So you have $250,000 to spend on a house in the East Bay

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Pretty much anything in NW Albany, W. El Cerrito and the better parts of Richmond are about 1/2 to a mile from the Iron Triangle and other bad crime areas. As you note, it is reasonably contained.

[RandomGroover]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

Pretty much anything in NW Albany, W. El Cerrito and the better parts of Richmond are about 1/2 to a mile from the Iron Triangle and other bad crime areas. As you note, it is reasonably contained.

Where exactly is the Iron Triangle? My buddy in El Cerrito, he lives off Central on Belmont, where it dead ends @ a park, and behind a Chinese Business Mall; and a couple months ago there was a rash of catalytic converter thefts there.

[pookietooth]

Wow, that sounds like a great price and a great area. I was just wondering if there were any decently priced homes under $300K. Is this neighborhood ok for families? We homeschool so we really aren't that worried about schools, but would want to live near other families with kids if possible.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by RandomGroover

Where exactly is the Iron Triangle? My buddy in El Cerrito, he lives off Central on Belmont, where it dead ends @ a park, and behind a Chinese Business Mall; and a couple months ago there was a rash of catalytic converter thefts there.

The Iron Triangle is roughly the area between 580, the main coastal route train tracks and, depending on who you talk to, one of the following: Richmond Pkwy, Cutting Blvd, or the East West running BNSF tracks.

[llowllevellowll]

If you're open to Alameda County, SFHs will come up in Oakland's Dimond, Laurel, Eastmont Hills neighborhoods between $217-$280, I have to say that that'd be my favorite place to spend $250k in the East Bay.

Everyone else has good points, but if we can add Central CoCo, I'd also add Concord to the list. If we're merely talking Western CoCo, I go Pinole on the occasional SFH and El Sobrante for the SFH/hill-side condo stock.

[OakAve2OakLand]

Originally Posted by Parti Rhinocéros

If you're open to Alameda County, SFHs will come up in Oakland's Dimond, Laurel, Eastmont Hills neighborhoods between $217-$280, I have to say that that'd be my favorite place to spend $250k in the East Bay.

Parti - please DM me with any info you might have on any such properties (under $300k in a reasonably safe area of Oakland). The next qualifiers would be walkable, with a fair amount of single professional folks, close to transit, and as close as possible to the cool neighborhoods of North Oakland (Piedmont Ave, Grand Lake, Rockridge, etc...).

Thanks!

Oak2Oak

[jade408]

Originally Posted by OakAve2OakLand

Parti - please DM me with any info you might have on any such properties (under $300k in a reasonably safe area of Oakland). The next qualifiers would be walkable, with a fair amount of single professional folks, close to transit, and as close as possible to the cool neighborhoods of North Oakland (Piedmont Ave, Grand Lake, Rockridge, etc...).

Thanks!

Oak2Oak

You should sign up for Search Homes for Sale & Find Real Estate Agents Who Put You First | Redfin to help with your search. I'd vote for the Dimond and the Laurel. These areas are about 5-ish miles from the North Oakland areas you are thinking of. The Dimond/Laurel have a great indie grocery store called Farmer Joe's with high quality meat and produce. Dimond Park is lovely, and the commercial areas are pretty walkable and served by transit. A bit further from BART, but freeway access is plentiful.

[OakAve2OakLand]

Originally Posted by jade408

You should sign up for Search Homes for Sale & Find Real Estate Agents Who Put You First | Redfin to help with your search. I'd vote for the Dimond and the Laurel. These areas are about 5-ish miles from the North Oakland areas you are thinking of. The Dimond/Laurel have a great indie grocery store called Farmer Joe's with high quality meat and produce. Dimond Park is lovely, and the commercial areas are pretty walkable and served by transit. A bit further from BART, but freeway access is plentiful.

Thanks, great insights!

Yeah, I scaled off on the map a rough distance from a few listings in those areas to the 18th st. BART (I think it was), and I came up with about 4 miles...not really walkable on a regular basis, but at least bikeable on a nice day, and a short drive in bad weather. Is it safe to lock one's bike up at the BART station?

And even 5 miles from the fun, happening areas isn't that bad as a tradeoff (if one really wants to own in an "affordable" area and not rent)...especially if the areas are served well by transit. I don't like to drink and drive, so it sounds like a party night on say, Piedmont Ave, might take just a bit of planning (or a good ol' cab ride, if necessary) for a Dimond or Laurel resident.

With the thriving rental market in Oakland, it's not like a property owner would have to commit to living in certain areas forever.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by OakAve2OakLand

Thanks, great insights!

Yeah, I scaled off on the map a rough distance from a few listings in those areas to the 18th st. BART (I think it was), and I came up with about 4 miles...not really walkable on a regular basis, but at least bikeable on a nice day, and a short drive in bad weather. Is it safe to lock one's bike up at the BART station?

Generally yes. There are BART stations with bike lockers now or in the works. If you can use one of those it works out. Hmm, 4 miles to 19th sounds about right. Fruitvale would be closer and possibly Lake Merritt. The ride from downtown Oakland would be a bit hilly for sure.

And even 5 miles from the fun, happening areas isn't that bad as a tradeoff (if one really wants to own in an "affordable" area and not rent)...especially if the areas are served well by transit. I don't like to drink and drive, so it sounds like a party night on say, Piedmont Ave, might take just a bit of planning (or a good ol' cab ride, if necessary) for a Dimond or Laurel resident.

Yup it would be easy. The 57 bus goes up and down MAcarthur (or 40th) to Emeryville. From the Dimond to Piedmont Ave I think it is a 15-20 minute ride, but honestly sometimes sketchier people show up on that route since it ends over in the heart of East Oakland. You'll notice a crowd shift. This bus runs until 12 or 1a. There is also the 18 bus that stops at Macarthur BART and I think somehow goes to downtown Oakland and western Berkeley. It has an illogical route, but runs late and goes to a lot of the areas you'd want to visit. I think @NinetiesFlava lives in the Dimond so he can give you some insight.

If you are open to a condo, I remember seeing quite a few listings in a new (around 2000 or so) in a building on 14th Street, around the Glenview. It was super cheap. The 2 bedrooms were about $150K or so. That area is closer to downtown, well served by transit, and is more walkable to the Lake. (To give you an idea, if you head down Macarthur (West or otherwise) starting at the Bay, it goes something like this:
South Emeryville > West Oakland > Temescal > Piedmont Ave > Grand Lake/Lakeshore > Park Ave/Glenview > Dimond > Laurel > And I have no clue what's next.

Sample listing pretty close to Glenview:
2439 PARK Blvd, Oakland, CA 94606 | MLS# 40534134