Is Sausalito good for families? And could we afford to live there?

A 3-bedroom for under $3000 in Sausalito, I just don't see happening. It is actually more expensive than a lot of places in the city.

Have you thought about the eastern portion of the East Bay or the Lamorinda area (Orinda, Lafayette, Moroga). I just looked it up on a couple of the real estate listing sites and you can totally find a 3-bedroom there for under $3000. In addition, Lamorinda has virtually no crime and great schools from what I hear.

Piedmont, Montclair, the Berkeley Hills and Kensington is a little cuter and closer to nice restaurants, theaters, and that sort of thing. Has good schools but is also a little closer to crime.

Hello from Marin County, California. I visited your beautiful town of Brighton several years ago so I have an idea of what you are coming from. Sausalito is also a charming hillside town overlooking the SF bay. However, because of the daily fog that comes through the Golden Gate Bridge this area tends to be colder and foggier than points north. You will not be able to find a 3bdrm home in this area for $3,000/month. If you're looking for warmer, family-friendly areas with excellent public schools, closeby restaurants and shops then you should consider expanding your search parameters to include the Marin towns of Mill Valley, Corte Madera, Larkspur, Greenbrae, all of which are close to the bay. Other towns to consider would be San Anselmo and San Rafael. Based on your projected income of $120,000-$160,000 you would be able to lease a property for $3400-$4500/mo which is the standard qualifying ratio of 34% of yearly income.