RiverX, if you are going to live there for a while, you might also consider what kind of climate you do best in. Walnut Creek is on the east side of the Berkeley hills. It is very hot there. Concord, Pleasant Hill, and Orinda are located nearby. It is much cooler on the west side of the hills due to the proximity to the Bay. Communities there would include Richmond, El Cerrito, Albany, Kensington, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, etc. The road from the west to the east is called "24". This road is easy to access from south Berkeley. I don't like the heat, so when I lived in the area, the west side of the hills agreed much more with me. (I lived in El Cerrito.) If you choose to live on the west side, the cost of housing tends to go up as you move from the flat (closer to the bay) up eastward onto the west slope of the hills. The homes are bigger in the hills and many have views, so higher cost. We lived in somewhat of a hovel in the El Cerrito hills, lol. (It had no heating and a rat problem.) But I loved the location and view.

The commute will be worse if you live in the west. Pros and cons.

RiverX, I am curious about the therapy you will get there. Is it a special variety? A special therapist you have heard about? Good luck!