Moving to San Francisco, want to live in city (Oakland: apartments, rental)

[traceym75]

My husband and I will be moving to SF in a few months, and would like to live in the city ... or at least within 5-10 miles of the city. Are there neighborhoods 5-10 miles outside downtown that have that classic SF feel (row homes, tree lined streets, etc?) We also have 2 dogs, and would need to find a rental house that has at least a garden patio, but something a bit larger would be ideal. Do we have a chance? A few places we've seen online have a garden patio but the combo of that and being dog friendly are few and far between. We can afford something up to $3000 a month. Thanks for any insight you can provide!

[gizmo980]

With a budget of $3000, you shouldn't have a problem finding something in or near SF... my budget was only $1500, and I ended up with a beautiful 3-bedroom house & a roommate. I'm assuming you don't want roommates, so it's good you have a higher budget! I also have a dog, and will warn you that Bay Area landlords are very dog-UNfriendly. What breeds and sizes are yours? Most have size/breed restrictions - if you have 2 Yorkies, no problem, but 2 Pits or Rotties might cause some issues. Mine is a 40 lb. mutt, and I had to introduce him to my landlord & give references before he "made an exception" (weight limit was 25 lbs., and he was skeptical about his breed). Oh, and don't be surprised if they ask for a HUGE deposit, or throw on some "pet rent" every month. Grrrr.

So how big of a place do you want? And what do you look for in a neighborhood, specifically... weather, sights, congestion, public transit, activities, demographics, etc? There's a LOT of variety here, even from block to block, so it's important to clarify these things. As for towns 5-10 minutes outside, none will really have that true "city feeling," but there are some nice places - Pacifica, parts of western Daly City & SSF, Brisbane, Sausalito (gorgeous but expensive!), Oakland, Berkeley, etc. If you want the closest thing to a city without being in SF, I'd first suggest you look in Oakland and Berkeley... just be aware of the neighborhoods, since Oakland in particular has lots of sketchy ones.

In the actual city of SF, you could probably afford a decent 2-3 bedroom with a patio/yard (or what we consider a "yard" ) in most neighborhoods... my top choices with $3000 would be Noe Valley, inner Richmond, Bernal Heights, Potrero Hill, North Beach, or the Presidio. These are all very nice & safe areas, but not quite as snooty or overpriced as places like Nob Hill & Laurel Heights. Hope this helps!

[gizmo980]

P.S. Check craigslist & SFGate for current rental listings.

I just did a quick search, for 2+ bedrooms in San Francisco under $3000, which allowed dogs... there are 67 listings. If you edited out the "small dogs only" (if you have large ones), apartments, and bad neighborhoods, I'd guess you'll still have quite a few to choose from.

[traceym75]

Thanks a bunch. This is a great idea. I have been using Craigslist, but had not tried a search removing the small dog thing. sweet!

Originally Posted by gizmo980

P.S. Check craigslist & SFGate for current rental listings.

I just did a quick search, for 2+ bedrooms in San Francisco under $3000, which allowed dogs... there are 67 listings. If you edited out the "small dogs only" (if you have large ones), apartments, and bad neighborhoods, I'd guess you'll still have quite a few to choose from.

[traceym75]

Wow, thank you so much for this info. We were in SF last weekend to visit all the neighborhoods, and I think you and I are on the same page. you also give me hope that a yard is a possibility - I may just have to wait a bit longer for the exact combo to come available. We do have 2 dogs (50 lbs each) so it'll be a bit of a challenge. A small yard / patio is fine - we understand it IS the city. It's really just a backup to walking the dog, on those evenings when you're just feeling lazy - but otherwise they get mulitple walks a day anyway. What's important to us is being close to public transportation - so that our commute to downtown is 30 minutes or less. So, for example, I've learned that Sunset WOULD NOT work. The bus makes too many stops. But something on the Bart line works well, even if distance wise the city is farther away. Our preference is to stay in SF (even though Berkely was very pretty and reminds us of our current neighborhood in Denver) - so areas like Richmond, Presidio, and Noe Valley have caught our eye. We also would love a washer/dryer (alot of units dont have this - ick!!) and a parking space. Thanks again - GREAT INFO!!!!!

Originally Posted by gizmo980

With a budget of $3000, you shouldn't have a problem finding something in or near SF... my budget was only $1500, and I ended up with a beautiful 3-bedroom house & a roommate. I'm assuming you don't want roommates, so it's good you have a higher budget! I also have a dog, and will warn you that Bay Area landlords are very dog-UNfriendly. What breeds and sizes are yours? Most have size/breed restrictions - if you have 2 Yorkies, no problem, but 2 Pits or Rotties might cause some issues. Mine is a 40 lb. mutt, and I had to introduce him to my landlord & give references before he "made an exception" (weight limit was 25 lbs., and he was skeptical about his breed). Oh, and don't be surprised if they ask for a HUGE deposit, or throw on some "pet rent" every month. Grrrr.

So how big of a place do you want? And what do you look for in a neighborhood, specifically... weather, sights, congestion, public transit, activities, demographics, etc? There's a LOT of variety here, even from block to block, so it's important to clarify these things. As for towns 5-10 minutes outside, none will really have that true "city feeling," but there are some nice places - Pacifica, parts of western Daly City & SSF, Brisbane, Sausalito (gorgeous but expensive!), Oakland, Berkeley, etc. If you want the closest thing to a city without being in SF, I'd first suggest you look in Oakland and Berkeley... just be aware of the neighborhoods, since Oakland in particular has lots of sketchy ones.

In the actual city of SF, you could probably afford a decent 2-3 bedroom with a patio/yard (or what we consider a "yard" ) in most neighborhoods... my top choices with $3000 would be Noe Valley, inner Richmond, Bernal Heights, Potrero Hill, North Beach, or the Presidio. These are all very nice & safe areas, but not quite as snooty or overpriced as places like Nob Hill & Laurel Heights. Hope this helps!

[kirsten_g]

TracyM if you still check this forum, let me know how you have been doing in San Fran. I am planning a move out there from Denver (DTC area) myself and am in a similar situation: I want to be in a safe neighborhood, not too bad of a commute into the city, and I have a 30 lb. dog who gets walked alot, but I would like a patio of some sort. I am doing a recon trip in January to look for work and a place to live. (Was born in Palo Alto, but moved when I was a child.)
I am hoping we can keep in touch, and share some info...my family and friends think I am CRAZY, but I know I can do this! I will be looking for work in the service industry...I am a licensed manicurist/esthetician/makeup artist, I have restaurant and retail experience, and a bachelor's degree from UCD, (International Business). Since you will be there ahead of me, I would love to hear of anything that might come to mind in these areas.

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by traceym75

What's important to us is being close to public transportation - so that our commute to downtown is 30 minutes or less. So, for example, I've learned that Sunset WOULD NOT work. The bus makes too many stops. Thanks again

From Sunset you can take the Muni trains to downtown. The N runs down Judah and the L goes on Taraval. The key is to be within walking distance of one of these lines. These are much faster than the buses from the Richmond district to downtown.

[traceym75]

Kristin,
Sure, I'd be glad to help out as much as I can! You are smart to take a trip before hand and check things out. The neighborhoods I've heard to stay away from (so far) are the Mission ... and Bernal Heights - but the jury is still out on that one. Some folks are saying its up and coming, or "Trendy", but it depends on who you ask.

Anyone in this group care to comment on Bernal Heights??!!

We ended up finding a place on Craigslist that is month-to-month. We decided it would be best to give ourselves a chance to really get to know SF before signing a year lease somewhere - plus we have so many requirements. We're moving out there Jan 12th. The unit is in Pacific Heights, which I've heard is very nice and a little expensive. Our 1 BR is higher than most, but still in our price range. Long term we'd like to find a 2 or 3BR for the price of this unit! haha

One great thing I'm finding out, for dogs, is that most city parks are okay with dogs being off-leash! One other neighborhood tip - Sunset seems like a real value. You can get larger units that almost always have a yard, and most are dog friendly. The only downside for us, is that my husband will be commuting to downtown, and the bus ride could take up to 50 minutes. Sunset is about 5-7 miles away from DT, and the buses make lots of stops along the way! Something to consider. Well - good luck!

Originally Posted by kirsten_g

TracyM if you still check this forum, let me know how you have been doing in San Fran. I am planning a move out there from Denver (DTC area) myself and am in a similar situation: I want to be in a safe neighborhood, not too bad of a commute into the city, and I have a 30 lb. dog who gets walked alot, but I would like a patio of some sort. I am doing a recon trip in January to look for work and a place to live. (Was born in Palo Alto, but moved when I was a child.)
I am hoping we can keep in touch, and share some info...my family and friends think I am CRAZY, but I know I can do this! I will be looking for work in the service industry...I am a licensed manicurist/esthetician/makeup artist, I have restaurant and retail experience, and a bachelor's degree from UCD, (International Business). Since you will be there ahead of me, I would love to hear of anything that might come to mind in these areas.

[traceym75]

If you know, what's the average commute time on the Muni from ... let's say inner Sunset? thanks!

Originally Posted by capoeira

From Sunset you can take the Muni trains to downtown. The N runs down Judah and the L goes on Taraval. The key is to be within walking distance of one of these lines. These are much faster than the buses from the Richmond district to downtown.

[Milliano]

Originally Posted by traceym75

If you know, what's the average commute time on the Muni from ... let's say inner Sunset? thanks!

You can find train schedules on their website http://www.sfmuni.com