The San Francisco Housing Situation

Even if you don’t live in San Francisco, California you have probably heard something about the real estate situation and the ridiculously high cost of rent. Some of those stereotypes are true and there are other aren’t as problematic and there are some aspects that often get overlooked. Either way, moving to a new city is a big deal and you need to be armed with all of the facts before you make a major move. San Francisco is known for being expensive and a lot of people overlook this fact and end up homeless or move out of the city because they can’t afford bill payments.

Not sure if San Francisco is the place for you? Check out these four things you need to consider before you make the move to The Golden City:

Weather

This may not be something you think about right away when you think of San Francisco, but this is important because of the city’s unique situation. San Francisco is situated on the coast of the sea which changes the weather quite a bit. Water has a large heat capacity, which basically limits the drastic change in temperature. When you think of California, you may think sunny skies and palm trees all year long. San Francisco does not fit this idea because the water keeps the weather from getting too hot or too cold. You may find that the weather is always the same no matter what time of year you visit.

If you really enjoy the warm weather, cold weather or just really enjoy the changing of the seasons, San Francisco may not be the ideal place for you. If you enjoy the idea of the weather staying roughly the same year round, San Francisco is the place for you.

Attractions

The Cable Cars. The Golden Gate Bridge. Pier 39. These are the main attractions of the city where tourists go. These attractions are special and make the city the city it is. It is also known for its amazing food. Sourdough bread, chocolate and seafood fresh off the coast are sure to become a staple if you become a local resident.

Living Cost

It is time to come to the obvious thing that people think about when they think of living in San Francisco, the living cost. The housing market is a dog-eat-dog world and you need to be prepared for it. Housing agencies receive up to 70 applications for one rental space. Buying a house isn’t any easier, so you need to have a good down payment (a minimum of 20%) and mortgage to be considered for any housing situation.

If you like the idea of living near San Francisco but really don’t think you can live there, check out the surrounding cities that have more affordable housing. There are great new homes in Sacramento, San Jose and Walnut Creek that may be more your pace and a little more affordable.

Transportation

There are a lot of ways to get around San Francisco. There is the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) which connects from the airport (SFO) to main areas of San Francisco. The system is similar to any other public transit system, there are different colored lines, the red and blue lines, that have different stops. You may as you go or you can buy a voucher for the whole day that usually costs around 20 dollars.

Cars are expensive to keep up in San Francisco but if you have a job that is outside of the city or you travel a lot, a car is a good idea to have. There is also the Muni, a set of public trains and metro rails that can get you around the city if having and keeping a car isn’t really in your budget or long-term plans.

San Francisco is a town that has a lot of options to get around and has a diverse culture that is unique to the city, which gives you the freedom to choose what place and space is best for you.

Damien Justus writes in the business, home improvement and real estate spaces, and is very passionate about health, cooking, diet plans and anything that has to do with staying fit.