Today I’m going to tell you the 5 things I like most about living in Livermore and how I ended up moving here…
I moved to Livermore in 2006. After getting married in 2005 my husband moved to my place in Mountain View, which is on the peninsula side of the Bay Area. and we planned to sell the house he owned in Livermore and then eventually my condo in Mountain View and cash them both out for a house in Mountain View. After a few months of the Livermore house being empty and trying to figure out what to finally do to get it ready to sell I got a crazy idea to make it a DIY remodel it and then sell it. I thought it would be fun… and it was not only fun, but educational. My friend Jen had done some work on her condo, my condo, and plenty of other friends homes. She definitely had the skills. So together she and I … armed with our handy 1st edition Home Improvement 1-2-3 book, the big orange book they used to sell at home depot, and got to work. Now, remember this was way before Youtube existed. It took us a year to complete which was a long time, but we were working as usual and only working on the remodel on the weekends.
There are tons of reasons to love living in Livermore, but here are five of my favorites.
Number 5: Small town feel without actually being a small town! With a population of approximately 90K people Livermore doesn’t really qualify as a small town, but comparing it to Silicon Valley, where I’m originally from it still feels small town to me. And I like it.
Number 4: Wine!… What can I say? I love wine and Livermore has many amazing wineries just minutes from town. Some of my favorites are within 5 minutes or less of my house. And there aren’t just a few wineries. Livermore has over 45 wineries to visit. I feel like it’s still a very hidden gem and most people think of Napa when they think of wineries, but if you live in Livermore you know the saying… Napa is for autoparts, Livermore is for wine!
Number 3: Downtown- I love Livermore’s downtown! When I first moved here I’d say it was still in a state of transition, but it has definitely blossomed into a great destination. It has beautiful unique buildings with great history. Downtown you’ll find great restaurants, small outdoor parks, fountains, unique stores, coffee shops, a movie theater, a performing arts theater, ice cream shops, a 24 hour donut shop, and nightlife venues as well. If you come to check out the wineries don’t skip on visiting downtown.
Okay, reason number 2 that I love living in Livermore: Location and affordability – Livermore is the farthest Bay Area city east along the 580 freeway. It’s a great location to access all the Bay Area, and beyond has to offer. Livermore is also one of the more affordable cities in the TriValley area. Heading west on San Francisco is where you can catch a Giants game, head to the piers, visit golden gate park, the many beaches in San Francisco. In less than 30 miles you can catch an Oakland A’s games at the stadium or a flight out from Oakland International Airport. Heading south you can find yourself in the heart of Silicon Valley. And if you want to spend the day in Santa Cruz at the beach Santa Cruz is just 60 miles from Livermore. And in case you’re a Disney fan like me… it’s just 367 miles to Disneyland heading south on highway 5.
And finally, reason number 1: The Community – The people in Livermore are friendly and welcoming. When I first moved I didn’t know anyone, but every time I was out at the store or running errands everyone was so friendly. Strangers talking to me actually took some getting used to, but I love it now.
My name is Maria D’ Aura, I’m an agent with eXp Realty and I help people find their perfect place to live in Livermore. If you have any questions about buying or selling your home or moving to Livermore, get in touch because I’d love to help you make your real estate dreams happen.