San Francisco · Buying a Home
Buying a Home in San Francisco
There's no dumb question here. I walk you through every step, and I catch what's really wrong with a house before you fall for a money pit.
Buying a Home in San Francisco, What You Get
Buying in San Francisco starts with a choice most East Bay buyers don't face: a house, a condo, or a TIC. Each one comes with different paperwork, different loans, and different questions. Then there's the building itself. Many San Francisco homes are around a hundred years old, and two flats in the same Victorian can have completely different wiring, plumbing, and permit histories.
The hills matter too. Buyers here weigh stairs, slope, and steep streets against what they want in a home, from the climb up to the front door to the grade of the driveway, and I help you think that through before you fall for the view.
Ready to find your next home?
Tell me what you're looking for and I'll get you real options.
Start Your Home SearchOr call/text (415) 722-0472
Or read how we do it, step by stepWhy San Francisco Buyers Choose Tanja Odzak
I'm a REALTOR® with eXp Realty and a Master Certified Negotiation Expert, a credential under 0.1% of agents nationwide hold. I read condition closely, and in San Francisco that means the foundation, the electrical, the plumbing, and whether that ground-floor unit or garage conversion was ever permitted.
No question is off limits. You get straight answers whether this is your first home or your fourth.
Our Buying a Home Process in San Francisco, What to Expect
We start with pre-approval and a clear list of what matters to you, including whether you need parking. Garage and deeded parking vary a lot by building and affect value, and not every condo comes with a space, so we confirm it on every listing instead of assuming. On tours I point out the things that decide value here: the age of the building, how past remodels were done, the stairs and the slope, and the sun and fog on that block.
Before you write, we read the disclosures together, including the City's 3R report and, for condos and TICs, the association or TIC documents. The offer runs on real comps and MCNE negotiation. The full method is on how I help you buy.
Local Context & Proof for San Francisco
San Francisco's single-family houses are concentrated on the west and south sides of the city, while condos, TICs, and multi-unit buildings make up much of the market elsewhere. Last month's closings split by home type: single-family homes in San Francisco had a median sale price of $2,187,500 (104 sold) and condos and townhomes $1,304,000 (214 sold) (source: Bridge MLS, September 2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 3R report?
The Report of Residential Building Record, from the City's Department of Building Inspection. It shows the building's authorized use and its building permit history. The seller orders it and you sign it before the sale closes. It does not list plumbing or electrical permits, so it is a starting point, not the whole story.
Should I buy a house, a condo, or a TIC in San Francisco?
It depends on your budget, your loan, and how you want to live. A house gives you full control and every repair. A condo shares costs through an association. A TIC often costs less but shares a building under a written agreement. I help you compare what each would cost you month to month.
How do the hills affect a San Francisco home?
Buyers here weigh stairs, slope, and steep streets against what they want in a home. A long front stairway, a steep driveway, or a sloped lot can matter as much as the floor plan, so we look at how the house sits on the street before you commit.
Does the home come with parking?
Check every time. Garage and deeded parking vary a lot by building and affect value, and many condos have none. If you need a space, confirm exactly what comes with the property before you write an offer.
What should I look for in an older San Francisco building?
The foundation, the electrical system, the plumbing, the roof, signs of water in the lower level, and whether ground-floor rooms or extra units were permitted. The 3R report and the seller's disclosures are where we start.
Is there a fire zone to worry about in San Francisco?
Very little. On the 2025 state map, the only fire hazard zone inside the city is a small Moderate area in the far southwest corner, near Lake Merced. Earthquake and liquefaction zones matter more here, and the natural hazard disclosure shows them for each address.
Ready to find your next home?
Tell me what you're looking for and I'll get you real options.
Start Your Home SearchOr call/text (415) 722-0472
Or read how we do it, step by stepSan Francisco
What buying a home looks like in San Francisco
San Francisco sits just across the Bay, a compact 7-by-7-mile city surrounded by water on three sides, its hills giving almost every neighborhood its own microclimate and its own view.
San Francisco sits just across the Bay, a compact 7-by-7-mile city surrounded by water on three sides. Its hills give almost every neighborhood its own microclimate and its own view, of the Bay, the ocean, or the skyline, which is a big part of why the city reads so differently block to block.
San Francisco's neighborhoods range from dense districts of apartments and condos close to downtown to long rows of single-family homes out toward the ocean, each with its own architecture, from Victorian flats to 1930s Sunset District houses.
- The homes
- San Francisco's housing stock is dense and varied: Victorians and Edwardians in the older neighborhoods, 1920s to 1940s row houses in the Sunset and Richmond, mid-century and modern condos in newer developments, and a large share of the market made up of condos, TICs, and multi-unit buildings rather than single-family homes.
- Why people choose it
- Whether you're weighing a San Francisco condo against a house in the East Bay, or selling a San Francisco property you've owned for years.
The method
