What $7,900 rents you in San Francisco right now

Welcome to Curbed Comparisons, a regular column exploring what you can rent for a set dollar amount in different neighborhoods. Is one person’s studio another person’s townhouse? Today’s price: $7,900.

↑ No bones about it, the Clocktower Building on Second Street is still one of San Francisco’s old-time best multi-family residences and a reigning Comparisons champ. In this case, the two-bed, two-bath, 1,800-square-foot loft on offer here for $7,900/month is a particular knockout, if maybe a little more modern than the building’s period appeal usually lends itself. Note the steel staircase with its glass encasement, for example. David Baker Architects converted the former lithograph factory into homes in 1992, aiming to give the building a distinct “district look” independent of the rest of the neighborhood.

↑ Meanwhile, this competing loft in Dogpatch doesn’t have the architectural pedigree of its neighbor to the north, but it’s doing its best to go the distance with style—and with towering ceilings, windows, and winding helix staircase. Although a bit smaller at 1,700 square feet for the same price, it packs more assets with three beds plus two and a half baths. Pets might prove a tiebreaker, but neither ad mentions its policy one way or another. Although this Dogpatch locale does wisely play up its location here in Curbed SF’s most popular neighborhood of the year.

↑ And here’s a pretty piece of Nob Hill that looks lovely in old red brick, and even sports an address to match the tidy charm of its facade: 30 Pleasant Street. Upstairs, the two-bed, two-bathroom apartment (advertised as “fully remodeled”) on the top floor also rents for $7,900 month. The pad sports a “double parlor with formal dining room,” although for our money it’s the climbing tile accents in the second bathroom that deserve to be singled out. Note that this is a relatively short building, but thanks to the Nob Hill address the roof deck still boasts a respectable view. No word about pets. The rental market is full of mysteries.

↑ Meanwhile, in the Marina, a Marina-style house with understated gray exterior on Avila Street rents out three bedrooms and one bath at something of a price break for $7,700/month—price breaks are relative, after all, particularly in a neighborhood like this. “Hardwood floors throughout except for staircase and hallway,” says the ad, adding that “the master bedroom has its own private deck,” and there’s even room in there for a powder room off the master bath and garage downstairs. “Sorry, no pets,” but at least they’re coming out and saying so one way or the other.

↑ Finally, the Mission offers a “completely renovated Victorian”—sans any exterior photos, sadly, so precisely what Vic style and how well preserved remains up in the air—for $7,750/month around 21st and Florida. Every bedroom has its own, unique, slightly weird and out of place lighting fixture, no two alike. It’s four bedrooms and two baths, and by some miracle it even allows pets.