Find Pet-Friendly Rentals in San Francisco with ReLISTO

At ReLISTO, we understand the importance of pets for San Francisco’s residents. In fact, many of us have lovable pets of our own! Our commitment to providing pet-friendly rentals comes in three parts:

Tenants: We help prospective tenants find pet-friendly rentals in San Francisco.
Landlords: We work with owners to take advantage of this pet-friendly city! We have policies and guidelines that we implement to protect our owners and keep the property safe. These policies, in turn, also ensure the safety and satisfaction of pets, pet owners, and the community. Disclaimer: Though we encourage our landlords to list their properties as pet-friendly, sometimes it isn’t possible due to health risks or other concerns. If landlords prefer not to allow pets, we make sure these policies are clear in the listing and the lease agreement.
Pets: ReLISTO is on a mission to not only find homes for humans but for dogs, too!

Keep reading to learn about our pet-friendly rentals, tips for living in a rental as a pet owner, and our volunteer work with Family Dog Rescue.

Pet Culture in San Francisco

Did you know that there are more dogs in San Francisco than children?

According to a report by Air Mail, San Francisco —the city named for the patron saint of animals— is extremely dog-friendly. Dogs are welcome nearly everywhere from onsite workplaces and rideshares to fashion shows and tech events. Many residents even declare their dogs as emotional-support animals to ensure they can tag along anywhere.

Air Mail goes on to mention, “the city’s demographic is skewing younger and richer, and people are staying single for longer, having fewer children, and procuring dogs.” Dog adoption is so high, that in 2019, the San Francisco S.P.C.A. experienced a shortage of rescue dogs!

It’s safe to say, for San Francisco residents, pets are very important family members.

Our Commitment to Offering Pet-Friendly Rentals in SF

As a rental agency that specializes in urban real estate, we encourage (but never force!) landlords to list their properties as pet-friendly. Why?

Let’s look at the metrics:

The city’s estimated dog population ranges from 120,000 to 500,000. Compare that with only 115,000 children under 18 living in the city, according to KQED, a news media and educational organization serving Northern California!
About 65% of San Francisco’s households rent their place of residence; a much higher share than the region overall (45%), according to the “San Francisco Housing Needs and Trends Report.”
In 2010, there was a total of 222,165 rental properties in the city or roughly 65% of the total housing stock, according to the 2010 Bay Area Census.
Based on the numbers above, we’ve estimated that roughly 35% of prospective tenants are pet owners in the Bay Area! Owners can increase the number of people interested in their property just by listing it as pet-friendly.

With numbers like these, pet-friendly listings are a huge plus! Our pet-friendly rental listings range from single detached homes with big yards to condos and apartments that are located near pet-friendly parks.

Check out our current pet-friendly rental properties.

Tips for Living with Pets in a Rental Property

To create harmony between tenants, pets, landlords, and our communities, we recommend following the tips below when living with a pet in a rental property:

Register Your Dog with the City:

Did you know that in San Francisco, dogs over the age of four months must, by law, be licensed? This law is largely unknown and seemingly unenforced, but landlords can require Dog Licensing in their lease agreement. This is also true for service dogs. As a pet owner, you can now register your dog online.

Disclose Your Pet:

To build a strong partnership between you and your landlord, make sure your landlord & rental agency are aware that you have a pet. It is important to disclose the breed, weight, and age of your pet to the landlord and rental agency so they can include it in the rental agreement.

Pay Any Required Pet Deposits or Pet Rent:

Landlords may require you to pay a fee to keep your pet in their rental property. Most commonly, this can come in the form of a refundable pet deposit or a monthly charge. These fees provide liability coverage in case there are damages and cover the extra wear-and-tear that comes with a pet living in a rental property, such as on hardwood floors and carpets.

Don’t Leave Pets Alone for Over 4-6 Hours:

Dogs that are left alone for long periods of time can grow anxious, which may lead to aggressive behavior. This rule of thumb helps to avoid damages and keeps your pet healthy and happy. There are many ways to ensure your dog has proper attention:

Hire a dog walker, here are some recommendations:
- Black Nose Trading Company, a local, all-in-one pet services, and retail boutique.
Get to know your neighbors or the people in a nearby dog park! Many people are willing to share dog-walking responsibilities.
Ask your workplace about their pet-friendly policies. Many tech companies in SF allow you to bring your dog to work! Take a look at this list of Dog-Friendly companies in SF.

Clean Up After Your Pet:

Pets love to play, that’s what makes them so fun! However, when outside they also poop and pee. Many owners clean things up right away but some do not. This is problematic in community/shared housing, such as apartments and condos. As such, we put some “pooper scooper” rules into our contract to protect our owners and other residents. One of these rules is an agreement to a Dog DNA test. In the case that an owner is leaving excrement in public areas and not admitting to doing so, DNA testing is authorized. This isn’t anyone’s first choice, but it allows rule-abiding tenants to live in a clean space.

Report Accidents Right Away:

Inform the rental agency or property managers of your rental right away when damages happen. This can help clear up any confusion about liability and develop trust with your rental agency and landlord.

ReLISTO’s Mission to Find Homes for Dogs

In addition to finding housing for people, ReLISTO co-founders, Eric Baird and Jackie Tom, are also committed to finding housing for pets in San Francisco!

They volunteer with Family Dog Rescue, a local San Francisco 501c3 dog rescue organization dedicated to bringing people and pets together. Learn more about their mission here.

Currently, ReLISTO’s co-founders are fostering Rambo (we call him Ralph, which better suits his gentle personality), a 10-year old German Shepherd who is looking for his forever family! Read what Eric & Jackie have to say about Rambo!

Contact Us

Tenants: Take a look at our pet-friendly listings or contact Family Dog Rescue to adopt a lovable pet of your own.

Landlords: If you are a landlord who is concerned about taking pets. We are happy to help, email us

Have questions for ReLISTO or want more one-on-one support? Contact us. We are passionate about finding humans AND pets a happy home!

Rambo, The Ultimate Companion Animal

Looking to adopt a german shepherd in San Francisco? Look no further. ReLISTO is helping humans AND pets find a happy home!

In San Francisco, a city named after the patron saint of animals, pets are very important family members. The co-founders of ReLISTO, Eric Baird & Jackie Tom, recognize not only the benefits dogs bring to peoples’ long-term health, but the value of creating a happy home for pets!

They are currently fostering Rambo, a 10-year old German Shepherd with a heart of gold, with the hope that they can match him with his forever family!

Meet Rambo

Rambo is the ultimate companion animal. We call him Ralph, which better suits his gentle personality. He is endearing, loyal, and a great adventure buddy! He follows his foster mom, Jackie, around everywhere and lovingly awaits her return after work. Here are some of his other great qualities:

Loves going on walks
Travels well in the car
Good around cats
Playful, loves balls and bones
Doesn’t bark at strangers

If you are looking for a loving and loyal companion, this dog is it! Whether it’s going out or having a cozy night in, Rambo is simply happy by your side! If you’re interested in adding Rambo to your loving family, contact Family Dog Rescue, a local San Francisco 501c3 dog rescue organization dedicated to bringing people and pets together.

Share This Post

Know anyone who would like to adopt a german shepherd in San Francisco? Please share this post with your friends and family in San Francisco to amplify our message and help find a home for Rambo! If you’re interested in adopting Rambo or any of the loving dogs on their website, contact Family Dog Rescue.

Are you looking for a home of your own? Take a peek at our pet-friendly listings.

To learn about pet culture in SF, our pet-friendly rentals, how our pet policies protect our landlords, and tips for living with pets in a rental property, visit our blog post here.

Welcome back to San Francisco? Strategies to excel in today’s competitive rental market.

excel in today's competitive rental market - ReLISTO

As the city starts to reopen, we get a glimpse of a post-pandemic life in San Francisco. The excitement of how things used to be can’t be ignored. It’s been 16 months now, and the quality of life that city residents once were accustomed to, seems almost foreign. Bars are now opening, restaurants extending capacity, and soon, an undetermined number of employees will be moving back to continue the life that we all cherished so much. Throughout this article, we will take a look at where we are in the market and the strategies needed to succeed over today’s competition.

The year is 2019 and you’re looking for an apartment in San Francisco, the median rent is for a one-bedroom around $3700. It’s expensive, but accepted as the cost of entry to live in one of the world’s hottest cities and your salary can afford it. After your move, a Giant’s game at Oracle Park with a slice of Tony’s pizza help you get settled and feel at home.

Fast forward to November, 2020, the beginning of winter in the pandemic. Residents have been leaving the city since spring and rents are down 30%. You’re searching for an apartment, but unsure of what kind of commitment you want to make given the current environment. Vaccines have yet to be distributed, and the majority of tech companies are having their employees working from home until Fall of 2021. The urban lifestyle has changed dramatically and with all forms of entertainment and nightlife completely shut down, San Franciscans find themselves asking “What will this city look like in the distant and not so distant future?”

Now we are living in the present, May 2021. You and most of everyone you know have been fully vaccinated and detailed debates are taking place on exactly how and when employees will be back in their offices. It feels like the city’s energy and excitement are returning which is amplified as new safety tiers are met and restrictions are lifted. As the masks come off and shuttles start commuting, we can’t help but ask ourselves; “Is San Francisco returning to where it left off?”

The median rent for a one bedroom is now $2850, and we are still about 20% away from our 2019 rental rates. Prospective tenants have gone from “seeing what’s on the market” to “ready to make a commitment” and future plans are being made to return to San Francisco. Still, some questions remain and the city’s future landscape is dependent on a number of undetermined factors.

Is this the blossoming market we’ve been waiting for? How do landlords take advantage?

No matter what business you are in, one thing has become clear through the pandemic, your ability to display and present your product online has become imperative to your success. People are more willing than ever to do business remotely. Whether it’s buying a car or renting an apartment, there are new ways to display your product accurately.

Renting apartments sight unseen is nothing new in San Francisco or any other major city, but the level of competition has made the video tour and virtual tour an essential introduction for any new listing. High-quality tenants are not drawn to poor marketing media and they are not willing to take a chance on a property that is not meeting their standard.

Strategies to help your property excel in today’s competitive rental market…

Professional marketing with both photos and video will help you get in the door, but what other strategies have been successful to secure high quality tenants through pandemic? With new safety guidelines in place for showings, how can we be sure your listing is getting the most exposure online?

There will always be multiple ways to find tenants in a city as prestigious as San Francisco, but now, finding the city’s strongest applicants requires a professional storefront and digital techniques which are trusted by the online community. Internet listing services are now charging fees for every listing and online apartment scammers are at an all-time high, so landlords are disadvantaged when trying to compete with traditional tenant search methods.

As San Francisco reopens safely and continues to have the highest vaccine rate in the country, more prospective tenants will be looking to relocate back to our beautiful city by the Bay. At this time, it’s important for landlords to be prepared and have a plan in place that ensures their success. These effective online strategies can be applied to any listing, but the experience is required when monitoring online traffic so listings can get the most exposure. If these steps seem overwhelming, there is help available for property owners looking to excel. A local leasing service should have the tools and experience needed to get your listing to the top of internet searches.

ReLISTO Leasing and Management is a leader in the industry and has spent the past year bolstering an already prominent online rental service. We’ve had success throughout the pandemic with both finding great tenants and managing San Francisco properties. We pride ourselves in helping landlords and tenants through both good times and bad. Contact us to assist you with a leasing and marketing plan that ensures you excel in today’s competitive rental market!

Joseph Johnston is a leasing consultant with ReLISTO and can be contacted at joseph@relisto.com for questions or comments.

ReLISTO’s Automated Showing Schedule Serves SF Renters Amidst New Health Orders

Along with many other local rental agencies, ReLISTO is celebrating San Francisco’s transition from Orange Tier to Yellow Tier in the revised health orders issued by the San Francisco Department of Public Health on May 4, 2021.

Health order tiers in relation to Bay Area rentals and open houses — Diagram of California’s color-coded tier system by San Francisco Chronicle

Yellow Tier is Great News for Rental Agencies and Landlords!

Orange Tier required Bay Area rental agencies to limit open houses to virtual tours or scheduled private tours to individuals. As a result, we accommodated these health & safety restrictions by recording virtual tours for our listed properties and scheduling multiple 15-minute private tours for prospective tenants every day.

In Yellow Tier, tours can now be conducted in groups (by appointment only) under the conditions outlined by the San Francisco Department of Public Health in Order No. C19-07w – Appendix C-1: Additional Businesses Permitted to Operate [Revised May 6, 2021].

ReLISTO’s Commitment to Landlords

The most effective way to find a qualified tenant while securing solid rent is to provide a personalized tour of your rental property. With over 11 years of experience, we understand the value this connection brings to our owners.

With this in mind, we have created an automated open house scheduling system to streamline the scheduling process of showings for prospective tenants. In other words, our unique, proprietary software gets your property to the renters’ eyes much faster and allows our agents more time to focus on customer service.

How to Access Our Automated Showing Schedule:

Use the quick step-by-step guide as shown below:

Visit our Showing Schedule and choose which listing you’d like to RSVP to.
Click the green “I’d like to RSVP” button on the right of the listing.
You will see a pop-up form where you can RSVP, ask questions, and provide your contact information (Name, Email, Phone Number).
Once the fields are filled out, click the button on the bottom of the pop-up, “Send Message to ReLISTO Agent.”
The ReLISTO agent assigned to the requested property will contact you to confirm the scheduled showing.

Why Work with Us?

Today, the numbers are clear; people are moving back to the city. Offices are setting dates for employees to return, and former residents are yearning for a taste of the city as it once was.

ReLISTO is seeing an incredible amount of interest for every single one of our listed properties. Our unmatched technological capabilities and responsiveness bring our website over 30,000 views every month.

With San Francisco in Yellow Tier, we are excited to level up our commitment to our landlords while continuing to stay vigilant in keeping prospective tenants safe.

Landlords:

We would love to rent your property. Contact us and we will reach out to set up a 1-on-1 with one of our licensed agents.

Prospective Tenants:

Visit our Showing Schedule to RSVP to our many properties available to you now!

Tenants Again Pushing Pause On Return

Here is an unfortunate email we just wrote to one of our landlords. The property was a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom house in the Sunset which was slated to rent for $3800.00/month with a March 1, 2021 start date.

<Landlord>

I hope you are doing well. I unfortunately would like to let you know that your tenants have decided to withdraw their applications. <Tenant > company <Amazon> just released the news that employees do not have to return to office until next year. Due to the change, they will extend their travel to different destinations.

ReLISTO has been very successful in securing tenants for our landlords clients during Covid. We conduct virtual and private tours, post videos of each property and have an amazing set of online tools allowing prospective tenants to easily view each unit. Most importantly, we pay for a lot of advertising so our landlords listing gets seen.

In the last month, tenants have been returning to the city to “get a lease secured before prices go up”. We have rented multiple properties due to this. With recent announcement from Salesforce and other tech companies, the need to return to work is again a distant requirement. Tech workers will stay away and landlords, restaurants and businesses will need to wait longingly for their return. For some , this will result in a significant economic hardship if not bankruptcy.

On behalf of our landlords, I call upon the San Francisco Govt to proactively engage/ partner with the companies in our community as well as local schools to make a plan to get things back to normal. Some cannot wait till 2022.

Environmentally Friendly Leasing and Property Management

ReLISTO has a new car! Residential leasing and property management requires quite a lot of travel, so you may have seen us zipping around town or parked in your neighborhood! Our new electric 2019 Smart CQ allows us to greater flexibility and versatility to serve our clients quickly and efficiently as ever. In addition to keeping ReLISTO’s team members agile, our little electric vehicle furthers our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. This means we provide premiere residential leasing and property management services you can feel good about.

For the last 10 years, ReLISTO has been an industry leader in the use of innovative tools and technologies to deliver residential leasing and property management services. From our nearly paperless operations to proprietary online rental calculators, ReLISTO is dedicated to leading the real estate leasing industry in serving not only clients, but also the community as a whole. ReLISTO is aligned with San Francisco’s commitment to lower greenhouse gas emissions by employing greener alternatives for our operational processes. The biggest contributor to the city’s greenhouse gas emission is privately owned passenger cars and trucks.

Because leasing agents and property managers are required to travel around the city constantly to show and maintain property, moving from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric is one of the best ways to cut the company’s carbon footprint. With 44% of San Francisco’s electrical grid running on renewable energy sources, ReLISTO’s use of electric vehicles reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions we would otherwise create by 75%! ReLISTO applauds the city’s efforts to lower transportation-related emissions and is committed to doing our part as an industry leader–providing exceptional and environmentally friendly residential leasing and property management services in order to reduce our overall environmental impact.

Floating Staircases

ReLISTO- Build Floating Staircase for your Rental

In San Francisco, floating staircases generate higher rents. As such, ReLISTO prices these type of rental properties higher than similar properties in the same neighborhood; We know they’re are in high demand with our tenant customers.

Due to state code requirements, owner must build floating staircases to specific standards. These standards prevent the building of a “true” floating staircase since rails must be present on each side. Rails help steady the user while ascending/descending thereby helping avoid falls. On the downside, it counters the minimalist aesthetics and most unfortunately, at a time we all want home prices to fall, dramatically increases the cost to build. In San Francisco, standard floating staircases will have glass on the open side.

ReLISTO helps San Francisco and Central Coast owners lease and manage their properties. We secure qualified tenants, effectively manage each property and take care of each resident. We as part of our capital improvement program are happy to help our owners evaluate the benefits of converting their staircase. If right for our owner, our management team will even help manage the build as part of our standard service.

State of California Updates the Three Day Notice Rule

New three day notice rules for the State of California go into effect September 1, 2009. Moving forward weekend and holidays may no longer be counted as a “day”. ReLISTO a residential and full property management service company for San Francisco has already incorporated this into our workflow to ensure our landlords stay compliant with the law and any notice provided is done so correctly. Below is the summary and recommendation from the San Francisco Apartment Association regarding this matter.

“Under a law taking effect September 1, 2019, weekends and court holidays will no longer count toward the three-day notice period and the five-day period for responding to an unlawful-detainer summons and complaint. For example, under the new law, the deadline to pay rent for a three-day notice served given on a Friday wouldn’t be due until Wednesday— two days later than the current Monday deadline.

Previously, weekends and court holidays could count toward these notice periods, although a notice could not expire on weekend or court holiday.

To ensure compliance with the new law, AB 2343, SFAA recommends that the new method of counting should be used for three day notices served on or after August 29, 2019 and for complaints served on or after August 27, 2019.”

ReLISTO on ABC News!

Christian Elbeck from ReLISTO was featured on ABC news June 19th, 2019. It was a story on how many of San Francisco’s residents join with others to lease larger homes and split living costs. The rooms utilized to accomplish this are sometimes unconventional, with housemates using a dining, fainting or laundry room as a bedrooms. This is done without the consent of the Agent or Owner but its being done to distribute the rent to a manageable amount for each resident. For some, its not a matter of financial need but rather a desire to live in a community.

Regardless of reason, San Francisco is in dire need of more housing. Housing should include not only conventional apartments and houses but also micro apartments and co-living homes (dorms for adults).

https://abc7news.com/business/the-highs-and-lows-of-renting-in-sf/5353960/
Continue reading “ReLISTO on ABC News!”

New Features to Best Rent Our Landlord’s Property

We’ve updated our site, and made it more convenient for tenants searching for a great place to rent in San Francisco!

ReLISTO is committed to serving our landlords to maximize the exposure of their property.

With our new and updated website features, ReLISTO is ready to help landlords get their properties leased. From online services, to accomplished leasing agents, we have the tools to assist you in any way we can. In addition, we’ve also upped our property management game.

Lets us manage your property! Make your life a little easier by allowing us to help you with everything property related. Our experienced property managers are here for you.

Notable Differences On WebSIte:

A clean, updated look

Open House information in the thumbnail of each listing, so you don’t even have to click the link to see when you can come see a unit!

Open House pop ups on the front page so you don’t miss out!

Come check out our new site, and see some of the homes we have to offer. And check out our newly added Property Management section! We have services for apartment seekers and property owners, alike.

We may look different, but we’re still offering the same reliable service.

ReLISTO (Real Estate Leasing Innovations, Services and Tools Online) is a San Francisco real estate leasing brokerage that leverages technology to better lease real property, place tenants, and support landlord’s with online tools and services.

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