Elvira

Hiya - it's been a while!

I'm still spending much of my time in good old London but I'm looking to enhance my quality of life when I'm back in California. Can I pick your brains...

We currently live near Sacramento, but my husband is planning to start working from home 3 days and commute to Sacramento a couple of times a week. We would like to relocate to a place in the Bay Area where we can combine semi-retirement living with a not to arduous commute via Amtrak or down the I-80- ie definitely East of the Bay Bridge.

Additional priorities include being close to the water, easy access to nice cycling paths, civilized neighbourhood, old-established downtown and fairly close to San Francisco. And reasonably safe...

So far we have looked at Berkeley (a bit pricy), Benicia (ticks most of our boxes except cycling paths) and Vallejo (dying downtown and concerns about crime). Wondering whether there are any parts of Richmond that might be worth a look? Where else should we be looking?

Thinking of spending $600-999k. Any suggestions gratefully received! :-)

Bob

Can't help, but good to see you still about

Sally Redux

Wait...what?

AmerLisa

+1

When are you coming back, Sally?

Jerseygirl

Welcome back.

Sally Redux

Have to admit it's unsettling.

Pope may not be Catholic.

Elvira

Worry you not - pope is still very Catholic

No intention to move back permanently - just relocating my '2nd home'. Need a more agreeable hatstand for my second hat...

How's it going Sal?

Giantaxe

Really, you're signing up for an arduous commute even if you live in the East Bay. I80 is pretty horrendous for large stretches between the East Bay and Sacramento. But maybe two days a week of it isn't too bad.

If I were in your position, I'd probably go for Benicia. That avoids you having to cross the Carquinez or Benicia bridges on the way to/from Sacramento. Plus it's got a nice downtown area. Not sure I agree about the cycling paths bit. I did a ride over the Benicia Bridge to Benicia a few weeks ago, for example. Plus there are bike paths along the north shore of the Sacramento River for some - but not all - of the way towards the Carquinez Bridge.

Are you planning on a split between a house here and a house in the UK? That's what I am aiming for for retirement.

Sally Redux

Phew...doing good, your Grace

Elvira

Thanks - I am also inclined to go for Benicia. Good to know that the cycling is better than my Other Half seems to think.

As for the I-80......... I know it well. Which is why DH is planning to commute via Amtrak...

We are already splitting our time between London and California - best of both worlds!!

Elvira

Hey - look me up next time you're in London!!

Sally Redux

Good idea!

KRM2015

Good luck with it - we're hoping to move to the West coast (from London) one day too

CAdreaming

move a bit further east and come see the Tri Valley- expensive but very cute downtown areas - does get very hot in summer but then so does Sac - 1.5 hours from Sac - great Bart links and road links - nice small town feel but only 45 mins or so on BART from San Fran

Giantaxe

That changes the equation then because he'd have to either pick up the train in Martinez (which means you'd have to fight traffic to go south over the Benicia Bridge) or go to the Suisun/Fairfield station (which is probably even longer a drive although it would shorten the train journey).

Edit: Oh he's cyclist; he could cycle over the bridge to Martinez Station... would probably add 30 mins to the commute though depending on where you live in Benicia.