Hey all,

I plan on moving to SF by the end of the year and would greatly appreciate advice on reasonable neighborhoods for me to "set roots." We are a family of 3 (me, my boyfriend, and our 40 lb well-behaved dog), and we are looking for a one bedroom apartment up to $1500/month. Is that a reasonable price range for that kind of pet-friendly space? What neighborhoods are cheaper but still safe? We are open to living in areas outside the city, like in Sausalito for instance, but as we don't plan on having a car, proximity to public transportation is a key factor for us. And we'd also like to be close to any dog parks, veterinary clinics, and doggie daycare centers, if possible.

Many thanks in advance for your feedback!

Hi Berna!

Thanks for your reply! I'll check those areas out. We don't mind living in the outer areas of SF as long as we can easily access the city via public transportation. I'm glad to know it's not totally impossible to find a one-bedroom in that price range.

Yes the outer richmond and sunset near the beach. Near "ocean beach" sounds great, but its freekin damn near always foggy and freeeeezing. SF Bay Area has nice weather but nothing compared to Hawaii.

If you're not married to the City, there are lots of places in the East Bay where 1500 will get you more in space, apartment quality, and safety than it will in the City. If you choose to look in Contra Costa county, the BART system is a great way to get around, and there are lots of "commuter" towns along the BART lines that are particularly friendly.

I personally wouldn't live north of Berkeley, if you want to live in the east bay.
Sausolito is pricey, and it's really isolated as far as public transport goes, you might want to stick to areas on the BART line. Check out BART.gov, it will help.

caveat: BART is expenive and commuting daily, depending on where your live in the East Bay and how often you ride BART, will cost around $150 - $200+ a month.

Miki, if you liked the weather in Hawaii, consider the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley).  The weather is warmer and sunnier and the rent is cheaper.  When I worked in the financial district, my commute from North Oakland was 20 minutes on the subway (called BART).  The BART is much more reliable than MUNI (the above-ground cable bus in San Francisco) and you will get much more bang for your $1500 in the East Bay without sacrificing a diverse, vibrant walkable neighborhood close to public transportation.  Downside: if you plan on partying at clubs and bars in the city a lot, the BART shuts down a little after midnight, so you'd have to cab it home on those nights.

Miki...there is a huge drop off living outside of the city and it's very noticeable once you get settled. The cities offer everything you want and need and when you live outside the city it can become a pain to come here (especially from the north bay/east bay). You have to deal with gas/bridge toll/parking/etc just for a visit.....if you live here you can take public transportaion everywhere and not have any worries.

A couple cities I think you might consider if looking outside SF...Pacifica and Half Moon bay. Both very close and easy to get in and out of the city without dealing with traffic.

Westlake in Daly City, just south of San Francisco. It's near BART, Samtrans and Fort Funston, one of the best dog parks in the Bay Area.

It's not necessarily proximity to town but how close you are to a public transportation hub, what mode it is (the bay area has 2 subway systems, several light rails, and several bus companies, plus the ferries).  So study your maps and timetables.  Outer Richmond near Geary is actually a pretty nice area, near the beaches and parks, which your dog will love.  Same thing with Sunset along the park.  Both can be straight shots downtown without any transfers, but still slow - maybe 45 minutes to go 6 miles.

SF is a very dog positive city, people love dogs here.  But it's still hard to find apartments that allow them.  40 pounds is kind of a dividing line.  Maybe the dog goes on a diet before the weigh-in?

youre gonna freeze your ass off !

Bring me something from zippy's.  Thanks!

i have three packs of zippy's chili in my freezer.

Thanks for all the great responses! Keep em coming. Haha. Hey, for those of you in graphic design /marketing/advertising. What's the job market like right now for these fields (for someone with 10 years experience, BA, and a decent job here as the lead designer for a national company)?  

@Gil - I'll lie and say the dog is 35 lbs. That's sounds more reasonable yes? Hopefully she can win landlords over with her cuteness. I plan on getting her "certified" for good dog behavior so at least I can say she passed the test for being a well-behaved dog.

@Flick - I sure hope so! After 25 years of sun, I am all too eager for cold weather and a semblance of a winter!

@ Luis - What would you like? Chili and some Korean Fried Chicken?! Mmm..ono.

Miki, I've been living in Soma for the last 3 years, I'm not sure what rent is costing these days around here but it's a great area (I'm by AT&T Park, close to the water, downtown, public transportation, bars/restaurants, etc).
Two days ago a friend of mine asked me to go to Rockridge, Oakland with her to check out apartments and I was blown away!  Beautiful homes and apartments, very affordable, and tons of adorable boutiques and markets along college avenue.  The apartment she's considering is 3 blocks from bart so you get easy access to SF.  I'd move there in a heartbeat but my husband won't let me.

Miki, the Dolores Park area (border of Mission & Castro) is very dog-friendly and sunnier than most neighborhoods in SF. The more affordable (ish) one-bedrooms fall between Valencia and Dolores streets. Another good area is around Duboce Park, between the Castro and Lower Haight. Good luck, and welcome!

Don't know if you have lived with a dog in an enclosed space like an apartment before but it's not easy for the space you could get for $1500.

Hi Miki,

I'm agreeing with everyone that recommends the east bay.  The weather is warmer and everything is cheaper.  Not to mention there is hardly any fog..it's got to be difficult moving from paradise to a city where the sky can be gray even without clouds in the sky.  I suggest the  Lake Merritt area.  I can get to SF in 10 minutes by car without traffic and there are BART stations all over the place in SF and Oakland.  Plus the people are great here!

The Bay Area is very dog friend'y

Why in the he'll would you leave Hawaii to come here? STAY THERE !!

Seriously I wouldn't move into the city either. East Bay is a better move. More affordable, spacious, and easy access to the city

My mom just moved from Waikiki to Oakland, and she loves it!
I'll have to echo people's sentiments and recommend the East Bay, especially Lake Merritt. SF is awesome, but can be a bit overwhelming to someone new to the area, so i think it's always wise to ease into the transition by moving to a quieter part of Oakland.
Rockridge,Piedmont and Montclair are also nice ares, a bit more suburban and quaint, but still near the city.

Wow! Ha ha. You guys are great! I'm loving all the responses..especially the ones that tell me to stay in Hawaii aka paradise. Too cute! But I'm serious, I really am ready for a change in the weather... believe it or not, one can get sick of gorgeous sunny weather that never changes during the "seasons."  Well these are all great ideas. I will check out the East Bay areas when I fly up in a few months.. Thank you all again for your time and input!

I totally understand!!! I moved from Miami and was so sick of breaking a sweat just walking to the car.  I love it here, it's so refreshing being able to walk everywhere instead of driving.
Btw, I can't imagine what would be overwhelming about moving to the city lol. Unless you grew up in a cave!!