i have a similar anecdote, when i arrived in the bay area in 2011, i was paying the exact same rent in east palo alto, when i left in 2015, my rent had gone up

i have a similar anecdote, when i arrived in the bay area in 2011, i was paying the exact same rent in east palo alto, when i left in 2015, my rent had gone up to $2,750. As my lease neared expiration, my landlord decided against renewing it and instead the house was sold because they were looking for a good exit. i don't blame them, everyone has their reasons, but i want to caution you that while it's possible to find a good rental that works out for some period of time, it's not a long term assurance and being forced to move can make it difficult to acquire a place as favorable as the one you have with the combination of commute or rent or other intangibles you've grown accustomed to in your neighborhood. Or you may find one at the price, but it may take a much longer time than you have allotted, especially in this market where qualified renters are plentiful and willing (often out of necessity) to pay high rents for substandard properties. I also asked myself the same question you did, but the conclusion i reached eventually involved me moving out of state last year. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯