Home Search Update

So you can get a feel for what I am talking about and follow along on our housing and school search at home :)

 

The city of San Francisco is at the top of this map - 101N the bridge at the top of the city is the Golden Gate Bridge.  The line of 280 to Oakland is the Bay Bridge and that area on the other side is known as East Bay (very family friendly - we'd be looking over that way if it weren't for the commute path over a bridge as the ONLY way to get home).  South San Francisco (black arrow) is where David's office is located.  The area circled is part of what is known as The Peninsula.  The area circled is where we are focusing our search.  It is convenient for David's commute and close to the City (no bridges involved), AND the weather here is an issue.  Heavy fog rolls in most days from the Ocean (left) side.  It covers the area and keeps it darker and cooler.  The Peninsula (the East side where we are looking) is not usually impacted and is therefore brighter and warmer (some days as much as a 20 degree difference).  The red arrow in the city is where our assigned city school is located - in the NorthEast in an area known as North Beach.  The East side of the city tends to be the least impacted by fog as well.  Our corporate apartment is in San Bruno (green arrow).  Burlingame is our IDEAL location...warm, sunny, great schools, closer to work and the city...but it is most people's ideal and therefore more expensive.

We are having some real movement on the home front....we have officially seen  11 properties now and definitely one more tonight and possibly two (both VERY promising - in Millbrae and Burlingame but both on the line - about 5 minutes apart).  Suffice it to say, there is now a master spreadsheet in place to keep them all straight!  We also now have an in-city Realtor and a Peninsula Realtor working with us.

We are seeing a house in the city on Saturday - it is in a VERY desirable neighborhood and not too far from our currently assigned school (10 minute drive/20 minute bus ride).  Then we have a showing and an open house back in the Peninsula on Sunday. Plus a couple other new listings we are trying to line up.  We WILL find something!  I can just feel it!

Hopefully, we are going to have some fun this weekend as well.  Our friends that live in the city are out of town for a few weeks and are letting us use their place as an in-city base.  We are going to stay there Friday and Saturday night.  It will be a nice change of pace for us, and we can explore the city from the inside.

Enjoying the weather here - gorgeous and sunny but still mild and not 'hot' at all.  The food is amazing.  We have had Burmese, Mediterranean,  Afgan, Indian and Peruvian and all fabulous!

We've had a great dinner with family friends on Monday and then with uncle Andrew (in town on business and will be frequently!!!)  last night.  And, Granny and Oupa start their drive across country with the minivan next week!  If all goes well, they arrive next Friday night and will be with us until they fly back on Sunday.  

Of course, I miss friends, family, and places back home - all the weekend plans and playdates that we would be having now that it is summer - all the vacations and trips I'd be planning for summer and spring....but, overall, we are doing well here.  I know we will all be happy when we have a home and our things are moved in and we can settle into life.  I am VERY much looking forward to getting some Groupon deals to help us explore this area and planning some great weekend trips and vacations to this part of the country!  We are all just very positive and happy to be together.