Furnished Apartments, Rooms & Sublets for Rent in the Bay Area
You are about to move to one of the epicentres of tech companies in the world. The Bay area is not only the ideal place to start your own business, it is also an area of freedom and creativity, hence why, you might find a lot of people looking for apartments to rent in the Bay area. Even though the rents will be higher than other cities in the US, finding a ready-to-move-into furnished apartment in San Francisco should not be very different from other cities.
Bay area apartments are usually separated into neighbourhoods that are easily recognisable and attract very specific groups of people; some more creative, some are more family orientated and some even more orientated to people working in large tech companies such as Google, eBay, Apple or Facebook, within many others.
Furnished Apartments in SF Bay Area
As mentioned above, you will find the whole process of looking for furnished apartments in the Bay area quite similar to other cities, however, the closer to the city centre, the higher the rent might get.
Furnished apartments in the San Francisco Bay area, usually offer a much more modern look to them compared to other regions. Apart from the above, these apartments also usually count with much better services and amenities, such as; swimming pool, gym or even laundry service.
Even though these types of services are quite common in the South West coast area, not all the apartments include them. Furnished apartments like these, are the perfect solution for young people moving into the city to start a new job and are available for mid and long-term rentals.
Accommodation Types in SF Bay Area
Oakland
Moving to Oakland? Visit our Oakland page for more information.
Palo Alto
Does Palo Alto pique your interest? See our Palo Alto page for more info.
Cheap Apartments in the Bay Area
Even though you might be moving to one of the most expensive regions in the US, there are also cheaper housing options in the Bay area. However, these properties might include some commuting or an extra dose of coffee in the morning, in order to get used to the traffic while entering the city at peak time.
Commuting into the Bay area is very common; in fact, big giants like Facebook even have transportation services for their own co-workers. Naturally, most young professionals prefer to live close to areas where everything happens and therefore, most of them try looking for cheaper apartments, but these are usually found slightly outside the main city centres.
Cheaper neighbourhoods in the bay area include areas like Palo Alto (famous for Stanford University, Los Gatos or Fremont (located on the East side of the bay).
Rooms & Sublets for Rent in the Bay Area
If the reason of your relocation is a temporal job or a job offer that you are still not 100% convinced of, subletting or renting a room in the Bay area might be the solution to your problem. Since the San Francisco area can get quite expensive for young people who are just starting their professional careers, many entrepreneurs opt for renting a room or looking for sublets in San Francisco. Both options allow them to explore different areas in town and having a smoother relocation process in terms of costs.
The Bay area is home to more than 1000 start-up companies only in San Francisco, so you will probably find yourself with many other young professionals in similar circumstances. So make sure you chat to anyone next to you in a coffeehouse, you never know if you are sitting next to the future Steve Jobs.
SF Bay Area vs. San Francisco: Pros & Cons
Costs of Living in the Bay Area
Even though San Francisco might be one of the most expensive cities to live in right now, average incomes are also very high compared to other cities. The average salary of a professional living in the San Francisco Bay area stands now on approximately $86,000 per year. The average housing prices in the Bay area compared to the national average, however, are much higher. Having in mind that the average household income of a small family in San Francisco is currently around $110,000 (which is considered a low income), it is important to consider all the pros and cons before moving to San Francisco. As well as the renting costs, the everyday average expenses such as food, gas or phone bills are also slightly higher compared to the rest of the country.
SF Bay Area Weather
Since the Bay area is located in the last part of the West coast, you will probably already know that the weather conditions are much warmer than in cities like New York or Chicago for example. However, it is also true that waking up to a completely “fog free” sky in the Bay Area, is very uncommon. Fog usually disappears throughout the day allowing blue skies to come through and reminding new locals why they moved there in the first place.
Thanks to its mild weather in both, winter and summer, people in the Bay area tend to be very sporty and fit. The fact that going for a weekend walk during a January morning doesn’t mean wearing two layers of every single garment makes it all a lot easier.
SF Bay Area Culture
If food drives you crazy, you should know that you just made it to the place of your dreams. According to locals, there are enough restaurants in San Francisco for the whole population to be sitting at the same time. Apart from its endless cuisine options, bars and restaurants, San Francisco is also known as a liberal and tolerant place. Here you will be able to dance, sing or practice whatever form of art you like freely. Arts play a huge role in the Bay area, sometimes even slightly eccentric.
There is always something going on in the Bay area, boredom is not an option. Street markets and festivals will take over the streets more often than you can even imagine and all these small details make San Francisco one of the most beloved places to explore in the country.
Student Housing in the Bay Area
If you are moving to the Bay area to study in one of their prestigious colleges, just as any other city in the world, you will also have the opportunity of living in Student housing in the Bay area. These types of rentals will allow you to live close to your college or it’s surroundings. As a student, you will probably want to take part on every cultural event or street market happening in San Francisco, so living in a Student residence in the Bay area might be what you are looking for. Also, student housing in the South West coast will probably be the best way to take home with you the craziest memories and adventures you will ever have, so it is definitely worth a go!
SF Bay Area Public Transportation
Long boulevards, curvy street and of course… the hills - especially in San Francisco. If you were used to driving your car to go down the road, this might be the time to get out of that habit. You will find the Bay area to be very sporty, thanks to its good weather conditions, so walking a little longer should not be hard at all.
Public transport, however, is also a great way of moving around and the possibilities are endless. As soon as you arrive, you should get yourself a Clipper Card – a basic public transport tool in the Bay area. This card is a top-up card that will allow you to go on almost every public transport.
BART
BART is an inexpensive and fast way of getting in and out of the city centre. BART is especially convenient for those living in the San Jose area or in Downtown SF. The prices depend entirely on how far you go and how many stops you make, but a one-way ticket for just 2 stops will cost you around $2-$3. BART also shares stations with MUNI and connects with Amtrack.
CALTRAIN
CalTrain is the commuter train that starts on the Peninsula and ends in SF. It runs from as far south as Gilroy all the way to the city centre. Once at the CalTrain station, it is very common to jump on a bike to finish your journey to or from work. The price for a one-zone fare with CalTrain currently stands at $3.75 ($3.20 with a Clipper Card). The CalTrain is 100% thought for commuters, so on their official site, you will find a “Commute Calculator” that is definitely worth having a look at when you just moved to the Bay area.
MUNI
MUNI is both; the bus and the train system in the San Francisco area and just like any other bus lines; it will probably take longer than the train, especially during peak hours or sports match times.
One thing you should note is that if the line is a letter, the train will be underground. If the line shows a number, it’s a bus above ground. The only exception is line F – This will always be above ground and most likely full of tourists getting to know the city. Ticket prices also cost around $2/$3 per trip and these lines will run throughout the whole city centre.
VTA
VTA provides service throughout the coast, including the municipalities of Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale within many others, all situated on the southern part of the Bay. Even though it will be hard to say how much time it will take someone to commute in or out of the city, it is important to note that the area that VTA covers will be one with the shortest overall commuting time for residents.
SMART
SMART stands for “Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit” and it is the newest way of transportation in the San Francisco Bay area. With zone fares starting at $3.50, SMART offers users more than 41 miles of corridor all the way to Sonoma County Airport. SMART will be more convenient for those living in the North part of the Bay area and goes through neighbourhoods like Santa Rosa or Cotati. Future construction works are planned, so this route will soon be extended and offering new stops for those living in the North side.