Ask HN: Advice for finding housing in SF/the Valley?
To those who've done this recently - where did you start looking?
What helped you a great deal, and what didn't?
Also, where did you end up and what do you pay?
What helped you a great deal, and what didn't?
Also, where did you end up and what do you pay?
First, decide on the minimum accommodation you'll be able to live with (shared bedroom, own room, own room with own bathroom, studio, 1br, 2br, pets, no pets, etc.).
Second, determine the hourly value of your time. If you are salaried, divide the number by 2000 to get it.
Rank all accommodations you can find (Craigslist has a nice map feature) by monthly rent plus monthly travel time times your hourly rate. If you're earning minimum wage, maybe commuting in from Antioch isn't such a bad deal. If you're earning six figures, two towns over might still be too far.
I worked in Redwood City and lived in Redwood City. 1br's now go for $1800 and up out that way. I could've saved a few hundred a month by living across the bay, but the time lost couldn't come close to justifying it.
Getting "a deal" is nearly impossible if you're new to the area; even people with networks of contacts end up paying far more than their neighbors who moved in five years ago.
Now if you get to telecommute at least partially, this advice may not apply.
but ask these guys. Its how I found my job when I first got there