How far will $1,300/month get me as far as housing in San Francisco?

Question

I currently live in Las Vegas and pay $1,300 a month for a 3 bedroom house in an upscale section of town (that's not including utilities, etc.). For about the same price, what type of housing (whether it be house, apartment, condo) can I expect to find? I don't need 3 bedrooms, so I would be more than willing to live in a 1-2 bedroom if it was a nicer area for the same price. Any suggestions or thoughts?

Answer 1

Financial district highrises/penthouses are out of the question. As you might expect of places that have doormen, dry cleaning, and valets... these are very expensive, and can run up to several thousand a month for even a small condo.

$1,300 will probably snag you a decent 1 BR in the Richmond and Sunset districts. These are both safe areas, but are also the most chilly/foggy parts of the city. If you find something in Pacific Heights, Marina/Cow Hollow, Russian Hill, Twin Peaks, or St. Francis Wood,..you should definitely take a look, as those are more upscale neighborhoods. However, for that price, the place will probably be in need of renovation.

You can find good deals in parts of SOMA, Potrero Hill, Noe Valley, Hayes Valley, and the Mission district. However, these areas are borderline neighborhoods. Some streets have been gentrified, while others are quite seedy. Exercise caution and stake your apartment out thoroughly before signing a lease.

The Tenderloin, Bayview/Hunter's Point, and Western Addition are downright dangerous, so it's probably not worth looking there.

And if all else fails, there's always the East Bay and Peninsula suburbs!

Answer 2

Right in San Francisco, it won't get you much, if anything. The last time I looked into it at all you could barely rent a room in someone's home within a 50 mile radius of San Francisco for less than $1000/month. Try San Jose or Vacaville area. It still will be expensive, but likely less than the city.

Answer 3

You're lucky if you can find anything bigger than a studio or 1-BR apt. in San Francisco for that price.

Here's something from craiglist (using your $1300 search criteria) that'll give you a good idea of what to expect:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/apa/sfc?maxAsk=1300

Answer 4

I've heard that you could probably get a studio apartment for that price. That was a few years ago though, prices might have done up since then.