Suburbs to the City: Possible Move?

I've lived in the suburbs all of my life, except for 3 exciting months in the heart of Dupont Circle in Washington D.C.

I like suburbia. I love Target, chain stores, safe surroundings and vast amounts of parking. I feel comfortable.

However, I'm only going to be young for so much longer. I'm turning 24 in a couple of months. That's basically 50 in gay years. One of my prior bosses said once you feel comfortable, it's time to move on. You should feel challenged. He was referencing jobs, but I can relate it to living situations too.

Strangely enough, most people think I've been living in The City (Local lingo for SF) since I moved here... including many of my co-workers. Apparently I give off some 'city aura' or something.

One of my co-workers is having a room in his place becoming unoccupied starting Sept. 1st. I haven't seen the inside of his place, but I've dropped him off once and I like the neighborhood.

I'm seriously considering moving. Two of the main factors are (1) > 10% increase in my rent at my Sunnyvale Apartment starting on Oct. 1st and (2) I'm only young for so much longer.

I know I like city living, because I've done it before. I like mass transit, walking around, people watching and roaming around in unfamiliar places... all things suburbia doesn't offer. I've been weighing the costs and benefits of living in the Silicon Valley vs. SF for a long time... practically since I moved to the Bay Area.

The main factors for me not wanting to move to SF were:

• Cost of Living
• Commute to Work
• Parking
• Weather
• Safety

Now that I've spent a lot of time in SF, I've gotten over the Safety and Parking issues. The weather is still iffy in comparison to the South Bay, but the bright side is that it doesn't get as hot in SF. And quite honestly, the weather is very different depending on which neighborhood you live in. The commute wouldn't bother me if i don't have to drive, hence the handiness of the Google Shuttle. So now the last issue to tackle is cost of living. Rent would be the exact same as what I'm paying, if not slightly cheaper if I have a roommate.

So the details of where I'm thinking of moving:

• Neighborhood: Noe Valley. It's close to the Castro and the Mission but far away enough from the hustle and bustle. 7x7sf.com describes Noe Valley as:
  

'Sheltered from the fog as well as from the chaos of urban living, sunny Noe Valley offers mom-and-pop boutiques, cafes and Victorians that attract young families and anyone, really, who's looking for small-town atmosphere. But the more things stay the same, the more they change: The latest branch of Fresca restaurant opened, a farmer's market hustles and bustles each Saturday, and Les Petits Ninous Urban Bébéwear opened last fall.'

In other words, it's a blend of sanctuary and city life. It doesn't have as bad of weather as say The Sunset, which also is far from the hustle and bustle (and thus, relatively moderate in pricing). I've driven around Noe Valley and find it cute, safe, with a twist of chic. For more SF neighborhood info, click here.

I'm going to see my co-worker's place on Saturday afternoon. Even if I don't end up living with him, I'm still considering a move to the city.

What I know of his place:

• Rent is $800 (I currently pay $850 for a studio, but it will be increasing to $950 soon)
• It's a 2 bedroom 1 bath on the 3rd level of a house. It overlooks much of city since it sits on top of a hill.
• The bedroom I would take over is tiny, but I would have office space in another room.
• It's close to both a Google Shuttle Stop (4 or so blocks away) and also close to mass transit (Muni).
• Washer and Dryer is available on the 2nd floor.
• Rent is month-to-month with no increases in pricing since he moved there over a year ago. (a real plus to not have to sign a long term contract!)
• Sharing of utilities would split my current cost in half.