Before you apply, check the things that change from one address to the next: which schools serve the home, what internet reaches it, and what the commute actually takes. Once your lease is signed, set up the services it puts in your name. For how our showings, applications, rent, and maintenance work, see the Resident Guide.
Before you apply
Schools, internet, and commute times can differ between two homes a few blocks apart, so it is worth checking them against the address rather than the city. Open the home’s listing for its address, then run these three.
Most districts here publish a lookup that returns the assigned school for a street address, and a boundary can run down the middle of one. We do not set school assignment, so take the district’s answer over ours.
Open your district’s lookupCoverage can change block by block, and sometimes building by building. Use the FCC map to see which providers report service, then confirm installation timing, equipment, and price with the provider directly.
Check the FCC broadband mapPlan the trip from the rental address at the hour you would really travel, not at midday. 511 covers driving, transit, cycling, and current service alerts across the Bay Area.
Plan a trip with 511After your lease is signed
It says which utilities are yours: electric, gas, water, sewer, garbage, and any shared building services. Most of our residents set up electric and gas, plus water and garbage where the account is in the resident’s name.
PG&E serves every community we manage. Start it about a week before your move-in date; same-week start dates are normal.
Start, stop, or transfer PG&E serviceWho bills you depends on the city, and sometimes on the building. Your community guide links the right desk, and your manager can confirm which accounts are yours to open.
Find your city’s providersYour lease states whether coverage is required, what it must cover, and when proof is due. Even where it is optional it is inexpensive protection for your belongings and your liability, and any licensed California insurer or broker can quote you.
Read California’s renters insurance guide Verify a licenseLocal providers
Each community guide lists the school district, the water and garbage desks, the transit agency, and the local rental rules for that place. Choose a county guide for an unincorporated address, or when you are still comparing several communities.
New to California
You have limited time after establishing residency to get a California license and register your vehicle. The DMV’s new-resident guide explains both deadlines and what to bring.
Still looking?
Availability and pricing change as homes enter and leave the market.
