What $3,800 rents 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: $3,800.

This one-bed, one-bath apartment on Pacific dubs itself “prime Pacific Heights,” which seems to be a popular designation these days. For $3,800/month it’s the smallest of the five offerings; in fact, it’s not even a full one-bed apartment but rather a junior one-bed. It features “finished hardwood floors, Art Deco bathroom,” and, curiously, a coat closet that’s dubbed a “must see.” The gorgeous building entrance sure doesn’t hurt either, although the “no pets” clause is bound to pinch.

Just slightly larger and a little further north, this competing one-bed, one-bath pad in the Marina is also $3,800/month for a so-called “classic San Francisco apartment” with a “hacienda-style feel.” The narrow, bay-like rooms and entires are admittedly striking, along with the built-ins, glass cabinets, parquet, and “hardwood everywhere except the bath.” But “please be noted that pictures are of a similar unit with same layout.” Hopefully the real place looks likes a carbon copy and they’re not swapping someplace more fetching to fetch curious renters. The landlord “will consider pets.”

That’s the last of the northernly exposed homes, as the rest of the slate is a three-way battle for southeast SF renters. First, here’s a sizable patch of Little Hollywood, one of San Francisco’s smallest and most obscure neighborhoods (which, sadly, turns out to have little to do with the movie industry), where a three-bed, two-bath, 1,700-square-foot house is $3,800/month—and by SF standards, that’s a serious bargain. According to the ad, the den can double as an extra bedroom if needed. But there’s no mention of whether pet owners are allowed to get this bit of Hollywood squared away.

Speaking of neighborhoods that never get their due, India Basin, while often overlooked and underdeveloped, is also one of the most tranquil parts of the city’s southern side. This three-bed, one-bath, 1,800-square-foot house on Hudson Avenue has been popping up on Comparisons since late 2017, but still, it seems, lacks long-time renters despite the eye-catching yellow interior paint job. It also continues to be mysteriously marketed as a Dogpatch home. (While neighborhood dividing lines are often in the eye of the beholder, there’s just no way that dog will hunt.) The price point remains $3,800/month and no pets allowed, unchanged since the summer despite the wait for takers.

Finally, in Bayview the deal is a “beautiful and sunny two-bed, two-bath, tri-level” townhome for $3,800/month, with “lots of open spaces,” new appliances, and of course, a rather fetching bay view. Interesting to note that while the newness of the construction and approximate address of Coleman and Innes puts this place squarely at the Shipyard (the Lennar logo in the photos dissolves all potential ambiguity), the ad does not specifically mention this, as most past Shipyard listings have been quick to do for obvious reasons. The place also comes with a two-car garage but no pets.