If you have never been to Oakland, CA and you do not know any one who lives here, like all big cities, crime happens. Looking for a place to live and not knowing where to start can be overwhelming.
When looking for homes in Oakland, remember the closer you are to Hwy 13 the nicer the neighborhoods. The areas you hear about on the news are in many occasions, are by the 880 freeway.
If you are looking for a home online and it is by 580 freeway, neighborhoods like the Diamond District and Laurel District are more affordable than Rockridge or Montclair neighborhoods. This is tru for both home sale and rentals.
Keep checking Craigslist where both owners and property managers post listings for rent. As a Property Manager in Oakland we work for the owner of the property we have listed. That means people looking to rent, will have to do a lot of searching on their own. Of course if you are looking to buy a home in the bay area, calling a Realtor and building a relationship in the beginning of your search is recommended.
There is also an interactive crime map the city posts: http://gismaps.oaklandnet.com/crimewatch/ You can type in the address of any home you are considering living in and it will tell you if there has been any recent crime in the area.
I hope that helps you on your way to understanding location and nuances of living in a big city like Oakland.
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