Let’s face it, you’re ahead of the curve; you’re a snappy dresser, make fantastic financial decisions, love real diversity, and know what’s trending, yet you’re still living in San Francisco, the South Bay, the “burbs,” or the Peninsula. You know that you’re ready to move to the East Bay when the shininess has worn off your current locale and you see what the East Bay offers in terms of homes, weather, culture, and property value! We think this list will clue you in to whether your ready to make the move to the East Bay.
10 Clues You’re Ready to Move to the East Bay
1. You’re tired of living in a teeny tiny “luxury condo,” sharing a bathroom with your kids, converting your kitchen table into a dining room table for dinner parties, and planting your garden in a box on your porch instead of a real yard.
Know the true meaning of luxury, and get more for you dollar in the East Bay! I just sold this chic and smart modern townhouse in a lush, gated community off-market in one day! Clearly people are realizing how great it is to live in the East Bay. And guess what my Bay Area friends? This gem didn’t sell for $1m. How about $340k? Yes, even in 2014 it is possible to afford a gorgeous home.
2. You want to actually enjoy a summer in July. There is a reason Mark Twain came up with that famous saying “the coldest winter I ever had was a summer in San Francisco.” No gloom and doom of San Francisco over here folks! When you want to wear your favorite little black dress, you don’t have to cover it up with a wool coat.
3. Your pup Fido is tired of the strict dog park laws and short walks around the block. The East Bay is filled with fabulous dog parks, pooch meet-up groups, and endless off-leash hiking trails. Did I mention that we actually have YARDS over here? Can you picture yourself leisurely drinking an espresso in the morning while Fido is running freely around your yard? #LiveTheDream!
4. You’re sick of Muni crowding, biking in the rain, dramatic Google Bus protests, or commuting for hours in your car. The East Bay is a transportation hub to SF, the South Bay, the Peninsula and the North Bay. You can BART, casual car pool, or take the ferry to work! Hint: The ferry has a full bar—built in happy hour, folks!
5. You can drive somewhere and actually find a parking space when you get there. You love listening to your Pandora station, but you’re tired of spending an extra 30 minutes after your commute looking for parking near your house. Parking abounds over here—even when parking near Pandora’s corporate high-rise office in downtown Oakland!
6. You feel like doing a wine tour but you don’t feel like driving to Napa or Sonoma and trying to convince a friend to be the designated driver. How about taking a leisurely bike ride through Alameda to Rockwall Winery, Rosenblum, and then ending your tour du wine at St. George Spirits instead?
7. You want to take BART directly to your favorite sports team’s game. Enjoy Warriors, A’s and Raiders all at one BART spot. Boom! No pedi cabs needed!
8. You dream of a gorgeous home with a stunning view but you aren’t bringing in the same salary as the CEO of Facebook. The homes in Piedmont, Montclair and the Oakland Hills are some of the most beautiful in the Bay and are more affordable for mere mortals – plus you might even get a backyard, and parking, and some sunshine, too!
10. You love being able to dine at incredible restaurants but you don’t want to make reservations a year in advance or wait for hours in a crowded bar before your table is ready. And while you appreciate amazing food and Michelin stars, you prefer them to come with real energy and excitement—not just reputation. You want to go there to enjoy the ambiance and food, not to simply tell your friends you went because it is a “famous” restaurant. In the last three years, Oakland has added 100 new restaurants—including a Michelin star restaurant—watch out San Francisco!
11. You find yourself heading into Oakland to partake in world class art events. (But you are embarrassed to admit it because you are paying a lot more to live in your “culturally rich” area.) You can’t pass up a chance to see the Nutcracker performed by the Oakland Ballet, though, or the opportunity to meet amazing artists while meandering through galleries with a glass, or three, of fabulous local wine, beer or spirits—like the East Bay’s own Hangar One Vodka—during one of Oakland’s Art Murmur festivities. You’ve also realized that the Oakland art scene is cooler, younger, and more fresh than in…um…other areas. It’s sort of like Burning Man vs. the opera house.
Okay, so I promised ten and delivered eleven reasons; that’s part of what I’m about, and so is the East Bay – getting more than you’d ever expect!