You don't have to support YC's favorite spammers to land a short-term place. There are some month-to-month apartments in the city (e.g., Landmark, who I'm using now, basically wants a pulse and a credit card for the rent) and motels on the peninsula with weekly rates that are about the same as renting a studio but with utilities, parking, and cleaning included.
How to find an apartment in San Francisco during the tech boom
81–90 of 120 posts
Re: How to find an apartment in San Francisco during the tech boom
#82[deleted]
Re: How to find an apartment in San Francisco during the tech boom
#83Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't like to live in Spanish speaking neighborhoods because I don't speak Spanish. I enjoy the food and the low prices, I don't enjoy the culture. If you don't speak English in America, you tend to be poor and less educated, which means you and I will have less in common. I fully realize I am not allowed to say this in Liberal America because this makes me a DISGUSTING BIGOT, so I don't post this under my real nam…
> "If you don't speak English in America, you tend to be poor and less educated" Such as the Asian immigrant population. Which, last I checked, is experiencing quotas at Ivy League schools because they're getting in at rates much, much higher than any other race, and tend to come from backgrounds of higher education, even if their parents' English is poor. You're trying to generalize your argument to minimize the app…
I wonder how many of the second generation Asian students flooding Ivy League schools come from poor, non-English speaking ethnic ghettos? I'd guess not many. All the people I knew who fit that description in college went to good high schools. How good are the high schools in Chinatown?
For what it's worth, I wouldn't want to live in Chinatown either. Or any of the White non-English ethnic ghettos that used to exist a few decades ago.
I think calling people "bigot" happens too quickly. We should show some restraint.
Re: How to find an apartment in San Francisco during the tech boom
#84You might also want to consider living in Oakland instead of San Francisco and taking BART to the city to work. My rent is 1/3 less and my commute (20 minutes door-to-door) is much shorter than that of many of my colleagues who live in the city. Oakland is a big, heterogeneous city, with really nice districts that offer great dining, bars, and the usual city trappings.
That sounds like a great way to get murdered ( http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/oakland/crime/ ). What are some of the places that are better or should be avoided?
I live downtown and haven't been murdered yet.
There are plenty of relatively safe neighborhoods in Oakland: the Central District (where I live), Jack London Square, Lake Merritt, Claremont/Rockridge, Temescal, Piedmont, etc. East Oakland is where the crime is generally centered. Generally, the closer to the hills or the lake you are, the nicer it is.
Best advice I can give if you have any doubt is to ask a local police officer.
Re: How to find an apartment in San Francisco during the tech boom
#85You might also want to consider living in Oakland instead of San Francisco and taking BART to the city to work. My rent is 1/3 less and my commute (20 minutes door-to-door) is much shorter than that of many of my colleagues who live in the city. Oakland is a big, heterogeneous city, with really nice districts that offer great dining, bars, and the usual city trappings.
Not just Oakland. The majority of the Bay Area exists to support commuting to San Francisco. The peninsula tech companies are actually a newer phenomenon.
Newer? Are you aware of the 50-year history of semiconductor and defense companies in the area between Palo Alto and San Jose?
Re: How to find an apartment in San Francisco during the tech boom
#86As a non-US person moving to SF later this year, I don't have a US credit rating yet. How do I go about looking for places?
I had the same problem. I eventually got a place by (a) having a good offer letter in hand and (b) agreeing to sign a two year lease. Oh, and I had already agreed (along with a few other applicants) to an extra $100/mo over the original price quoted on craigslist. It was the 2 year lease that tipped the balance for me, since I assume anyone who didn't have the credit history disadvantage turned that down flat.
Re: How to find an apartment in San Francisco during the tech boom
#87[deleted]
Deepak,
Totally right. The goal with the way I talked about the Tenderloin was more to forewarn people. If you know what you're getting yourself into and follow the street-wise tips you provide, it can be a great place to work and an easy walk to the Financial district or SoMA where many work.
Thanks, Jason
Re: How to find an apartment in San Francisco during the tech boom
#88Renting in SOMA right now is crazy, and 1 brs in the heart of SOMA near 4th and King are going for over $3000/month. If cost is an issue, places like SOMA, PacHeights, etc, are not good choices because it's super expensive. The danger with renting in SOMA is that unless you're moving into an old apartment, there is no rent control. If rent prices go up next year, you could find yourself paying $500+/month more next y…
[deleted]
Re: How to find an apartment in San Francisco during the tech boom
#89If you don't have any friends you can stay with in San Francisco, a good alternative is booking a bed in a hostel for a few weeks. They're cheap (as low as $25/day, if you're willing to share a room with a few people), centrally located, and sometimes offer perks like free breakfast and coffee. You should take a few extra precautions with your valuables -- I keep my laptop, wallet, and phone next to me when I sleep,…
Unless you are a very light sleeper, it's way easier to steal a laptop out of your arms than out of a locker if you have in-room lockers.
Assuming he sleeps simply hugging his laptop, which is unlikely. He probably keeps stuff in a bag, with a padlock, either tied to the bed or strapped around an arm. That's what I do when I don't trust the lockers, it's not unusual for them to be made of flimsy corrugated-board.
Re: How to find an apartment in San Francisco during the tech boom
#90You might also want to consider living in Oakland instead of San Francisco and taking BART to the city to work. My rent is 1/3 less and my commute (20 minutes door-to-door) is much shorter than that of many of my colleagues who live in the city. Oakland is a big, heterogeneous city, with really nice districts that offer great dining, bars, and the usual city trappings.
That's a great point. When I first came out here, the friend's place I stayed at was in Oakland and the 20-25min BART ride to the Montgomery Station to get to work in SoMA wasn't bad at all.
I think the key is finding what you like. Some people like urban environments, others the suburbs, while some like the hybrid kind of areas like you find in Western SF.
In my opinion, to have a good work-life balance it's important you live somewhere you like.