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DISTRICT
1
Jordan Park
Jordan Park's boundaries include Geary
Boulevard, California Street and Parker Avenue. It is adjacent to
Children's Hospital and home to many doctors. The area has handsome
stately homes that are well-designed and nicely landscaped. Jordan
Park's home range from arts & crafts to Mediterranean style. Convenient
location to Laurel Village shopping, which includes great coffee shops,
delicatessens and restaurants. The area is predominately single family
homes with a scattering of condominiums.
Price Range of Housing: Homes $1,500,000-$3,000,000. Condos $600,000-$1,000,000
Lake
This location is accessible to The Presidio,
golf course, hiking and bike trails and runs the length of the Richmond
from Arguello to Sea Cliff. Single family homes with units and condos
in this area.
Price Range of Housing: $600,000-$2,500,000
Laurel Heights
This neighborhood centers on the Laurel
Village shopping center, which caters not only residents but also
to elite clientele from Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights. Most
of the housing was built in the 1940's and 50's therefore a more contemporary
feel is present throughout this neighborhood, spectacular views of
downtown and North San Francisco can be found throughout various properties.
Majority of properties are homes with a mixture of units.
Price Range of Housing: $700,000-$2,000,000
Richmond
This peninsula is home to many 1920's duplexes
and a few spacious Edwardians. Housing some of the many landmarks
in the city, Richmond boasts the dome of Temple Emanu-El, a reform
synagogue, and the Russian Holy Virgin Cathedral. Clement Street offers
a plethora of restaurants on every block from Chinese, Russian, Italian
to Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern. The Richmond district is one
of the largest neighborhoods in San Francisco and has exclusive pockets
of wonderful tree lined streets and is also a thriving commercial
corridor.
Price Range of Housing: $500,000-$1,200,000
Sea Cliff
Sea Cliff attracts many sightseers wanting
to see the beautiful mansions and beaches in this area. China and
Baker beaches are situated where the Golden Gate meets the Pacific
Ocean. Sea Cliff's residences are located just above sea level and
offer beautiful views of the ocean.
Price Range of Housing: $1,500,000-$6,000,000
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DISTRICT
2
Golden Gate Heights
Sometimes called Larsen Peak or Sunset
Heights Park, Golden Gate Heights is perched on a 725-foot-high bluff
and is characterized by huge retaining walls and panoramic views of
the ocean. Steep streets curve around relatively new and upscale homes.
Diverse architecture from traditional to contemporary offers spectacular
views from the ocean to downtown San Francisco. Many houses also face
the Forest Hill area.
Price Range of Housing: $585,000-$1,250,000
Parkside
Parallel to Pine Lake Park and Stern Grove,
Parkside has a community feel, with two playgrounds, a meadow-like
-playing field and swingsets. This area is predominantly filled with
single-family residences. The active Sunset Neighborhood Coalition,
the neighborly Sunset Beach newspaper, the world-class University
of California, San Francisco Medical Center, the number of high schools,
and proximity to San Francisco State University add to the Sunset's
appeal to many families. Ninth Avenue provides an array of coffeehouses,
eateries and boutiques. Nearby, Irving Street offers even more of
the same, while the Westlake Shopping Center, Stonestown Galleria,
Lakeshore Plaza Shopping Mall and Serramonte Shopping Center offer
the residents all the essentials.
Price Range of Housing: $500,000-$700,000
Sunset
Before the 1930s, the Sunset District was
made up of sand dunes that extended west to Ocean Beach. The dunes
were paved over and replaced with pastel-colored stucco houses on
wide streets. After WW I, the need for smaller lots and low Federal
Housing Administration veteran loans created mass housing, cloning
mostly square homes with bay windows over the garage. The Sunset is
located just south of Golden Gate Park, north of Sloat Boulevard and
framed by Stanyan Street and Ocean Beach. Commercial areas include
9th Avenue, Judah Street, Sloat Boulevard, and Noriega and Taraval
streets, where many ethnic specialty stores, coffee shops, Irish pubs
and the like line the bustling streets. The Sunset is also home to
Shriners Hospital and San Francisco's Conservatory of Music. The Sunset
is one of the foggiest pockets of all of San Francisco, thanks to
its location near Ocean Beach. The Inner Sunset is a bit sunnier,
from 19th Avenue eastward. Many students populate this area, while
Outer Sunset (19th Avenue and westward) is populated by many senior
citizens and Asian-American families.
Price Range of Housing $400,000-$750,000
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DISTRICT
3
Lakeshore
Located on the Pacific on the southern
border of San Francisco, Lakeshore was the last neighborhood in the
city to be developed. This area includes San Francisco State University,
Lake Merced, two golf courses and Stonestown Galleria, which is the
only "suburban" shopping plaza in the city. Lakeshore and
Lakeside offer well manicured lawns, pride of ownership, center patio
and split level floor plans. Close to shopping, many golf courses
nearby. The famous Lowell High School is also a big draw for this
community.
Price Range of Housing: $550,000-$1,000,000
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DISTRICT
4
Ingleside
Ingleside Terrace is located in the southwestern
corner of the city and enjoys more sun than the rest of San Francisco.
At its gateway is the neighborhood's ode to the sun, a sundial that
measures 34 feet in diameter and 28 feet in height. The neighborhood
is close to the Pacific and has good views of San Bruno Mountain and
Mt. Davidson. Nearby are San Francisco State University, Stonestown
Shopping Center, and Lake Merced. The neighborhood is built on both
sloping and steep hills. Many of the homes in this area are single-family
and built between 1900 and 1940. There are many shops and restaurants
along Ocean Avenue and some great views from the rock outcropping
at Shields and Orizaba Streets. On a clear day, one can see Oakland
and Alameda, as well as the Golden Gate.
Price Range of Housing: $500,000-$1,100,000
Forest Hill
Once a part of a 4,000-acre ranch owned
by the last Mexican mayor of San Francisco, Jose Noe, Forest Hill
was broken down into single-family home lots in 1912. In 1918, the
Twin Peaks Tunnel was completed, and people began visiting and residing
in the Forest Hill area. Today, Forest Hill is a very exclusive, extravagantly
landscaped area with curving lanes, hills and a sprinkling of Bernard
Maybeck architecture, including the Forest Hill Clubhouse. The streets
and common areas in Forest Hill are beautifully maintained by the
Forest Hill Association. The Forest Hill Garden Club has become a
Ladies Social Club. The neighborhood features such gems as the elegant
Grand Pacheco Stairway that connect Castenada Avenue to Magellan Drive.
Nearby, West Portal Avenue provides residents with shopping, dining
and a movie theatre. Parking is not a problem, and Muni has several
lines to and from the area.
Price Range of Housing: $750,000-$1,600,000
Mt. Davidson Manor
This conservative and well-manicured neighborhood
is home to free-standing, middle-income family homes that were built
before WW II, many of these homes are Mediterranean style a top hillsides
with sweeping southern views. This area is named after geographer
and surveyor of the US Coast and Geodesic Survey, George Davidson,
who surveyed the area in 1950.
Price Range of Housing: $550,000-$930,000
Sherwood Forest
This neighborhood lies on the southwesterly
slope of Mt. Davidson and is home to elaborate ranch-style homes and
groves of eucalyptus, cypress and pine trees. Although on of the most
densely populated areas of the city, Sherwood Forest offers a feeling
of spaciousness. City College of San Francisco is nearby, and residents
visit West Portal Avenue for their closest shopping area.
Price Range of Housing: $650,000-$1,500,000
St. Francis Wood
This neighborhood consists of elite homes
on the southwest side of San Francisco. The beautifully landscaped
curving lanes lead to distinguished, grand-scale homes. John Galen
Howard, the noted Beaux Arts-era architect, designed the gates at
the St. Francis Boulevard-Portola Drive entry, as well as the fountain
in the circular plaza on the St. Francis Boulevard. This exclusive
neighborhood in San Francisco is like no other having a very European
feel with wide lots, tree lined streets and spectacular architecture.
Shopping and downtown transportation are only minutes away in the
West Portal area.
Price Range of Housing: $800,000-$3,500,000
West Portal
On the western side of the lengthy Twin
Peaks tunnel, the charming neighborhood of West Portal emerges, nestled
at the foot of Mt. Davidson, Forest Hill and Edgehill Heights. With
small businesses, a variety of restaurants and a movie theater, West
Portal is its own "city within a city". The neighborhood
is known for families, good schools and a quieter side to city living.
West Portal is 95% single family homes, very few multi units and condos
in this location.
Price Range of Housing: $600,000-$1,000,000
Ashbury Heights
Uphill from the heart of the Haight Ashbury
is the community of Ashbury Heights, also know as the Upper Haight.
At its summit is a mini-park called Mt. Olympus, great for dog-walking
and picnicking. According to city archivist Gladys Hansen, the neighborhood
was developed in 1911 as a part of a tract called Ashbury Park
.Price Range of Housing: $620,000-$2,225,000
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DISTRICT
5
Buena Vista
Hill
Buena Vista lies adjacent to Ashbury Heights
and is home to the city's most heavily forested area, Buena Vista
Park. Steep slopes with vast views are lined with baroque mansions,
restored Victorians, family homes, flats and apartments.
Price Range of Housing: $620,000-$1,850,000
Duboce Triangle
Beautifully restored Victorian homes line
the Duboce Triangle. Nearby, Noe Valley provides public transportation,
and the lively 24th Street, filled with restaurants, coffee houses,
pubs and boutiques, provides entertainment.
Price Range of Housing: $800,000-$995,000
Eureka Valley
Eureka Valley is made up of both flat land
and hills. On the lower slope is the San Francisco archbishop's headquarters,
and on the upper is the dramatic pinnacle known as Corona Heights.
Price Range of Housing: $700,000-$1,850,000
Glen Park
On the lower slopes of Diamond Heights,
just south of Noe Valley, sits the charming and quiet neighborhood
of Glen Park. Victorians and architecturally interesting modern homes
line Laidley Street. Coffee shops, bookstores and boutiques line Chenery
and Diamond streets. The neighborhood feels a worlds away from downtown,
but with a BART station at Diamond and Bosworth streets, local scan
reach the city center in 10 minutes. Glen Park was once a dairy capital
in the 1850s. Today, the rural area is confined to beautiful Glen
Canyon Park, a haven for dogs, Frisbee throwing and picnics.
Price Range of Housing: $550,000-$850,000
Haight Ashbury
Universally know for its '60s flair, Haight
Ashbury is still recognized for its creativity and diversity. Haight
Ashbury is home to colorful Victorians, eclectic shops, sidewalk cafes
and popular nightclubs. In 1870, California Gov. Henry Haight formed
the San Francisco Park Commission to develop Golden Gate Park, which
is adjacent to Haight Ashbury. Haight Ashbury is also famous for its
residents of the past, including Jerry Garcia, the Jefferson Airplane
and Janis Joplin, to name a few.
Price Range of Housing: $375,000-$1,050,000
Noe Valley
Nestled in the lowland between Twin Peaks
and Diamond Heights, Noe Valley is a quaint neighborhood, centered
around 24th Street, with its coffee shops, boutiques, bookstores and
multitude of ethnic restaurants. Architecture in Noe Valley is predominantly
Victorian. Noe Valley is named after Jose de Jesus Noe, a Spanish
colonist who formed the Hyar and Padres colony in 1884. Noe is also
the last Mexican mayor of San Francisco. Numerous Irish and German
immigrants moved into Noe Valley over the years, and the influence
is evident in the Irish Pubs and the specialty food stores lining
24th Street.
Price Range of Housing: $600,000-$1,500,000
Twin Peaks
Named for two hills reaching approximately
910 feet each, Twin Peaks offers the most panoramic views of the city
and bay. Some home on the northern crest of Twin Peaks resemble Spanish
Villas, while the eastern side has mainly apartment houses. In recent
decades, the southern slopes have seen development of single-family
homes that face San Bruno Mountain and the Ocean. Mt. Davidson, at
approximately 940 feet, is the city's highest point and is located
just south of Twin Peaks.
Price Range of Housing: $375,000-$1,850,000
Castro
Considered the center of alternative living
in San Francisco, the Castro district offers some of the most colorful
and vibrant settings in the city. The neighborhood's main thoroughfare,
Castro Street, is home to many restaurants, alternative bookstores
and diverse shops. Architecture in the Castro is contemporary, with
Victorians and apartment buildings lining its side streets. The Castro
is the center for the city's gay-lesbian population.
Price Range of Housing: $620,000-$1,850,000
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DISTRICT
6
Anza Vista
Anza Vista was developed during the 1930s
and 1940s. A quite neighborhood in the Western addition, the homes,
flats and Apartments of Anza Vista are designed with little ornamentation.
Unlike many San Francisco Neighborhoods, streets in Anza Vista have
little overhead wiring, giving it a quite suburban feel. The area's
boundaries include Masonic Avenue, Turk Boulevard, Broderick and O'Farrell
Streets. Anza Vista is located near Alamo Square, a park and playground
surrounded by Victorian homes.
Price Range of Housing: $650,000-$860,000
Alamo Square
These popular four blocks surround the grassy park and playground
called Alamo Square. Most famous for it's picture-perfect row of colorful
Victorians, the "Painted Ladies," Alamo Square has true San Francisco
charm. Attractions include the Addams House at 1198 Fulton Street
and the French-American School at Steiner and grove streets. Alamo
Square borders the Western Addition.
Price Range of Housing: $650,000-$1,850,000
Hayes Valley
This is one of the up-and-coming San Francisco
neighborhoods. Located close to downtown, with Franklin and Divisadero
streets at its east and west boundaries, Hayes Valley has been expanding
with new restaurants and shops. Hayes Street, with boutiques and galleries
is great for browsing and window shopping, as well as serious shopping
and spending. Before the 1989 earthquake, Hayes Valley was known to
have problems with crime. When the earthquake weakened the nearby
overhead freeway, which was then dismantled, the historical, charming
Hayes Valley emerged. Today, Hayes is experiencing a healthy influx
of new residents.
Price Range of Housing: $300,000-$950,000
Western Addition
The Western Addition includes the plateau
west of Civic Center, Stretching west to Masonic and Presidio avenues.
Victorian houses, many restored, dominate the area's architecture.
Sights include the musically historic Fillmore Auditorium. Western
Addition is in walking distance of Davies Symphony Hall, downtown
and San Francisco's main library. In the 1960s and the 1970s redevelopment
took a hold of the Western Addition and many decaying Victorians gave
way to massive apartment complexes near Geary Avenue. More changes
are on the way, a Jazz Preservation District, with federal funding
moving and restore galleries, music and dance clubs.
Price Range of Housing: $350,000-$750,000
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DISTRICT
7
Cow Hollow
Cow Hollow is located between Pacific Heights
and the Marina, consisting of a small section along Union Street.
Once filled with natural springs, sand dunes and a small lagoon, cow
hollow is home to many young professionals and characterized by quaint
homes and apartments. At the heart of Cow hollow is popular Union
Street, which is lined with fashionable shops and restaurants. Bentio
Diaz, a Spanish chaplain, was the fist to inhabit this area. In 1845,
he petitioned the governor for the land and a year later, sold the
area for $1,000 in silver to Thomas G Larkin, a real estate speculator
and dealer in hides. Cow hollow is named after the dairy farms that
comprised the area during the 19th century. Approximately 30 dairies
existed, the largest having more than 200 cows. During the early part
of the century, Cow Hollow's vegetable gardens provided much of its
produce.
Price Range of Housing: $650,000-$3,300,000
Marina
Once marshland, the Marina is now home
to many young professionals and the landmark Palace of Fine Arts.
In 1915, the Place of Fine Arts was built to host the Pan Pacific
Exposition, celebrating the opening physical and economic devastation
of the 1906 earthquake. Designed by Bernard Maybeck, the Palace became
the focal point of the fair. Deeded to the city by the army after
World War II, the once-temporary structure fell to ruin. By the 1950s,
a movement to save the Palace emerged, and the funds were raised to
tear down the entire building and rebuild using permanent materials.
The unique San Francisco landmark is owned by the city and is leased
to the Exploratorium and the Palace of Fine Arts Theater. The Marina
attracts many seeking the pleasures of jogging, sunbathing and strolling
by the bay. The Marina Green is a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors,
with a pedestrian path that is perfect for rollerblading, walking
or running. For shopping enthusiasts, Chestnut Street has many fashionable
shops and boutiques. Fort Mason is also nearby and hosts many cultural
events, including the San Francisco Blues and Jazz Festival. With
views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, the Marina offers a
quaint neighborhood with a relaxed lifestyle.
Price Range of Housing: $600,000-$2,500,000
Pacific Heights
One of the most prestigious neighborhoods
in San Francisco, Pacific Heights is home to the most breathtaking
view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the bay. This neighborhood was
first developed in 1870s to accommodate working-class families that
were moving from wealthy Nob Hill area. Small Victorian homes were
built until the turn of the century when these homes were replaced
with period homes. Still residential, the area is characterized by
painted Victorians, historic chateaus and architecturally superior
mansions. Today, there are many consulatesand consular residences
in Pacific Heights. It is home of many San Francisco's first families,
as well as successful entrepreneurs and artists.
Price Range of Housing: $900,000- 10,000,000
Presidio Heights
Located just west of Pacific Heights and
adjacent to the Presidio, Presidio Heights is a small enclave of elegant
homes. It is a short walk to the fashionable shops of Union and Chestnut
streets. Some of San Francisco's most elite families and dignitaries
reside here.
Price Rang of Housing: $1,125,000-$7,500,000
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DISTRICT
8
Downtown/Financial District
Some call San Francisco's downtown "Wall
Street West" because it is ranked as one of the top four financial
centers in the nation. The Financial District begins at Montgomery
Street and extends east toward the Embarcadero, comprising only a
few city blocks. Montgomery Street has been linked to banking since
the Gold Rush, and today, continues to be a bustling business area.
Two easily recognizable landmarks distinguish Financial District:
rising to 858 feet the Transamerica Pyramid is one of San Francisco's
famous icons and a dominant features in the city's skyline. The 52nd
floor of the Bank of America Building offers breathtaking views of
the city.
Price Range of Housing: $600,000-$1,500,00
North Beach
North Beach is known as the "Little
Italy" of the West, with its abundant Italian Restaurants, cafes
and bakeries. The cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church
gracefully sits on the Northern side of Washington Square, a grassy
center to North Beach's energy and cultural buzz. Every dawn, Washington
Square hosts a handful to a hundred people gathering to practice the
ancient Asian art of Tai Chi. First settled by Italian immigrants
in the 1870s and later populated by a range of nationalities, North
Beach exemplifies San Francisco's diverse populace. The main attractions
of North Beach are its restaurants, which include fine dining, traditional
cafes and Italian delicatessens. The oldest street in the city is
Grant Avenue, extends from Chinatown into North Beach where its Chinese
eateries and shops are transformed to Barbary Coast Saloons, second
hand shops, pizza parlors and clothing boutiques. Very few single
family homes, mostly condos and income properties.
Price Range of Housing: $620,000-$1,150,000
Nob Hill
Nob Hill hosts some of the most elite San
Francisco address, as well as some of San Francisco's riches history.
With the completion of the cable car in 1843, the influential and
wealthy move to Nob Hill. In the late 1800s, major figures of the
mining and railroad industries resided in the huge mansions that now
make up the Fairmont hotel, Stoufer Stanford Court, Hunting Hotel
and Mark Hopkins inter-continental Hotel. Today, Grace Cathedral sits
beautifully atop the hill, with the Fairmont hotel and the Pacific
Union Club nearby. Impressive apartments and flats dot the area. Taylor
and Jones streets offer a few select restaurants and shops, while
the cable car makes it's way through the neighborhood giving it true
San Francisco flavor.
Price Range of Housing: $700,000-$3,000,000
Russian Hill
Russian Hill's world famous Lombard Street
twists down the hill to the delight of tourists and the dismay of
cab drivers. Just west of North Beach and east of the Marina, Russian
Hill offers outstanding views of the San Francisco Bay and downtown.
A cable car line begins at the base of Hyde Street, traveling up Russian
and Nob Hills. The area is mainly residential. Locals enjoy Polk Street
with its restaurants, bars, fruit and flower markets, boutiques and
cafes. This neighborhood is quintessential San Francisco. It can be
tough to find housing whether you are renting or buying. A mix of
homes, units and condos.
Price Range of Housing: $775,000-$5,000,000
Telegraph Hill
Coit Tower, a 180-foot tower resembling
a fire-hose nozzle, sits authoritatively at the top of Telegraph Hill.
The tower, built in 1933, was a gift to the city from Lillie Hitchcock
Coit, who requested the monument be built in honor of the fireman
at Knikerboker Engine Co. The hill was originally referred to as "Signal
Hill" when a semaphore system was installed to alert residents
that a ship was coming through the golden gate. In 1850, the Marina
Telegraph replaced the semaphore, and they were officially named Telegraph
Hill. By the end of the 19th century, the area was still ethnically
diverse with large populations of Irish, Italians, Germans, Spanish
and Portuguese. Because the hill was surrounded by the fishing and
shipping industries, the neighborhood had never been home to the wealthy.
With the building of Coit Tower, the hill became automobile accessible.
Consequently, Telegraph Hill became an expensive neighborhood for
those seeking panoramic views of the bay. A mixture of Victorian Era,
Art Deco to Contemporary buildings are scattered throughout this hill.
Price Range of Housing: $625,000-$7,000,000
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DISTRICT
9
Bernal Heights
South of the Mission District and bordered
by Cesar Chavez/Army Street, Bayshore and Alemany boulevards, Bernal
Heights with its pastel-colored houses sits quietly away from the
hustle and bustle of urban San Francisco. Its open-space hill keeps
Bernal Heights from straying too far from rural, remaining distantly
connected to its farming history. In 1776, this area was deeded to
Juan Francisco Bernal, and continued for a century to serve as grazing
grounds for goats and sheep.
Price Range of Housing: $400,000-$900,000
Yerba Buena
This neighborhood South of Market (SoMa)
is centered around the Yerba Buena Center and Gardens, which is quickly
becoming a sophisticated center for art and business. Yerba Buena
Gardens boasts a five-acre, well-manicured green space in this SoMa
location. While many young people populate the area, enjoying the
clubs, museums, restaurants and high-energy atmosphere, Yerba Buena
has a thriving senior population, with six housing projects erected
during the 1980s. Yerba Buena was named after the wild mint that once
flourished here. Today, high-rise condominiums, warehouses and lofts
dominate the area. Highways 280 and 80 (the Oakland-San Francisco
Bay Bridge) are easily accessible from Yerba Buena.
Price Range of Housing: $400,000-$950,000
South Beach
South Beach encompasses the lively Embarcadero,
South Park, the new Pacific Bell Park and the newly constructed Muni
Metro extension. The San Francisco Giants' ballpark has transformed
the area, bringing clean streets and new cafes to this South of Market
neighborhood. The Embarcadero, with its waterfront sidewalks, draws
skateboarders, lunchtime joggers and tourists enjoying the bay view.
South Park (off of 2nd Street) was developed in 1852 to resemble a
London Square. Today, the area hosts many dot com companies, design
studios and other businesses and lofts around its green center. Cafes
and chic restaurants line South Park as well. Another San Francisco
icon, the Palace Hotel on the corner of Market and New Montgomery
Streets, has been around since 1873. Having been remodeled several
times, the hotel has maintained much of its original architecture.
The palace has been host to several high-profile guests, including
Queen Victoria and U.S. presidents. Dominant housing is condos and
lofts.
Price Range of Housing: $400,000-$800,000
Mission Bay
Mission Bay, also know as Mission Rock,
Mission Creek and China Basin, is a rapidly evolving area of the city,
thanks in part to the new San Francisco Giants' stadium. This eclectic
neighborhood features San Francisco's houseboat enclave, as well as
the Lefty O'Doul drawbridge and a new University of California, San
Francisco, campus. Mission Bay affords great city and bay views from
its free-standing homes, town houses, flat-style condos, warehouse
spaces and lofts, and multi-unit buildings. It is hard to beat the
convenience and proximity to Highways 80 and 101, as well as the Caltrain
station.
Price Range of Housing: $350,000-$600,000
Potrero Hill
Potrero Hill sits south of 16th Street and is framed by Potrero Avenue,
Cesar Chavez/Army Street and Highway 280. The neighborhood has a community
feel all its own; it even has its own weekly newspaper, the Potrero
View. Pleasant window shopping and café dining is popular with locals.
The Potrero Hill Neighborhood House has existed for almost a century
and is used by residents for various occasions, such as town meetings
and recitals. This area of the city gets more sun than most and has
attracted a lively mix of professionals and artists. Residences are
comprised of freestanding houses (many built in Victorian architecture),
town homes, flat-style condominiums, warehouse spaces, lofts and multi-unit
buildings. Many enjoy outstanding city views from the 300-foot high
hill. Potrero Hill is rich in history, originally serving as farmland
until the 1870s, when immigrants-Scottish, Irish and Italian-began
populating the area. In the early 20th century, Potrero Hill was known
as Scottish Hill.
Price Range of Housing: $500,000-$1,800,000
South of Market
South of market (SoMa) is one of the richest
historical areas in the city, and today, has a character all its own.
In the early 20th century, the city blocks of SoMa were made larger
than those north of Market to facilitate development of the city's
industrial, utility and transportation hub. Although the wealthy migrated
to Rincon Hill for the views of the Bay, the majority of SoMa was
referred to as the "flatlands surrounded by freeways." Author Jack
Kerouac describes living and working in SoMa in his prose collection,
Lonesome Traveler, referring to his time as a brakeman at a shipyard
in the 1950s. Today, SoMa is the creative, cutting-edge center of
the city, home to the majority of graphic arts, design, film, multimedia
businesses and more, many of which are thriving on the dot-com revolution.
The vibe is funky and high-energy, and by day, stylish "20-and-30-somethings"walk
briskly to and from their loft or warehouse offices. Culture abounds
in SoMa, with the Yerba Buena Center, the city's modern and beautiful
Moscone Convention Center, SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern
Art), the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the Ansel Adams Museum
of Photography and more. Shopping is plentiful in SoMa, with boutiques
and specialty stores sprinkled throughout. By night, SoMa bustles
with cool and hip restaurants and nightclubs, many hosting nightcrawlers
until the wee hours of the morning. SoMa has made a reputation for
itself, drawing big-name musicians to entertain club-goers. Residential
buildings in SoMa are mostly town homes, flat-style condos, warehouse
spaces and lofts, and multi-unit buildings.
Price Range of Housing: $400,000-$1,200,000
Mission
The Mission is home to the city's oldest
structure, Mission Dolores, the sixth Franciscan mission along El
Camino Real. Located nearby is the ornate Mission Dolores Basilica.
Within the Mission area, it is easy to find spicy taquerias, Mexican
bakeries and colorful murals depicting Mexican and Latino history.
The original Levi Strauss factory is located in this area at 250 Valencia
Street. Today, the Mission is popular area for a mix of working class
Latino families, young professionals, artists and others who enjoy
its culturally diverse atmosphere.
Price Range of Housing: $300,000-$800,000
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DISTRICT
10
Bayview/Hunters Point
This working-class neighborhood is on
the southeast side of the city and it near the former Navy yard and
3Com (Candlestick) Park. There is a mixture of single-family homes,
apartments and factories. The main commercial strip for this area
is Third Street. The boundaries for Hunters Point include Mendell
Street, Evans and Palou avenues and the bay. In 1867, Hunters Point
served as the site of the first permanent dry dock on the Pacific
Coast. By 1939, the Navy purchased the site to use as a shipyard.
Along Hunters Point Boulevard are small boat-repair yards, spots for
fishing and an old stone brewery.
Price Range of Housing: $275,000-$550,000
Crocker Amazon
Crocker Amazon is a middle-class neighborhood
on land that once belonged to the Crocker Estate. The neighborhood
is well maintained, with some streets beautifully landscaped and most
front yards well manicured. Boundaries include Amazon and Crocker
avenues, Mission Street and McLaren Park.
Price Range of Housing: $300,000-$650,000
Excelsior
Excelsior borders McLaren Park on the east
and Portola District on the north. The home in this area are about
50 years old and older, and are predominantly single-family, stucco
and wood frame. There are also apartments, duplexes and public housing
available. Only a short bus ride to downtown, excelsior is near Highways
101 and 280, and close to a BART station.
Price Range of Housing: $275,000-$550,000
Portola Heights
This area is also known as University Mound,
because its street names include Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Yale.
Landmarks include a home for the elderly, the Convent of the Good
Shepherd home for girls and McLaren Park.
Price Range of Housing: $400,000 to $500,000
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