Visited 6 apartments today. Which was good for getting a feel for what’s available and what things cost.
We where originally contemplating a bachelor suite but we’re starting to think we just want the space of a one bedroom.
Looks like we’re going to end up spending between 1400 and 1900 a month. Which is alot I guess but as long as I can find a job we’ll be cool. Actually we’ll be cool even if I can’t find a job. Wages here are pretty high.
If you twist around and look at the situation from a very narrow angle we might actually be saving money by living right downtown since we won’t need a car. Parking spaces go for 300$ a month.
I don’t know what sets prices here. Everything could cost more, demand is rediculous. And quality varies hugely within the same price catagories.
The first place we went to today cost 1850 a month. It was recently renovated to a reasonable, but not great, standard and sits on the 7th floor of a fairly delapidated building. It was ostensibly 1 bedroom simply because they put a wall through a bachelor suite to bump the price. It had a decent view of… well other buildings I guess.
The 2nd to last place we saw today cost the exact same amount. It was the whole 2nd floor of a townhouse. They had accidentaly listed it as 1br. It had like a bazilion rooms (5) and a view down nob hill of the bay!
The only problem was that we couldn’t get a real good look at the place since every flat surface was covered by people filling out rental applications.
So it’s nice to dream about that place but there’s just no way. There were lots of roomate double-income pairs moving in who for sure look better on paper than us.
I’m starting to think we aren’t going to get a decent place until I find a job so we can look more renterworthy than some of the competition.
Also we’ve decided where we want to live. Which is kind of tricky because that really limits where we’re now looking. We really like Italy Town. Around Columbus and Broadway. It has good food and a happy, relaxed atmosphere. Right now we’re on Nob hill and it just isn’t cool. It’s too upscale. There are all these wine and coctail bars on the nob while italy town has all the cool pubs and espresso places. Plus italy town is close to china town. China town = grocery shoping horray.
So now a 1 bedroom above a cafe in italy town has to open up for 1500$. Just gotta keep watching craiglist. Actually we know a place is opening up in early October. Mabey I can be employed by then!
Also, just as an asside, do you know what pints go for at the San Francisco brew pub during happy hour (4:00-6:00)? 2.75$!! 2 dollars and 75 cents! What the fuck! Free beer! And that place is on Columbus and Broadway.
So anyway. I guess we’ll see what happens next.
