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All Posts, Finances & Retirement, San Francisco Bay Area

How to Land an Apartment in San Francisco

sf1aIn the dog-eat-dog world of San Francisco, it’s not about finding an apartment (if you can afford the rent), but whether you can convince the landlord to pick you out of a stack of rental applications that read like Silicon Valley resumes.

As landlords, Dean and I found ourselves in the unenviable position of playing with housing destiny as our rental unit has recently become available. There were four very interested couples that were each so amazing that after every interaction, I told myself, “Yes they’re the one!”

We were so torn that Dean and I ended up rank-ordering each couple on our own, handed our list to the other, and laughed because our top pick was the same–whereas the other couples ranked differently on our lists. Dean said he felt like we were on a reality TV show. I agree, it was very Bachelor-like.

Now that we’ve gone through this and seen some incredible people, I know what it takes to be the top candidate on any list.

In this ultra-competitive market, let me tell you how to land an apartment in San Francisco.

1. Be prepared.

One couple nailed it with their preparation. They had a packet with their smiling faces on front including a brief summary. That summary included their places of employment and in parentheses their annual salaries. BAM! I know right away their names, where they work, and how much they make. Music to a landlord’s ears. In the packet, they had credit reports, offer letters, and a landlord recommendation. Hello! No need to fill out an application. They had every detail I wanted and more.

Do this. Put together a rental package and include W2s. Staple your business cards to the package.

While everyone else was wasting their time filling out an application, we had more time to chit-chat. Serial podcast? Bring it! You love wine? So do I! I LOVE YOU GUYS!

2. Have a connection.

Securing an apartment is akin to rushing the Greek System. You have to connect with the people in the fraternity/sorority otherwise you’re toast. Don’t just fill out an application, then leave. First ask smart questions about the apartment. Then talk interests. “The backyard is perfect because I can see myself out there barbecuing and drinking a glass of wine.”

This is the area where Dean and I struggled with the most because we had a connection with every couple. I especially liked one couple. She was from Beijing and he was from Shanghai, and the two of them debating the merits of each city (when I asked, “If I was going to China for the first time and I could only pick one city, which should I choose?”) had me cracking up. By the way, I’ve traveled to Shanghai and loved it, except for the fact that I got tea-scammed. Haha! They had a hoot over my story.

3. Be aggressive.

Be aggressive. Be be aggressive. And here, my friends, is why one couple landed at the top of both of our lists. Granted the texting and phone calls were a bit much at first; in the end, their genuine love of the place and willingness to commit could not be beat. When someone says they’re coming over with a check, I mean, you can’t turn that down! Kudos to them. We’re happy for them, but we would have been lucky to have any of these couples as our neighbors.

This whole process made me realize…well actually, I already knew this, but the process only validated the fact that there are really cool people living in San Francisco. Cool enough that after a 20 minute conversation, you want them to come over for BBQ and wine. This city and its inhabitants are the best ever!

Now go forth and find your happy place!

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01.29.15

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Comments

  1. Janine Huldie

    January 29, 2015 at 11:48 am

    Great tips and definitely anyone who is the market should read these, because you honestly lay it out perfectly here, Catherine!! 🙂

    Reply
  2. cece @Pink Sunshine

    January 29, 2015 at 2:22 pm

    Wow. That’s some serious business right there to find an apartment. It’s like a serious competition. Glad you found some renters that you like that will take good care of your place, pay you every month and enjoy it. Good renters make all the difference in your landlord experience.

    Reply
  3. Dana

    January 29, 2015 at 3:20 pm

    I knew the market was tough there – but jeez! My good friend and next door neighbor just told me they are moving to Silicon Valley – her husband got a job with Facebook. It’s a great opportunity, but I’m so sad they are leaving. And she is not looking forward to finding a house for a family of five! They’ll probably rent for a year first – I’ll have to show her your tips.

    Reply
  4. AwesomelyOZ

    January 29, 2015 at 3:33 pm

    Very good tips – I definitely agree that a connection matters. The first tip is brilliant – weird how it makes great sense when you read it but never would think about it in reality. I guess it is very hard to find an apartment out there, here there are a ton of options – whether you can afford it is another question. Have a great one Catherine and glad you love your neighbors! -Iva

    Reply
  5. Mo at Mocadeaux

    January 31, 2015 at 9:20 am

    Wow! I’m so glad that you are on the landlord end of this craziness! In most places finding decent renters is tough. You had the luxury of choice when there was no bad choice!

    Reply
  6. Tamara

    January 31, 2015 at 5:38 pm

    Awesome tips! Cassidy had a rent controlled apartment in SF and he had been there since the 90’s but we think that when we finally left:
    1. The landlords were thrilled because they could finally triple the rent.
    2. Our amazing apartment probably went in five minutes.

    Reply
  7. Nikki

    February 1, 2015 at 1:48 am

    Great tips! It’s equally difficult to land a rental home in our teeny military town in San Diego. The packet idea is a great way to stand out. I’m definitely going to use this next time we’re looking at rentals.

    Reply
  8. Gracielle

    February 3, 2015 at 12:04 pm

    Guess you got to be on your A-game if you want to land an apt in San Fransisco! It’s beautiful there so I can see why it’s so competitive!

    Reply
  9. Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life

    February 9, 2015 at 1:59 pm

    That kind of competition is crazy. However, my husband is a landlord too and he’s had some lousy tenants. I need to have him read this.

    Reply

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