sherbert

Bay Area is a different story but the salary you indicated is going to be OK for you to not live in Bay Area Poverty (aka can't afford you $25 yoga class and $5 coffee afterwards etc). Also you may be shocked (and in some cases appalled) at the standard of accommodation on offer and its asking price. 3k is the minimum for a studio in SF proper. 3k elsewhere will probably get you a one bedroom. Feel free to ping over any prospective locations and we can give an indication on whether it's a reasonable price or not and commute times. Does the company offer a shuttle bus MP <> SF?

Els87

sherbert

Not impossible but you'll find it very had to find anything (one bed) in any of those areas for less than 4k a month. Other areas (that are not necessarily cheaper but are hip/safe etc) you can look at are Hayes Valley and Bernal Heights. Mission Bay and Dogpatch are undergoing massive redevelopment and there are a lot of new housing complexes there (again, 4k minimum) with a nice location right on the water.

Be prepared for the 'open house system' aka 50 people show up and start up-bidding each other on the rent/deposit, the 'credit check scam' aka if you're interested you have to pay non refundable $20 for them to check your credit which you'll fail because you have no credit history and the reverse blind auction aka the landlord says 'this is the rent/deposit how much above that are you willing to go?'. With your lack of credit history and references, you might want to look at going into one of the big complexes because they are used to dealing with new arrivals with no credit history. And be prepared to layout thousands because of this (first and last months rent, plus deposit which will equal at least one month, if not two, rent ... so you are looking at dropping at least 12k in one swoop).

Things are slightly less cut throat down on the peninsula but you get a little more for your money.

Els87

sherbert

Yes. All of my apartments have been found through Craigslist. Very tiring sifting through all the scams and hovels and overpriced shit but I have indeed found good properties through (private) landlords. You need to spin a good story on why you have no credit history and why you should be trusted. Since pretty much every second person in SF is a foreigner, I'm sure landlords are used to the situation and use it to get a cash injection via a massive deposit. BTW leases are generally signed for a year and most places come unfurnished.

Cape Blue

Found all my rentals through craigslist.