Stage 52, Duboce Triangle (5j)

(Click Image for Larger View)

Vienna might have the Bermuda Dreieck, but not only does San Francisco have the yuppie watering holes in the Marina oft referred to as "The Triangle", but we have our very own district that is actually cut out like a triangle as well, Duboce Triangle. It is perhaps the only district in San Francisco which has a name that matches it's shape.

If you look at the map above you'll see it is bordered by Castro, Duboce, and Market Streets, situated very close to the geographical center of San Francisco. Duboce Triangle is a vibrant, lively, and in some places a little rough around the edges (just as any good city neighborhood should be) district close to just about anything anybody could ever need. The north end of this district is a hop, skip, and a jump away from both the stores on the southern end of Divisadero, as well as the vibrant urban beat of the Lower Haight. On the south end of the district you're a stone's throw away from the Castro and all it has to offer, including some of the great establishments on Market Street. If you yourself are a bit more edgy (thinking tattoos, piercings, artistic, etc.), you'll probably gravitate more towards the Lower Haight part of this district. If you don't like rainbow flags hanging from buildings and homes, be warned, Duboce Triangle has many.

Public transportation is all around, Safeway (grocery store) is walking distance from any home, as is the great corner store on 14th St. and Castro (Courtney's Produce). McKinley Elementary is on the edge of this district, and if you need to get your body pump on, Max Muscle promises to be a good fit (for some). There is a great, extremely dog friendly, park (Duboce Park), which also has a great little playground, a hospital (CPMC Davies Campus), restaurants galore (many with great outdoor seating), and a proximity to all points of the city that is hard to beat, not to mention the J Church runs right on and picks up passengers on Duboce.

As for the homes vibe, if you're looking for big trees lining the streets and an abundance of Victorians and Edwardians, then this area is for you. Not too many steep hills either, and you can even find a home on a flat street. You'll notice a lack of photos of homes with this district as the trees tend to obscure a lot of the homes (the photo worthy homes that is). There is definitely a higher percentage of mixed use, high density living here than there are single family homes, but that doesn't make it feel any less neighborhoody.

Generally, the homes are very well cared for, but as is the case with every district, there are a couple forgotten homes here and there. If you have a problem living close to commercial/industrial spaces, then definitely don't look for a home near the Market Street side of this district, especially the east end of 15th St. That's not to say there aren't great homes on the south end of Noe as it meets Market, but just keep it in mind, commercial areas are all around.

Homes tend to sell pretty quickly in this area if they are priced right (heard that before haven't you?), but they do not appeal to as wide of a buyer pool as some other areas of town simply for the reason that this area can be a bit more "edgy" than others. But that's what I personally like about it.

There is also a great art studio that was previously for sale (Belcher Studios), and the residence came along with it. I'm not quite sure what happened with that sale, but if you're interested, drop me a line and I'll look into it.

As for the weather, it's great! Sunny in the summer, thanks to the ridge to the west (blocks the fog) and sunny in the winter (when it's not raining). Wind is not too bad either.

That ought to give you a pretty good sense of this area, so on to the photos...

Courtney's Market on 14th and Castro

Big Green Monster on Walter

15th Street Homes near Market
A modern home in otherwise Victorian country, Beaver at Noe
Trees everywhere!
There is a home hiding behind there on Beaver
Great cafe/restaurant on the corner of Noe and Market
Belcher Studios.  The art hiding behind these walls is incredible. 
Home on Noe
Duboce Park Cafe
Noe
15th
Homes on end of 15th St

Noe 

The forgotten soul
Duboce Park.  Huge grassy area for the dogs.  Pick up after your pets!

That's going to do it for another stage of the Tour de San Francisco (real estate). Thanks for reading. Happy house hunting, and get out there and explore this great city!

Stage 51, Clarendon Heights (5h)

Has it really been four months since the last stage of the Tour? Wow! Well then...on with things.

Every time I drive around these nano-markets and really take a close look at the homes and all the different streets, properties, and people living in these tiny little areas that make up the larger city we call San Francisco, I'm reminded just how great this city is, and how unbelievably unique each and every home is. Clarendon Heights is certainly no exception.

Clarendon Heights is nestled into the northeastern slope of Twin Peaks and as a result many of the homes have absolutely amazing views of downtown San Francisco. Some homes have Golden Gate and Bay Bridge views and I'd bet that on a clear day these lucky owners could even see the Richmond Bridge way up north. One downside to living on this hill with these amazing views...fog and WIND! Yes CAPS is necessary. In the spring and summer the wind absolutely whips over the mountain and funnels down into the Cole Valley banana belt that enjoys more sun because of the mountain that blocks all that fog and wind...Clarendon Heights is that mountain. The fog hangs up and creeps over this hill like an army marching in. Some people ask why I focus so much on the fog. That's a simple answer, every single client I've ever worked with has discussed either not wanting to live in the fog, or not minding it. Weather is an important part of "location, location, location". To me the wind is more of an issue, but what do I know.

The architecture you'll find in this area covers the entire spectrum from Tudors, to Italianesque Villas, to Mid-Century boxes, to the ultra sleek modern homes you might see in a magazine. For the most part homes in this area are very well cared for, especially on the more western edge of this district (St. Germain, Mountain Spring, Glenbrook streets). When you head to the east there is a little pocket of nice homes, but there just doesn't seem to be that same pride of ownership (Racoon comes to mind). Generally, homes in this area (like most in the city) sell well. But as the market has changed, so too has the desire for high end big viewed homes with a very small pool of buyers.

So what about traffic? Clarendon and Twin Peaks are pretty heavily traveled and there is a good amount of road noise and accelerations going on, as many people use this route to get from areas like Forest Hill, and West Portal to Haight-Ashbury, Downtown, and other points in the northern part of the city.

Recreation? Hill climbs. Lots of them. Stairs, and possibly hang-gliding if you're so inclined. Joking aside, there are some walking trails near Mt Sutro, there are great views to be had from Tank Hill, and you could certainly build your quads for a cramp-free ski season, otherwise, I'd consider major recreation a bike or car ride away.

All in all, Clarendon Heights is yet another gem of a district. The views (as stated) are amazing, the homes are mostly awesome, and the location (in my opinion) is top-notch. If you don't mind a bit of fog, and a lot of wind, you might just consider Clarendon Heights in your home search.

Enough chatter...on to the photos:
You know all those homes you see up there nestled under that massive Sutro Tower?  That's Clarendon Heights. 

This shot taken from 17th St. looking up the hill.  This is the north side of the district. 

These are the hills and homes on the east side of the hill and district looking up towards Twin Peaks road that winds up the hill.  Streets nestled up here are Villa, Greystone, Pemberton Place, Racoon, Crown Terrace.
Villa looking up to Twin Peaks.

That home up there on the right of the pink home has got to be the highest (elevation) home in SF.
Home on Clarendon close to where Twin Peaks intersects.
Somehow this photo reminds me of something you'd see clinging to the Cinque Terre, although not as nice. 
Crown Terrace homes have a lot of color.
and character
Sucker for the modern ones...Crown Terrace
The last home on the block.  DO NOT drive a large car down this street! Crown Terrace that is. 
Crown Terrace looking back to Twin Peaks
The forgotten soul...Racoon.
Twin Peaks and Mountain Spring
Glenbrook and St. Germain.  Green grass and great views!
Saint Germain ends at Mt Sutro
A closer look at 130 Palo Alto (on the left in the photo),  the highest home in San Francisco. They should have some sort of plaque out front or something. Palo Alto
When you get near the end of Palo Alto, park, and walk down a bit further.  Very cool homes and area to see. 
Fly fishing anyone?  This shot taken on Palo Alto looking towards the Twin Peaks lookout area.    
Not bad views...
Palo Alto and Glenbrook corner home
Saint Germain

A favorite on Mountain Spring and Glenbrook

Diamond in the rough mid-century on Mountain Spring.
Tudor?
Spanish Mediterranean? 
70's and 80's?  These might actually even be Mid-Century...I'm just guessing on these. 
Mountain Spring has it all!

A Villa?

Mountain Spring continues to bring the different types and styles.

If Sutro Tower ever fell, assuming the prevailing North Westerly winds, Clarendon might actually be spared, because this thing would fall towards Midtown Terrace and Twin Peaks.
Mountain Spring views and a roof (shitty photo I know), but check that view...and the Mid-Century home that's hiding beneath.
Under that roof, you get these views. 
Ahhhh, so nice!  Clarendon gem. 
And that's gonna do it for another stage of the Tour de San Francisco (real estate).  Thanks for reading to the end, and I hope to see you back here again soon.  Don't forget...need help with real estate, you know who to call.  

Stage 50, Corona Heights (5g)

Nestled into the eastern slope of the ridge that runs from Twin Peaks northward, Corona Heights is in a class all by itself. The streets are windy, narrow, steep, quiet, very quaint in places, and extremely busy in others (17th, Market, and Clayton come to mind.) You'd almost think that if there were not homes here, there would be vineyards tucked into the hillside that enjoyed the moisture from the fog spilling over the hill from Cole Valley, and the warmth from the sun that shines in Noe Valley (I'm no wine expert, but it just has that feel.) However, the wind on the crest where 17th St. and Clayton intersect might make you think more about the summit of Mt. Everest than the serenity of Tuscany or Napa Valley. Even on a calm day the wind blows there, and when the rest of the city is windy, forget about wearing a skirt up there. It absolutely NUKES! There are many little pockets on the east slope that are very sheltered from the wind, so don't let that deter you from having a look at Corona Heights.

The homes in this area sell very well, and the styles of architecture run anywhere from mid-century boxes (which we love), and grand Victorians, to modern masterpieces. The street names are straight out of an Astronomy book (Uranus, Saturn, Mars, Vulcan, Ord), and on a clear night the city views from many of the homes are truly out of this world.

The area is very close to tons of great shopping and restaurants of the Castro, Haight, Cole Valley, and even some cool little shops on Market. There is a great public school in this district, McKinley Elementary on the corner of 14th St. and Castro, and access to Public Transportation is a snap.

All in all, this neighborhood (like all the others) is very different from its neighboring districts and the types of homes vary widely, so if it is on your radar, I highly suggest you spend some time (morning, noon, and night) checking this area out.

Homes on Corbett (the 37 MUNI line runs down Corbett)
On Corbett looking up to Clayton
Corner of Clayton and Corbett (the homes are not sinking, I was)
Modern Architecture on Uranus
This home is on Deming, which is not on the map, but connects from Uranus to Clayton
Home on Levant (purple is in!)
Modern design on the corner of Levant and Lower Terrace
Coming soon: something on Ord Court
Ord Court
This is a really cool little purple house on Corbett (200 Corbett post on theFrontSteps.com)

Randall Museum

Homes on the corner of Roosevelt and Museum
McKinley Elementary School (not the best photo, I know)
Home up on 16th (@ Flint)
Mid-Century homes on Flint
Upper Terrace Market on the corner of 17th and Uranus
Mid-Century apartments on Roosevelt
Dr. Seuss loved these trees didn't he? (Roosevelt Way)
Some of the views you'll see in this district (these from Roosevelt Way)


Woah! (Do the Roosevelts live here?)


Get your bearings
And that is just about it. Like always, if you have any questions about this neighborhood, property in this area, or anywhere in San Francisco for that matter, do not hesitate to contact me (sfnewsletter @ gmail . com, or alexclark @ gmail . com)

Stage 49, Buena Vista Park (5f)

My goodness it's been a long time since we've done a stage. Good thing this is a relatively small district and we can ease back into the flow of the Tour de San Francisco (real estate). Today brings us to a very green (buzzword these days) part of San Francisco...Buena Vista Park. How did it get it's name, well...the park!

One Entrance to Buena Vista Park near Duboce
As you might be able to gather from this district if you have any inkling of the Spanish language this area has really, really great views from just about every angle. This area pretty much encircles B.V park and the names of Buena Vista street coincide accordingly (Buena Vista East, and Buena Vista West). On the west side there are great views to the North and West (obviously) and on the East, great views toward downtown and all the rising condo towers.

Views from B.V. West towards St. Ignatius/Lone Mountain and Marin Headlands (USF)
Views from Buena Vista East towards downtown (at Duboce)

Most of the homes in this area run with the Victorians and Edwardians and can tend to be quite grand, but there are the occasional mid-century gems thrown in just for fun and to break things up. The streets are quiet (relatively) and the neighborhood is good. There is a bit of riff-raffy spillover from Haight St., but what do you expect when you live so close to it?

Home on the corner of Buena Vista West and Java
Literally the other side of the street on Java


Homes down on Buena Vista West at Waller
Home on Buena Vista West with heavy security

Careful!
Home on the corner where B.V. East meets B.V. West
There is one thing that you'll definitely notice when driving this area is an abundance of Palm trees. Make no mistake, we love ourselves some tropical flavor, but we're just sayin'.

Something tells me when this house comes on the market it will say, "Original condition. First time on market in 60 years." This home is on Alpine.

Taken from Alpine looking up Towards B.V. Terrace
This is a great home tucked into the corner on Broderick where Waller connects.
Multi units on Waller

Forgotten units on Waller at Alpine. Alpine btw right here is sooo steep!
Buena Vista East heading (and looking) west.

Did Dr. Seuss live here, or just the Lorax?

Home (and Palm) on the corner of B.V. Terrace and B.V. East

For the most part, homes tend to sell relatively quickly in this area and are very sought after. Of course, it always comes down to price. Location to all the great things San Francisco has to offer is just around every corner. Haight Street is a stones throw away, as is the Castro, and all the new and bustling areas on Divasadero leading to NOPA. There are lots and lots of trees, lots of hills and tons of great homes. As I always like to advise, if wind bothers you, this area gets really , really windy. But, like all things in San Francisco, you have to take the good with the bad to get the benefit of living in a great city.

Don't forget, if you really want to cruise the streets of Buena Vista Park, you should get out there and do it, and this area is small enough you could probably walk the whole thing in an hour. Who needs a car anyway!?

Questions? Don't hesitate to ask (sfnewsletter@gmail.com).

p.s. I may amend this post as the day and week goes on. I wanted it up for today's issue of sfnewsletter. Better yet, add your take in the comments below!

Stage 48, Parnassus/Ashbury Heights (Cole Valley) (5e)

Ooh la la! Before we begin telling you about one of our favorite areas in all the city for numerous reasons, let's first make something clear. We always refer to the SFAR disctrict map when talking about neighborhoods, in order to keep things consistent. However, we must say, a large portion of this area is commonly referred to as Cole Valley.

The homes in this area sell very well. They are generally older (early 1900's) single family homes, but there are also a fair share of condos and apartment buildings. The streets are narrow, winding in many places, and very lush and green because of all the large trees lining them. (Think major hay fever here!) Many of the homes have awesome views, it's relatively quiet (except Parnassus, Stanyan, 17th St, Clayton, and Masonic streets), you're a stones throw away from the Haight with all its shops and restaurants, and there is a major medical facility nearby (UCSF)for when your heart fails walking up the steep hills to your front door (God forbid!). Not only that, but it's a quick skip over 17th Street into the Castro/Upper Market area, and also quick to get over Parnassus into the 9th and Irving area.

There is a great elementary school right smack dab in the middle of this district (Grattan), and the streets are kept clean, the people are smiling, and the weather somehow avoids the fog that most of the western half of the city is victim to. This is in large part due to the amphitheatre shape of the area tucked behind Twin Peaks...think Banana Belt. There is one thing to think about if you don't like wind, do not buy a home up on Clifford Terrace/Upper Terrace near Monument. It absolutely NUKES up there in springtime.

Enough said, get out and see, and check out our pics below.

Homes up on Belgrave, a very, very quiet and cool street. Views are incredible up here!

Belgrave at Stanyan

Upper Stanyan home also at Belgrave. This place could fit right into Big Sur.

Spanish Mediterranean on Belgrave? Variety is the spice of life!
This place is on the end of Belgrave right next to Tank Hill. Killer views up here!
Belgrave looking up towards Forest Knolls, Clarendon Heights
Views from Tank Hill


Upper Stanyan home...modern! We like it!

Stanyan
Stanyan
Stanyan
Belgrave

Woodland. Big trees, quiet streets, big homes.

Woodland where it curves to Willard Woodland
Stanyan
Stanyan

Edgewood at Belmont

Woodland
Farnsworth
Woodland
Woodland

Woodland meets Willard
Edgewood

Edgewood Close up shot of the brick street of Edgewood (Pave!)
Back of homes on Cole

Belvedere
Modern on Belvedere

They don't call it Belvedere for nothing!
Belvedere up at Carmel

Home on Rivoli across from Grattan playground
Cole
Cole (see the tiny blue awning, that's La Boulange de Cole)
Grattan Elementary School's new mural!

Delmar home

Delmar
Ashbury Terrace (so green with the Prius!)
Shrader homes
Adel's on the corner of Belvedere and 17th St.
Views from Upper Terrace down into this very district.

Upper Terrace
Clifford
Clifford
Ashbury Terrace

Ashbury Terrace

Upper Terrace around Monument
The monument. To what you ask? Please tell us!
Upper Terrace looking to Sutro Tower
Upper Terrace
The nicest home in the neighborhood on Masonic

Homes on Masonic
Masonic

Masonic Masonic

And we're done! Thanks for getting to the bottom. Go check the area out on your own. It's wonderful!

Stage 47, Twin Peaks (5d)

Here we are again, another week, another stage. This time we take a trip into the hills of Twin Peaks (History). Going from last week's Stage in Noe Valley, we almost felt lost. Like we'd gone to a different planet, state, or city. It was like we took a step back in time to the 60's. Turns out, it's just another reason San Francisco and all of its tiny nano-markets are the way they are.

Here's a snapshot of the sales averages:




Twin Peaks has one thing going for it that truly can't be matched (in our opinion)... views, views, views, and more views. The views of the City and Bay are truly extraordinary. If you've never been up to the top of Twin Peaks, you owe it to yourself to hop in your car and make the journey. Better yet, hop on your bike or strap on those shoes and get that heart rate going. Think about how much fun it will be on the way down. (Our pictures don't do it justice.)

The homes are built like staircases into the hill and one thing you'll notice when you look at this area...fire escapes, lots of them.

Single family homes are few and far between in this area. Condominiums, town-homes, and apartment buildings reign supreme. If you're looking for mid-century architecture you might think about looking here. Our first pick for mid-centuries is still Diamond Heights, but you'll find some gems here too.

The three busiest streets are Corbett (37 Muni line), Burnett, and of course Upper Market. The quietest areas would have to be up around Villa Terrace and Graystone. Villa Terrace actually starts in district 5h, Clarendon Heights, but continues into Twin Peaks. This street is TINY! It feels a lot like something you'd see in the hills of Italy. What's even more interesting is the Pemberton staircase that serves as the border between the two districts. Technically, it's Clarendon Heights, but take a drive (or walk) up there and see the difference in architecture from one side to the other, then allow us to say, "We told you so." ;-)

Twin Peaks is a great area, with some great architecture and fabulous views. It can be a bit windy and foggy in summer, but so can a whole bunch of other districts in San Francisco. We invite you to check it out.

Here are some photos to help paint the picture.

How about some hoops on Hopkins?

Pemberton Stairs
Villa Terrace looking towards Graystone
Home at Villa and Graystone
Graystone
Home on the end of Romain right above Market Street

Copper Alleyway (Staircase)
On Corbett looking up to Sutro Tower


Home on Hopkins

Romain's little tiny red tile roofed single family homes

Garages on the street, homes hiding down the hill below.

We can't figure out which is better, the motor home, or the home.
Gardenside
Gardenside
Perego
Homes on Crestline

Crestline from the back
Parkridge, how about the curves on that home!

What's the point of putting windows streetside. All the views are the other way anyway.
That's it! Thanks for reading to the end. See you soon.

Stage 46, Noe Valley (5c)

Here we are again for another stage of our tour. We've been through quite a few neighborhoods, and have quite a few more to go. Today we venture into Noe Valley.

We wonder if the Castro had anything to do with this rainbow in Noe.

Generally speaking (we kind of have to) Noe Valley is one of the most popular home buying destinations in all of San Francisco. It is in large part protected by the wind and fog San Francisco is so accustomed to, many of the homes are very well taken care of, and many have unbelievable views in all directions. Homes in this area sell very well...very well. Whether they are fixers, turn key, or multi unit, this is a very sound place to place some of your money in San Francisco real estate.

Noe Valley is often accused of "having too many strollers". That is because it is a great place for raising a family, so how can you blame the families from wanting to be there. The weather is nice, there are shops for all the mommies, and there is definitely a sense of community here.

One thing we feel compelled to say...When we do these tours, we literally drive every street in every district and take photos of things we find define the area and give you a glimpse of what you can expect when you head there on your own. We're usually very inspired to snap photo after photo to post to this site; however, in Noe Valley we were oddly uninspired. Maybe it was sensory overload because there were so many properties, but we almost feel it was more that there isn't too much architectural diversity that justified a plethora of photos. For the most part, Noe Valley is either Victorians or Edwardians like these.

23rd Street at Castro (The Painted Ladies ain't got nothin' on these beauties!)
Upper 22nd Street looking down east
Of course getting inside these homes is an entirely different thing, but from the streets, there isn't too much change from one area to another. There were a few standouts where people have broken the mold (quite refreshing actually), and there are definitely areas that are distinctly different than others, but generally Noe can be summed up by the photos we've selected above.

Here are a few standouts that caught our eye.

25th Street Modern


Modern on 23rd St.
What about the streets? We should all know that 24th St. is essentially the "heart" of Noe, but there is also great stuff on Church down near 29th St, tons of action on Guerrero (the eastern border of Noe, which no surprise feels much more like the Mission), and even a few cute little places on Sanchez. Grand View has just that, Grand Views, as well as the 48 Quintara Muni Bus that races up the street like a bat out of hell. Church has the J-Line Street Car, Clipper is very busy, Noe (the street) is extremely busy, as is Castro, Diamond, and surprisingly 23rd (likely a lot of traffic by-passing 24th).

Noe Valley central, 24th Street

Vicksburg
Noe


Homes are different south of Clipper as shown here. Much more "Sunset" or "Parkside"
Sanchez
Stores on 24th Street


Grandview looking to Upper Market raised roadway. Apartments on the left.

How's this for a-typical Noe up on Grand View
Views into Noe Valley from 23rd Street
High Street
Views from High Street

11 High Street
That's it for now. We might amend this tour as we see fit or get more photos, but for now, we wish you a fun filled weekend.