What $5,300 rents you in SF 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: $5,300.

Nob Hill is an old neighborhood, but in this case the advertised “luxury new construction” for this two bed, one and a half bath condo on Larkin Street is in fact almost brand new, the building hitting the market for the first time back in 2017. Anasazi Properties calls 27-unit 1601 Larkin building “a neighborhood alternative to high-rise living,” although in truth there are any number of low-rise neighborhoods that provide that by default already; the promise of “glass, metal and limestone plaster [...] merged with 21st century design in a solid concrete structure” is presumably more reminiscent of this building in particular. This third floor unit gets to ask $5,300 per month, and the building allows both dogs and cats, assuming anyone’s pets match the immaculate white interiors.

Speaking of luxury, this condo in Pac Heights promises “luxe living on Lafayette Park,” this time not in a new building but one that dates to 2004. It also urges renters to “call dibs on summer,” which by most reckonings is a little bit late now, but there’s always next year. The beautiful ribbed ceiling stretching across this two bed, one bath unit highlights its penchant for unusual angles—notice the barely-there indentation of the bay windows that appear to only just protrude from the living room. The $5,095 per month rent is decidedly more than barely there, and it’s an extra $40 per month for pets.

The “historic Harbor Lofts” converted into their present form in 2005, but according to Vanguard Properties the building itself is one of the oldest still standing in South Beach, originally dating to 1857 as the Hathaway Warehouse. The two bed, two bath loft for rent here measures out to a sizable 1,450 feet, with soaring brick walls all the way up to—wait for it—18 foot ceilings. The actual loft, made mostly redundant by the bedroom count, here becomes a “nook/office space on top floor with tons of storage,” while the second bathroom gets dubbed a “guest bedroom with attached recently renovated bathroom.” Presumably that means the management company expect a single renter to swing the $5,300 per month rent themselves; pets are allowed here, but presumably won’t chip in much on that every month.

Over in the Outer Richmond on 43rd Avenue, this “delightful single-family home” aims for an emotional appeal, noting that it’s “been kept by owners who raised their kids in the same house.” Of course, they weren't paying $5,295 per month for it, which is necessarily going to narrow the potential for future families to raise anything here themselves, but them’s the breaks. The city dates this three bed, two bath house to 1940 and it still maintains mostly 20th century stylings, including “elegant Faux-marbled plaster surround, decorative fireplace in the living room, and “formal dining room which extends to a covered balcony that has a snippet of ocean views.” Pet are allowed here, for anyone hoping to traipse up to nearby Lands End with them.

Finally, the Inner Sunset furnishes a beautiful “charming four bed, two bath house,” with the red lattice on the front windows absolutely popping from the curb. The interiors are certainly something to look at as well, with soft gold woodwork everywhere and wintergreen tile studding one bathroom. The thought of paying $5,250 per month for the place and having to leave out the possibility of pets does cut down on that charm a bit, but you can’t win them all.