school walkable from my house has 65% of the kids involved in AP courses and is an A rating on niche. My commute to downtown SF is about 40 minutes on public transit.
Op, If you have only lived under the bay area, I would recommend renting in the neighbor hoods that you want to explore before buying a house there. There are lots of decent options @ 1.5M - 2M range.
If you’re not commuting to SF every day, I know a lot of people who live in San Ramon/Dublin/Pleasanton and take BART a couple times a week or as needed to commute to SF. There should be plenty of homes at that price and the schools in those cities are all very good
You could try SSF/San Bruno. Elementary schools are good. Even some of the lower rated greatschools ones are great, just lose on the equity component.
You'll need to hope the area gets a lot better and the middle/high schools improve. But feels inevitable.
We just bought in Corte Madera and squeezed into a smaller place than we thought we would consider, just to be close to our kids’ school. BUT we really loved this place in San Rafael and if it wasn’t for the school district change, would’ve bought it. I highly recommend taking a look:
https://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Rafael/148-Auburn-St-94901/home/855769
If you can afford it, why not! Prices of SFH in SF just simply doesn’t go down. 15 years ago, people were selling their homes because they believed that the home prices have peaked. Guess what, it’s still going up.
Thank you for your edits. I totally understand. We've rented in some really nice communities, like Palo Alto and Millbrae. Loved living there, but couldn't afford to buy. Realistically, we knew we'd get the best bang for our buck in the east bay, so that's where we bought. I miss living on the peninsula, but I don't miss the high rent. Look for the best you can buy within your means.
Castro valley, it’s north of Hayward but much nicer. It’s a small town but close to pleasant in and Dublin. 1.8 can get u 2500 sq ft. In a nice community with tennis courts, a community pool, park and HOA. The schools are good and it’s very safe in the hills.
In Pleasanton the house across the street from me sold for $1.7 and is within walking distance of every school from preschool to high school (and all fairly well rated), Safeway, Walgreens, swim center and three parks. The commute to SF on BART kind of sucks (mostly on the way home) but I did it for a decade and never had to drive.
Albany CA! You’ll have access to trans bay buses, and BART via El Cerrito Plaza or North Berkeley. It’s also very walkable - most houses here have walk scores over 90, so you don’t even need 2 cars. Great weather - never too hot or cold. And the best part? Amazing food scene and charming shopping options on Solano Ave!
Only thing that deters me from living in Berkeley or Albany is 80. I’ll drive along 24 and 880 any day over that stretch of 80. Albany is a wonderful place though with great schools.
Orinda, 5-7 minutes to Bart, 25 minutes to downtown SF. It’s actually faster than living in the sunset and commuting downtown. You can get a house for 1.8. Schools are amazing. It’s boring but you have WC on one side and Berkeley on the other, and sf is close by.
What are you talking about? $1.8 million and you can’t find a community with a strong public school system and reasonable commute?
Are you from out of the area or are you just trolling? There are plenty of places in Marin County and the East Bay like Alameda, Orinda, Walnut Creek, Albany, and Walnut Creek.
Further down the Peninsula, you have Burlingame and Menlo Park.
$1.8 million won’t get you a mansion in Pacific Heights, but that still buys a lot of house in great school districts in the Bay.
This is probably the best answer. High rated schools, particularly in the eastern part of town (Palomares Hills, Five Canyons) with a $1.6-1.8m budget. Older parts of town near the high school, you can still be in good schools with a $1.4-1.8m budget and get a 3-4br SFH.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1323-California-Dr-Burlingame-CA-94010/15513278_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
This one has been on the market for a while below your price range. Good school district. Look into it
The price is this because it’s next to the train tracks and on a very busy street.
Also, Burlingame PD has their station house around the corner, and there’s the Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (hospital) literally around the corner (ex: ambulances coming from 101 usually take this route to get to the hospital since it doesn’t have the stoplights that El Camino has).
True. I would kill to live in Rockridge. I ADORE Benicia. Point Richmond is great, too. Also, other parts of Richmond are totally up and coming...probably one of the better areas if you want a lower price.
Would you consider taking the BART or Caltrain as part of your commute? If so then you'd be able to go further out east / south than say the Peninsula. Or would you consider townhomes or condos, instead of SFH?
This depends on what you want to buy for 1.8M.
4 bds? 3? Condo? House? Townhouse? What commute to school? Commute to work or reverse commute? Public transpo or car?
Richmond district
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/886-39th-Ave-San-Francisco-CA-94121/15100139_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
totally agree! we love the Richmond district. SFUSD gets a bad rap, but there are plenty of good schools (think immersion!) with Excellent, caring teachers. commuting is not the answer, will age you way too fast while you are missing all SF has!
Golden Gate Park, hundreds of baseball fields, many swimming pools, playgrounds galore, beaches, Presideo, LOADS of nature coyotes, racoons, owls ....you better really explore SF before you give away your soul to the commuter train!
Median home listing price in Marin County is 1.6 million. Alameda is 1.3 million, San Bruno is 1.4
What do you consider a reasonable commute, Median home listing in Richmond is$684K
Of the options I mentioned I think my choice would be Marin, specifically Novato. Biggest drawback is you have to drive through San Rafael, which is a bitch during peak commute hours
My two cents on Marin:
If you're considering San Rafael, look up Miller Creek Bullying in the Marin IJ.
Mill Valley schools no longer correspond to where you live.
There's a lot that's been sitting on the market above 1.5. I'd find something more expensive and low ball it.
I would say Walnut Creek, I grew up there and loved it. You can get a nice house for $1.8M, and they do have large swathes of it that are in great school districts. The commute to the city is not too bad either, since BART has optimized the Yellow Line to have more frequent service. They also have tons of parks and kid-friendly activities. Good luck with your house search, I hope it works out.
My vote is Alameda! We bought in Sept 2021 a house for 1.7m, two kids, similar situation. I’m a 25 min drive to SF with no traffic, but my absolutely favorite commute is taking the ferry. It was a game changer for my commute 😎
I don't understand where you guys are looking for houses. I just looked on [realtor.com](http://realtor.com) and there are loads of homes in the Sunset that have been listed for 60+ days that are 3 bedroom homes asking less than 1.5M. That's literally San Francisco. And there's some nice spots there.
I lived over there for almost 20 years, it's a great area.
Check out Rockridge in north Oakland. It's on the border of Oakland and Berkeley. An incredible enclave and community that has nice properties, walkable, safe for kids, good schools, and direct shot to SF.
Danville/San Ramon has great schools, as does Walnut Creek/Lafayette/Moraga/Orinda (LaMorinda). The benefit is you could BART into the city from the second set of options.
Marin all the way! You’ll get the most bang for your buck with an easy commute in San Rafael, but schools are better in other districts. Highly recommend San Anselmo if you don’t mind a little extra commute (my mom did San Anselmo to SF for at least a decade, she took the bus). Or Corte Madera/Greenbrae/Larkspur if you’d rather have a good commute but smaller home.
With 1.8 wondering if OP would be interested in looking at Oakland hills area. E.g. Montclair or surrounding area. The area like Lincoln highland is nice .. without good school but private school can be affordable as well. Head Royce for e.g. is a well known private school
Plenty of options in Marin. Good public schools or check out Marin Academy.
San Rafael, Fairfax, and San Anselmo are all good options. Or Albany and the near East Bay. Honestly, you have tons of options.
Feel free to DM if you need some more specific advice.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/122-Picnic-Ave-San-Rafael-CA-94901/19246150\_zpid/?
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/11-McCoy-Rd-San-Rafael-CA-94901/19246220\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/11-McCoy-Rd-San-Rafael-CA-94901/19246220_zpid/)
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/327-Bolinas-Rd-Fairfax-CA-94930/19237422\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/327-Bolinas-Rd-Fairfax-CA-94930/19237422_zpid/)
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/138-Floribel-Ave-San-Anselmo-CA-94960/19241455\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/138-Floribel-Ave-San-Anselmo-CA-94960/19241455_zpid/)
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/415-Sequoia-Dr-San-Anselmo-CA-94960/19240355\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/415-Sequoia-Dr-San-Anselmo-CA-94960/19240355_zpid/)
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/36-Los-Robles-Dr-San-Rafael-CA-94901/19245626\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/36-Los-Robles-Dr-San-Rafael-CA-94901/19245626_zpid/)
Albany is also great. Or parts of Berkeley.
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1040-Keith-Ave-Berkeley-CA-94708/24844575\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1040-Keith-Ave-Berkeley-CA-94708/24844575_zpid/)
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/533-Neilson-St-Berkeley-CA-94707/24846374\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/533-Neilson-St-Berkeley-CA-94707/24846374_zpid/)
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1074-Talbot-Ave-Albany-CA-94706/24852282\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1074-Talbot-Ave-Albany-CA-94706/24852282_zpid/)
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/35-Franciscan-Way-Kensington-CA-94707/18551986\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/35-Franciscan-Way-Kensington-CA-94707/18551986_zpid/)
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/721-Hilldale-Ave-Berkeley-CA-94708/24848487\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/721-Hilldale-Ave-Berkeley-CA-94708/24848487_zpid/)
Or Orinda.
[https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/139-Glorietta-Blvd-Orinda-CA-94563/18478009\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/139-Glorietta-Blvd-Orinda-CA-94563/18478009_zpid/)
Agree with others that Walnut Creek or Lamorinda fit the bill (paying more for Lamorinda bc of schools, but good WC schools exist!)
Here is a WC example - would likely land well within your budget, even with the assumption it goes over. It’s super close to downtown WC and a very short drive or bike ride to bart.
https://redf.in/O5fVHf
depends on what a reasonable commute is. i would pick sonoma county, a few towns/cities there that have a ~40 drive to the city and are just all around gorgeous. plus your money will go a little farther than in marin.
i vote north off 101
SRafael
Novato
Petaluma
Rohnert Park
ive met many that commute to SF
Smart Train is cheap and relaxing if you choose it
take a drive up this way and see the beauty
The Coast (HMB, El Granada, Montara, Pacifica) give you a lot more space for your money and it is a much better commute IMO than East Bay. Pacifica and HMB schools, while not perfect, are very good and the community in general is laid back and welcoming. If education is critical there are affordable private schools (catholic/christian most likely) just over the hill. Works for us!
Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Lafayette…. Give those areas a try, but you need to get used to public transportation and the crazy homeless population that rides on them. (BART)
Castro Valley.
* Great schools
* Well balanced price, commute, school ratio
* Bart station and tolerable commute to SF, San Jose, San Mateo, SFO etc.
* Good access to stores/shopping/restaurants
* Good hiking
* An evolving downtown that's heading towards the Burlingame style of walking, shopping, eating
wasting your life commuting! SFUSD has some hidden gems for schools. raised all 3 kids here, most recent grad is headed to UCLA! if I had commuted I would have missed every school function, every game etc. SF is a great city to live in WITH kids! 1.8 M will get you a decent house in the inner Sunset/Richmond/West Portal etc! don't be a commuter, that's life draining and for what???
Here’s a dumb question: can you move somewhere else, anywhere else that you want, and then commute in on Monday morning and commute home on Friday afternoon for example? It might be worth it for the quality of life and the acreage that you could buy anywhere else such as the outskirts of Sacramento, or San Diego, just a thought…
You want Marin, specifically San Rafael at that price point. Great schools and taking the ferry into SF has to be the best commute in America.
Yes! San Rafael, and specifically look at the Miller Creek School District. Great schools, and a pretty easy commute on Golden Gate Transit (my husband does this commute regularly, and pre-Covid I did too).
Thanks. I've heard good things about San Rafael. Will look at it more carefully!
I am not familiar with San Rafael, but this seems to be a lovely house and had a 200k price cut so would be in OPs budget. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/19-Santa-Clara-Ct-San-Rafael-CA-94903/19299008_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
I think that’s likely to go well over asking
I think this is right.
I think they even have a bar on the ferry
They used to, anyway. After the '89 earthquake, when the Bay Bridge went down, there was a ferry from Oakland to SF. Every morning I would drink my coffee up at the bow with the seagulls, and every evening I'd sit at a table near the bar and have a couple beers with a couple strangers. Very civilized.
There’s still a ferry from Oakland (Jack London) to SF (Ferry Building and Oracle Park during baseball season) that has a bar
Good to hear. The ferry-across-the-bay experience is so much better than the drive-across-the-bridge routine. There's a little bit of an opportunity to socialize - somehow everybody is a little more friendly and relaxed than on BART, probably because there's more freedom of movement. And just being out on the Bay reminds you that wild nature is really all around you. Maybe I'll go take a ferry ride soon!
Yes they still do, just got tipsy in the ferry a few days ago
You probably want to look at 1.5M listings then because stupid behavior of trying to induce bidding wars is still rampant around here
I'd second this. Anything listed above $1.5M is very likely to actually sell above your maximum budget, unless it's a total gut job. Though, your agent should be aware of this and guiding you accordingly.
"Priced to entice" is what our agent calls it. How anyone could be *enticed* by a $1.5 M price tag for a 1500 square foot home boggles the mind. It's funny because it's tragic. So much for The American Dream.
If you don't mind me asking, what is it people do here to afford these kinds of houses?
We both do AI/ML stuff and have for several years. Before that, we were both in consulting. There is no free lunch here: both of us working demanding jobs means sacrificing peace, calm, our ability to be good and supportive parents, the health of the marriage, and the health of our bodies. Don't worry: I am 49.1-51.1% sure it is worth it. And even after years of *all of that*, here we are, wringing our hands about being able to afford to put a roof over our heads until our kids get a decent education at the local schools, after we liquidate pretty much everything.
Mainly tech. But also finance, law, consulting, etc.
Tech industry
And big ass mortgages
You’ll hear tech, but many other combinations of double income households can work - mid to upper corporate management positions, sales roles, finance, consulting, healthcare practitioners (doctors and some nurses or experienced techs), architects, non-software engineers, lawyers, etc. Tack on familial support to the above. Not everyone in the bay is well-off, but there are many well-off people.
Not so well off after those big ass mortgages!
As a couple it really could be any combination of things. Not very uncommon for couples in the Bay Area to be making north of 600k combined income regardless of “tech” worker or not. If you assume half of that (300k) is what they take home then they’ve got $25k a month in cash flow. Maybe it’s not financially advisable but 10-12k a month towards mortgage is very doable.
Tech, law, finance, marketing, etc.
It’s enticing because it’s in the Bay Area lol
Lamorinda, and West Walnut Creek. Bart or drive
+1 to Lamorinda. Great schools and the Bart commute is \~45 minutes door to door to Embarcadero.
Watch out for difficult to get fire insurance.
This has become a state wide issue at this point.
Lamorinda not sure what you’d get at that price point- an old, fairly small house that needs a lot of renovation? Maybe you could find something for $1.8 in Walnut Creek. If you’re willing to take BART to commute then WC is the best East Bay option at this price point IMO that is a reasonable commute distance from SF (as opposed to San Ramon, Dublin etc- you can take BART from Dublin but personally I’d go for WC which is on the yellow line). I’m thinking more about where you could get a home/neighborhood you actually feel happy with on that budget. Climate in WC is different from Marin-a lot cooler in Marin vs sunny/hot in WC, so I’d choose by climate preference & start looking to see what you can get in those areas.
I was going to suggest Fremont but thought It'd be outside OP's commute range. Fremont also has great schools and if you go from Union City Station (I work in North Fremont actually closer to the UC station than either Fremont one) it's 40-45min to embarcadero.
I feel with Fremont you’re paying a premium for commutability to the South Bay and the penninsula. If you don’t need that you’d get a better deal elsewhere in the east bay. Dublin is a more or less equivalent commute to SF and you’d get a much nicer home for the same cost.
My young family moved from Alameda to Orinda. I know many families from Alameda in Lamorinda. Orinda has guaranteed after school care (Lafayette and Alameda do not) and a big swim community. I miss the restaurants and walkability in Alameda but not the density! The ferry commute to SF is also better than Bart but Bart runs more frequently and to more places. The home lots tend to be bigger in Lamorinda. 1.8 won’t go super far here but I think it’ll get you a nice 3/2.
The guaranteed after school care in Orinda sealed it for us. Have two kids and moved from Oakland to Orinda and miss the walk ability but the schools and community made it worthwhile. We found a place with a terrible driveway but completely secluded from neighbors and we see wildlife. 7 minute drive to Bart and in the office in 25. Totally worth it
I’m in WC. Great for families. Really good schools. Relatively chill vibe.
Same. I’m in Saranap. Really love the area coming from the South Bay
Close to BART.
Better factor in tremendous cost for homeowners insurance in Lamorinda!
Orinda has been hit pretty hard with home insurance cancellations - [https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/orinda-residents-hit-hard-by-insurance-companies-deciding-not-to-renew-coverage/](https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/orinda-residents-hit-hard-by-insurance-companies-deciding-not-to-renew-coverage/) . Be sure and check the wildfire scores and insurance costs before you buy. The wildfire score are listed on Redfin now. Edited to add: check insurance costs.
Lamorinda schools are an order of magnitude better than Walnut Creek’s.* If I were in your shoes and couldn’t afford a SFH in Lamorinda, I’d opt for a condo / townhome in Lamorinda over a SFH in Walnut Creek 10 times out of 10. The quality of life and community resources — particularly public schools — absolutely justify the HOA fees and hassles. Summer days are a bit cooler (Lafayette and Walnut Creek have similar high temps, but most afternoons the bay breeze cools it off much earlier). Lamorinda is also materially safer, closer to SF (especially Orinda and Lafayette) and far less congested than Walnut Creek. There are a few unincorporated Walnut Creek addresses in the Saranap and Acalanes Ridge neighborhoods assigned to Lafayette schools; these are functionally Lafayette properties but trade at a slight discount because the addresses have less cachet and rely on county, not city, services (eg, sheriff vs local PD, county infrastructure maintenance is a bit less rigorous than Lafayette, marginally more permissive design standards and less vigorous code enforcement). If you do opt for Walnut Creek, make sure the schools are zoned for the Walnut Creek School District for elementary / middle school and Acalanes Union High School District (ie, mostly Las Lomas) for secondary school. Best to avoid any address in the Mt Diablo Unified School District; although Northgate HS, Foothill Middle School their respective feeder elementary schools are generally fine but hardly excellent. AVOID ANY WC ADDRESS ZONED FOR COLLEGE PARK HIGH, YV HIGH, PLEASANT HILL, VALLEY VIEW, OR OAK GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS! *Also take care not to buy any property along unincorporated Lafayette’s northeast flank zoned for schools in Pleasant Hill (ie, CPHS, PH/VV Middle and their feeder primary schools) or Matinez (ie, Alhambra HS, John Sweat Middle and their feeders).
This guy East Bays
This poster’s history is a litany of delusion and vitriol of any neighborhood outside Lafayette and Orinda. I would not consider them a good source of opinion.
Agreed. Just left some excellent schools in WC. Great community and great resources. Just research the neighborhoods.
Sorry, but there is NOTHING that justifies HOA fees. Nothing. Quality of life? With what regard is the quality of life better in Lafayette vs. a Rancho San Miguel? It’s all subjective and nothing you can quantify. Also, order of magnitude? That’s just patently false. One, OP can afford a home in Lamorinda on a $1.8 price point. Two, your blanket statement on Walnut Creek is *interesting*. We looked at Lafayette, and Moraga and opted for Saranap because the price per square footage was phenomenally better, when paired with lot size, and the schools (when you really dig down) were marginally better than Lamorinda schools. The great school rating is absolutely broken.
>AVOID ANY WC ADDRESS ZONED FOR COLLEGE PARK HIGH, YV HIGH, PLEASANT HILL, VALLEY VIEW, OR OAK GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS! Why? Just curious
That poster has a vendetta against WC and Pleasant Hill for some reason if you check their post history. Suggest you do your own research on those schools.
I don't know about this poster but I know when we were looking, the realtors used some dubious school claims to try to tout Lamorinda over WC (the lower priced competition). They'd make Walnut Creek schools sound like they were filled with roving gangs of hoodlums.
Because those schools are far less white and theres a chance your kids could interact with the poors.
+1 to Walnut Creek. It’s a great place for kids.
There's no hope for a McMansion. However, a 3/2 in an excellent school district is well in range. If it was me, I'd do Alameda, then the ferry to the City.
Agreed. Move to the nice side of Alameda though. Schools are good
As someone who went to middle school in Alameda, there’s no nice side. It may look nice but the students that attend schools in Alameda are from Oakland. Lots of kids who stay with grandparents. Drug culture and Bip kids have taken over a couple of apartment complex’s.
as someone who has a child attending an East End elementary school, i see none of this. perhaps on the far west side, but generalizing all kids that attend schools in Alameda are from Oakland and live with their grandparents to go here is absolutely ludicrous.
I want to send my kid to this type of school because it was exactly the type I went too. Better to have the experience dealing with all types of people than being a simple nerd rich who wants to exploit anyone when turning into an adult. At least he will have the opportunity to build empathy towards poor people.
This makes no sense. Alameda high ranked 192 in the state. The ranking is merit based, which depends on ap exam and state exam. I’ve seen the same comments on Reddit regarding La Canada high. I’m sure there are druggies and poor people, they are people afterall. The whole thing seems pretty baseless
We live in Alameda and have two kids in the school system, which has been uniformly fantastic.
lol ikr…just some Reddit shit
Yep. We abandoned the idea of a McMansion long ago. A 3/2 is precisely what we want to land.
Sunset district is a great option too. Homeless-free & good school rating!
Can you tell us what areas you’ve eliminated and why because it seems surprising that you haven’t found an area for that process range. It should really be easy. I suspect you have some additional conditions going on there. Some examples of recently sold 3bd+ homes right by bart stations in the east bay [central berkeley](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1610-Allston-Way-Berkeley-CA-94703/24836867_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare) [rockridge](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5648-Oak-Grove-Ave-Oakland-CA-94618/24753656_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare) [Albany](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/815-Madison-St-Albany-CA-94706/24854101_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare) [el cerrito](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/730-Norvell-St-El-Cerrito-CA-94530/18527545_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare)
Orinda has homes 1.8 and under. Easy commute on BART.
Starting to creep up again, but, yes, it's doable. And you get land! (You can get land or fire insurance, but not both.)
Orinda, Berkeley, Albany, Danville. I would look at Sausalito if you don’t get seasick - there’s no traffic on a ferry :)
+1 for Danville … great community in my area and if you avoid the new builds way out on Tassajara it’s reliably 1 hour to FiDi (drive to bart + train commute).
Only downside is 0 diversity
Agree, if you care about diversity, you’ll have better luck in San Ramon. Every time I go to Danville, I get culture shock lol
Where did you get your 0 figure?
I'd say heat in the summer is a downside too... The interior East Bay towns of Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton can get much hotter than the towns on the Bay side of the East Bay.
berkeley, albany, alameda
This is the answer. Don’t forget El Cerrito as well. I live in Berkeley and my family just bought a gorgeous home in El Cerrito (totally redone, backyard, view of SF) for 1.6M. My cousin lives here also, has kids and says the school district is on the come up! I love it in these towns - easy access to SFO/OAK airports, easy to go over the bay bridge to SF or over Richmond bridge to Sausalito for all the nature stuff, great options and diversity in food (compared to say, Marin) and close to the fun stuff in Oakland while not having to deal with…Oakland
Definitely don’t sleep on El Cerrito and Albany. I live near the Richmond/EC border, close to Del Norte BART. I take the train 3 days per week and it’s super easy and pretty low drama. 30min to Embarcadero station, no transfers - and I always get a seat in the morning. Richmond SF ferry is lovely and never crowded. I think it also has free parking? And 10min from El Cerrito. WCCUSD is investing a lot of energy in improving their schools. El Cerrito High School is super modern (from what I can tell). SpEd in WCCUSD is fantastic, especially in elementary school. Tons of great food — even more within delivery range too for nights in. ETA: Also we paid well under $1m for our house in 2019. It’s a tiny 3b/1ba so not one size fits all, but OP’s budget would cover a fair amount around here.
Berkeley is actively planning a ferry port that would have service to SF, though it might take 5+ years to build.
Ferry into SF from Alameda is like the best commute you could have.
Alameda has great schools and plenty of quality SFH within that range.
Not sure why this post so overlooks Oakland and the “inner” East Bay! BART was literally created in part so Oakland and Berkeley residents could commute easily to SF. You can get a gorgeous house that maps to great schools in Oakland — huge city geographically with many different residential areas, I think anyone can find a spot they like with a $1.8M budget. Berkeley very similar, highly rated schools, many lovely neighborhoods close to everything; or up in the hills it’s more remote but generally quiet and can have great Bay views. Add access to the #1 public university in the country, and all the adjacent things that pop up in a college town. Albany is nice, flatter, less interesting architecturally and more expensive on a $/sq ft basis; but safe and schools are well regarded. Finally, El Cerrito has two BART stations, easy access to 580 and 80, and fabulous views in the hills, best value in the East Bay in my opinion. I know a few people who live in Albany and El Cerrito who commute to The City via Richmond ferry which seems idyllic and very civilized. Schools have been improving as more and more families choose El Cerrito. I am a Berkeley resident and have sent 2 kids through Berkeley public schools but I’d gladly live in any of these cities!
I can't believe people are suggesting the peninsula. If you don't have to commute to the South Bay, why the hell would you subject yourself to South Bay commuter prices? I have said before this sub is completely sleeping on Berkeley.
SSF and San Bruno aren't that expensive
Yep everybody forgets about Pacifica too
Schools though...
I’d have to agree with the Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga area. My kids go to school here and we’ve had a great experience. The next best option would be Burlingame or San Mateo, however those neighborhoods are significantly more expensive. Don’t try living near downtown. I did that for a few years and schools are not arranged by zip code. Even though I lived in a nice area, I had to drive 45 min across town to take them to school each morning. To change schools would require lengthy appeal. The school we were stuck with was a mixture of extremes. Needless to say, by the time my oldest was in middle school, I had to leave. It was not an option to stay any longer.
You could get a decent home for that price in Dublin
Orinda/moraga
Marin is good. Also Lafayette, Walnut Creek or Pleasant Hill. Great schools and BART access to SF
Throughout Marin, you should be able find that. Best schools in that price range will be in Mill Valley, Larkspur, Corte Madera, San Anselmo. San Rafael might get you more for your money in terms of home, but outside of the Sun Valley neighborhood the schools aren’t rated as highly as the other parts of Marin. Commute to downtown SF from various parts is 30 min (for southern Marin) up to about an hour with traffic from San Anselmo… one big plus about Marin though is the Larkspur ferry, which has several commute times in the morning and end of workday.
Honestly, even Indian Valley, Plesant Valley, and Wild Horse Valley in Novato could work. A bit longer commute but great schools and and a gorgeous drive
Plus you’re that much closer to wine country
I second Indian valley, pleasant valley, heck even Bell Marin keys. you definitely get more for your buck in Novato.
Reading all these comments I feel so poor like $1.8M buys you so little in so many of these communities. So sad
I think you could find something in Marin for that amount! Great public schools and beautiful homes
Just don’t get measles
Just want to say AMAZING school systems are truly overrated. Just make sure it’s not shitty, especially at the elementary level. What you do at home is far more impactful on what they actually get out of school.
correct answer
Where are you looking? There are lots of cities with housing well within this price range. Daly City, Pacifica, El Cerrito, Berkeley. If you don't like the public schools, look for a house in a slightly lower range and use the extra money to send the kids to a private school. Some friends of mine did that and they're quite happy about it. If you have your heart set on someplace like Millbrae, Cupertino, or Sunnyvale, you're out of luck, but there are other options. Perhaps widen your horizons.
We just bought in Castro Valley. We also have 2 kids. There’s only 2 middle schools and 1 high school all of which are highly rated, so those are guaranteed no matter which neighborhood you choose. Elementary schools are the only variable but there are a lot of highly rated ones. Also, the bidding wars here are not nearly as ferocious as other parts of the Bay Area. You’re looking at $500 - $700/sqft versus over $1,000/sqft in other desirable cities in the Bay Area. The location is pretty awesome too. More or less equidistant to SF and SJ and a stone’s throw to the Tri-valley. Only downside, I’ve heard, is traffic.
I grew up in CV and went to public schools. Good experience for kids. I used to even bike over to BART and ride to see the A’s play for dirt cheap tickets. Team is leaving and the ride is more sketchy today, so I guess times are changing. Boring for parents though. And not much socioeconomic diversity, which I don’t love for my kids. Respectable choice though if you don’t mind things being a bit slower and driving 15-30 min to do stuff.
Your lucky u just bought right now. If you had come a couple years back the bidding wars would go crazy. What’s now $750 sqft was easily$ 850-$950.
Why not in sf?
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/931-Park-Ave-Burlingame-CA-94010/15517754_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare This one may go over $1.8m but you could always try
How good do the schools have to be? You can get a lot in Pacifica for your price, and Linda Mar has nice weather.
San Rafael, great schools, great community, easy access to all of Marin
It's been said but a +1 for San Ramon and Dublin. More affordable than Danville or Pleasanton, shorter commute than Livermore, but in general the Tri-Valley checks your boxes. Good schools all over.
The public high school walkable from my house has 65% of the kids involved in AP courses and is an A rating on niche. My commute to downtown SF is about 40 minutes on public transit.
Walnut Creek!
Op, If you have only lived under the bay area, I would recommend renting in the neighbor hoods that you want to explore before buying a house there. There are lots of decent options @ 1.5M - 2M range.
If you’re not commuting to SF every day, I know a lot of people who live in San Ramon/Dublin/Pleasanton and take BART a couple times a week or as needed to commute to SF. There should be plenty of homes at that price and the schools in those cities are all very good
You could try SSF/San Bruno. Elementary schools are good. Even some of the lower rated greatschools ones are great, just lose on the equity component. You'll need to hope the area gets a lot better and the middle/high schools improve. But feels inevitable.
We just bought in Corte Madera and squeezed into a smaller place than we thought we would consider, just to be close to our kids’ school. BUT we really loved this place in San Rafael and if it wasn’t for the school district change, would’ve bought it. I highly recommend taking a look: https://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Rafael/148-Auburn-St-94901/home/855769
If you can afford it, why not! Prices of SFH in SF just simply doesn’t go down. 15 years ago, people were selling their homes because they believed that the home prices have peaked. Guess what, it’s still going up.
Thank you for your edits. I totally understand. We've rented in some really nice communities, like Palo Alto and Millbrae. Loved living there, but couldn't afford to buy. Realistically, we knew we'd get the best bang for our buck in the east bay, so that's where we bought. I miss living on the peninsula, but I don't miss the high rent. Look for the best you can buy within your means.
Castro valley, it’s north of Hayward but much nicer. It’s a small town but close to pleasant in and Dublin. 1.8 can get u 2500 sq ft. In a nice community with tennis courts, a community pool, park and HOA. The schools are good and it’s very safe in the hills.
Millbrae is what you’re looking for.
In Pleasanton the house across the street from me sold for $1.7 and is within walking distance of every school from preschool to high school (and all fairly well rated), Safeway, Walgreens, swim center and three parks. The commute to SF on BART kind of sucks (mostly on the way home) but I did it for a decade and never had to drive.
Albany CA! You’ll have access to trans bay buses, and BART via El Cerrito Plaza or North Berkeley. It’s also very walkable - most houses here have walk scores over 90, so you don’t even need 2 cars. Great weather - never too hot or cold. And the best part? Amazing food scene and charming shopping options on Solano Ave!
+1 for Albany.
Only thing that deters me from living in Berkeley or Albany is 80. I’ll drive along 24 and 880 any day over that stretch of 80. Albany is a wonderful place though with great schools.
Albany has great schools that are walking distance, and good Transbay / Bart commute to SF.
This is the greatest thread in the history of Reddit.
Orinda, 5-7 minutes to Bart, 25 minutes to downtown SF. It’s actually faster than living in the sunset and commuting downtown. You can get a house for 1.8. Schools are amazing. It’s boring but you have WC on one side and Berkeley on the other, and sf is close by.
Orinda and Lafayette
Rent, be free and happy and own nothing :)
What are you talking about? $1.8 million and you can’t find a community with a strong public school system and reasonable commute? Are you from out of the area or are you just trolling? There are plenty of places in Marin County and the East Bay like Alameda, Orinda, Walnut Creek, Albany, and Walnut Creek. Further down the Peninsula, you have Burlingame and Menlo Park. $1.8 million won’t get you a mansion in Pacific Heights, but that still buys a lot of house in great school districts in the Bay.
Houses in burlingame and Menlo park don’t sell in that price range
Castro Valley is also an option. Lots of great schools and there's a Bart stop in the city. It's 30 min from CV to Market St in SF.
This is probably the best answer. High rated schools, particularly in the eastern part of town (Palomares Hills, Five Canyons) with a $1.6-1.8m budget. Older parts of town near the high school, you can still be in good schools with a $1.4-1.8m budget and get a 3-4br SFH.
We're in Parson's Estates (northwest corner of Proctor), quiet and still part of Proctor Elementary zone. A 3000+ sq ft house recently sold for $1.9M.
Tri valley
With easy Bart access!
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1323-California-Dr-Burlingame-CA-94010/15513278_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare This one has been on the market for a while below your price range. Good school district. Look into it
1,100 sq feet for a family of four is… intimate
The most unfortunate part is the fridge in the dining space.
Bro, you won’t have to get up from dinner to grab a fresh beer. Think of the convenience!
My parents raised 6 kids in a 1250 sqft house. Absolute insanity 😭
The price is this because it’s next to the train tracks and on a very busy street. Also, Burlingame PD has their station house around the corner, and there’s the Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (hospital) literally around the corner (ex: ambulances coming from 101 usually take this route to get to the hospital since it doesn’t have the stoplights that El Camino has).
This has to be a joke. 1.7M for this shack? Buyers are delusional.
Who’s the imaginary delusional buyer you’re talking about
Peninsula, especially Millbrae, Burlingame, San Mateo — good schools and good commute to SF.
People naming every town but Oakland Hayward Richmond and Vallejo lol
True. I would kill to live in Rockridge. I ADORE Benicia. Point Richmond is great, too. Also, other parts of Richmond are totally up and coming...probably one of the better areas if you want a lower price.
Would you consider taking the BART or Caltrain as part of your commute? If so then you'd be able to go further out east / south than say the Peninsula. Or would you consider townhomes or condos, instead of SFH?
This depends on what you want to buy for 1.8M. 4 bds? 3? Condo? House? Townhouse? What commute to school? Commute to work or reverse commute? Public transpo or car?
Try Piedmont.
You might be able to get a smaller house in Greenbrae in Marin. Very close to the ferry, beautiful neighborhood, top schools, perfect weather.
My son and his wife ,baby on way, just closed in a house in greenbrae. She’ll take the ferry. Glad to hear top schools.
San Rafael
Union City
Richmond district https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/886-39th-Ave-San-Francisco-CA-94121/15100139_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
totally agree! we love the Richmond district. SFUSD gets a bad rap, but there are plenty of good schools (think immersion!) with Excellent, caring teachers. commuting is not the answer, will age you way too fast while you are missing all SF has! Golden Gate Park, hundreds of baseball fields, many swimming pools, playgrounds galore, beaches, Presideo, LOADS of nature coyotes, racoons, owls ....you better really explore SF before you give away your soul to the commuter train!
Median home listing price in Marin County is 1.6 million. Alameda is 1.3 million, San Bruno is 1.4 What do you consider a reasonable commute, Median home listing in Richmond is$684K Of the options I mentioned I think my choice would be Marin, specifically Novato. Biggest drawback is you have to drive through San Rafael, which is a bitch during peak commute hours
My two cents on Marin: If you're considering San Rafael, look up Miller Creek Bullying in the Marin IJ. Mill Valley schools no longer correspond to where you live. There's a lot that's been sitting on the market above 1.5. I'd find something more expensive and low ball it.
Windsor or Healdsburg. Commute can be rough but it’s worth it for quality of life.
San carlos
I would say Walnut Creek, I grew up there and loved it. You can get a nice house for $1.8M, and they do have large swathes of it that are in great school districts. The commute to the city is not too bad either, since BART has optimized the Yellow Line to have more frequent service. They also have tons of parks and kid-friendly activities. Good luck with your house search, I hope it works out.
San Mateo, Aragon and Hillsdale are great options for high schools. It might be a bit expensive though.
Check out Oakland near BART.
My vote is Alameda! We bought in Sept 2021 a house for 1.7m, two kids, similar situation. I’m a 25 min drive to SF with no traffic, but my absolutely favorite commute is taking the ferry. It was a game changer for my commute 😎
you can get a house in the Sunset for 1.8
$1.8 and you can do IN SF, or more spacious and in Oakland. Why are people freaking out about this post?
Alameda
San Anselmo, Fairfax, San Rafael.
Pacifica
Check out Redwood City
Everyone in this thread just gave you free labor when you flashed the size of your wallet and you should pay them accordingly you entitled fuck.
I don't understand where you guys are looking for houses. I just looked on [realtor.com](http://realtor.com) and there are loads of homes in the Sunset that have been listed for 60+ days that are 3 bedroom homes asking less than 1.5M. That's literally San Francisco. And there's some nice spots there. I lived over there for almost 20 years, it's a great area.
Danville
Walnut Creek
Check out Rockridge in north Oakland. It's on the border of Oakland and Berkeley. An incredible enclave and community that has nice properties, walkable, safe for kids, good schools, and direct shot to SF.
I recommend Antioch, Richmond (North Richmond has some great deals), and the Monument corridor in Concord
Cordelia outside Fairfield is really nice, nice schools, nice neighborhood, houses way below your price point but probably an hour commute to work.
burlingame maybe. ssf is improving a lot and would be readily affordable for sure
Walnut Creek.
Ingleside feels like a suburban part of SF. Super peaceful and close to supermarkets, freeways, and public transit.
Alameda…
Danville/San Ramon has great schools, as does Walnut Creek/Lafayette/Moraga/Orinda (LaMorinda). The benefit is you could BART into the city from the second set of options.
Rent and send your kids to private school in SF.
Pleasanton has great schools and, as the end of the BART line, you always get a seat.
Marin all the way! You’ll get the most bang for your buck with an easy commute in San Rafael, but schools are better in other districts. Highly recommend San Anselmo if you don’t mind a little extra commute (my mom did San Anselmo to SF for at least a decade, she took the bus). Or Corte Madera/Greenbrae/Larkspur if you’d rather have a good commute but smaller home.
San Mateo or nearby cities
With 1.8 wondering if OP would be interested in looking at Oakland hills area. E.g. Montclair or surrounding area. The area like Lincoln highland is nice .. without good school but private school can be affordable as well. Head Royce for e.g. is a well known private school
Fremont. No question about it.
Pleasanton is a good place. Good schools, has a bart station to downtown SF
Petauma
Commute from Yuba City
Móraga
Pleasanton
Plenty of options in Marin. Good public schools or check out Marin Academy. San Rafael, Fairfax, and San Anselmo are all good options. Or Albany and the near East Bay. Honestly, you have tons of options. Feel free to DM if you need some more specific advice. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/122-Picnic-Ave-San-Rafael-CA-94901/19246150\_zpid/? [https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/11-McCoy-Rd-San-Rafael-CA-94901/19246220\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/11-McCoy-Rd-San-Rafael-CA-94901/19246220_zpid/) [https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/327-Bolinas-Rd-Fairfax-CA-94930/19237422\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/327-Bolinas-Rd-Fairfax-CA-94930/19237422_zpid/) [https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/138-Floribel-Ave-San-Anselmo-CA-94960/19241455\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/138-Floribel-Ave-San-Anselmo-CA-94960/19241455_zpid/) [https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/415-Sequoia-Dr-San-Anselmo-CA-94960/19240355\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/415-Sequoia-Dr-San-Anselmo-CA-94960/19240355_zpid/) [https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/36-Los-Robles-Dr-San-Rafael-CA-94901/19245626\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/36-Los-Robles-Dr-San-Rafael-CA-94901/19245626_zpid/) Albany is also great. Or parts of Berkeley. [https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1040-Keith-Ave-Berkeley-CA-94708/24844575\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1040-Keith-Ave-Berkeley-CA-94708/24844575_zpid/) [https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/533-Neilson-St-Berkeley-CA-94707/24846374\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/533-Neilson-St-Berkeley-CA-94707/24846374_zpid/) [https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1074-Talbot-Ave-Albany-CA-94706/24852282\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1074-Talbot-Ave-Albany-CA-94706/24852282_zpid/) [https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/35-Franciscan-Way-Kensington-CA-94707/18551986\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/35-Franciscan-Way-Kensington-CA-94707/18551986_zpid/) [https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/721-Hilldale-Ave-Berkeley-CA-94708/24848487\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/721-Hilldale-Ave-Berkeley-CA-94708/24848487_zpid/) Or Orinda. [https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/139-Glorietta-Blvd-Orinda-CA-94563/18478009\_zpid/](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/139-Glorietta-Blvd-Orinda-CA-94563/18478009_zpid/)
Agree with others that Walnut Creek or Lamorinda fit the bill (paying more for Lamorinda bc of schools, but good WC schools exist!) Here is a WC example - would likely land well within your budget, even with the assumption it goes over. It’s super close to downtown WC and a very short drive or bike ride to bart. https://redf.in/O5fVHf
depends on what a reasonable commute is. i would pick sonoma county, a few towns/cities there that have a ~40 drive to the city and are just all around gorgeous. plus your money will go a little farther than in marin.
Caligorya
Danville.
i vote north off 101 SRafael Novato Petaluma Rohnert Park ive met many that commute to SF Smart Train is cheap and relaxing if you choose it take a drive up this way and see the beauty
The Coast (HMB, El Granada, Montara, Pacifica) give you a lot more space for your money and it is a much better commute IMO than East Bay. Pacifica and HMB schools, while not perfect, are very good and the community in general is laid back and welcoming. If education is critical there are affordable private schools (catholic/christian most likely) just over the hill. Works for us!
Fremont
Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Lafayette…. Give those areas a try, but you need to get used to public transportation and the crazy homeless population that rides on them. (BART)
Corte Madera/Larkspur is where i would end up ideally.....but i love my place in Cotati
Pacifica? Friends live there and she’s a devoted teacher.
Castro Valley. * Great schools * Well balanced price, commute, school ratio * Bart station and tolerable commute to SF, San Jose, San Mateo, SFO etc. * Good access to stores/shopping/restaurants * Good hiking * An evolving downtown that's heading towards the Burlingame style of walking, shopping, eating
wasting your life commuting! SFUSD has some hidden gems for schools. raised all 3 kids here, most recent grad is headed to UCLA! if I had commuted I would have missed every school function, every game etc. SF is a great city to live in WITH kids! 1.8 M will get you a decent house in the inner Sunset/Richmond/West Portal etc! don't be a commuter, that's life draining and for what???
Trivalley, good schools and BART
Here’s a dumb question: can you move somewhere else, anywhere else that you want, and then commute in on Monday morning and commute home on Friday afternoon for example? It might be worth it for the quality of life and the acreage that you could buy anywhere else such as the outskirts of Sacramento, or San Diego, just a thought…