Hastings First year thoughts... Forum

[General Tso]

You should check out the East Bay. Berkeley is much more affordable than SF and has plenty of relatively cheap student housing. I lived in Dublin/Pleasanton last year and in Fremont this year. With roommates I pay about $420 per month on rent (plus probably ~150 on my share of utilities) plus about $200 per month on BART fare. I figure I save about 300-400 per month vs. living in the tower. To live elsewhere in SF is more expensive than the tower.

Do you find Fremont to be too long of a commute to class? Approximately how long does it take to go from Fremont to class?

Gross. First that guy telling me I was wrong about being able to find cheap housing in the mission (he was wrong), and now people considering living in Fremont, aka San Jose, to commute to the tenderloin as a 1L? I just had this conversation today: don't take your information from one person on the internet; if you do, at least consider both viewpoints. Here's mine: with friends, connections and a good resume one can find affordable housing in SF. When "one" becomes a couple with cats and little kids, I can begin understanding Daly City; until then, try Craigslist.

I don't enjoy living here. I hate it in fact. You do what you have to do to get out with as little debt as possible. I will spend about $20k less over 3 years by living in the East Bay. Also my girlfriend works out here.

[General Tso]

Do you find Fremont to be too long of a commute to class? Approximately how long does it take to go from Fremont to class?

It's about a 45 minute train ride...probably about 1 hr 15 min door to door. It's not that bad...you get used to it, and you can use that time to read your cases.

[Aggiegrad2011]

Do you find Fremont to be too long of a commute to class? Approximately how long does it take to go from Fremont to class?

It's about a 45 minute train ride...probably about 1 hr 15 min door to door. It's not that bad...you get used to it, and you can use that time to read your cases.

Hah, yeah I can definitely manage that... it's a wee-bit longer than my current bike ride to class (lol!) but not as horrible as my husband's commute currently.

Can you point me in the right direction of some decent complexes in Fremont? I just don't trust CraigsList and all these whacky Apartment Finder things. Every place I've ever found to live, it's been by word of mouth from people.

[General Tso]

Do you find Fremont to be too long of a commute to class? Approximately how long does it take to go from Fremont to class?

It's about a 45 minute train ride...probably about 1 hr 15 min door to door. It's not that bad...you get used to it, and you can use that time to read your cases.

Hah, yeah I can definitely manage that... it's a wee-bit longer than my current bike ride to class (lol!) but not as horrible as my husband's commute currently.

Can you point me in the right direction of some decent complexes in Fremont? I just don't trust CraigsList and all these whacky Apartment Finder things. Every place I've ever found to live, it's been by word of mouth from people.

Hm, I am not that familiar with the apartments in Fremont because we only looked at renting houses here. I am actually a little skeptical of the apartments around here because even the expensive ones had horror stories on apartmentratings.com. There's a place down the street from here called the Boulevard that looks pretty nice.

If it's all the same to you, I'd probably look at Dublin/Pleasanton instead. Much cleaner cities, less crime, nice trails to walk your dog, etc. And the rents are often a little cheaper because a lot of IT types live in Fremont and commute to San Jose. We lived at a place called Avalon Dublin for a couple of years...it was one of the cheaper places in Dublin.

Really anywhere in the East Bay outside of Walnut Creek/Danville/San Ramon/Dublin/Pleasanton is going to be a little dingy and sketchy. Walnut Creek has a BART and the rents should be fairly reasonable. Richmond/Berkeley/Oakland/San Leandro/Hayward/Union City/Fremont are all pretty rough but the rents are generally lower. Union City and Fremont are slightly nicer but also slightly more expensive as well. Oakland through Hayward are so bad that they are almost off limits no matter how cheap. I'd probably live in Berkeley if it's all the same to you and you'd rather be closer to the water. Even with hobos and a little bit of property crime, Berkeley is still a much more interesting place to live than others in the Richmond through Fremont strip.

Close to the water, I recommend Berkeley. Out in the Tri-valley, Walnut Creek or Dublin.

[General Tso]

Oh I should add that many people really love Alameda. It's pretty nice and a little quirky, but it's not the most convenient commuting location since you'd have to drive to one of the Oakland BARTs.

[Aggiegrad2011]

Close to the water, I recommend Berkeley. Out in the Tri-valley, Walnut Creek or Dublin.

Thanks for all the excellent advice, capped with a very nice 'tl;dr' summary statement Do you know of any places off the top of your head that'd be good to look at in Berkeley? I took a peak around Avalon Dublin Station, the first place you mentioned, online... and a 1 bedroom costing $1450/mo is pretty much what I'm used to, so a studio, if available, would be even better. LOL.

I don't plan to have a car (selling mine) so Alameda proper is out.

Thanks so much for your time.

edit: Poking around the 'net for apts in Walnut Creek has paid off... a lot of similarly priced units to what we're paying now in Davis, and I had noooo dreams at all of paying LESS when we moved shop to the bay. LOL.

Would Walnut Creek but a decent-ish commute to UCH?

[General Tso]

Close to the water, I recommend Berkeley. Out in the Tri-valley, Walnut Creek or Dublin.

Thanks for all the excellent advice, capped with a very nice 'tl;dr' summary statement Do you know of any places off the top of your head that'd be good to look at in Berkeley? I took a peak around Avalon Dublin Station, the first place you mentioned, online... and a 1 bedroom costing $1450/mo is pretty much what I'm used to, so a studio, if available, would be even better. LOL.

I don't plan to have a car (selling mine) so Alameda proper is out.

Thanks so much for your time.

Avalon Dublin Station is a newer place right next to the BART station. The one we lived at was the other one farther back from the freeway. Just plain "Avalon Dublin". It's a lot cheaper than the newer one but you'd have to drive or take the bus to the BART station.

The only place I lived in Berkeley was a place called MB Apartments, 1945 Berkeley Way. The apartments were nice and reasonably priced, about 850-900 per month I believe for a 1 BR + 1 parking space. I think it was close enough to walk to the Berkeley BART. I only stayed there about 2 months. My friends who were renting the place had their car broken into once...the parking lot is gated but apparently some hobos found a way to break in. Property crime is just something you have to be prepared for in Berkeley.... bikes get stolen all the time, cars broken into, etc. Beyond that it is a pretty interesting place to live, and great weather.

[Aggiegrad2011]

Ah, well I like the Station

Pty. crime is a pretty big deal in Davis, too... but, I suppose like Berk, it's about all there is. Just seems like par for the course... we, too, have a very large transient population.

Thanks for the tip w/r/t MB Apts, will have to add those to the ever growing list of possibles.

[General Tso]

edit: Poking around the 'net for apts in Walnut Creek has paid off... a lot of similarly priced units to what we're paying now in Davis, and I had noooo dreams at all of paying LESS when we moved shop to the bay. LOL.

Would Walnut Creek but a decent-ish commute to UCH?

We really like Walnut Creek a lot...it seems like a great place to raise a family. I don't think the commute would be bad at all, although I have heard that traffic gets bad around the BART station there during the morning rush hour. I've never used that station personally though. There's a great outdoor mall there called Broadway Plaza...lots of nice restaurants and shops in the downtown area as well.

I highly recommend you guys check it out when you visit.

[Aggiegrad2011]

edit: Poking around the 'net for apts in Walnut Creek has paid off... a lot of similarly priced units to what we're paying now in Davis, and I had noooo dreams at all of paying LESS when we moved shop to the bay. LOL.

Would Walnut Creek but a decent-ish commute to UCH?

We really like Walnut Creek a lot...it seems like a great place to raise a family. I don't think the commute would be bad at all, although I have heard that traffic gets bad around the BART station there during the morning rush hour. I've never used that station personally though. There's a great outdoor mall there called Broadway Plaza...lots of nice restaurants and shops in the downtown area as well.

I highly recommend you guys check it out when you visit.

Will do. Walnut Creek is at the top of my list, so far I like what I see on the 'net. I'll admit, though, that apt. searching on the 'net leaves a lot to be desired. Seems like there's a lot of bad information and bad pictures out there. LOL.

[Aggiegrad2011]

So, for a basis for comparison...

http://www.apartmenthunterz.com/details/129182683


A 2bdr/1ba with some decent amenities and it's "close" to BART - $1000/mo for a house.

Is this normal? Seems... cheap?

No pets on this example but, was mostly for location + price.

[General Tso]

So, for a basis for comparison...

http://www.apartmenthunterz.com/details/129182683


A 2bdr/1ba with some decent amenities and it's "close" to BART - $1000/mo for a house.

Is this normal? Seems... cheap?

No pets on this example but, was mostly for location + price.

It's probably a little bit cheap, but it looks like a pretty good location. I'd probably go for more like $900 for a 1BR or something. Although having a study room to yourself is pretty nice too.

[Aggiegrad2011]

So, for a basis for comparison...

http://www.apartmenthunterz.com/details/129182683


A 2bdr/1ba with some decent amenities and it's "close" to BART - $1000/mo for a house.

Is this normal? Seems... cheap?

No pets on this example but, was mostly for location + price.

It's probably a little bit cheap, but it looks like a pretty good location. I'd probably go for more like $900 for a 1BR or something. Although having a study room to yourself is pretty nice too.

Yea, as he's in professional school also and will still be when I'm 1L, having "alone space" is very good.

Well thanks for your help again. It's pretty overwhelming, the bay is such a large area and BART/Muni is completely foreign to me...

[random5483]

I stayed a few months at a place called Trinity Plaza back when I worked in SF (1169 Market Street, San Francisco). The place is right by UC Hastings and the Civic Center. Living in a Studio there back in 2009 cost me like 995/month. I also had to pay a $150 parking charge.

The place was a little old, but overall worked fine. The reviews for the place were lousy, but I had no issues with the management. The place was 2/3rd or less the cost of the other options so I picked it for my short stay in SF. They offered 3 month leases only and all units are furnished for the 995 cost. The cost might be higher now, as I have not stayed there was over a year.


The price is not cheap for a law student, but about the cheapest deal you can get near the financial district of SF.

[bass08]

Hey guys. Figured I'd weigh in here briefly since I grew up in Walnut Creek and also lived in San Francisco for a few years. Now I'm attending a law school out of state.

I won't weigh in on the rent prices too much, but you can definitely get decent one bedrooms in Walnut Creek near bart. I suppose the bart ride to civic center from walnut creek is about 45 minutes or so. If you don't mind that commute everyday, Walnut Creek is a nice place to live. The weather is great during the fall/spring/summer, and there are a ton of nice restaurants and shops and so on downtown. It's just a nice place to live. It may also be nice to live there to get away from the SF coldness/fog in the summer. YOu could also get affordable 2 br like you were looking at. Obviously check out the apartments before you commit to anything. Some of my friends apartments in walnut creek seemed nice at first, but then you realize they're more like a motel style place and you have people walking by your door all the time and you can hear everything above and below you. Also, some of the upstairs apartments can get super hot in the summer if they just have one of those on the wall A/C units. I'm sure youll find something good though; plenty of options there.

However, that commute can get tiresome, and it's also nice to actually live in the City so you can more readily enjoy all it has to offer. I lived in the inner sunset, and thought that the neighborhood was pretty decent. I lived one block from Golden Gate park, Cal Academy of Sciences and the DeYoung museum, 1 block from several muni lines that take you straight into downtown in about 20 min, and 1 block from Irving street where there are many restaurants, bars, etc. It's not the most trendy, but it's fairly safe and it's not that hard to get anywhere you need to go. Parking isn't terrible (full disclosure--i had a compact car), although if you're in the inner sunset you'll just need a parking permit, just like many other neighborhoods. Rent is fairly affordable there, and I imagine you could get a 1 BR for cheaper than the tower and it would probably be nicer. 2 BR would probably be a better deal if you can find it. There are a lot of choices of places to live in the city of course, but rent becomes an issue obviously. The marina, russian hill, lower pac heights, inner richmond, haight, panhandle, mission are all options for you, among others. Parking will be more annoying in the haight, panhandle and mission though, if you have a car. Marina isn't great either but w/e.

I second what others said about Richmond/Berkeley/Oakland/San Leandro/Hayward/Union City/Fremont. Avoid all of those except for certain parts of Berkeley and perhaps Oakland. Lake Merrit in Oakland is a nice, fun area and it's close to bart and quick to get into the city. depends on your taste though. Berkeley isn't bad, just have to find the right area. I've spent some time there but never lived there so i can't advise you on that.

You can also check out Orinda and Lafayette in the east bay. they are very nice suburbs, near walnut creek, and will be closer to the city. it's about 30 minute train ride from orinda bart to downtown SF, so about 35 min to civic center/hastings. There's not quite as much in orinda/lafayette as walnut creek, but they are nice places to live if you're looking for seomthing that is a little bit closer than walnut creek.

[RadMobile]

My wife and I live in Oakland (Lake Merritt) and pay $1250 for a 2 bedroom with a gated garage space. The area immediately around the lake is pretty nice, especially the Lakeshore/Grand area. The more you get towards North Oakland/Piedmont/Berkeley, the nicer it gets, but it also gets more expensive.

The BART ride is 15 minutes - faster than most of my classmates' MUNI ride. There are 3 BART stations in close proximity of the lake, depending on where around the lake you live.

We've liked it so far, but it is Oakland, and Lake Merritt is the border between West Oakland and East Oakland (both pretty sketchy). The plus about living close to West/East Oakland is the abundance of SUPER cheap ethnic food.

On another note, I really enjoyed my first semester. Tuition hikes....not so much

[General Tso]

On another note, I really enjoyed my first semester. Tuition hikes....not so much

Did they announce a tuition bump? What is it going to be next year?

[Aggiegrad2011]

Hopefully not higher than the $39,085 currently listed on the 2010-2011 estimates?? :X

So now it's the choice of $150 and withdraw all my apps or $500 and keep my apps. hrrm.

[LilMonsterAnnie]

So, spare me the lecture on OCI please, and instead, can you suggest some adequate married living housing in a BART-able area around Hastings? I'd appreciate your input as you are a current student and likely have a much better grasp on housing than anyone else would.

Whoops, I'm wrong/a jerk - you are actually married and, if I'm reading correctly, have a dog. Try the outer sunset. Then try Glen Park. Then try Excelsior. You could also try something like South San Francisco.

I told Aggie Sunset and got poo-poo'ed for it.
Also try this:
http://www.sublet.com

I found a gorgeous 4 bedroom for $1400 that was rent controlled. There are viable options out there. Being a 1L, no offense, but sending her on the BART to UCH from Fremont 2x per day is going to burn her out. That is easily a 45-60 minute ride.

[bilbobaggins]

If you are under 30 and single, Walnut Creek will be boring. Just a thought.

[Aggiegrad2011]

If you are under 30 and single, Walnut Creek will be boring. Just a thought.

I am under 30, married, and enjoy boring.

[General Tso]

If you are under 30 and single, Walnut Creek will be boring. Just a thought.

I am under 30, married, and enjoy boring.

I've lived in plenty of boring places. Walnut Creek is not a crazy exciting place but I wouldn't call it boring. If you want to get jiggy with it at the discotechque, probably not going to happen but that's something you can do in nearby Berkeley and SF on occasion.

If your idea of fun on the weekend is shopping, going to restaurants, and getting outdoors, WC will keep you plenty interested for three years.

[bilbobaggins]

If you are under 30 and single, Walnut Creek will be boring. Just a thought.

I am under 30, married, and enjoy boring.

I've lived in plenty of boring places. Walnut Creek is not a crazy exciting place but I wouldn't call it boring. If you want to get jiggy with it at the discotechque, probably not going to happen but that's something you can do in nearby Berkeley and SF (as long as you're ok with taking about an hour to get there on BART or via car) on occasion.

If your idea of fun on the weekend is going generic suburban shopping, going to generic suburban restaurants, and getting outdoors, WC will keep you plenty interested for three years.

Edited. Walnut Creek is fine, but it's not a big city and it's certainly not San Francisco. It seems like part of the reason for coming to school in Norcal is SF, but that's just me.

[sarahh]

I second what others said about Richmond/Berkeley/Oakland/San Leandro/Hayward/Union City/Fremont. Avoid all of those except for certain parts of Berkeley and perhaps Oakland.

I live in one of these off-limit cities, and I don't get why people are saying you have to avoid them completely. There are safe neighborhoods. I walk back from the BART late at night and have never had an issue. Yes, the cities are somewhat boring, but some people prefer to pay less in rent than be right where the action is. If you are not going to live in the city, I think it is best to be within walking distance to a BART station. Finding parking can be a pain. I don't regret moving from a "nicer" town where I had to drive to a place where I could walk to the BART.

[jbenthem]

To Whom it may Concern,

Hastings 1L here. just wanted to point out that ALL but 1 of my 3L friends don't have a single job offer. Most of us 1L's came here because we thought it was respectable top tier law school. WE WERE WRONG.

Not only are there no job prospects, but the "campus" ( if you can even call it that) is disgusting. The entire 3rd and 4th floor of the main building have been closed off all year, the elevators don't work (a friend was trapped in one just yesterday), the bathrooms are Disgusting, the law library routinely has crack addicts hanging out in it, and someone was gut-shot ( that is, shot in the stomach with a gun) not 1 Block from our schools front door.

This place is a dump. Add that to the falling USNWR rankings, the terrible staff, lack-luster career services dept, ZERO job prospects and tuition that seems to rise at an exponential rate....... You end up with a terrible school.

to all you 0L's out there, DONT GO TO HASTINGS. If I can keep my grades up this semester, I plan on transferring.

Oh, and don't get me started with the student body. I've never met a more narcissistic group of students in my entire life. There's not a single one that isn't obsessed with networking and shmoozing with anybody they think will get them a job.

Sincerley,

Disaffected, Pissed-off, and Soon-to-be-transferring 1L