Affordable Bay Area Neighborhoods A constant challenge for those looking to buy in the Bay Area is affordability. But affordable Bay Area neighborhoods do exist, you just need to know where to look. Neighborhood price points are dependent on many factors, such as proximity to BART and freeways, weather, nearby services, parks and recreation, walkability, shopping and restaurants, schools. Perhaps the best question a prospective buyer can ask is, "How long will my daily commute be?" If you are willing to commute 40-45 minutes, that allows you to consider more neighborhoods and find more wish-list features in homes you can consider.