Things to Know When Looking for an Apartment in Noe Valley, San Francisco, CA

Finding an apartment in San Francisco can be crazy.
I just recently moved into a great place in Noe Valley, but before we found this place, we spent 2 months going to open house and applying to places.
Here are some things I learned during my apartment search, that might be useful for you as you look for your apartment.
Things to know about renting an apartment in Noe Valley:

San Francisco is a unique rental environment.
Due to strict condo conversion rules, many buildings consist of mostly smaller units that are owned by individuals rather than corporations.
Much of Noe Valley was rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake and ensuing fire, so many of the buildings have lovely period details and Victorian architecture.
This also can mean old plumbing and dated floor plans, but the overall feel is charming.
Buildings built before 1974 are subject to rent control laws, and I found that older buildings were less eager to budge on price, probably because future rent adjustments are restricted.
Street parking in Noe Valley is generally doable, though many area require resident permits to be purchased, which currently are a modest $96 a year.
Many areas south of 24th do not require permits, though most streets all over San Francisco are subject to street cleaning.
The rental environment is extremely competitive and moves at lightning speeds.
You need to be prepared to move quickly as well - have multiple copies of your credit report printed so you have them handy when you go to open houses.
I also found it useful to have a generic application form filled out and ready to go.

Go here if you'd like to read the story of my apartment hunting adventure, and best of luck on your search!