What $6,000 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 is another person’s townhouse? Today’s price: $6,000.

↑ Say what you want about Pacific Heights, it’s a neighborhood that knows how to walk the walk. This George Applegarth building at 1900 Broadway is quite the looker. And whereas a lot of listings that end up on Comparisons boast beautiful exteriors but pedestrian interiors, the two-bed, two-bath (or one-bath; the ad has it both ways) apartment renting here is such a knockout it should come with a warning label. If that box grid ceiling was visible from the street it would stop traffic. It all comes at a price, of course: A brutal $6,000/month, and no pets allowed.

↑ On the other hand, here’s a SoMa loft with no illusions about its history or its aesthetics, just pure, mercenary pragmatism. The four-bed, two-bath unit at 178 Bluxome is not without its token charms, but the ad leads with a promise of “shorter commutes” for the $5,800 price tag rather than spending time dwelling on the style or on the substance. “Five minutes to Caltrain, 15 minutes to BART,” according to the property manager, who also notes that “20 minutes extra commuting is equivalent to a 19 percent pay cut.” (But note that’s a statistic about job satisfaction, not wages.) No dogs allowed (guess they’ll have to commit to the longer commute), but the building allows cats.

↑ Those who prefer to cash in at the Mint Plaza can get a loft with easy commute access and some more dedicated aesthetics, albeit with the trade-off of a hike in the rent ($6,000) and a depreciation in the room count, in this case just one bedroom and one bath. The ad calls it a “live/work,” which does seem to strain the term a bit given the building’s appeal to fancy-pants owners, but that’s San Francisco 2018 for you. Another refreshing thing about this Mint: pets are allowed across the board, making for today’s first break for dog owners.

↑ The slate closes with dueling renovations in high-profile neighborhoods, the first a “sophisticated three bedroom/two bath” flat in the far western nook of Noe Valley at the base of Twin Peaks, down the block from Douglass Playground. The ad pushes “brand new, energy efficient floor to ceiling windows” and “fine finishes throughout” as part of the renovation package. Of course, all of that sprucing up comes with a price too: $6,000. Also, no pets allowed.

↑ And in the other corner, a “completely renovated house” in North Beach at Union and Grant also asking $6,000, which in this neighborhood buys two beds, two baths, and 1,500 square feet, “soaring ceilings with gorgeous built-in bookshelves and multiple large outdoor terraces” and all. The outdoor soak tub is a nice touch, although many renters will probably find the amiable pet policy just as relaxing.