You're probably tired of these ones... (San Francisco, Richmond: apartment complexes, rentals, lofts)

[mj88]

...and thinking, "not another one!"...am I right? ...BUT...I am hoping to get some suggestions from you friendly SF people on which neighborhood you think would suit me best...in my 20's, single, recent college grad and looking to potentially move to CA (SD or SF...leaning towards SF)...looking for a safe neighborhood (#1), but also one with other young professionals...oh, and also one where I could find a sturdy building should I find myself in an earthquake (trust me, I'd panic). Without a job it's hard to say how much I could afford, but would anyone be able to at least give a few-word description on the neighborhoods below, especially if there's one I should avoid?

Apartments.com lists the following SF areas:

- Bayshore
- Castro & Noe Valley
- Downtown
- Ingleside/Excelsior
- Pacific Hts/Marina/N. Beach
- Richmond
- South of Market Area
- Sunset

Thank you so much!

[humboldtrat]

San Francisco is an expensive place to live and without a job you will have a BIG problem moving there. Earthquakes would be the least of your problems. Pacific Heights/Marina/North Beach that you listed is one of the more expensive areas to live in SF. Good luck.

[rah]

Originally Posted by mj88

...and thinking, "not another one!"...am I right? ...BUT...I am hoping to get some suggestions from you friendly SF people on which neighborhood you think would suit me best...in my 20's, single, recent college grad and looking to potentially move to CA (SD or SF...leaning towards SF)...looking for a safe neighborhood (#1), but also one with other young professionals...oh, and also one where I could find a sturdy building should I find myself in an earthquake (trust me, I'd panic). Without a job it's hard to say how much I could afford, but would anyone be able to at least give a few-word description on the neighborhoods below, especially if there's one I should avoid?

Apartments.com lists the following SF areas:

- Bayshore

Another name for Visitacion Valley. This is overall one of the more dangerous parts of the city, due to the Sunnydale housing projects on the west side of the neighborhood. It's also adjacent to Hunters point, which is also full of public housing. Both areas have a lot of drug and gang fueled problems. the area has a large asian population, and large black and latino populations as well. Would probably have the cheapest apartments and houses out of the areas listed.

- Castro & Noe Valley

Some very nice and expensive areas. They were originally working class irish areas, but are now heavily gentrified. The Castro is the center of SF's gay population, and both neighborhoods have tons of young parents and yuppies and the like. The Castro is more convenient and connected to downtown, whereas Noe Valley is more isolated.

- Downtown

Where exactly downtown do you mean? "Downtown" can encompass many areas, including the Financial District, SOMA, the Tenderloin, Nob Hill, Civic Center, Chinatown, and you might even say South Beach/Mission Bay, and parts of North Beach as well. These places run the gamut from insanely expensive to run down and crime-ridden.

- Ingleside/Excelsior

This is a working class area with large latino, asian, and black populations. There are some large commercial strips in the area, such as Mission Street, Ocean Avenue, and Geneva Avenue. It has much higher crime rates than places like Noe Valley or the Castro, but overall it's much better than say Visitacion valley or Hunters Point. There are some pretty nice and quiet areas, mainly in the western side of Ingleside. you'll be able to find some nice deals here.

- Pacific Hts/Marina/N. Beach

Pacific Heights is the most affluent part of the city, home to millionaires and billionaires. The Marina is very affluent too, and has many yuppies and rich fratboy types. North Beach is an expensive area as well, but has a more racially and economically diverse population.

- Richmond

A large and safe neighborhood with a large asian population. There are also alot of Russian Immigrants. Has some expensive homes and lots of apartments. Main commercial areas are Geary and Clement, and to a lesser extent Balboa and California. Next to Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, and the ocean.

- South of Market Area

Big area with a lot of old warehouses that are being converted to lofts, and replaced by high-rise condo towers. There are also some sketchy parts, and lots of nightclubs that can get rowdy sometimes. Some of it is considered part of downtown.

- Sunset

A large mostly quiet, working and middle class area. There are alot of asians living here too. Th main commercial strips are Irving, Judah, and Taraval. Next to Golden Gate Park, the Zoo, and the ocean. The closer you are to the ocean, the cheaper it gets.


What exactly is your price range though? From the areas you've listed, the cheapest you can go is a studio in the $600-800 range, and it'll probably be in the Ingleside area, Excelsior, Visitacion Valley, or the outer Sunset.

[mj88]

Thank you so much - that is just what I needed. It's difficult to say what my price range is since I don't yet have a job. That is the next (and possibly most difficult?) hurdle to cross! Seems most of the employers want to hire locally, but I'm afraid to move to SF without securing a job first, especially with the rents!

[Alisande]

Originally Posted by mj88

...and thinking, "not another one!"...am I right? ...BUT...I am hoping to get some suggestions from you friendly SF people on which neighborhood you think would suit me best...in my 20's, single, recent college grad and looking to potentially move to CA (SD or SF...leaning towards SF)...looking for a safe neighborhood (#1), but also one with other young professionals...oh, and also one where I could find a sturdy building should I find myself in an earthquake (trust me, I'd panic). Without a job it's hard to say how much I could afford, but would anyone be able to at least give a few-word description on the neighborhoods below, especially if there's one I should avoid?

Apartments.com lists the following SF areas:

- Bayshore
- Castro & Noe Valley
- Downtown
- Ingleside/Excelsior
- Pacific Hts/Marina/N. Beach
- Richmond
- South of Market Area
- Sunset

Thank you so much!

I'd definately find a job before trying to move to SF. You may end up with the homeless.

[worktolive]

As long as you have, say, $5K in savings, your best bet for finding a place without a job would be to come out and find a roommate situation. Because SF is rent-controlled, if you move in with someone who already has a place, you can often find a decent place in a good neighborhood usually for less than you would pay on your own. Anyway, without a job you'll have a hard time passing the credit check to rent an apt. here on your own. Apt. rentals are very competitive because there's such a limited supply of housing. It's not unusual for a landlord to get 25+ applications in a week for a new listing. Without a job, you don't stand much chance against those odds.

Another thing to keep in mind is that SF has very few "apartment complexes". Most rental stock in the city consists of flats or apts. in small buildings of anywhere from 2-30 or so units. These are never listed at a place like apartments.com. Have you taken a look at craigslist?

Once you are here, the job market is pretty good, so you should be able to find something unless you are in a very specialized field. I assume you've already satisfied yourself that your field is in demand here.