Our Fair City by the Bay

San Francisco is a rare place. Property is precious and expensive with property prices appreciating and growing steadily since its founding. It’s proven a robust area capable of weathering earthquakes, drought, and economic downturns and more. It’s become the place that fosters diversity, innovation and wealth.

It’s an international city where tourists come and visit. It’s also the epicenter for the tech economy (Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, HP, Yahoo, etc.), gateway to Asia and Latin America, an educational and research center (U.C. Berkeley, UCSF, Stanford, Lawrence Livermore), and home to varied industries to shipping, electric cars, biotech and credit cards. We’re also close to nature, food and wine (Yosemite, Napa & Sonoma). It’s now a place that you’re looking to buy a part of. You’re looking to purchase a part of this very special place because you believe in it, right? Right.

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District 1

The Northwest: The Richmond, Sea Cliff, Jordan Park

On the northwest portion of the City below the Presidio, just east of the Golden Gate and the Cliff House and north of Golden Gate Park sits District 1. The area is mostly dominated by the Richmond District but also anchored by Sea Cliff, Presidio Heights and Jordan Park. The area has bigger houses, tends to be a bit foggier but also scenic. The other hallmark is that public transit is weaker here as there’s no BART, no MUNI light rail line and no big, big thoroughfares.

The Richmond On the north side of Golden Gate Park this area was settled before the Sunset. While foggier the streets are wider and curvy. Houses are bigger than the Sunset and average 3-4 bedrooms at least. Some are stately and large Edwardian single-family homes with some Spanish flare with stucco exteriors. There are various guises of rental buildings, 4-unit condos/flats, a fair number of 2-unit buildings and homes with in-law units below behind the garage on the ground floor. Most homes will have garages.

Sea Cliff On the tip of the San Francisco peninsula near the Golden Gate Bridge produces postcard views with postcard houses. This exclusive neighborhood has high, high prices to match and you’ll find a lot of storied family money here among the curvy and quiet streets. This neighborhood overlooks the cliffs of Baker Beach and the views can be stunning toward the Bridge, Marin Headlands and the ocean. Home to celebrities financiers, and to people with ‘homes around the world,’ the views and prestige draws people in. You’ll find bigger homes that are on larger parcels that create a gated community feel. Public transit is not the primary concern when folks park their spare BMW on the street.

Jordan Park Focused around the CPMC Hospital/medical center this neighborhood wedges itself between USF and the Presidio. You’ll have big single-family homes with Spanish- Mediterranean details that may or may not be detached; some have been upgraded. While there is some condo inventory there are more multi-unit rental buildings.

Presidio Heights A lot of times when you think of Pacific Heights you may think of big stately homes on big lots with some distance between houses so that a property is framed just right. When you get to the porta-potty-laden enclave and see many houses are actually bunched up next to each other you can’t help but feel a little let down. Or not. Either way, Presidio Heights is the place with big, large and beautiful houses that have been painstakingly restored that are offset and detached from neighbors. Unlike Pacific Heights, where the streets may lack the leafy-lane feel there are more trees here (especially those from the Presidio itself) and more houses here have been updated recently leading to dramatic, stunning and luxurious homes with potential views of the Bridge, the Marin Headlands as well as the Marina and beyond.

DISTRICT 2

The West: The Sunset & Parkside

Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky tacky,
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes all the same.
There’s a green one and a pink one 
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they’re all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.

One of the biggest neighborhoods in the City you can think of the pastel stucco-clad homes as variations on an original FHA theme built along rolling hills by the ocean with some homes having very surprising views. The area was originally referred to as the “outsidelands” (and an annual music festival in Golden Gate Park hears homage to this) the Sunset was first developed in the 1920s and 1930s with the biggest push coming after WWII in the 1940s and 1950s starting in the east going out west to Ocean Beach. The song “Little boxes,” (the theme song for the TV show Weeds) by Malvina Reynolds makes reference to the Sunset and to similar homes in Daly City.

Why the uniformity of the houses? The Sunset was the logical place to build a massive number of middle-class homes as the Baby-boomer generation got its start. Much like a commodity the homes were all built from a basic set of templates all meant to conform with FHA-mandated standard designs. Thus you’ll likely encounter a stucco-clad, 2-bed, 1-bath-over-garage, 1000-sqft house configuration time and time again with some variations on bathroom color (pastel pink, coral pink, lime green, grass green, etc.) and what option folks opted to get for the space behind the garage, which can range from the knotty-pine bar, unfinished open area to wood-working woodshop. Some blocks were the premium blocks you can tell as they have more architectural flourishes. Over the years many of these spaces have been turned into ‘unwarranted’ in-law units that are rented out to SF State or UCSF students. With demographics being what they are there is more and more owner-turnover in these areas with more flippers coming in and upgrading these little boxes into comfortable modern homes.

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The Inner Sunset 1. This is the land of renters many of whom are medical students at UCSF, one of the best medical/nursing/health sciences graduate schools and hospitals in the world, and lifers. There are lots of duplex units, larger Edwardian and mid-century style apartment buildings clustered around 9th and Irving or 19th and Irving and the N-Line on Judah Street.

The Inner Sunset 2. If you’re not looking at an income building or condo, you’re looking at big Arts & Craft houses along 5th and 6th Avenues, which have seen big price gains in the past few years, big houses up on 8th and 9th Avenues and into Golden Gate Heights in the Windsor Heights area. These homes are big with character; fewer of them have been redone but the ones that have are pretty special but typically not crazy. Expect to pay $1000+/sqft in the entire area before you get to 19th Avenue and much more for views and for done, done, done homes.

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The Outer Sunset/Outsidelands Homes here are stacked up against each other and have become more popular and expensive as folks who are priced out elsewhere come here. The area is nice to respond as climate change has increased the number of warm and sunny days here. Known for good schools, Ocean Beach and the N-line MUNI the area is foggy and can be monotonous especially on tree-less streets. Odd-numbered houses on numbered avenues have a chance for an ocean view and homes on numbered avenues up to 1900 are worth more as they’re located closer to the MUNI line and Golden Gate Park. The typical configuration is 2-3 bedrooms up with 1 bathroom, garage and additional space behind. Watch for pest reports (it’s damp here), Federal Pacific electrical service boxes, old gravity heaters and single-pane windows, average living area: 1000-1500 sqft.

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The Central Sunset. These homes range from 17th Avenue to Sunset Boulevard approximately and range from larger versions of the 2-bedroom homes with a bigger footprint of usually 1500-2000+ sqft many of which have been remodeled to varying levels of finishes from basic to luxury. There are some surprising views from some homes and there are some deeper depending on the block. Homes are approaching $1,000/sqft as the new norm; there’s less fog by about 30 minutes per day with a fair chance of having 2 parking spaces.

DISTRICT 4

The Hilly Middle: West Portal, Midtown Terrace, Miraloma, Various Forest Knolls, Hill, Etc. St Francis Wood

Geographically central but eerily isolated at the same time. Also the area where you may find actual families and children

Located in the middle of the City, these areas surround Sutro Tower and Twin Peaks, which also means the hillier areas are buffers for the fog. The fog forms when cool moist air is drawn in from the ocean by the warmer side of the City and the Bay (the Eastbay’s land mass is much warmer) as the warm and cool air seek equilibrium, hence the ferocity of the fog and vastness of the climates we can see in the City.

These neighborhoods were among the last developed in the City. Oh, and all those trees you see up by Sutro Tower were not natural to the area either. Originally, the area was covered by coastal scrub and grasses but Adolf Sutro – the area’s namesake – bought enough real estate in the city that he effectively owned one 10th of the city’s area. And it was Sutro who began to plant eucalyptus, cypress and pine trees that we see today.

The flatter areas off of Portola (Market Street’s name once you go over the hill) like West Portal and St. Francis Wood have larger homes and are therefore in demand as they’re bigger and pricier as a result. Meanwhile, the area’s proximity to I-280 makes it attractive for tech folks and the area’s elementary schools are also sought after as they rank among the best in the City.

Why the uniformity of the houses? The Sunset was the logical place to build a massive number of middle-class homes as the Baby-boomer generation got its start. Much like a commodity the homes were all built from a basic set of templates all meant to conform with FHA-mandated standard designs. Thus you’ll likely encounter a stucco-clad, 2-bed, 1-bath-over-garage, 1000-sqft house configuration time and time again with some variations on bathroom color (pastel pink, coral pink, lime green, grass green, etc.) and what option folks opted to get for the space behind the garage, which can range from the knotty-pine bar, unfinished open area to wood-working woodshop. Some blocks were the premium blocks you can tell as they have more architectural flourishes. Over the years many of these spaces have been turned into ‘unwarranted’ in-law units that are rented out to SF State or UCSF students. With demographics being what they are there is more and more owner-turnover in these areas with more flippers coming in and upgrading these little boxes into comfortable modern homes.

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Midtown Terrace. You live here for space, your kids (space & schools) and practicality. This gets you over the feelings of isolation, fog and existential anxiety. Otherwise the houses are zero lot line, late art deco into mid-century style with some renovated, others not. The one that have can be amazing, The ones that haven’t may be damp, wood should be checked as should siding. Almost all will have parking (or 2 spots). Aluminum single-pane and carpet is your touch point for style. Climate change could turn this into Palms Springs though.

Forest Gate, Hill, Knolls West Wood + Park. This is a smattering of neighborhoods and streets snaking around Sutro Tower, Golden Gate Heights and Glen Canyon. Some homes are like the ones in the Sunset in size while others are much bigger and grander with larger parcels and trees. Some with sweeping views and vistas while others don’t. Closer to Miraloma Park you’ll see houses that are in the Spanish-stucco style (with a fair number of fixer opportunities from time to time) while the houses nearer to Sutro will have more variation with some being Mid-century too.

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St. Francis Wood. The closest you’ll get to Pasadena or San Marino in SF. Detached, larger homes on big lots with driveways, detached garages, big trees and perfectly manicured landscaping (it should be because you’re paying for it in neighborhood dues). You’ll see lots of tudor style houses mixed in with what people thought represented wealth over different eras. Some home have been renovated while others are awaiting modern updates.

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The Central Sunset. These homes range from 17th Avenue to Sunset Boulevard approximately and range from larger versions of the 2-bedroom homes with a bigger footprint of usually 1500-2000+ sqft many of which have been remodeled to varying levels of finishes from basic to luxury. There are some surprising views from some homes and there are some deeper depending on the block. Homes are approaching $1,000/sqft as the new norm; there’s less fog by about 30 minutes per day with a fair chance of having 2 parking spaces.

DISTRICT 2

The West: The Sunset & Parkside

Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky tacky,
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes all the same.
There’s a green one and a pink one 
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they’re all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.

One of the biggest neighborhoods in the City you can think of the pastel stucco-clad homes as variations on an original FHA theme built along rolling hills by the ocean with some homes having very surprising views. The area was originally referred to as the “outsidelands” (and an annual music festival in Golden Gate Park hears homage to this) the Sunset was first developed in the 1920s and 1930s with the biggest push coming after WWII in the 1940s and 1950s starting in the east going out west to Ocean Beach. The song “Little boxes,” (the theme song for the TV show Weeds) by Malvina Reynolds makes reference to the Sunset and to similar homes in Daly City.

Why the uniformity of the houses? The Sunset was the logical place to build a massive number of middle-class homes as the Baby-boomer generation got its start. Much like a commodity the homes were all built from a basic set of templates all meant to conform with FHA-mandated standard designs. Thus you’ll likely encounter a stucco-clad, 2-bed, 1-bath-over-garage, 1000-sqft house configuration time and time again with some variations on bathroom color (pastel pink, coral pink, lime green, grass green, etc.) and what option folks opted to get for the space behind the garage, which can range from the knotty-pine bar, unfinished open area to wood-working woodshop. Some blocks were the premium blocks you can tell as they have more architectural flourishes. Over the years many of these spaces have been turned into ‘unwarranted’ in-law units that are rented out to SF State or UCSF students. With demographics being what they are there is more and more owner-turnover in these areas with more flippers coming in and upgrading these little boxes into comfortable modern homes.

IMG_6611

The Inner Sunset 1. This is the land of renters many of whom are medical students at UCSF, one of the best medical/nursing/health sciences graduate schools and hospitals in the world, and lifers. There are lots of duplex units, larger Edwardian and mid-century style apartment buildings clustered around 9th and Irving or 19th and Irving and the N-Line on Judah Street.

The Inner Sunset 2. If you’re not looking at an income building or condo, you’re looking at big Arts & Craft houses along 5th and 6th Avenues, which have seen big price gains in the past few years, big houses up on 8th and 9th Avenues and into Golden Gate Heights in the Windsor Heights area. These homes are big with character; fewer of them have been redone but the ones that have are pretty special but typically not crazy. Expect to pay $1000+/sqft in the entire area before you get to 19th Avenue and much more for views and for done, done, done homes.

IMG_9474
IMG_0918

The Outer Sunset/Outsidelands Homes here are stacked up against each other and have become more popular and expensive as folks who are priced out elsewhere come here. The area is nice to respond as climate change has increased the number of warm and sunny days here. Known for good schools, Ocean Beach and the N-line MUNI the area is foggy and can be monotonous especially on tree-less streets. Odd-numbered houses on numbered avenues have a chance for an ocean view and homes on numbered avenues up to 1900 are worth more as they’re located closer to the MUNI line and Golden Gate Park. The typical configuration is 2-3 bedrooms up with 1 bathroom, garage and additional space behind. Watch for pest reports (it’s damp here), Federal Pacific electrical service boxes, old gravity heaters and single-pane windows, average living area: 1000-1500 sqft.

IMG_2162

The Central Sunset. These homes range from 17th Avenue to Sunset Boulevard approximately and range from larger versions of the 2-bedroom homes with a bigger footprint of usually 1500-2000+ sqft many of which have been remodeled to varying levels of finishes from basic to luxury. There are some surprising views from some homes and there are some deeper depending on the block. Homes are approaching $1,000/sqft as the new norm; there’s less fog by about 30 minutes per day with a fair chance of having 2 parking spaces.