How to Rent In the Bay Area.

One of the most common requests I get as a Bay Area realtor is help with finding rentals. The rental market is tight now, with prices high and competition steep.

There used to be a much bigger demand for realtors or property managers to help with finding rentals. Now, with Craigslist and other websites, it's more of a do-it-yourself endeavour and a realtor can't always help you as much as you might expect. Most rentals end up on Craigslist, and only some rentals end up on the MLS (multiple listing service), a database only available to brokers and realtors.

Times have changed... When I tried to rent a place in San Francisco in the late 90's, this was during the previous bubble and the rental market was crazy, I was up against applicants who had made VHS interview tapes of themselves to present to the landlords. 

A realtor can be of help to renters, however, especially if you are out of town. Your realtor can tell you about the neighborhoods, schools and commuting. And even more valuable, realtors have access to their own network who will often let their co-workers know of an off market rental, or a rental that is about to come on the market. Being ahead of the game is a plus in this market.  In addition, your realtor can ask her network for rental leads on your behalf.

Viewing places and gaining access to them with a realtor is also a benefit. You don't have to coordinate with the landlord or deal with general open houses for rentals.

Just as during buying or selling, your realtor can be your advocate and help you navigate your way through the competitive rental market.  Your realtor will also help you with the application process and makes sure you have everything ready ahead of time, to help you stand out.

Things You Will Need to Apply for Rentals:

• Print out your credit history, using one of many free services such as CreditKarma.com. Be ready to explain any blemishes on your report.
• Have your list of references ready.  
• Write a good cover letter.  Sell yourself. Mention your rental history, your family, your work or income source.

Be patient. Just as with buying a home, chances are you'll will lose out on a few before you get the rental you want.

Kitchen On Fire - Cooking Indian.

For Mothers Day I received a gift certificate to Kitchen On Fire, a cooking school in Berkeley.

I signed up for an evening class called, A Summer Taste of Punjab.

Taking that class was heavenly for me.  The chef teacher; Vinita Jacinto, who was born and raised in India, classically trained at Cordon Blue, and has tons of teaching experience, was so enthusiastic about her love for cooking Indian, it was contagious. I loved listening to her talk about her memories of watching her family cook when she was a young girl, and her passion for spices.  On her business card she calls herself a "spice whisperer".  (Her website, The Spice Whisperer.)

Chef Vinita telling us about rice.

The 28 Spice Packet.

She say she's often up late at night, mixing and experimenting with her spices.  And in preparation for this evenings class, she spent some time and came up with a unique spice mixture and made little baggies for each of us to take home.  This mixture combines 28 spices.


There were about ten of us in this class and each of us got to make one part of the meal.  I made the Indian Potato salad with Yogurt dressing, and Cumin water or Indian spiced lemonade.  The other dishes on the menu included Tangy Chickpea Curry with Daikon Relish, Gingered Cauliflower and Fresh Flatbread smeered with ghee.

Chickpea Curry.

Whole Wheat Flatbread and Rice.

After we all chopped and cooked (and you don't have to clean! The best part about taking a professional cooking class), we plated all the food and served our selves and stood at the counter and ate and listened to Vinita talk about Indian cuisine in America.  (She says that no Indian restaurants really represent true homemade cooking.  Which at first seems surprising, but then when I think about it, same goes for American cuisine or really any restaurant.  There is "restaurant" food and then there's "home cooked" food, which you can only find at home, really.)

I wish I could take a cooking class every week.  I love it, it's so much fun. 

A few days later I made my own chickpea curry with peas and tomatoes, using her spice packet she gave us.  It's easy and came out great. One big thing I took away from this class; the spices always have to be cooked first.

The start of my own Chickpeas and 28 Spices.

Adventure Land Playground - Berkeley

The amazing thing about the Bay Area is that there are truly endless things to do. From restaurants, to parks to hikes, to museums, to.... anything.  I have lived here for sixteen years and there are so many places I've never been to.  Relatively recently I discovered Adventure Land Playground in Berkeley.  Info here.  Right by the Berkeley Marina, off of highway 80, plenty of easy parking and it's FREE.

Welcome.... Read all the signs.

Ropes to climb on, swing on, step on...

Structures built by kids.

Adventure Land is run by the city and it's basically a playground that has been built by kids out of scrap wood and scrap anything.  The structures are always changing, depending on what someone decided to add or take down.  The deal is, if you collect 20 nails or a splinter wood or trash, you can turn it in at the "front desk" for tools like hammers and saws, or a bucket of paint and a paint brush.   With that you a go to town and start building and hammering where ever you want.    What kid wouldn't love that?

A few steps away there is the rocky shoreline and a bit of beach, depending on the tide.  Also adjacent to Adventure Land is a big grassy field and a proper playground.

Looking for tide pools...

Watching squirrels.

Check their hours before you go... Nothing more disappointing then showing up, with kids in tow and realizing that it's closed for whatever reason.  I've done that.