Anything can be easy and no biggie if handled by the right person, or it can be a tough nut to crack. For me, finding a home was harder than any job I’ve ever done. And in San Francisco, far from Seoul? Just thinking about it still makes me shake my head.
Sure, if you’re looking for a forever home, it’s worth the time and effort. But spending a lot of time on a place you’ll only stay for a year or two feels wasteful. (Though, even for a long-term place, you’d want something good!) With this in mind, I thought my experience of finding a place in San Francisco might help someone out there doing it solo. After all, I managed to live there for a year! 🏡✨
From my experience, here’s what stands out about San Francisco housing:
It’s pricey,
The quality varies wildly even at the same price,
You can’t move in just because you want to,
Newcomers with no credit are not exactly favorites.
Yep, that’s the deal.
Even in seemingly safe San Francisco, there are areas you shouldn’t walk alone at night, so location is key. The high demand makes it tricky to seal a deal quickly, as landlords often pick tenants from a pool of applicants. 🏙️
As Brian Christian put it in his book Algorithms to Live By, those looking to live in San Francisco should always be ready to make snap decisions: buy the apartment you’re viewing, or walk away forever. If you’ve hunted for a home here, you’ll probably resonate more with this intro than the rest of the book. 📚
Landlords have their criteria, often starting with ensuring tenants can reliably pay rent. That’s why credit checks are common. For fresh-off-the-boat newcomers with no social security number or credit history, getting noticed can be tough.
Bringing various documents helps. While there’s no fixed list, employment and income verification are often requested. Sometimes, a resume is needed—not for a job, but to show credibility. Swallowing my pride, I submitted mine a few times. Recommendations or financial support letters are also good to have. Best of all, if you can find a local guarantor, you’re golden.
Check out homes online; there are many housing sites with lots of listings. Take your time browsing. (Craigslist offers a range from homes to second-hand items.) There are some Korean sites too, but listings are few, although posting a request might get you responses. 🤔
Specialized housing websites let you filter homes by area and price, and easily spot open houses on a map. With Airbnb originating here, housing is a long-standing need in San Francisco, so the systems for finding listings are pretty solid. 🗺️
Homes in the city might all seem the same at first glance, but visiting reveals differences in the environment and structure. Walking is common here, so check out the surroundings. Within San Francisco, a block can make a difference, from industrial areas to places frequented by the homeless. The city’s hilly, so consider your commute and transport in advance.
I found a place in Pacific Heights. Just a short walk and I could gaze at the ocean. Though I dislike hills, I ended up in one of the highest areas in San Francisco. Life’s full of surprises. 🌊💙
To wrap it up, the more places you check out, the better. San Francisco isn’t as vast as it seems, so take your time and explore. At least the weather’s always pleasant. 😎
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