Housing in SF uber expensive? (San Francisco: for rent, condo, find a job)

[Aptor hours]

I have been looking on walkscore and SF is really super! I have always thought SF looks beautiful and what a place to walk your dog!! I am thinking that for a two bedroom that the price would be so out of sight that I would gag Is this true? I figured I would like to find out before I suggest this as a possible place to move especially since my husband insists he "hates" CA which is odd since he has never set foot in the state

[uptown_urbanist]

Check out craigslist to get an idea for rents. SF is indeed a wonderful place to live, but you're going to be paying a lot of money to do so. If you're talking a 2-BR in the city itself I'd figure around $2,500, although you can go cheaper or more expensive depending on amenities and location. It really varies dramatically by location, though, and that $2,500 isn't going to get you a luxury place. We got rid of the car when we moved to SF and used some of the monthly savings to justify spending a little more in rent to live in a very walkable city neighborhood.

San Francisco is a wonderful place to visit, too, so you could start by visiting it in person to see if you (both) love it. I don't know what he's reacting to when he says he hates California, but he might discover that the reality doesn't match up to his preconceived notions. On the other hand, you might discover that you don't like it as much as you think you will (not as likely, I would imagine, except for the cost thing!), so all the more reason to visit first.

Salaries (if you can find a job right now) are higher in SF, too, so that's something to consider when looking at rents. Still, it is an extremely expensive place, so you have to balance out if for you the benefits (walkable, beautiful, interesting, etc.) outweigh the negatives (cost of living). If it turns out that the cost is too high, or that your husband really does hate California, then there are other beautiful, walkable cities in the country, too.

[Aptor hours]

I would be looking to buy

[clongirl]

Well, I'd say a typical "full five"..what we call a standard two bedroom, living rm, dining rm, kitchen would be priced around 750k and up..give or take (mostly give!), depending on the neighborhood.

[E14]

The middle class has been priced out of the city, so know that unless you have very high end jobs set up in the bay area, you will probably not be able to afford to buy.

[uptown_urbanist]

Buying is even more out of sight than is renting. Even if you do have high-salaried jobs lined up or a lot of other money set aside I would strongly caution against coming in and buying something before living here first. It sounds like you've never visited, or at least not spent much time here, and renting first - even short-term - would give you the chance to get to know the various neighborhoods first. Unless you have a lot of money to throw around I can't see any benefits to buying right away without getting to know the area first.

Some areas of the country have more of a stigma attached to renting, I know, but in San Francisco a lot of people rent; somewhere I saw the figure 80%, although I don't know if that's accurate. In any case, renting is the norm, certainly for middle class people and for plenty of wealthy people as well (and in SF it takes a lot more to be considered "wealthy.").

I think buying in San Francisco often boils down to that saying: if you have to ask, then you can't afford it.

[mdwstrnkid]

I would also suggest that even if you are interested in buying, you should rent a place at first to get a feel for the City. The neighborhoods in the City are quite different and transition from one neighborhood to another can take place in a matter of a block or two. It's best for newcomers to take some time to get acquainted with the city before making a buying decision.

With regards to walkscore, my place registers a perfect 100. I live in Pacific Heights, which is pretty expensive. For a decent 2BR condo like mine, you'll pay at least 800K, even in today's economy.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Here, other than ghettos, the places with decent walk scores are tremendously expensive on a square foot basis. Of course, if one stretches and goes for a SFH in the City, they will likely be on a 25 x 120 (or deeper) lot if on a "long block" in a major residential area. Great for gardening.

[sonarrat]

Most SFH's, outside of the rather non-stereotypically-SFish Avenues or southeast basin, are as rare as hen's teeth and tend to be big enough to split into 2 or even 4 individual units.. so in the walkable areas which appeal to singles, they do exactly that. Buy only if you don't mind spending a fortune to be on top of or underneath someone else in a sturdy, but very old, wood-frame building.

[Ultrarunner]

On the bright side the market has softened a little so it is not as expensive as it was...