Santa Cruz Housing Craigslist: Fill & Download for Free

Great question! Here’s my list…REGIONS: The “Bay Area” includes several distinct areas: The City (San Francisco), North Bay (Napa, Santa Rosa, Petaluma), East Bay (Berkeley, Oakland, Hayward, Fremont), Peninsula (San Mateo, Redwood City, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, etc.), South Bay (San Jose, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Gilroy, etc.) and (to many) Santa Cruz. Even Craigslist divides the region by these distinct areas.WEATHER: The weather in the Bay Area is diverse due to “microclimates.” A distance of 15 miles can also mean a difference of 15 degrees Fahrenheit.NORCAL: Although San Francisco is a 6.5 hour drive from the Oregon border, the San Francisco Bay Area is part of Northern California (or NorCal). It feels like a very different place compared with “SoCal” (Southern California) or the other rural areas.BEACHES: The beaches are beautiful but the water is usually too cold to swim. You should visit as many as you can!TRAFFIC: With such a unique topographical layout, most major highways run parallel with the Bay. In the City, North Bay, Peninsula and South Bay, Highway 101 is the most-used (and often congested during rush hour). Interstate 280 (San Jose to San Francisco), Interstate 880 (San Jose to Oakland), Interstate 680 (San Jose to Walnut Creek), Interstate 580 (Oakland to San Rafael) are the most readily available commutes. Most of them can experience extreme traffic during rush hours. Most radio stations have regular traffic reports and Google Maps or other GPS apps can help navigate and avoid the worst congestion.BRIDGES: There are several major bridges that cross the bay: The Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, the San Mateo Bridge, the Dumbarten Bridge and the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. There are a few others a little further out (like the Alfred Zampra Memorial Bridge and Benecia-Martinez Bridge). All of the area’s bridges require tolls to cross (but only one way).PARKING: Parking in the City, Oakland and some other places in the Bay Area is not only difficult, but it can also be costly. Plan accordingly!PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: CalTrain is a fast commuter train that travels from San Francisco to Gilroy. BART is a rapid transit/light rail that serves San Francisco, the northern peninsula and parts of the East Bay. Muni Metro is a light rail in San Francisco. VTA Light Rail is in the South Bay (with service to Levi’s Stadium). The streetcars are typically used by people going from CalTrain to the downtown Market Street area or tourists headed to the Embarcadero/Pier 39/Fisherman’s Wharf. The cable cars are mostly used by tourists.AIRPORTS: The Bay Area has three major international airports — San Francisco International (SFO), Mineta San Jose International (SJC) and Oakland International (OAK). Depending upon where you live, you might be able to find cheaper flights at the different airports.SPORTS: The Bay Area is home to several professional sport teams — including the San Francisco Giants (MLB), Oakland Athletics (MLB), Golden State Warriors (NBA), San Francisco 49ers (NFL), Oakland Raiders (NFL), San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) and San Jose Sharks (NHL). There are several major colleges with many different sports too (and some offer free admission).EDUCATION: The Bay Area is one of the most educated places in the world. Not only does the tech industry attract engineers, programmers, business professionals, research and communication jobs, but the area is home to several outstanding colleges. Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, San Jose State University, the University of California, San Francisco, Saint Mary’s University, University of San Francisco, California State University-East Bay and many more great schools.HEALTH CARE: The Bay Area is home to many highly-rated hospitals or medical systems. UCSF and Stanford are two of the top hospitals in the nation. There are other hospitals that routinely rank among the best hospitals in the state.POLITICS: The Bay Area is arguably the most liberal area of the entire nation. This doesn’t mean that there are no conservatives. Between 25–40% of local voters regularly vote for Republican candidates.SIGHTSEEING: There are many parts of the area that are popular for tourists but not so popular among locals. They are still interesting places to visit (at least once). This would include Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, Sausalito, Alcatraz, etc. I would still urge any person in the area to take a boat ride on one of the boats from the Red and White Fleet or Blue and Gold Fleet. There are other places that are great spots to visit more often — like the tall trees at Muir Woods (although it is becoming more crowded as of late), Golden Gate Park, destinations in the Presidio, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Point Bonita Lighthouse and various military forts in the Marin Headlands above the Golden Gate Bridge, etc.OUTDOORS: The Bay Area offers some amazing places to visit! It is home to mountains, beaches, lakes, Giant Coastal Redwood trees and hills. Consequently, there are many outdoor activities available. You can camp beneath the Giant Redwoods at several local parks. You can admire sweeping vistas at places like Twin Peaks, Devil’s Slide, Point Reyes National Seashore or the Marin Headlands. You can visit some of the amazing lighthouses, state parks and beaches along the amazing Pacific Coastal Highway (Highway 1). During the winter, you can drive up Mt. Diablo or Mt. Hamilton and play in the snow (or check out the 27 telescopes at the Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton). You can hike “the Dish” in Palo Alto behind Stanford University (and then visit the museums, Rodin Statues, etc. at Stanford). You can see elephant seals at Ano Nuevo State Park. There are so many hiking trails that it would take a long time to trek them all. You can bike the San Francisco Bay Trail — a long paved trail that runs alongside the entire San Francisco Bay. You can visit the Beach Boardwalk or the sea lions at the wharf in Santa Cruz. You can watch the Titans of Mavericks surfing competition at Half Moon Bay. You can watch the whales migrate at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. There are many things to do…and a camera is a must!AMUSEMENT PARKS: There are several amusement parks in the area. This includes Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo (a park that combines a marine shows, zoo and rides all in one place. California’s Great America is in Santa Clara (next to Levi’s Stadium). Gilroy Gardens is a wonderful amusement park for younger kids in Gilroy. The admission-free Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is legendary! There are several water amusement parks around too.STICKER SHOCK: This is a terribly expensive place to live. The cost of housing, groceries, gasoline and, well, pretty much everything is more expensive here.SAVINGS: It really helps to rely on shops like Costco, Trader Joe’s and Grocery Outlet Bargain Market to save some money in your shopping. The Farmer’s Markets in the area might be the best in the country (and save you some money compared with places like Whole Foods)! Craigslist, Freecycle and Nextdoor are great community websites that help you find good deals (or even free items) — or allow you to donate them to a someone in need.PROXIMITY: The Bay Area is just a few hours away from Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Big Sur, Mt. Shasta, etc. You should spend at least one day trip visiting each of those areas.EARTHQUAKES: Finally, although several major earthquake faults run beneath the area, the number of earthquakes is much lower than the area’s reputation might otherwise indicate. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be prepared. In fact, we should ALWAYS be prepared — especially in terms of infrastructure and emergency response when the “Big One” does happen. However, it does mean that most people don’t feel any “shaking” very often.

If you can commit to live there for the full year, Grad Student Housing is actually a pretty affordable option — or at least, it was a few years back when I was there. The biggest upside and downside is that you’re right there on campus, which means that you will have a ways to go for groceries, but you’re right close to the academic buildings, and in the middle of the forest to boot.I looked at a bunch of places on Craigslist; there are definitely options in town, you just have to dig to find good ones.

Depending on what part of San Jose you choose to settle in, life can be chill, enjoyable or pretty ratchet (yes, ratchet. If you’re curious seeing SJ ratchetness, visit the clubs in Downtown San Jose on a Friday night). I’m a San Jose local and will try to give you the best snapshot of life in San Jose - North, East, Downtown, West and South. Hopefully this will help you and your husband have a better idea of life in the 408!North San Jose/BerryessaI grew up in North San Jose/Berryessa, which used to be majority orchard land. Now, North San Jose/Berryessa is filled with many new developments such as townhomes, shopping centers and most recently bart, which the City of San Jose will be finishing soon. It’s bittersweet North San Jose is becoming more commercialized and congested. Some mom and pop shops I used to go to in my youth have closed down and the installation of new stop lights have replaced simple four-way stops. However, despite the many changes, I would recommend North San Jose/Berryessa for new families looking to move to San Jose. It’s generally a safe area, but rent is ridiculously expensive (estimated $2,000 - $3,000). This location is easily accessible to many grocery stores, good restaurants, freeways and is a 12-minute drive to the San Jose Airport.East San JoseIf you drive three miles east from North San Jose/Berryessa, you’ll be in East San Jose, also known as the “East Side” or “ESSJ”. Compared to the other areas of San Jose, ESSJ neighborhoods are known to be the least safest. I have friends and family who reside in ESSJ and they told me stories of their cars being stolen and broken into, as well as gang activity. Yet, ESSJ isn’t all bad. I went to kindergarten and high school in the East Side Union School District and I graduated alive. Also, my grandparents have lived in ESSJ for 30+ years and enjoy their neighborhood. Although the East Side might not sound like the most ideal place for new families moving to San Jose, it is worth checking out. If you want hella good Mexican and Vietnamese food, ESSJ is the place to go! The best tacos, churros and organic boba are tucked away there. Also, rent is more affordable in ESSJ compared to North San Jose.Downtown San JoseNot too far from ESSJ is Downtown San Jose. Downtown San Jose is fairly small, but great in cultural diversity. Some local mom and pop shops still exist there, especially in Japantown or San Pedro Market Square. Also, San Jose State University is located in the heart of Downtown San Jose. Many college students fill the local bars, clubs and restaurants on a Thursday night. Similar to East San Jose, Downtown San Jose’s rent is more affordable compared to North San Jose. You can find rent for a 350-square feet studio for $1,600, which unfortunately is the norm of having a decent living space in San Jose. As for Downtown San Jose’s newer apartments, rent again ranges ridiculously high from $2,000-$3,000.West San JoseIf you drive west from Downtown San Jose towards the Santa Cruz Mountains, you will be in West San Jose. I recently moved to West San Jose and I’m really enjoying it so far! What I love about West San Jose is the gorgeous view of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the short distance it is to other small cities such as Campbell, Saratoga, Santa Clara and Cupertino. Recently, my husband and I have been taking strolls in Santana Row (a beautiful shopping center in West San Jose) and buying our produce from their summer’s Farmers Market. So far, we’re really enjoying West San Jose’s community. Rent in West San Jose can be pricey, but it’s possible to find a decent studio or 1-bedroom apartment starting at $1,600 in the area.South San JoseIf you decide you do not want to visit North San Jose, ESSJ, Downtown San Jose and West San Jose, then take a drive south and you’ll end up in South San Jose. I’m not too familiar with South San Jose with the exception of The Plant Shopping Center and Oakridge Mall being there. However, I noticed that South San Jose has more open fields compared to North, East, West and Downtown San Jose. I have a couple friends who live in South San Jose and they enjoy the area. Rent in South San Jose can be pricey and is similar to West San Jose’s rent.Reliable SourcesI will say this with discretion, but Craigslist is a great resource to use when searching for apartments to rent. My husband and I found our apartment off of Craigslist! There are other resources such as Apartments.com: Apartments and Homes for Rent and Zillow: Real Estate, Apartments, Mortgages & Home Values, but my friend who is a leasing agent said those websites do not regularly update the listing information. Also, my husband’s aunt, who has been a realtor for 20+ years, recommended Craigslist to my husband and I when we were searching for an apartment. Just make sure to use wisdom when using Craigslist. Wisdom says to stay away from posts that say “luxury apartment for $1,200 rent in Willow Glen”. Those annoying posts are most likely scams.Best wishes to you and your husband on your new jobs and search for housing in San Jose. If you guys need a break from all that house hunting and are in the San Jose area, stop by ESSJ’s Tea Lyfe (Vietnam Town, Little Saigon) for some refreshing organic boba and waffles. It’ll make your San Jose experience chill, enjoyable or if you’re lucky, pretty ratchet.