Discovery Bay

I am planning on moving to the Delta over the winter. With the unfolding real estate debacle, there is no way I am going to buy anything until at least 2010.

I found a very nice apartment in Brentwood, and figured that keeping a boat at Bethel Harbor would be convenient. But I have also been considering renting a 2B or 3B place in Discovery Bay if it has a deepwater dock.

I know that I would be right on some of the best water there is, so you dont need to tell me about that. Aside from that, what is Discovery Bay like as far a place to live? I'm in my late 30s and single. I drove through on my way back from a business trip a few weeks ago, and it seemed pretty strange. Some very nice houses that have been recently updated, and a lot of houses that look kind of run down. Sometimes right next to each other....

Any opinions on DB as a place to live (not specific to wakeboarding) would be appreciated.

What you see is exactly what you get here in Brentwood and same holds true for DB. Most run down due to foreclosure and others are upgrading. It's unfortunate for all of us who are not in foreclosure to have to suffer with the neglected homes around us. Personally, I'm pretty sick of seeing dead lawns, tons of newspapers, and weeds 4 feet tall. I wish there was something the city would do. We have had 5 in our small community of 53 homes in the last year, that's 10% too many. Statistics say that 1 in 8 people will go into foreclosure by the end of 2008.

As far as a good place to live, it depends on what you're looking for as far as type of lifestyle. We moved to Brentwood because at the time our kids were young and we wanted them in great schools. Had we not had kids, we would have moved to DB. I think either way, you'll be close to the delta and you'll love it. Maybe you can hook up with Gary for a ride - he and his crew ride during rain, mud and snow - LOL

Good luck on your search.



(Message edited by h20diva on November 11, 2007)

i live in disco and love it. its like a resort town. summer time is poppin. always somethin going on. lots of friends and people around. in the winter it dies down and at times its like a ghost town. gives you a chance to relax and rehabilitate from the buisy summer. the general population is easy going and about 30 - 40 years old.

Brant, Stacy and Jason have nailed it about DB. I was in the bay yesterday and heard about a house on the deep water for rent for $900.00 a month rent. Its on the left when you first drive down on the blvd. I dont know if I believe this price or not but it might be worth looking into even if it was for the winter only. I paid $1,800
per month during the summer. It was an awesome time. I keep my boat at Bethel harbor and they are great. Only problem is its far away from good riding. But jamie is really great. Any way good luck. DB is a great place to live if you can. Hi Stacy.

there are a lot of rentals here in the bay right now. not sure of the pricing. i have seen homes on the water for sale for less than 600k. you can get a townhome with a community dock for about 350. lots of people are selling right now. you can actually find a great deal. some people are selling that bought their house when it was in the 150 range years ago. so if you find someone like that you can talk em down quite a bit.

Brant,
Keep in mind that most of the places that you see from the street in DB are complete opposites from the water side. The majority of the homes in DB don't care for their front yards nearly as much as their waterfront back yards. Do a water tour and then give me your opinion of DB. I take ALL of my out of town visitors of a tour of the water side of DB.It is very impressive!

DB all depends on what you are looking for.

BBQ every weekend in summer, roll out of bed into your boat on the hoist, low key relatively safe neighborhood, neighbors complaining that that your parties are NOT loud enough (not kidding on that one), fishing from your deck, waking up every morning to a view of your boat out your window, holiday lighted boat parades, spring kick off boat parade, waking up 15 minutes before you are supposed to "launch" with your crew rather than a commute from the Bay Area. Being done a set, pushing "raise" on the hoist, throwing on the cover, then walking in your back door, watching the neighbors on a sunset "booze cruise" with their bottle of wine and paddle boat, walking outside at night on a dead calm glassy night and seeing the reflection of the rest of the home's deck and dock lights like a mirror in the water, ...can't beat it!

Now as another mid thirties single, until you get to know some folks in the area, which is not hard to do, especially with WW, there ain't a whole lot going on over here. Having moved from Santa Cruz right by the beach, Boardwalk and downtown, I do go a bit stir crazy up here once in a while but as I mentioned, there is a whole other reason to love Disco Bay.

Disco is a love it/hate it town, and a lot has to do with what you are looking for. If you have to commute into the Bay Area every day, good luck. Everyone I talked to said to rent for a full year to get through all of the seasons to be sure that you like it. I have been here a year and I am in the same boat as you, renting till the market bottoms out before I buy, which after being here a year, I would love to do.

The best description of DB that I have heard so far:

"A drinking town with a small boating problem"

Shawn

(Message edited by zipe on November 11, 2007)

Me and my girlfriend just picked up a place out in DB with a dock. I love the fact that my boats going to be right there and i dont have tow it around as much next yr. I have some friends that have their boat out at bethal and live in oakley, but imo its not as easy as just dropping the hoist. I look at it as I'll be on vacation every day when I get home. Anyone in DB hit me up were always down to ride and have some fun.
Shawn, what up!

Brant, never mind, there goes the neighborhood!

...Nick, welcome to paradise my friend! We gotta hook up and ride again soon...cuz that is what it is all about here in DB!

Nothing like DB in the summer, especially at 3am having a boat idle by with a gazillion watt stereo blasting bad music!

IMHO it's all about how far away you are from fast water, the closer you get the more you got to pay.

This time of year it's all worth it though, other then this weekend it's been pretty much perfect for the last 3-4 weeks with few boats out there.

People are still buying the original Hoffman built homes, tearing them down and building palaces. We've had 4 this year alone within a 1/4 mile of me.

There are a lot of people who retired here in the 80's that are starting to pass on which is putting these homes on the market and Jason is right, when they only paid 150K originally it's all profit for them. I'd bet in 10 years there will be few original homes left in the prime locations. My concern isn't over property values as much as issues with general use of the Delta itself, you hear a lot of crazy stuff being proposed lately.

i'm movin to Disco dec 1st. can't wait till next summer...shawn all of those reasons you listed above is why i'm movin to Dsico,,,you cant beat rollin outta bed when it's time to ride, walk out the back door and be ar your boat...

"out the back door" is right but why wait til the summer?

This morning:

I bought in DB earlier this year and love it. I grew up in socal and it reminds me alot of it. It is really different then the rest of the bay area. There are alot of new homes off of the water, but the only new homes on the water are going for 1 million plus usually plus plus. Usually you get what you pay for in DB. Winter riding is the best!!

thanks for the pic rich...thats my new desktop background at work...makes me want to get up and walk away from the desk and go home and ride..hahah

Brant;
I have lived in Discovery Bay for 19 years now. We raised 3 girls here, and if I had to do things over, I wouldn't change a thing. As the community has probably grown 5 times since I moved here, it's a good / bad thing. More traffic, crowded weekends on the water (ride during the week), but with the people also comes the conveniences. Things like a real store to shop at etc.
I think the biggest problem you may have is that your in your late 30's and single. Other than the Steak House / Sports Bar, your going to have to travel a bit to "reap the single life". many singles looking for a partner end up moving to the Dublin area.
Downfall #2: The commute sucks if you have to travel beyond 20 miles from home. Count on 1.5 hours to San Jose, 1 hour to Walnut Creek, 1.25 hours to Sac.
Other than that...IMO, It's the BEST place to be if you love the water.

Good luck

I dont live in DB, but would love to. I took my wife to a friends house, and she said the same thing about So-cal...kind of reminded her of Newport Beach in some ways. Very cool place

I have lived in DB for 9- 10 years now and im only 22 but i love the place, i have had a few issues latly with the town, like some of the types of people around now days and just the careless and idiotic out of town drunks on the water now....aka the people that dont know how to drive boats in the first place.. but if you can look past all that it really is a great town to live in and grow up. oh yea and you need a boat to live here bc if you dont have that than you have NOTHING.lol