Is Belle Haven in Menlo as bad as EPA or a little safer/up-and-coming? Anyone who lives in either of these places?
I have a friend that owns a house in Belle Haven. It's like the perfect compromise. Not a beautiful upscale area, but cheap and safe. It's surrounded by shit but he loves it and has never had a problem.
Does your friend have school age kids? The school reviews on Trulia are atrocious. So guessing one would have the added cost of private school.
Both areas are coming up and rapidly appreciating. Look at the Trulia crime map to see if you're comfortable with the drug use and burglary arrest frequency before buying.