What are REALLY the Hottest (and coolest!) Neighborhoods in SF Today?

We've seen a few recent social media posts about what the "hottest" neighborhoods in San Francisco are. But what's real and what's just hype? Let's check out the data.

Where is overbidding highest in San Francisco right now? 

Breaking down San Francisco by district, one continues to be a standout on the heat meter: District 2 - the Sunset and Parkside neighborhoods. Looking at YTD data, August hit a new all-time high with sales prices averaging 35% over the list price. 

You can chalk that up to demand, of course, but also to a years-long trend of dramatic underpricing in the southwest side of town. 

Second place in the overbidding race is District 5, which to no one's surprise includes Noe Valley, Dolores Heights, the Castro, Duboce Triangle, and Cole Valley; neighborhoods that have seen many of those 2026 sales that have notoriously sold for more than $1MM over the asking price.

Where is overbidding lowest? 

District 7 (Cow Hollow, Marina, Presidio Hts, Pacific Heights) and District 9 (South Beach, SOMA, Mission Bay, Inner Mission, Bernal, etc) with average sales prices at 9% and 7% over the asking price, respectively. 

However,  within District 9 there are some notable discrepancies in what's happening on the ground. Bernal Heights, with its concentration of single family homes, is still trending at almost 30% average over the list price - close to the Sunset - while SOMA and South Beach sales prices are actually averaging below the asking price. 

How many homes are selling over the asking price? 

Here's where it gets interesting. The number is almost certainly lower than you think. 

In the Sunset and Parkside the number is close to 100% - almost every single home is selling over the asking price. That's not the case everywhere. 

In District 5 (Noe Valley, etc) 75% of homes are selling for more than the list price. In District 7 (Marina, Cow Hollow), it's 61%. Which means 25%-39%  are selling at or under the list price. Anyone currently shopping for a home is probably asking themselves…. where the heck are these unicorn properties?!

They're at lots of different price points, styles, and locations. They do have one thing in common… They're not single family homes. Which is great news if you're looking for a condo, co-op or TIC. Whatever you're looking for…. don't sleep on the places with longer Days on Market! That's a perennial hot tip from your friendly neighborhood real estate specialists.

There you have it - no hype, just numbers. This is what the San Francisco market is up to this month. For more detailed data or to learn how to play like a winner in this crazy market, contact us anytime.