Moving to Oakland – Choosing from Oakland Apartments

If you plan on moving to Oakland, you’ll have a number of choices in terms of finding a place to live. Free from the limited openings and rent in San Francisco, locating Oakland apartments is hardly ever an issue. However, with so many different options to choose from, you should be careful about considering each potential apartment.

Find a Neighborhood that Suits You

In the San Francisco Bay Area, neighborhoods are taken more seriously than elsewhere. Only residents of New York City may have a comparable situation. Oakland is home to over 50 different neighborhoods, each of which has its own unique personality. You can find those that cater to young professionals, artists, families, retirees, techies and much more. Many are incredibly niche, meaning you stand a real chance of living amongst people who are almost exactly like yourself.

Do You Own a Car?

Depending on where you’ll be working or how many people you know outside of the Bay Area, you may need a car to get around. However, many people make do without them. This is made easier by the fact that, like San Francisco, Oakland has a number of public transportation options, including BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). For those who don’t own cars, things will be much easier by living in neighborhoods that make it simpler to reach public transportation. Downtown Oakland definitely won’t leave you stranded in this regard, plus, you’ll already be around so much. Rockridge is another great neighborhood for those who want to get around without paying for gas.

Know Where Crime Happens

Overall, Oakland is a great place to live. The city can be very safe for its size and even offers a number of serene locales, like Lake Merritt. That being said, it would be dishonest to claim that Oakland doesn’t suffer from crime. However, the worst of it tends to be relegated to the East and West Oakland neighborhoods (this doesn’t refer to the entire eastern or western sides, but specific neighborhoods with those names). Do your due diligence by researching the crime in any potential neighborhood where you’re considering apartments in Oakland. Low rent is no reason to put yourself in danger, but fortunately, you can find plenty of options where this isn’t a tradeoff you need to think about.

Find out about Noise Pollution

Another potential problem is that some apartments in Oakland are quite close to the freeway. During the day, you may not be around to hear the sounds nearby or you may simply regard it as white noise. At night, though, this proximity could keep you from sleeping.

You also want to stay away from apartments in Oakland that are too close to those BART stations we mentioned earlier. While it’s great to be within walking distance, living across the street from them will definitely get old quickly.

What Do You Like to Do?

In a lot of ways, picking the right neighborhood will ensure you have plenty to do in your free time. Asking this question in relation to apartments in Oakland is important though because it can also help you choose between similar neighborhoods you may consider. Perhaps the best part about living in the San Francisco Bay Area is that there is never a dull moment. While rent may be high, you also have very little reason to stay indoors. Take a look at local attractions and regular events that you know you’ll be interested in and then find apartments close to where they occur. Take your time perusing apartments in Oakland before making a final decision. Unlike in San Francisco, you don’t have to snatch up any option that comes your way, so use the time you have valuably.  

Sources:

https://oakland.about.com/od/Housing/a/Choosing-An-Oakland-Neighborhood.htm

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/04/things-you-should-ask-when-renting_n_4823559.html