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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Where to live? DH commuting from Hayward
Hi Ladies, we might have a potential move next year where DH will be working in Hayward.
I started looking at cities with a relatively short (30 min) commute and found the following:
San Mateo
Menlo Park/Palo Alto
Danville
Alamo
Walnut Creek (I think that is a bit farther)
I like the idea of San Mateo, living near water and a bit cooler than Danville probably is. But is a 30 min commute doable to San Mateo across the bridge?
What would you recommend and why? We will be a family with 2 kids, not school age yet but want to live in a very nice, family oriented community.
Re: Where to live? DH commuting from Hayward
San Mateo could be doable, but if there's traffic on the bridge, the commute gets exponential. The community is San Mateo is more urban and there are some really cute neighborhoods, but also some pretty sketchy areas. But you're also a 20-30 minute drive from the beach and Half Moon Bay.
Danville is a little more suburban, but is very family oriented. There is a really cute downtown area and is a very safe. The schools are good, the people are nice and the restaurants are great. But it is for a more quite lifestyle.
511.org is a great resource. It lets you put in your commute and the time you plan to take it and it tells you how long it usually takes. Any time you add a bridge into the equation, timing can be really variable. If there's an accident on the bridge (or a break in the bridge infrastructure) there's not an easy way around.
Some of the areas you've mentioned are quite wealthy and that brings it's own culture. I don't think I could afford to live in Alamo or Palo Alto!
Are you looking to buy a new home or rent? Do you have any budget constraints? Most of the places you mentioned are pretty pricey to live in. Also, the places you listed in the East Bay (WC, Alamo, Danville) are about 30 minutes away from Hayward in good conditions, but not during rush hour traffic. Does he work a normal 9-5 or off hours where he could avoid some or all of the traffic?
I really don't know what the commute is like from the other areas you mentioned. Have you thought about looking at Alameda or Dublin?
given what the bay area commute is like .. all of those places are an hr if not more from hayward during comute hrs. if you want 30 mins or less .. castro valley, fremont, mountain view might be more in line w/ what you want.
I would not live in Danville or Alamo if I worked in Hayward.
like pp said, Castro Valley, Fremont, Dublin, Pleasanton, Sunol, Alameda, Mtn. View would work. Not sure what your budget is and if you're going to buy or rent a house.
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Walnut Creek is definitely too far. Alamo is too, if you want a 30 minute commute. San Mateo is do-able, but having to commute over the bridge could seriously complicate things. Plus, it's an extra daily expense for bridge tolls. Menlo Park/Palo Alto will also force you to deal with bridge traffic, and will take longer than to San Mateo. Danville is iffy... depending on where in Hayward. Traffic can get heavy on 880 and 580 (two freeways that go through Hayward, and you'd need to take 580 to get to Danville) during commute times. For that reason, I'd say Danville may be pushing it.
It seems like you're looking for a nicer, upper-middle to upper class community (based on the locations you've selected), with good schools. If that's the case, I'd strongly suggest you look into Pleasanton, which is just over the hill from Hayward, but a great community, and 30 minutes would be very do-able. You can also consider Dublin (which is where I live), which is right next door to Pleasanton. Those are going to be the two nicest communities within an easy 30 minute commute of Hayward that don't require bridges/tolls.
And while, yes, it will be warmer in Dublin/Pleasanton than in the West Bay, it's really not that bad. And Dublin and Pleasanton tend to get a cooling breeze from the bay that cuts through from 580. DH and I have been in Dublin for two summers now, and have actually been surprised that it's a lot cooler out here than we expected! We don't even have AC in our house, and it really hasn't been an issue.
Dublin/Pleasanton also has an edge on San Mateo/Palo Alto/Menlo Park because it has BART. BART is the train/subway system that can take you to San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area -- but it doesn't go to San Mateo/Palo Alto/Menlo Park. BART does go to Hayward though... so depending on where your husband's job is, he may even be able to skip driving and just take BART to and from work, which will definitely make the commute a breeze!
Hi Ladies,
Thanks for all the great info! It is fantastic. I am familiar with BART but not sure where it goes, I will look into it....
What about Moraga or Orinda... how is the commute to those 2 locations from Hayward and is BART an option to those communities from Hayward?
Our plan is to rent the first 6mo-1year to get a feel for communities before we buy.
Thanks!
There is a stop in Orinda, yes. But it is not on the line that goes to Hayward so you would have to transfer. Here's a list of stations and routes:
http://www.bart.gov/stations/index.aspx
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BART is an option coming from the lamorinda area (lafayette, moraga, orinda) but it's not a straight shot and you'd have to transfer - probably a 45 min to an hr long BART ride depending on how BART's operating.
i think renting for 6-12 months is an excellent idea not only so you can get a feel for the community but so you can gauge the commute times as well since you don't want a LONG commute.
I grew up in Palo Alto and it is also a good city as far as things to do etc, but there is a certain "keeping up" mentality there.
Lafayette and Orinda are nice towns, but very sleepy, only a handful of restaurants and nestled in the hills like they are they feel a bit isolated to me. They are also the furthest from Hayward of the places you have mentioned.
I'd look into Alameda if I were you. Good schools, cute downtown, no bridge to cross to get to Hayward.
There are BART stations in Hayward and Orinda (which serves Orinda and Moraga). Depending on where in Hayward your DH works, that may be a good option. Orinda/Moraga still have a high cost of living though and are pretty quiet, suburban towns. They have good schools though.
Driving from there to Hayward would mean dealing with traffic around the Caldecott Tunnel around rush hour, as well as congestion on hwy 13 and 580. It'd be closer to 45-60 minutes of driving from there to Hayward during peak hours. If you end up in Orinda, it also takes about an extra 15 mins to get from there to the freeway/BART station in Orinda.
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