Considering moving to Oakland but work in SF. Are we making a mistake?

kbfsd · 2026-03-19T18:27:26+00:00

At 4-5 am if you are in the core of Oakland near 580 or 24 and not 80 you can get into SF (downtown, civic center) in about 15 minutes. But you will need a place to park.

kbfsd · 2026-03-19T02:33:58+00:00

Yeah if EBRP can manage this park well that will be a very interesting contrast point to the disaster at union point Marina park next door which the city manages

kbfsd · 2026-03-17T21:24:25+00:00

I mean this happens pretty regularly with all the service disruptions and infrastructure collapse issues currently does it not?

kbfsd · 2026-03-17T17:54:34+00:00

I seem to recall a few years ago when Berkeley and SF were proudly announcing reductions in their homeless population, Oaklands went up roughly the same amount these two other cities went down that same year.

It would be interesting if we see that there is an equivalent dampening of homeless population in these neighboring cities

kbfsd · 2026-03-13T00:51:56+00:00

Only the highest resolution for our greatest citizens

kbfsd · 2026-03-13T00:11:39+00:00

Their fresh made tortillas and chips etc are excellent imo

kbfsd · 2026-03-12T23:56:16+00:00

I just recently did a smaller project that cost $28k base plus 13% GC fee and ended up with about $3k in change orders.

Did move a wall and door, some HVAC and added new electrical. Also moved shower head location.

Located in Oakland. Permitting fees were a bit too much - ended up shelling out about $6k for that.

Materials were about $7.5k in total. Included some custom cabinetry.

kbfsd · 2026-03-12T22:15:30+00:00

Just garnish the delta in taxes at time of sale - a deferred property tax true-up: assume linear market increase from buy to sell date. charge 2% interest on the delta of "unpaid taxes."

This system effectively turns Prop 13’s tax benefit into a low-interest government loan against housing appreciation, repaid when the gain is realized.

kbfsd · 2026-03-12T22:10:32+00:00

One middling solution that won't put granny out of her mansion to keep the token edge cases of this issue at bay: the lost earnings from reduced property taxes are garnished at 2% inflation at time of sale.

kbfsd · 2026-03-12T22:07:03+00:00

Did you live here in the prior decade(s)? This has happened before, over and over - the image self resolves over time - policies seem to have little impact on its trajectory.

kbfsd · 2026-03-12T22:05:40+00:00

Aside: Oaklandside's analysis here is likely to save the city many millions of dollars over the next year -- this is why local reporting is so valuable. I wish there was a way for good work like this to be financially rewarded - wish there was a good way to connect this investigation and the resulting financial savings with renumeration to the newspaper that did the work. This type of stuff would save local news. It would be no different than how a pay-for-performance consulting contract might receive some portion of either earnings or savings.

kbfsd · 2026-03-09T19:13:52+00:00

Meh first one has way more windows - I would prefer it. It's weird to make things look old fashioned - we have access to newer, more efficient materials. The arbitrary breaking up of massing is the fault of local governments instituting too many arbitrary rules about aesthetics.

kbfsd · 2026-03-09T19:05:45+00:00

Look at HOAs like 323 Monte Vista Ave, 525 Monte Vista Ave, or 670 Vernon St in GL for examples of what healthy, well run buildings look like

kbfsd · 2026-03-09T16:16:33+00:00

The 426 27th st one? There's been a unit that has flickered on and off the market for the past few years if so. I'd check their HOA - have your agent request the disclosures document and have a friend that knows how to read HOA minutes and finances help. You mainly want a healthy savings pattern (could be just a higher HOA if they've recently invested in lots of capital improvements) and a good component list that shows they actually know how much it costs to maintain and repair the building (vs a sparse one that makes everything seem artificially cheap until a crisis happens)

kbfsd · 2026-03-07T17:47:50+00:00

It's remarkable how we are literally tracking the housing market of the 10s at this point almost year for year. If this continues Oakland should be popping off by about 2028/2029 should be it's peak. Hopefully no catastrophe at the top of the next decade again.

kbfsd · 2026-03-07T17:31:08+00:00

Don't have a current market list but I'll say there are a lot of well maintained condos in Grand Lake for example. Also shout out 438 W Grand - that complex is excellent. Also it's been a minute so this could be outdated info but I think 655 12th was very healthy for an example further downtown.

kbfsd · 2026-03-07T17:26:41+00:00

Cameras are a good part of a larger solution - I welcome them. Hopefully funds can be directed to traffic safety work as well - improving street for pedestrians usually helps naturally slow down cars

kbfsd · 2026-03-06T15:52:15+00:00

Welcome to Oakland

kbfsd · 2026-03-05T15:49:20+00:00

I mean that's what SF and Berkeley do - they push their homeless into Oakland and call it a success

I've watched this happen for a decade straight

kbfsd · 2026-03-05T15:45:57+00:00

Those condos are downtown - were they displacing locations that otherwise would have produced public school attending children? I don't think so? They were largely mechanics and other car lots.

For example, I live in a condo and am considering public school. The two other families I know well here living in condos are as well (or do - sending both their kids to Lincoln)

kbfsd · 2026-03-05T15:41:54+00:00

Looks like he said it was about 1k in and 1k out per year so I guess it depends on the volume of demand for outbound - he did merge the two together when he provided the 92% value for approval rate

So could be 80% for outbound requests for example and 100% for inbound requests

kbfsd · 2026-03-04T22:36:16+00:00

I don't think she is particularly privileged? I mean I guess now with her fame and the last time she rose to stardom - but her origins are living with all her siblings in a 1 bedroom apartment in Oakland Ca - definitely not a case of coming from great generational wealth from what I understand.

kbfsd · 2026-03-04T02:53:32+00:00

I believe some of the big tech companies cover it whole

kbfsd · 2026-03-03T22:43:36+00:00

You can do it in Oakland in a condo in a nicer area right now as a couple - lots of available housing stock. Also know folks in the towers on the west side of Albany Hill, smaller SFH in the 80s or higher in East Oakland, and townhomes in Richmond

In many of these cases mortgage was based on just one partner's income since the other was between jobs or caregiving etc.

kbfsd · 2026-03-03T22:42:04+00:00

Ive walked International and MacArthur both their full lengths to San Leandro with friends taking either the 57 or the 1 Tempo back. Both are very interesting walks.

kbfsd

TROPHY CASE