Hi folks, I'm looking to purchase a single family in San Mateo / Peninsula, currently checking out a place in Millbrae around 94030 closer to 280.
Question - my friends keep telling me that San Carlos is better, value and location wise. Is Millbrae an ideal city to live and raise a family in? Any times and advices will be much appreciated. Thanks!
Check out the school district scores. I have a friend in San Carlos and she feels stuck there because of the schools being so good, even though it’s not quite her personal vibe.
Downside for her, is she’s on the lower income side-for the area- and in an apartment and her son is starting the see the lifestyle differences between them and his school friends, and that’s tough. Millbrae may (?) have more of a mix of incomes and ethnicities.
The weather is nicer in San Carlos. It’s warmer and not as windy.
Your friends are right, San Carlos is a better choice. It's just nicer overall.
I loved living in San Carlos. Great schools and community. If you are raising kids, it is wonderful. If you are young and single, not so much. Caltrain has a stop there, and I used to commute on bike using it. Lots of options for dinner out. Biggest drawback is cost.
I go with San Carlos. The weather is better.
Millbrae and San Carlos are pretty identical, in that they are sleepy towns close to major urban centers. Millbrae does have a Bart station which is nice. San Carlos is closer to “Silicon Valley.” Millbrae is less “white” than San Carlos is.
I don't really think these peninsula towns are necessarily "sleepy". They're not exactly rural or anything. They're all part of a continuous chain of connected suburbs stretching all the way from the SF area to the San Jose area.
I guess it depends on your definition of sleepy. Pinole and Los Altos hills can be downright coma inducing. Millbrae/San Carlos/ Belmont to me are sleepier than say, San Mateo or Burlingame.
Millbrae is a discount working class area housing all the airport employees and people who commute to SF. San Carlos used to be that too, but then everyone recently got rich, and now San Carlos is one of the wealthiest communities on the entire continent. There really is no comparison, SC is much better. SC is also run by assholes, closes at 7:30, top schools in the nation and fun is banned. Millbrae has things to do, a BART connection to places with jobs, and tolerable schools. Both have the same amount of airplane noise due to SQL. SC doesn't have their own dedicated police or fire depts because locals are cheap, but this doesn't matter because homelessness is banned and aggressively managed with tranquilizer medication issued by the county. Millbrae, has BART.
Most people base their home decision on the school districts, so this is weighted heavily in SC's favor. But most people within SC would quickly tell you that the actual top schools in the area are all the private catholic schools, one of which commutable with Caltrain, and Millbrae is in the same HS district anyway.
You’re rich either way and both cities are pleasant so pick whichever is closest to your job so your chauffeur won’t have to drive as far.
Emerald hills. Straight shot to downtown redwood City. Total hidden gem.
I'd look in both and go for the best total package. They're not that different.
Millbrae is kinda depressing, it's where people shack up for 6-12 months while they have a temp job at the airport. There are lots of houses with 10-12 commuters living there as a sort of house rotation sharing deal. My friend was a stewardess and there were a bunch of these houses there for pilots and various airport employees.
It can be hard to find parking because a lot of the houses have a lot of people living in them so all the street parking was always taken when I would go visit her.
People also park there long term and then go to the airport and leave their cars, there are a lot of flamewar threads about this on nextdoor.
The weather is cold and windy.
Millbrae is majority asian.
millbrae
Location depends on where you work. What are you looking for in a town?
I think San Carlos is a poorer choice in general location wise and in amenities.
San Carlos has a better downtown and is closer to Mountain View where OP will work.
Not sure what would make San Carlos a poorer choice location or amenities wise. Both San Carlos and Millbrae have things that the other doesn't.
Redwood City is probably a good choice.
We work in mountain view and SF so the peninsula is ideal.
Downtown wise, we're not picky, but a more lively/modern town may be a little better.
You should live in Redwood City then. It is closer to your work, is far more lively than San Carlos, has more housing, more diversity of neighborhoods, has better access to both 280 and 101, eaiser access to local roads to get around traffic, and more amenities for families.
Millbrae is a bad option due to the length of your commute.
Aren't they converting one motel in Millbrae to a homeless shelter? 🤔
San Carlos is great for raising a family. Millbrae I don't know