Moving to San Francisco FT Analyst
Hi everyone,
I just accepted a full time offer in banking in SF and was hoping to cast a wide net in terms of advice for moving to SF from the east coast. I have never lived on the west coast, though have lived around the country, and don’t really know anyone in the city. Any recommendations on things to keep in mind as a 1st year analyst? Housing / living / food / culture etc?
Best ways to find potential roommates (rent looks super steep)? Thinking living close to the finance district… imagine with the hours working that the hour saved daily from further commute will be valued. Would love to meet other junior analysts moving to SF from the east coast.
Thanks!
Hey there!
First off, congratulations on your new role! Moving to a new city is always an adventure, especially when it's as vibrant as San Francisco.
When it comes to housing, it's true that rent can be quite steep. You might want to consider looking for roommates to share the cost. There are several online platforms where you can find potential roommates, such as Craigslist, Roomi, and even LinkedIn.
Living close to the Financial District is a great idea, especially considering the long hours you'll be working. Areas like SOMA, Nob Hill, and Rincon Hill are all within walking distance.
As for food, you're in for a treat. San Francisco is known for its diverse food scene. From food trucks to Michelin-starred restaurants, there's something for every palate and budget.
The culture in San Francisco is quite unique. It's a mix of tech innovation, artistic creativity, and outdoor adventure. There's always something happening, whether it's a music festival, a tech meetup, or a street fair.
Lastly, networking is key. Attend industry events, join local finance groups, and don't be shy about reaching out to other junior analysts in the city. You never know who you might meet!
Hope this helps, and best of luck with your move!
Sources: Help Convince me to go to San Francisco, San Fran IB ----> NYC PE possible?, 1st Year Analyst | Worth it to move to SF
Wish I had some specific advice for you but all I gotta say is do not get trapped in the city. Find friends that are down to explore the areas outside of town. You are in proximation to some of the most beautiful parts of the country. Yosemite, Tahoe, Redwoods, Big Sur, Napa, Sierras... do not take it for granted.
FiDi sucks. I get living close to work but you're going to hate it. Stick that out for a year, save up, and move to a friendlier part of town where you can enjoy going for a walk out your front door. My friends live west , walkable to Golden Gate Park and Presidio, and LOVE it.
Awesome, really appreciate the insight!
Find yourself a very, very sharp EDC knife. Recommend some of Gerbers.
/s (but not really)
I moved to San Francisco in March 2022 from Miami and have lived all over the city. I first lived in Soma on 12th and Folsom with random roommates. it wasn't the best neighborhood and my roommates were pretty terrible, but I did save money on rent. Since I didnt like being in the apartment it encouraged me to be about and about on weekends and spend more time in the gym. I got an Equinox membership and got in the best shape of my life.
I only lived in Soma for 3 months and then moved into an AirBnB in North Beach while I looked for a new apartment. I really liked North Beach and it had a much more lively culture than Soma, more parks and young people and things to do. Its super hilly though so your shins will burn whenever you walk somewhere.
After some time in that AirBnB I had to get another short rental near Union Sqaure. I'd avoid living near there. It wasn't great.
After that I finally found someone to live with and we got an apartment in Mission Bay right next to Oracle Park where the Giants play. This was a pretty nice area to live. it was close to a grocery store and Mission Bay is kind of a newer area so it was a nice place to walk around. Still an easy commute to FiDi too.
We were only in that apartment for 6 months and then due to a mold issue we got to cancel our lease and moved to Rincon Hill right up the road from Salesforce Tower. We're in a much more modern high rise apartment building now so it doesn't really have the San Francisco feel but it is a pretty nice area.
I'd recommend Nob Hill, Russian Hill, the Marina, Cow Hollow, or Pacific Heights. Much more things to do and there a more younger people.
I had a hard time making friends but did meet a few people who went to my university at Equinox and at some bars in the Marina during march madness.
Get a Clipper card and look up the Muni bus routes from where you end up living to learn how to get to FiDi. No one ever actually pays for the buses but have a Clipper card just in case. You can get it on your phone, don't actually need to get the physcial card.
Also enjoy the nature as much as you can. Explore Golden Gate Park. Smoke some dispo weed at Lands End and check out the Sutro Baths. Spend some time on Baker Beach or Crissy Field Beach. Take a ferry from the Ferry Building and spend a day eating oysters in Sausalito. Get a ride to Muir Woods and hike around. Take a weekend trip to Napa and visit some vineyards. Rent a car and go to Lake Tahoe to ski in the winter or go rafting or boating in the summer. Take the CalTrain to Santa Clara and go to a 49ers or a Sharks game. Drive down to Carmel or Monterey for a day trip. Go surfing in Santa Cruz or Half-Moon-Bay or Pacifica. There's lots to do and see so get outside the city as much as possible.
Super helpful, thanks!
Figuring out where to live is the most important thing. General rule is stay north of the Financial District (FiDi). I’d try to find a place in a Russian Hill or North Beach if you’re trying to walk to work. Even so, these walks are kinda in the 20-25 min range but I really enjoy being able to spend some time in the morning walking and drinking coffee on the way to work. Both areas have some decent areas to go out in too.
I will say, compared to NYC, SF is quite a bit more sleepy. A lot of things close at 2am or midnight. Club scene is pretty small. If bars and clubs aren’t the only thing you’re looking for, SF has a lot more scenic and outdoorsy stuff than NYC. Lots of cool parks, you’re right by the water, and SF is generally a pretty active city.
People that I know that really like SF have the following hobbies:
-Surfing
-Water sports
-Hiking
-Restaurants (SF does have really good food and the neighborhoods have pretty cool culinary differences.)
-Sports: Tennis, Golf, Giants Games
-Wine: Napa Valley is like 1hr away. Know some older folks that go every other weekend
TLDR: Live North of the city, SF is not as night life centric as much as NYC, people’s hobbies here generally revolve around food or being fit. Ok
Makes sense, thank you!
I interned there this summer, it’s not as bad as a lot of people say but there are some rough areas. Definitely don’t live in FiDi or SOMA, they’re tempting cause they’re luxury buildings near work but they’re dead and shit holes. Most of the analysts and associates at my company lived in North Beach. Nice, pretty safe, walkable/bikable to FiDi. I lived somewhere in between the Mission and the Castro right by a Metro Muni station which I loved. Some of the mission can be rough but where I was, near Church Station, was really safe and the neighborhood had a great vibe. Quick walk to Safeway and Whole Foods, lots of great restaurants too. It was only like a 12 minute ride on the train to my office so I thought it was pretty convenient and my commute was shorter than the other interns who walked from north beach.
As for finding housing, there’s tons of SF and Bay Area housing Facebook groups, those are a great place to start
Makes sense, thanks!
Was there for the summer and headed back for FT next year and would echo a lot of what has been said. I lived in Russian Hill and worked in FiDi, walk to work was great but would usually take the bus home to avoid those hills (they are crazier than you even think). Overall SF gets a bad rap on the news but a really fun place to live, awesome food, great sports scene, tons of nature things to do. Marina is usually the most desired neighborhood so you could always check there for a good deal if possible.
Awesome, thanks!
I've been living in SF a bit over two years after having moved out here for work after going to school on the east coast. As has been said, as a young person you want to live on the north side of the city. Marina, Cow Hollow, Pac Heights, Russian Hill, Nob Hill, North Beach. Make sure you have a good way to get to work before you commit to being somewhere because even places that aren't that far away can end up being a pain to get to FiDi from, even if they aren't far distance wise. Once you get older you can move farther south down to Rincon Hill and the like. Nice area but feels very dead. Some people like Hayes Valley and stuff around there, but most people working in finance don't live there.
Night life here is very bad compared to other large cities, obviously doesn't even begin to compare to New York. People tend to be into hiking and such on the weekends, and I know a lot of people who like to just go to one of the parks and chill. I have a car and try to get out of the city for at least part of a day every weekend. At some point though, I've been to Santa Cruz, South Bay, Napa, East Bay, etc., and it gets a bit old. I've also found it a bit hard to meet people as everyone seems to come here knowing people from college or having grown up in the area and it feels like people tend to be pretty locked into their group.
Personally I'm kind of over this place and am planning to move to NY next year despite being in a pretty comfortable spot in my current role. I think your quality of life here is better than NY - you're able to stay more fit, easier to get around, easier to spend time outdoors - but it doesn't have the lively feel. From what I've seen, this city seems great for someone in their late 20s / early 30s who is comfortable where they are and likes the outdoors but less suited for someone early to mid 20s wanting to go out and have fun.
That makes sense, will definitely keep it in mind.
Hey, feel free to PM me if you’re open to that. I’m also will just be moving to the city so it might be helpful to exchange some ideas.
I moved to SF in 2005. Definitely had a more lively nightlife back then, through 2010 or so. Things got more sleeper and then COVID happen and here we are. I don’t know what changed between 2010 - 2020.
I used to live on Nob Hill and I used to say “I live within a $7 cab ride to all the happening spots.”
My history lesson doesn’t help you now, but wanted to share my fond memories of going out on Broadway/North Beach, SOMA, Marina, Mission, Union Sq, raves in Potrero Hill and Caesar Chavez, and the random house and loft parties. Things have changed, but I also got older.
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