25 août 2007

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:09 am

So, I'm still in San Francisco. I don't expect this to change for a while. Unless I end up finding an apartment in Berkeley or Oakland or something. Today I will start my apartment search. I hope to find something before Monday, when I start my new job. (I don't expect to be able to move in for a week but having an address and a move-in date will be very nice.)

qotd: What rule of thumb do you use in deciding either how much rent to spend per month, or (if you're an owner) how much house to buy? (30% of monthly salary seems to be the standard these days for rent, 4x annual salary for purchase)

roymond · Post by **roymond** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 10:49 am

I think your rent figure works. When purchasing, it depends on your plan. 4x is fine for a 30 year mortgage, generally, depending on maintenance and taxes.

You can go much higher with a quicker turn-over, since you'd never plan on paying it off. By "borrowing" more up front, you can make more when you sell it. But you have to judge the risk of your investment. There are no set rules.

jack · Post by **jack** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:24 am

speaking as someone who rented in SF for a fairly long time (12 years or so), 30% is not very realistic. most people probably are spending closer to 40-45%, unless of course they are fortunate to be in a rent controlled unit, which as a potential new renter you don't have the luxury of.

of course, all of this is kind of moot if you are making bank (say over 100k per year) in which case you could spend 30% and still get a decent studio or smallish 1br. cost also flucuates wildly depending on neighborhoods. the area i lived in for many years bordered the upper haight (a good neighborhood for the most part) and the western addition (a sketchy neighborhood for the most part). since i moved to santa cruz, the area has gentrified, now has it's own cute little name (NOPA) and is now considered a "hot" and trendy area in the city now. rent has probably also gone up substantially as well.

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:54 pm

Yeah, just signed a lease on a <a href="http://www.avaloncommunities.com/avalon ... 285">large luxury 1-bedroom apartment in SoMa</a> (it's actually bigger than my 2-bedroom condo in Seattle and has an office area which is suitable for my music crap, and also ultra-thick walls and floors, and also it's a top-floor unit with a decent view). It's also within walking distance from work, which is a big plus, and balances the fact that parking is another $250/mo. (Of course I get free parking at work too, but I was going to take mass transit anyway, so that saves me $75-$150/mo for bus or BART or whatever, not to mention a lot of time in the morning and evening.)

My total monthly cost is around 25% of my salary, so I'm satisfied. :D

(Of course now I'm going to get a lot of grief from my sister since it's like twice what she's paying and is all yuppie and shit, but, whatever.)

Billy's Little Trip · Post by **Billy's Little Trip** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 2:33 pm

Looks nice Fluff. Plus they have a workout facility, so there are no more excuses. The next picture we see of you, you better be blond, ripped and tan.

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 2:56 pm

What does exercise have to do with hair follicle melanin production?

Billy's Little Trip · Post by **Billy's Little Trip** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 3:35 pm

I should have known that you would come up with a scientific reasoning to avoid exercise.

Oh hey, they allow pets for an extra fiddy a moe. You should get a goldfish.

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 3:44 pm

I actually do plan on using the fitness center, I just wonder why using it would make me blond. Contrary to my avatar I'm not actually a plaid-skinned cartoon thing with yellow hair.

I was planning on getting a cat eventually, yes.

Billy's Little Trip · Post by **Billy's Little Trip** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 3:52 pm

fluffy wrote:Contrary to my avatar I'm not actually a plaid-skinned cartoon thing with yellow hair.

Too bad. If you were, I'd totally want your number.

Bjam · Post by **Bjam** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 10:05 pm

Worked The Rentals concert tonight. Super good time! Saw The Rentals, Copeland, Golden Boy, and some other local band I'd never heard of but were pretty good and pretty cute. I heart working for a radio station and getting to see concerts for free... (Man, what do I do? Satellite Party or Elvis Costello or Rilo Kiley in the next few weeks? For free! Oh, it is such a tough life.)

Other than that, I did very little today. However, I did read Jane Eyre and eat really good hummus.

Today = Successful!

Leaf · Post by **Leaf** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 10:53 pm

Whatever you can afford in a bad case, but not worse case scenario.

Ok, this is my weirdest gig ever... they have wireless here, am I am providing the sound system at a wedding.

I told them... "I'm not a dj... I'm not a dj!!"

They said they'd bring their own music... oh, and they did.. but somehow, these city folk (alot are from Vancouver) want to hear "the play list from teh clubs".

I keep telling them... "I'm not a DJ" but they (the SAME people) KEEP ASKING ME FOR SONGS.

It's an IPOD.. I tell them, not my IPDO./. (At least the wine is free... )

When you get asked the following question..it's time to PLAN FOR ARRMEGGEDON:

"do you have any Britney or Justin Timberlake?"

You'll note they didn't say Brintey spears...JUST BRITNEY.

At least I got paid decent.. and I got some wireless action...and my partner is showing up in an hour... my GOD I don't like 50 cent. I don't even know what the fuck this song playing is, but they look fairly docile so it must be "from the playlist".

I 'm gonna get drunker.

jack · Post by **jack** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:45 pm

hey fluffy, there's a couple good restaurants in the metreon food court that aren't too expensive that i like to eat at (the buckhorn grill and the noodle place next door).

also, i think there's an el balazo in the neighborhood, near the old mint and the chronicle offices (5th and mission) tucked back in an alley. same as the one in the haight, good burritos.