Man, doesn't the San Francisco real estate market suck? Everything is tiny and expensive, and if you're new to the city, I bet you're feeling really overwhelmed.
But good news! Available for one lucky person is the opportunity to rent a room in a huge (by SF standards) house in Noe Valley with two of the most awesome housemates you could ask for.
Sound awesome? Let's get down to brass tacks:
- $1500 per month for rent (not including utilities)
- Available June 23rd.
- $950 refundable security deposit.
- Photos
I would have loved to stay in this house for many years to come but unfortunately my job situation changed and I have to move to the east coast. But I won't bore you with getting sentimental, what you really want to know is the amenities:
Seriously, this house is like a friggin' San Francisco unicorn:
- HUGE kitchen with a large sink and a dishwasher
- Ample street parking–never stress out about parking your car again
- Washer and dryer in the house
- Huge back yard
- AMAZING deck with views of Mission/SoMa/Downtown
You'll take the bedroom upstairs, where I'm living now. The bedroom itself isn't gigantic (unless you're coming from Brooklyn or something), but it's totally liveable and a lot better than some of the other cramped bedrooms you'll find on Craigslist. There's a closet with a rack and shelf built in, which has been more than adequate for storing my large collection of hipster flannels and Levi's skinny jeans. I comfortably fit a full bed and Ikea bookcase with plenty of room to move around, get dressed, etc.
I'll even include the mattress and box spring, and bookshelf free of charge to save you heading to Ikea for the exact same item shortly after moving in, or else I can find someone to take it away.
Probably the best thing about the bedroom is that it's got a gorgeous view of SoMa, the Mission, Dogpatch, the Bay Bridge and the Oakland Hills (when it's not foggy). On most days, the sun shines all day keeping this part of the city awash in a golden glow. (Sorry, Sunset residents!) When the sun is setting, it's reflected off the windows of the homes in the Oakland Hills and it makes them sparkle this bright, campfire red.
There's also a small recently renovated deck that opens up to the beautiful and verdant back yard (see below).
If you ever have to work from home, it's so nice to have a sun-filled room with a panoramic view to keep you productive.
There are two bathrooms in the house, one upstairs and one downstairs. The room for rent is upstairs, so you'll share the bathroom with Jeff. Jeff works in South Bay and keeps pretty regular hours, and in the 6 months we lived together we've never had a resource contention issue. If you're hanging out in the living room downstairs, of course, you're welcome to use that bathroom as well!
Like I said, the kitchen is huge and is perfect for someone who likes to cook. There's a gas range that's a joy to cook on, and plenty of counter space to shuffle things around if you're prepping a big meal. You'll obviously need to share storage and refrigerator space with Thom and Jeff, but neither one of them cook as often as I do. Jeff is vegan but the chill kind who literally didn't say a single word about the month that I decided to have bacon every morning for breakfast. Thom doesn't cook super often but when he does, he makes a mean chili. (Not for the faint of heart if you're sensitive to spice!)
Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the amazing little breakfast nook that's enclosed in glass. It's a great spot to hang out on drizzly mornings and enjoy your coffee and breakfast.
The basement has a FULL-SIZE washer and dryer so you can wash mondo loads of clothes. None of that high-efficiency/tiny washer/dryer crap. It is in the basement though so make sure to mind your head. Jeff likes to surf and also stores his boards and wetsuits etc. down here.
We don't use it much as we'd like, but if you like to grill or entertain, this back yard is amazing. It's HUGE by San Francisco standards and is enclosed by mature trees that give you some privacy and give it a hidden forest feel. There's a newly renovated wood deck that's great for grilling and hanging around drinking beers, as well as a larger upper level that's great for big groups of people. You really just need to see it to believe it (pics below)
We share a living room that's equipped with a big screen LCD TV as well as a pretty bitchin' surround sound setup. You're welcome to hang out, play video games, play music, etc. Thom just got a PS4 so you'll probably see him hanging out playing Assassin's Creed 4 or whatever for the foreseeable future.
But by far the best part of the living room is that it's connected to...
THE DECK is easily the best part of the house. The views are absolutely jaw-dropping, and the deck at the front of the house allows you sit with a cup of coffee or tea or a glass of wine and just enjoy taking it all in.
Seriously, you will be the envy of all of your friends. If you bring people over, friends who have already seen it will ask those who haven't: "Have you seen [YourName]'s view? It's amazing."
While I can't make any promises, if you're the dating type, once your date sees the view, your odds of getting lucky that night increase dramatically.
The house is situated in the hills above Noe Valley, which in addition to the great views, means you won't be dealing with crime or sketchy individuals on your way home from work. In fact, if you work in the South Bay and ride one of the shuttle busses to work, you're a less than 10 minute walk from 24th and Castro, where most of the big companies pick up.
As for getting around San Francisco, we're in an amazing location. The street the house is on dead-ends on either side, so there's no traffic other than residents and it's SUPER quiet and mellow. But, if you want to get downtown, the 35 picks up on the corner. It runs every half hour and will drop you directly at the Castro Muni station, from which you can easily get to downtown/SoMa/etc. (If you need to get to the north part of the city, the 24 picks up a block away and runs up Divis/Castro.)
You can walk to the Mission in 20-30 minutes, depending on whether it's in north Mission or south. The walk back can be a little steep if you've been drinking, but a cab ride back doesn't cost more than $10-12.
Noe Valley is mostly young families, so there's not really much of a party scene. I actually appreciated this because, while the Mission was a quick walk away if I wanted loud, drunken debauchery, I could get away from the noise if I wanted to rest or relax. (The one exception is that if the Giants win the World Series, you will definitely still hear the noise carrying up the valley into the hills.)
And, as I mentioned before, there is tons of street parking available on our street and in the blocks around it, so you and your friends should never have trouble finding somewhere to park your cars.
Great! If I don't know you already, we'd love to meet you. We're looking for someone that's responsible, respectful and low-drama.
Send me an email at ivanvanderbyl+sfhouse@gmail.com telling me about yourself and I'll be happy to answer any question that you may have. Thanks for your time!
