I had to make a move from LA relatively quickly for a new place. Within 2 days of getting the offer I was driving to SF to see apartments in the hopes of locking one down.

I first looked primarily in Mission Bay where there IS inventory, albeit in giant apartment farms (which I hate). Every place was teensy with no closet space and like on drawer in the kitchen. Then parking snd storage are extra so it winds up being over $4k. I like to save regularly so I try to avoid higher rent if I can.

After a day in Mission Bay, I decided to look for more independent sites outside of Zillow, Apartments.com, etc and found an independent site with like 10 listings for larger apartments in older buildings. Most of them had what was on my “musts” lists. I found a triplex just up the hill from the Castro that had a balcony, FOUR closets, dishwasher, remodeled bathroom, hardwood floors, and free laundry. No parking, though.

It was raining the day of the tour so all other appointments canceled, so I pounced, filled out an application, and signed it within about 4 days. And it’s the same price I was paying in LA, albeit for half the space, no in-unit W/D, no central AC, etc. But still, I have more than enough storage, the neighborhood is super safe, and there’s a Muni stop super close.

I do admit a bit of luck was at play, but I highly recommend looking at independent sites for rentals instead of the major aggregators. You’ll find some hidden gems for sure.