# 2000 fucking dollars?! You are kidding me, right? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 3, 2000, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997 "2000-08-03T15:54:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/1 "2000-08-03T15:54:53Z")
OK. So the average rent in SF for a 1 bedroom apartment, last quarter, was just shy of $2000. It went up 13% from the previous quarter. My fucking God. What the fuck? Who can pay $2000 for an apartment. If you move in there is going to be something like a $6000 move in cost, at least. And never mind the two or three bedroom apartments. It makes me sick. I can’t wait for another earthquake. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/2 "2000-08-03T16:00:01Z")
That sounds just like NY. Except you need to put two month’s rent down and pay the broker 17-20% of the first year’s rent in addition. Not to mention handing over every private financial document you have, namely two years’ tax returns, pay stubs, personal financial references, rent bills, utility bills, etc. Oh, and woe to the first time renter in New York City. If you want to live in a decent area, you will probably need to ask your guarantor, usually a parent, to fork over the entire first year’s rent in advance. Did I mention that you have to earn at least 50 times your yearly rent in order to even be considered by many owners? MR ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/3 "2000-08-03T16:04:57Z")
That’s not unusual for London, either. I live within 15 minutes of the centre by train, and it costs me £820pcm in rent, plus £75pcm local tax and bills. And that doesn’t include the two months’ rent I paid up front as a deposit, nor the cost of arranging a bankers’ reference and references from my employers and previous landlords. All this for a basement studio flat. (£1 = about $1.50) ---
**Author:** ![ReservoirDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@ReservoirDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReservoirDog)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/4 "2000-08-03T16:06:30Z")
Let me just say that you can find really nice places in really nice neighborhoods in Chicago for about $800. Thank you for your attention. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/5 "2000-08-03T16:14:24Z")
I hear you woofing, oldscratch. Before moving to SF, we had 1 BR apartment in Portland Maine. Hardwood floors. Office space. Brand new kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Ceiling fan. Parking. Deck overlooking the city. $550 a month. Now we have a studio. No parking. Ancient fixtures. Stained rug. Crappy linoleum. No Yard. $1095 a month. If we got evicted I’d have to look for a comfortable cardboard box somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/6 "2000-08-03T16:21:36Z")
Yeah. Even the really expensive apartments look like crap. If you want a nice one, you end up going into the $3000 dollar range. I have three friends who share a 1 bedroom apartment. $1800 a month. ---
**Author:** ![tradesilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tradesilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tradesilicon)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/7 "2000-08-03T16:26:17Z")
Yup, rents are sky high, too bad I never invested in any rental property, could be rich by now. The houses are out of this world too - the average price for a house in S.F. just topped $500,000. That’s average. The prices have to stop rising at some point, but they ain’t stopped yet. The people who purchased at least five years ago are sittin’ pretty. They can sell and move just about anywhere to retire, and get a house just as nice for a third of the price, and live on the profits. ---
**Author:** ![Profane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@Profane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profane)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/8 "2000-08-03T16:26:39Z")
This from the guy that drops $120 on dinner…😉 Mr Lunasea wants to move back to Cali, which I can deal with. He wants to move to S.F., though. I think he’s nuts. We might be able to afford tarpaper shack, if we’re lucky. I love him but he needs to get his head out of his ass. This is one pointless post but since I typed the whole thing already I’m gonna make you read it. So there. ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/9 "2000-08-03T16:28:55Z")
Try the east bay. things aren’t too bad there yet. There are starting to get bad though. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/10 "2000-08-03T16:31:03Z")
You could live in Oakland. I understand that Oakland has the best barbecue north of Texas and west of the Mississippi. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/11 "2000-08-03T16:46:04Z")
I have a very nice one-bedroom apartment, 15-minute walk from downtown Montreal. My rent? $250. Canadian! Nannynannynannynannynanny! ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/12 "2000-08-03T16:52:03Z")
I have a 2 bedroom, largish House about a half mile from Downtown Jackson, older neighborhood, for only $275 a Month. Now, if you wanted to live in the upscale area near Downtown, you’d still only be out $600 a month maybe. ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/13 "2000-08-03T16:54:00Z")
I just want to calmly say, to everyone who is posting your cheap rents, FUCK YOU. FUCK YOU with a big fat Wombat turd. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/14 "2000-08-03T17:03:50Z")
[ul] [li]One bedroom ~700 ft²[/li][li]Central heat/air[/li][li]Washer/dryer in apt[/li][li]Appliances including a brand new diswasher with built-in disposer[/li][li]Garage w/opener[/li][li]40’ x 80’ heated pool[/li][li]$525/month[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/15 "2000-08-03T17:06:32Z")
In Pittsburgh, about 5 years ago, We had a 2 bedroom apartment in the shittiest white trash section of town. Cost? $285 per month. Total. Spending $142.50 per month in rent did help eease the fact that all of my neighbors were inbred junkies and each had 17 kids, and that the kids would play roller derby in the hallway (hardwood floors) at 6:30 in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![OrganicMatter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/898d66/32.png) [@OrganicMatter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OrganicMatter)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/16 "2000-08-03T17:36:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by oldscratch \* > Yeah. Even the really expensive apartments look like crap. If you want a nice one, you end up going into the $3000 dollar range. I have three friends who share a 1 bedroom apartment. $1800 a month. I was just in the Bay Area looking at apartments and, based on the ones I looked at, $2800 gets you a medium-grade one bedroom apt. Shocking really. I looked at one that was $3200. I asked why the price was higher than other similar apts. The person showing me the apt said, “It’s because of the water view.” In anticipation of a glorious view of SF Bay, I peeked out the window to witness a dirtbag pond so small it could have been dug by a group of school children as an afternoon project. Given that I need to move in two weeks, and find a place to live shortly thereafter, I am finding this thread particularly uplifting. ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/17 "2000-08-03T17:39:28Z")
Just to help out. The best place to look if you are trying to find a place to live is [http://www.craigslist.com](http://www.craigslist.com) I use it, lots of people use it. Especially if you can live with a roomate, you can find reasonable places. ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/18 "2000-08-03T17:52:53Z")
So explain to me again why you live there? I know it’s a beautiful city and all, but c’mon. Are you willing to be ass-raped with a pointy stick just because you have a good view during the act? **Maeglin** said: > [@](#): > > Did I mention that you have to earn at least 50 times your yearly rent in order to even be considered by many owners? Please tell me you’re using a little hyperbole. So, for **oldscratch** ’s apartment there, you’d have to make $1.2 million a year? ---
**Author:** ![OrganicMatter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/898d66/32.png) [@OrganicMatter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OrganicMatter)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/19 "2000-08-03T17:55:09Z")
oldscratch, Thanks for the link. I will check it out. I really should not be whiny about this. After all, I knew what I was getting into. The sticker shock is quite unsettling though. ---
**Author:** ![tradesilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tradesilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tradesilicon)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2000, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997/20 "2000-08-03T18:00:00Z")
To all those who pay the under $600 rents, and are here giving us SFers the business, remember one thing - you get to live where you live, and we ge to live in S.F. - a crowded, dirty, badly managed, traffic ridden, parking not possible, politically challenged, … wait, I mean the best little city on earth! So there. 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2000-fucking-dollars-you-are-kidding-me-right/27997.md?page=2)