Having been “meticulously rebuilt to exacting luxury standards” in 2018, the three-bedroom, 3000-square-foot Dolores Heights view home at 3627 21st Street sold for $4.5 million in March of 2019.
Featuring a modern open floor plan, panoramic views, a spacious “primary suite” with direct access the home’s landscaped yard, and a two-car, side-by-side garage, the home returned to the market priced at $4.849 million this past January, a sale at which would have represented total appreciation of 7.8 percent since the first quarter of 2019 on an apples-to-apples basis.
And having been reduced to $4.5 million in March, the sale of the 3627 21st Street has now closed escrow with an “at asking” contract priced of $4.5 million, representing total appreciation of 0.0 percent over the past two years for the luxury single-family home on an apples-to-apples versus “median price” or indexed basis for the Bay Area as a whole (which is up 12.8 percent over the same period of time).
While I understand celebrating a fireplace, this is ridiculous and tacky.
Not to mention that kitchen entertaining island where guests have a first row view of dishwashing and an experience of sink splashes
Oh dear. Nice catch. Not only is it the only sink in the kitchen, it appears to be tiny!
It’s very bland. Feels like the only distinctive element that’s been maintained is the facade, but the rest feels rather generic, including the tacky fireplace.
I have a question about this area Of SF. Dolores Heights has become quite popular and pricey. Lots of high end luxury guttings going on in this neighborhood, starting to feel like Presidio Heights in terms of construction. What’s the draw?
I will admit I am biased living in the northern half of the city. Dramatic GG views and close and walkable neighborhoods are my draw.
Would love to learn more about why this neighborhood is becoming more and more pricey.
One of the main benefits of this neighborhood is the views. Another is the weather. For some reason this part of Noe/Eureka valley is warmer and less windy than just a few blocks away.
Good point. I appreciate a city view that also includes the east bay. That area has just felt a bit grittier (for lack of a better word) to me. Excellent weather also makes a lot of sense. Thanks for replying.
Two other points… Its actually relatively walkable to Noe, Castro and the Mission depending on your tolerance for hills. This house is on an especially steep stretch.
And easy access south to tech jobs. You save an easy 30 minutes on your commute by being able to hop on Dolores straight to San Jose ave and 280.
A good number of these “luxury guttings” (well coined!) are f-book lieutenants brown-nosing the boss and clustering around his outhouse across the street. Not long after zuck barged in with his 24/7 streetside security detail, there began an endless parade of nearby Victorians taken to the studs just like his was. Coincidence? Without f-book’s bottomless pit of overvalued stock options goosing sales, DoHi (kill me now) prices would be more Potrero than Pac Heights.
“DoHi” — read it here first — doesn’t warrant a death penalty, but I laughed, and then threw up in my mouth a little. As you wrote in another context in your post: well coined!
There’s zero chance you have the ability to rate the number of Facebook people buying in and around these blocks.
Definitely gave me a chuckle. Thanks for the insight. I will say that living in a northern neighborhood, I don’t meet many tech workers—the ones I do meet have successfully exited.
I do however meet a lot more finance people and they do seem to congregate in certain areas. Could be brown nosing or that at work (pre covid) everyone suggests these neighborhoods. Heuristically it makes sense to buy in a ‘known area’ where your ilk also congregate. There are definite personality differences between these groups.
Tg- it’s really heartening to see real state professionals getting on board! Speaking of, “on board,” here’s a tumbril coming along now! May I help you up? ;-p
Wait, do you really think that the way to get ahead at Facebook is to purchase a home in close physical proximity to Zuckerburg? Have you ever worked at Facebook?
To Tech People, Pacific Heights is perceived as stuffy, boring, douchey. It’s also much harder to get down to the Peninsula / South Bay.
Dolores Heights / Noe is their equivalent. Views, quiet, safe, warm, great access to 101/280 to go south, and access to the Mission, which is cooler than the Marina.
These are very valid points. I ask because a good friend toured a very high end redo in Dolores heights right as the pandemic started. He said he couldn’t imagine putting that money into that neighborhood. He’d rather a larger house in the northern districts (he also doesn’t commute, so that says something). I agree that some of the northern neighborhoods can be perceived as stuffy but I love Russian hill and find it offers a good medium. Thanks for replying.
Compared to Pacific heights:
– The views are probably a wash. Iconic Gold Gate Bridge Views vs Iconic City views, both will get water views.
– Being in the Sun Belt, the weather in Dolores Height is so much better.
– For the same reason due to weather, Dolores park is way more popular than other parks.
– The trendiest restaurants are probably in Mission or Hayes valley compared to pacific heights.
– Before covid, there is a lot more diverse and interesting night life in Castro, Mission, and Hayes Valley than around Pacific heights unless you want to party with the bros that are still living the frat life in Marina.
– If you worked in Peninsula or Silicon Valley and you lived in Pacific Heights, it will add at least 30 minutes or 40 minutes of commute, vs. Dolores Height, the free way is right there.
Where is the sun belt considered for SF? These are all great points, the counterpoint that comes to mind is homelessness and grit. I doubt you get much up on a steep hill, but the surrounding areas have a lot of issues. Is that something people overlook?
San Bruno
🙂
counterpoints. no way views here are close to comparable to water views of GGB and Alcatraz/angel island. weather is better yes, but not by much. the whole city has way less forg than 10 yrs ago. Dolores park is nowhere near as nice as pac hts parks. its dirty and packed and not family friendly. restaurants are good all voer the city. agreed on the commute. probably 15-20 mins faster. i work on the peninsula and live in inner richmond. takes me 20 minutes to get to 101 at cesar chavez. nightlife / bar scene definitely better in the dolores area though.
not to mention, crime and open air drug use much worse in dolores area than pac heights
I would argue this neighborhood has been pricey and desirable for 120 years. I don’t know if it’s increased in price at a greater rate than other neighborhoods, but if it has things like easy freeway access to the Peninsula and having the Valencia street corridor within walking distance would be a key factor. Subjectively, I prefer city views to water views but I don’t know if you can put a bigger number on either.
I’m surprised to see “walkable neighborhoods” listed as a draw for northern neighborhoods like Presidio Heights. Dolores Heights is much better for that — being more or less in the Mission without actually living in the Mission is one of the biggest draws to this neighborhood. It was the first neighborhood I lived in when I moved to SF in 2004; we called it “Country Club Mission.”
The (city) views are great here, but I’ll give the plus to northern neighborhoods with water/bridge views on that front. It’s considerably sunnier here than Presidio Heights though, which is (IMO) huge for quality of life. For those who commute to peninsula (or did before mass WFH), location is also a plus.
Ah, yes, I am thinking more of Russian hill for sunniness and walkability. I mentioned presidio heights bc of the constant home construction and redoes—thats the parallel I see with Dolores heights.
presidio heights has the presidio next to it. if you prefer outdoor activities, walkable is much better
That is not generally what people mean by “walkable.” Like, living as a hermit in the middle of Yosemite is not living in a walkable neighborhood.
you can walk to laurel village, sacramento shopping and clement street shopping from presidio heights, plus you have the presidio
I wonder if “walkable” is also going to change due to COVID. pre-COVID I’d agree that walkable meant close to retail. But most people I know have gotten quite accustomed to delivery services during the pandemic. Walkable to clean and green seems like a higher priority now. As far as retail is concerned, delivery is the new walkable.
Well everything will be 6ft further away !
🙂
I think “walkable” also includes amenities likes parks and schools…and even retail includes services like salons and bars that aren’t “deliverable”
In contrast, in Pacific Heights, for the Victorian at 2891 Jackson, a flipper paid $3.6m about six months ago. He obliterated the details of the multi-colored facade by painting it very dark grey and black. He made some interior changes, and today put it back on the market for $5 million. An easy million plus profit.
How do flippers get permits so quickly? I am assuming this was an over the counter one.
But for total guts, that takes time to get the permitting. How do they move so quickly?
Keep in mind that “some interior changes” for the house on Jackson included the complete renovation of three bathrooms and an all-new (cabinets, plumbing, electrical, fixtures and countertops) “gourmet kitchen.”
And the home on 21st Street sold for over a million less in 2014 ($3.35M), prior to being repainted and renovated, as well.
As I said, an easy million plus profit. And the disgust of the neighbors of 2891 Jackson who do not like a black facade. Perhaps the buyer will choose to replace the very very dark floors.
This conversation reminds of the sale at 740 Church street back in 2012. This has always been my favorite neighborhood in all of the City but when when this property went for $5.25M, I knew it was only a matter of time before the Zuckerbergs moved in. I thought that was crazy expensive for this part of town, even w/ the views, extra lot, access to the park & the mission, and great weather. Looking back this buyer got in at the perfect time. Guessing this home has at least doubled. Not sure if anything ever happened to the second lot – by the comments at the time, it appeared the City said it couldn’t be built on. but this one would be my lottery home.