Rents Due : Finding A Place to lay your head

I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

LOOKING AT NEIGHBORHOODS AND ADU’S AND TRANSIT.


I SPENT ABOUT THREE SOLID MONTHS COMPARING ZILLOW AND CRAIGSLIST AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES.


I COMPARED HAYWARD TO LAKE MERRITT TO VALLEJO TO SAN FRANCISCO TO PALO ALTO






I LOOKED AT ADU, ROOMS FOR RENT AND APARTMENTS THEMSELVES VIA ZILLOW. I LOOKED AT DEPOSIT AMOUNTS, BOUNCING MY CREDIT RATING AND ANY , IF ANY BENEFITS OF ACTUALLY APPLYING FOR THE LOCATION.


I DID NOT APPLY BECAUSE THE MINUTE I HAD ENOUGH CREDIT AND ENOUGH DEPOSIT THE PRICE WOULD CHANGE THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON OR THE APARTMENT OR ROOM THAT WAS ADVERTISED WASN’T THE ACTUAL ROOM THAT WAS AVAILABLE.



THE FRUSTRATION IS THAT I HAVE TO FINISH A ONE YEAR RENTAL FIRST THEN I CAN MOVE THAT MEANS MOVING IN DECEMBER WHICH TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT I ABHOR MOVING IN DECEMBER UNLESS I AM FORCED TO LIKE I WAS LAST YEAR.


THE SECONDARY PROBLEM IS THE CREDIT RATING I HAVE TO MAINTAIN BUT, IF YOU GET A DESPERATE PROPERTY MANAGER YOU CAN SKIRT BY WITH A HIGHER DEPOSIT.


THE THIRD PROBLEM IS MOVING COSTS ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS SO THAT HAS TO BE BUDGETED ALONG THE DEPOSIT AND FIRST MONTHS RENT I HAVE TO ARRANGE FOR SOMEONE TO HELP MOVE ME OR RENT A CAR OR VAN.





THE OTHER LESSOR PROBLEM IS WORKING OUT TRANSIT CONNECTION. BELIEVE IT OR NOT SOME LOCATIONS THAT APPEAR ON A MAP TO BE CLOSE TO TRANSIT CAN MEAN WALKING UNDER AN OVERPASS THROUGH A CIVIC CENTER AND BEHIND A PARK AND UP A HILL. IN SAN FRANCISCO IT CAN BE A THREE BLOCK CLIMB UP THE CALIFORNIA STREET WHICH HAS A 40% GRADE AND A $9 CABLE CAR RIDE EXPENSE.





SO, THAT IS WHY I HAVE NOT MOVED BUT, I AM FRUSTRATED BY THE MARKET BECAUSE IT BEHAVES EXACTLY ON THE SELLER / OWNER SIDE SO YOU HAVE TO ALMOST CONSIDER RETAINING AN REAL ESTATE AGENT. THAT IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A $3000 TAB AND YOU MAY NOT STILL GET A DECENT RENTAL OR BETTER LEASE AGREEMENT.