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 February 1st
- Email tom+sfhouse@tomdale.net if you're interested
Now, I don't want to get all emotional on you, but I am sad as hell to leave this house. I've lived in San Francisco for just over four years, and I've spent all of them here, with the same roommates. The only reason I'm giving it up is because my company moved to Portland, and I know that if I ever have to move back to San Francisco, I will never get anything as amazing as this again.
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 livable and a lot better than some of the 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 a desk with an iMac with plenty of space to move around, get dressed, etc. (I am happy to sell you the mattress and box spring for an extreme discount, by the way, because I'm not looking forward to moving it.)
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 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 four years we've been living 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 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.
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.)
Love coffee? A brand new Philz just opened up that's a 5 minute walk. You'll find Whole Foods and other local shops and restaurants along 24th Street, which forms the core of downtown Noe Valley. (If you're new to the city, Noe is pronounced like "no-ee", not "no"—don't make the same mistake I did!)
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. In the four years I've been here, this house and San Francisco have changed me from an unsophisticated country bumpkin adrift in life into a happy, confident man of the world. I'm hoping to find someone for whom this house can be just as special as it was for me.
Send me an email at tom+sfhouse@tomdale.net telling me about yourself and I'll be happy to answer any question that you may have. Thanks for your time!
