SF Rents (San Francisco: apartments, rental, how much)

[morrowise]

I've looked at rents in several cities. Assuming we're talking about a relatively safe neighborhood for say a young woman to walk alone at night, and close to public transportation (subway, streetcar, etc):

• NYC: $1400 for the cheapest 1bedroom w. no washer/dryer
• Chicago $800 and up (easy to hit $1200) for 1bedroom - w. washer/dryer
• Portland $700 and up (easy to hit $1100) for 1bedroom - w. washer/dryer - some duplexes available

What about San Francisco? would it be comparable to NYC or more like Chicago?

[sonarrat]

Definitely closer to NYC. It also has rent control, so that's a big factor that keeps the low end from falling too far. If you want to pay less than $1000 you're going to get less than 300 square feet.

[mayorhaggar]

The low scale for rents in SF, as far as I can tell:

Living in a room with roommates: $600-800
Studio: $900-1300
1 bedroom: $1300-1600

By and large this will be without a washer and dryer, if you're in an apartment building usually the building has coin-op washers and dryers you can use.

When I moved to SF from Chicago prices basically doubled, this was in 2004. I had a really huge and very nice 1 bedroom in Chicago for $750 a month, then when I moved to SF I was paying $600 for a small room in a shared apartment with 2 roommates, and about a year later I moved into a 1 bedroom that was $1450 a month...

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by morrowise

I've looked at rents in several cities. Assuming we're talking about a relatively safe neighborhood for say a young woman to walk alone at night, and close to public transportation (subway, streetcar, etc):

• NYC: $1400 for the cheapest 1bedroom w. no washer/dryer
• Chicago $800 and up (easy to hit $1200) for 1bedroom - w. washer/dryer
• Portland $700 and up (easy to hit $1100) for 1bedroom - w. washer/dryer - some duplexes available

What about San Francisco? would it be comparable to NYC or more like Chicago?

SF is probably a bit higher than NYC. Also no one here is aware of the concept of having washer/dryer in apartments. It simply does not exist regardless of how much you pay.

[mayorhaggar]

SF seems comparable to prices in parts of Brooklyn. Manhattan is much more expensive, $2000 studios seem pretty common.

[morrowise]

Thanks. This is very helpful. It's too bad the SF people haven't caught on to the all-in-one apartment washer/dryer that does both for you automatically. I hear they're great. The clothes come out just damp enough, after the dry cycle, that you can hang them up for a few hours to avoid wrinkles.

[mayorhaggar]

I tried using a brand new one in a hotel room in Vancouver, it was horrible. It took forever to wash the clothes and then "dry" them and they were still soaking wet afterwards, I had to take it to a laundromat to dry my clothes.

[morrowise]

Wow - exact opposite of the experience of a friend of mine. Hmm. I'll have to find someone who has one and try it out.

[gnomatic]

SF monthly rents are a bit lower then Manhattan, also we don't have broker's fee.

My 2nd floor walkup 1 bdrm apt (quite large by SF standard, probably around 700 sq ft) on Telegraph Hill, no laundry facility in the building (drag it down three blocks to the laundromat, or 1 block to the full service laundry). Roof top terrace with 180 view of SF bay. $1600
My brother's (smaller) 4th floor walkup 1 bdrm apt in Hell's Kitchen, crappy laundry facility (it takes him 3 hrs to do laundry) in building. Tiny bathroom. $1650 (His old 1st floor studio apt in Murray Hill was $1550, and it was a cave..no natural light at ALL).

[gnomatic]

Originally Posted by morrowise

Thanks. This is very helpful. It's too bad the SF people haven't caught on to the all-in-one apartment washer/dryer that does both for you automatically. I hear they're great. The clothes come out just damp enough, after the dry cycle, that you can hang them up for a few hours to avoid wrinkles.

It isn't the concept haven't caught on. I don't think many rental apartments have the W/D outlets and landlords probably aren't fond of them either (leakage problems).
I have looked into getting an all-in-one W/D before. I used them in Europe (where they are the norm), and they are very efficient, though they can take a long time. There simply isn't a demand for them here, so the models available in North America sucks.
When I moved to my place in SF, I looked into getting a washer with sink adapter (common in Hong Kong & Japan)...there are a few good models available here, but I really don't think my landlord would allow it. Anyways, I am not sure where I can put it when it's not in used, my kitchen and bathroom don't really have a corner I can push it to.