Here's some comments, based on my less then fruitful searches: - Separate your list into Must Have/Nice To Have - I found that this does a good job of narrowing without limiting options.
- Include places with space for a roommate in your search. Be prepared to shell out the $$ for said space for the first month, and worry about finding a roommate after you've signed the lease. People are flakes, and househunting is stressful enough without dealing with flakes - and it is much easier to find a roommate then to find a place.
- Get landlord references for the dog. Email places that don't allow dogs, attaching the reference and offer up extra in pet deposit.
Generally speaking, my perceptions of "nice neighborhoods" have shifted dramatically since moving here. What sort of things make a neighborhood not to nice for you guys?
I would almost recommend looking for a place where you stay just one year - it takes some time to get to know the area, figure out which specific places it is important to have good transportation options to, etc - and it's easier to look for a semi-temporary space then it is to look for a dream house.
Some more personal experience: when I first moved here, I subletted in the Laurel neighborhood of Oakland. It's 1-2 miles from BART, but has a community mailing list, good foodshopping options and is convenient to the freeway. I was in a 2 bedroom house with a gorgeous backyard that was $1300/month. Doing a search for Laurel on CL came up with this and this.
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Date: 2007-02-25 11:22 pm (UTC)- Separate your list into Must Have/Nice To Have - I found that this does a good job of narrowing without limiting options.
- Include places with space for a roommate in your search. Be prepared to shell out the $$ for said space for the first month, and worry about finding a roommate after you've signed the lease. People are flakes, and househunting is stressful enough without dealing with flakes - and it is much easier to find a roommate then to find a place.
- Get landlord references for the dog. Email places that don't allow dogs, attaching the reference and offer up extra in pet deposit.
Generally speaking, my perceptions of "nice neighborhoods" have shifted dramatically since moving here. What sort of things make a neighborhood not to nice for you guys?
I would almost recommend looking for a place where you stay just one year - it takes some time to get to know the area, figure out which specific places it is important to have good transportation options to, etc - and it's easier to look for a semi-temporary space then it is to look for a dream house.
Some more personal experience: when I first moved here, I subletted in the Laurel neighborhood of Oakland. It's 1-2 miles from BART, but has a community mailing list, good foodshopping options and is convenient to the freeway. I was in a 2 bedroom house with a gorgeous backyard that was $1300/month. Doing a search for Laurel on CL came up with this and this.