San Francisco Apartments for Rent
Market Summary for San Francisco, CA
$805Welcome to San Francisco, and get ready to leave your heart in this golden city exploding with diversity, culture, and history. The magic of San Francisco lies in the massive and colorful Spanish era murals in the Mission District, the military bases in the Presidio district that now house singles and families, and the streets and cafes where Allen Ginsberg and his fellow Beats roamed. With heart-stopping views of the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Gate, San Francisco offers an urban experience encircled by nature – you cannot escape the natural beauty that surrounds this city by the bay.
Encompassing an area of about 47 square miles, home to 800,000, and resplendent with Gold Rush era buildings, this city is a multicultural metropolis on the frontier of the booming technology, financial and art industries.
Despite significant devastation caused by the 1906 earthquake, the city pulled itself up and out of the rubble and has become one of the most desirable cities in the country. One of the richest cities on the planet, San Francisco ranks fourth in the world in billionaires and is rapidly becoming a focus for cutting edge investment, particularly in the field of sustainable energy. With close proximity to Silicon Valley, this city is the hub for tech startups. Renowned for its stunning Victorian apartments and homes, sophisticated culinary scene and world-class museums, San Francisco is a liberal and accepting home to all. Time to find your perfect apartment!
San Francisco is well known in the web world, with online businesses like Pinterest, Yelp, Airbnb, Esurance, Twitter, Lyft, Dropbox, Craigslist, StumbleUpon, Trulia, Reddit, imgur, and the Wikimedia Foundation. Wired Magazine is based in San Francisco as well, and famous entertainment producers include Dolby, LucasArts and LucasFilm. San Francisco also ranks in the top twenty global financial centers, with more than 30 international finance institutions having headquarters in the area. The major players include Charles Schwab, Wells Fargo, ThinkEquity, and the NFX Guild. In addition to its lucrative tech and finance sectors, San Francisco is home to retail giants such as Banana Republic, Gap, Gymboree, Levi Strauss, Old Navy, Pottery Barn, and Method Products. It’s also gearing up for an expanding biomedical industry, with the University of California - San Francisco being entirely dedicated to graduate education in health and biomedical sciences.
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Where to go
Some distinctive treasures include Alcatraz Federal Prison Island, cable cars (the only National Historic Monument that can move), the Ferry Building, Coit Tower, the Palace of Fine Arts and of course Alamo Square, home of the famous Painted Ladies, filmed for the opening montage of the popular 90's sitcom "Full House".
What to wear
Mark Twain wasn't kidding when he said the "coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." With its proximity to the water, this city can be chilly. While it can be hard to escape the fog in the summer, its an essential part of the city's beauty and mystique. The weather is ridiculously glorious in the fall, particularly in September and October. One thing to keep in mind is that it is significantly less balmy west of Divisadero Street, so there is a difference between living on the western and eastern sides of the city. The warmest patch of the city is the Mission; prepare yourself for the fog in the Sunset.
How to get around
San Francisco is a fairly easy city to navigate. While there are myriad methods of transportation in this city, the "in" way to get around is by bike. Parking in San Francisco can be a pain, so many people will get around using the BART underground train system or the MUNI bus. The Caltrain (located at 4th and King St.) is a quick and easy way to commute to Silicon Valley, but if you're going to have a car it is a good idea to rent in southeast of the city so that you can access the freeway easily. The ferry is an excellent option if you want to explore other parts of the Bay Area.
Tips for finding apartments for rent in San Francisco
San Francisco is a big city for renters, but the vacancy rates today are extremely low. Spring and summer are the busiest times to rent, and you are going to need to stay on your game if you want that fabulous studio apartment before someone else snags it first.
As long as you move into a building constructed before 1979, you're covered by rent control, so you aren't likely to see large increases in your rent. Avoid the open house if you can – it is a zoo. Try to schedule a private showing if possible.
The early bird gets the apartment: don't waste any time – get started early on your apartment search. Always a good idea to put down a security deposit at your appointment with your landlord if you know you're interested because otherwise it will be gone before you know it. When you make an appointment your documents should be organized and ready to go. We are talking folders and binders. Persistence and organization are crucial.
What your landlord is going to want to see: A character reference, contact information for past landlords, your full credit report, a pay stub or a letter outlining that you are responsible and financially stable, and a check in hand to pay for the first month as well as a security deposit. Have a canine companion? You may actually need to bring a pet resume for that little guy. Yes, a pet resume. It all depends on the landlord.
Rent prices depend heavily on the neighborhood. SOMA, the Marina, and Russian Hill tend to be the most expensive places to rent while Excelsior, the Sunset and Bayview are typically the cheapest finds.
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