What $2,700 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: $2,700.

↑ For as much as they’re hailed for adding housing stock to neighborhoods like the Sunset and, in this case, Ingleside, the fact of the matter remains: most in-law units advertised on Craigslist look quite grim. It’s refreshing, then, to discover a one-bed, one-bath new in-law apartment on Miramar Avenue that looks so well-designed and inviting as this one, with wide glass doors to cast out the usual in-law gloom. “Completely new, renovated, [and] affordable” per at the ad, although for $2,500/month it’s a small stow at only 380 square feet.

↑ Speaking of lookers, here’s an older number that hasn’t yet lost its touch, dubbed a “Victorian one-bedroom” apartment that’s “right in between Russian Hill and Nob Hill,” which is to say at 1245 Broadway. Back in 2015, Curbed SF declared this building “one of the most intact Victorians” on the market, noting that “unpainted woodwork is something of a Holy Grail for Victorian purists.” This single-bed apartment in the same building comes through with that Grail plus the crown moldings and wainscoting from 1912. The price, of course, is pure 2018—$2,559.

↑ Sticklers for strict accuracy in a headline may want to take exception with this one-bed, one-bath Outer Richmond apartment, advertising (in capitals) an “unobstructed view of the Golden Gate Bridge.” Although the included photos shows a tree clearly in the way of said view. Beyond that there’s not much to find fault with in this place—save for the sad “no pets policy”—as it’s 900 square feet of highly polished hardwood floors. It also has a particularly roomy bathroom. The outside of the building looks a lot like a poorly conceived, orange-frosted wedding cake, but at least the views from inside are better off. It’s $2,700 for the whole affair.

↑ Today’s slate closes with a couple of curiosities, the first being a one-be, one-bath apartment advertised as being in Nob Hill, but upon inspection it falls within the bounds of Chinatown at 738 Stockton, right above the Stockton Street tunnel. “Unique brick building,” says the ad; what’s unique about it? Seemingly only the brick itself, as the copy doesn’t get into any more depth than that, although to be fair that is less than usual in the city. The third floor locale is $2,650; no word about pets.

↑ And finally here’s a SoMa locale that’s trying to pull off some tricks with the numbers. This new building offers a 500-square-foot studio “with big windows, matte finish wood floors, full size washer/dryer, [and] stainless kitchen appliances with easy to clean tile backsplash.” The rent is $3,080, but listed less because “a $150/month Fiber internet and HD cable service package is already included in the monthly rent, so your net is effectively $2725.” That seems like cheating, but it might work out for anyone paying more for Comcast, so it scoots in under the bar, with some grace points for allowing pets.