daveh8

It gets more comfortable and safer as you get up the hill in Dimond and into Lincoln Highlands, and you even start to see great views of the city the further up you get. Although it is a bit secluded, you are still very close to the Dimond downtown, which is starting to get a lot of popular restaurants popping up in the area (Dimond Pizza offshoot started by Cheeseboard alum; also a new Grand Lake Kitchen location). You're also close to the Laurel, which is also seeing a lot of new restaurants, bars, etc. come through.

All being said, you're a relatively easy ride away from SF (if you need to get there) by bus or casual carpool from downtown Dimond or the Laurel (door to door in 30-45 min on a good day), and just about 10-15 minutes from anywhere you want to be in Oakland by driving / rideshare.

Why I love it? You get a nice balance of neighborhood feels and friendly community vibes while still being close to a happening urban environment (all while still feeling safe). You're also so very close to a lot of parks (both smaller community and bigger mountains), with a lot of trails to run or ride on.

I believe the area in general is past calling it "up and coming", as there is currently a lot of attention from various places (housing market, new restaurants & bars). I guess you can say the secret is out about how desirable it is to live out here, which goes for Oakland in general.

I've been told the Dimond / Laurel area in general has a feel of what SF was 15 years ago: a sense of community, real, and diverse.
Welcome to the neighborhood :)