Should You Move to Berkeley? Pros and Cons Explained [2024]

[@donaldlee6760]

I currently work at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and previously worked at Bayer. In both cases I commuted by bicycle to work from my home (Rockridge and then later Montclair). I generally like Berkeley, particularly for people like me that ride bicycles and small motorcycles (Honda Grom) around town as this means I never experience traffic no matter how backed up car traffic is. Small motorcycles and Vespa-type scooters also mean parking on the sidewalk will never get a parking ticket. That's not the case if you ride a big Harley or BMW adventure bike. I used to drop off my daughter for Cal summer programs on my scooter which she pretended to not like but years later when she turned 16 she wanted her own motorcycle license so I guess she really enjoyed those rides. She graduated high school last month and got accepted into Cal. My wife and I couldn't believe it.

[@SpencerHsu]

That’s such a unique experience! Very few places in the Bay Area have that kind of arrangement. Congratulations to you and your daughter for getting into Berkeley!

[@almabe7608]

Hi there Spencer I noticed, in older videos as well, that you use not seldomly the adjective "infamous". I get the sense in the context, but it has also a bad meaning wrapped around it. I know I'm not a native English speaker but used so often it sounds a bit odd. Anyway keep up the good work. Best of luck

[@SpencerHsu]

Thanks for your feedback! It does mean having a reputation of something "negative" so I used it incorrectly :) It's a great place to be!

[@foxbasealpha]

7:53 Regarding the Hayward Fault line that runs along the Berkeley hills, living in the the flats of West Berkeley DOES NOT make you any safer. The opposite may be true as homes in West Berkeley may be more prone to liquefaction during an earthquake than homes in the hills which may be more likely to be sitting on bedrock. When you suggest considering other cities to live, do you mean other cities in the Bay Area? They are not any safer or less prone to earthquakes than Berkeley.

[@SpencerHsu]

Yes there are many other cities that are not on fault lines throughout the Bay Area if one didn’t want to take the risk. Then again, see how many homes are on the fault lines, certainly hasn’t impacted values

[@tigerbalmespresso]

If you like natural gas stoves and gas water heaters, beware. Also, move here if you like wokeness, or sleepiness.

[@SpencerHsu]

Definitely as strong progressive as it can be! Most new construction (not here anyways) will be electric for both

[@jerrycho7359]

Berkeley is dirty city now ,no shops ,all shops are closed like San Francisco. Higher property Tax is #1 California

[@SpencerHsu]

Thanks for your wisdom

[@chadr4013]

No straight men live in CA. Sorry.

[@SpencerHsu]

Damn! No straight men out of 40M people? You are great at math