Where to live in SF (Fin District & Caltrain)

[jade408]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

Frankly nowhere in SF is very convenient to Caltrain other than Potrero Hill which is high-priced now (I'd say overpriced considering how quiet and slightly dumpy it is) due to techies wanting Caltrain access at 22nd Street Station, and the eastern end of SOMA which really only has very expensive newer condo buildings.

The other Caltrain adjacent area is the Dogpatch. (It is next to Potrero). Still expensive. And up and coming. Although it is growing, and more stuff opens daily, it isn't a very typical SF neighborhood. It is kinda like West Oakland (not sure about crime levels). You have some cute Victorians, new condos, warehouses, and a few shops. More shops than West Oakland, but not the sorts of places you need to go daily or weekly.

[Kurinji]

Here's an apt in South Beach, and even though the T sucks, this location is an easy walk to the line. It's slightly over your budget, but I just wanted to show an example: SOMA - 1BR 1BA avail Immediately w/ Parking

[kcitysf]

Wow, you guys are amazing. Thanks so much again. Now resuming our apt hunt given our lease start day is early sep and have a better sense for where we're looking. Seems like the list is now:
Soma, Nob hill, telegraph hill, russian hills, hayes valley, South Beach, Potrero hill, Dogpatch
(order roughly by preference and value, though depends on what we find...!)

[mayorhaggar]

SOMA is pretty crappy compared to a normal SF neighborhood because there's not much to walk to--not many local shops and restaurants other than some big box stores and a tiny number of local places scattered around--it's not like Noe Valley or the Mission or other normal nabes where there's a major shopping strip with lots of nice local stuff. Also the streets are all wide one-way feeder streets to or from the Bay Bridge, so there's a TON of noisy traffic.

BUT it might be what you have to settle for because it is fairly close to both Caltrain and downtown. I'd go for Potrero Hill if you can because it has some nice shopping strips, but it's kinda overpriced now cuz of all the Caltrain commuters moving there.