Finding a rental home in Silicon Valley can be challenging. Where to look? Can a Realtor help you? (Not very much.)
In many areas of the U.S., real estate agents actively work the rental market. In those areas, owners are willing to pay a commission for the service, and houses and condos are listed in the local multiple listing service.
Not in Silicon Valley, though. Instead, it’s a land of “for rent by owner”. A few properties may be on the MLS (see link below), but hardly any. Far less than 5%.
Bayrentals – http://www.BayRentals.com
Craigslist – http://sfbay.craigslist.org – houses, townhouses, condominiums (best resource)
MLSListings – http://www.MLSListings.com – very few listings of rentals, but all legit!
Rent Digs – http://www.RentDigs.com
Trulia – http://trulia.com – click on “Rent” tab – mixed housing types
Zillow – http://www.zillow.com/ – click on “Rent” tab – mixed housing types
Padmapper – https://www.padmapper.com – apartments
Prometheus – http://prometheusreg.com – apartments
Please beware that there are many scams around rentals. Be extremely careful! Some scams ask for money upfront, before you can even see the property. Many of these homes are actually for sale, so Google the address to check.
Sometimes we Realtors have “courtesy rentals” where we share wants and needs without being paid (as a courtesy to our clients). Don’t count on finding a property this way, but if you have a Realtor you’ve been chatting with, it’s not a bad idea to let him or her know what (specifically) you are wanting and if he or she hears of something, can get back to you with that match. Odds of that working are less than 1% so use the list above, or drive around where you’d like to live! If you’re a corporate relocation situation, your hiring company may be able to assist you with additional resources.
What do rentals cost? One source of info is Rentometer.com. I found it to be a little low in some areas but still a good starting point. www.Rentometer.com.
Related reading:
Why is it so hard to find a rental home in Silicon Valley now?
Finding Rental Housing in San Jose, Santa Clara County and Silicon Valley
