San Francisco Real Estate For Sale In CA

Before 1849, San Francisco had already gone through many transitions, from a small community that rose around a mission to a town known as Yerba Buena, which was renamed San Francisco in 1846. Three years later, the population of the city just about exploded due to hopes of wealth during the California Gold Rush. Other transformations would follow, as the surrounding Bay Area became a center of trade due to the establishment of the Pacific Railroad, then later a financial capital that remained afloat even during the Great Depression, and then in the 1990s, the focus of what would come to be known as the dot-com boom. That dot-com boom resulted in today’s Silicon Valley, and San Francisco is now home to some of the world’s biggest names in technology. The current California real estate market is booming, and San Francisco is leading the way.

There are 36 official neighborhoods within the city of San Francisco, but some of these neighborhoods are sectioned into smaller districts. San Francisco’s neighborhoods and districts are diverse, each with its own character, history, and culture. Three of the most popular are profiled below. 

This trendy area is rife with artists and young professionals hoping to taste a bite of the neighborhood’s vibrant, long history. It is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, located in the eastern central region. In the Mission District, just about every street is lined with colorful murals and from every corner wafts the incredible smells of authentic Mexican food. San Francisco real estate in this area sells at a median price of $1.1 million. The average cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment is around $3000.

South of the Mission District is one of the most family-centric neighborhoods in the city. The atmosphere is quiet and friendly, and walking down any given street will most likely lead you to a playground or a community garden. The neighborhood is close-knit and has a long tradition of community participation in just about every decision that occurs here. The median price of a home for sale in this area is $1.6 million, while the average cost of rent for an apartment is in the high $2k range.

If you're looking for real estate in San Francisco with an incredible view, you’ll want to see these neighborhoods. They line the San Francisco Bay, and living here means you’ll be able to see the Golden Gate Bridge from your backyard or take a walk down to Pier 39, the city’s most frequently visited attraction. You’ll have to have some patience for tourists, but on the other hand, attempts to impress tourists mean the area has some of the best food and shopping in all of San Francisco. Single-family homes in this area sell at a median price in the low $1.1 million range. A one-bedroom apartment averages around the low $3k range.

Education is a serious business in San Francisco. Nearly half of adults in San Francisco have college degrees, second to only Seattle out of the top major American cities. Although the city is not very large geographically, there are 25 institutions of higher learning within its boundaries. Schooling for the K-12 population is also important. In fact, the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), which oversees all of the public schools within both the city of San Francisco and the surrounding county, was the first public school district established in the state of California.

Real estate in San Francisco has access to some of the country’s best schools for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Many of these schools have been recognized throughout the years as Blue Ribbon Schools, a recognition awarded by the United States Department of Education. These excellent schools are not concentrated in any one area; instead, they are scattered throughout the city. Each school has its own special culture, and many of them offer something a little “extra” that sets them apart.

Based on data, including test results, the quality of teachers, and the safety and well-being of the students, the highest-rated school in the city is Sunset Elementary, located in the Sunset District near the ocean. The New School of San Francisco, serving K-6, is situated in Potrero Hill. The New School uses a holistic approach with student-led inquiry at the center of its curriculum. George Peabody Elementary, Yick Wo Elementary School, Claire Lilienthal Elementary (K-8), and the Chinese Immersion School at Deavila are just a few of the other exceptional public schools part of SFUSD.

The highest-ranked high school in the city is Lowell High School in Lakeshore. This school, listed among the top 100 high schools in the country, provides its students with a rigorous curriculum with a heavy focus on STEAM and foreign languages. It holds more athletic championship titles than any other high school in the city, and its alumni include three Nobel Prize winners. 

Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts in Glen Park is another excellent school, though its approach is less traditional, down to the structure of the classrooms themselves. Students must audition to be admitted into the school. Once enrolled, students spend much of their time focusing on one of the arts alongside the rigorous academic curriculum. 

A few other standout high schools in San Francisco include Abraham Lincoln High in Parkside, Galileo High School in Russian Hill, and George Washington High School in Outer Richmond. All three of these schools have excellent ratings in standardized testing, school culture, and teacher quality.

There are 21 zip codes within the city limits of San Francisco, going from 94102 - 94134. Some of the most popular zip codes in San Francisco are:

San Francisco real estate is located in San Francisco County.

School in San Francisco begins in mid-August and lasts through early June, with multi-day breaks in November, December, and late March or early April.

Residents of San Francisco real estate pay a notoriously high cost of living in exchange for the comfort and beauty of such a unique city. Currently, the median sale price for all home types is between $1.2 and $1.7 million. Single-family homes for sale in San Francisco are the most expensive at the high end of that range, while condos are the least expensive. 

The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) provides commercial and international flights into and out of the city.