Stage 34, Miraloma Park (4h)

Lots of pictures below!

Miraloma Park is quite possibly one of the most diverse (talking properties) districts we have toured as of yet. Geographically, it is the largest of the sub-districts in district 4. You get a taste of Glen Park, Balboa Terrace, Diamond Heights, Parkside, and Forest Knolls all wrapped into one. As you'll see from the pictures, there are Tudors, Mid-Century Moderns, 80's boxes, mid 20'-40's junior and full-fives, Spanish Mediterraneans, and so much more.
As much as there are these types of properties in this district, they are very much in certain parts of the area. The Tudors are found mostly on the northwest side of the district near Portola on Evelyn. A lot of the mid-century moderns are found on the east and south sides of the district on streets like Myra, Reposa, Sherwood, and Hillcrest. The 40's "Parkside" homes are mostly around Teresita, Fowler, Rockdale, and a little pocket down on Vista Verde around Stillings. Take a drive up Del Vale to Encline and you'll feel like you're driving from El Camino del Mar up to Seal Rock in the Outer Richmond. From a lot of the homes on the eastern slope, they have some pretty spectacular views of the Bay all the way to Mt. Diablo.
The district experiences at least three different types of weather on a typical summer day. West of Teresita (a very busy street) is the fog. Along the ridge the wind HOWLS and has a nice sun/fog mix. Get down to the east side closer to Glen Park and the sun is out, wind is lighter and air temp is 5 degrees warmer.
As for commercial attractions, there is Tower Market, Mollie Stone's, Tower Burger, First National Bank, and the Taqueria in Miraloma Market all up on the corner of Terisita and Portola.
Portola is an insanely busy street, as is O'Shaughnessy, but there are also tons of streets that are so quiet you can hear yourself think, streets like Sherwood and Hillcrest (save for the wind noise), Bella Vista, Foerster, and Molimo.
As for the stats:



This district is a perfect example of why it is soooo important to work with someone that knows this city in and out. There are so many pockets of good and bad homes in each district that you really can't afford to say, "I don't like the homes in Miraloma Park", because chances are pretty good in this district there is something for everyone.

Molimo and Bella Vista looking east.

Homes on Myra around Reposa

12 Sherwood...imagine the touches you could put in this home!

32 Agua, you can see at Kopffhomes.com as it is not yet on the market, but coming soon.

There has to be at least one in each neighborhood...84 Rockdale.

Home on Melrose

Views down Melrose to the East Bay. Glen Park is at the bottom of this hill, and the homes toward this side of Miraloma Park feel very Glen Park.

740 Foerster. This home is on the market, check with your sfnewsletter provider for details.

Homes on Stanford Heights

Gee, wonder where this photo was taken.

You see? This home looks nothing like any of the others. Malta @ Valetta

More Malta homes

Definitely some good gardening that goes on here. Also on Malta.

Not something you see everyday in San Francisco architecture is it? It's out there, and in abundance in Miraloma Park. These homes are on the corner of Mercato and Malta.

If you drive down Marietta and park at the bend, you can walk out onto a rock, practically a cliff that hangs over Glen Park and O'Shaughnessy. If you look back towards the west, this is what you'll see.

This is what you'll see if you look south. All the homes in this frame are in Miraloma Park.

And this is what you see if you look east.
The homes on the top of this frame are up on El Sereno, and the foreground are homes on Marietta.

A taste of homes on Vista Verde @ Stillings

Busy Portola in the foreground, and the abundance of Tudors in Miraloma Park on the Northwest slope. Lots of street noise here.

Nice home on Juanita

Another beauty on Jaunita

Just another example of the diversity of property on one street, Juanita.

And with that, we end out tour of Miraloma Park. It was a bit of a "Picture Medley" wasn't it?

Happy House Hunting. Let us know if we can help.

Stage 33, St. Francis Wood 4g

St. Francis Wood carries the mystique and aura of Pacific Heights, but is in a totally different part of town, has different weather, and an entirely different feel. Unfortunately for most, if you're looking to get into St. Francis Wood, plan on paying a ton, and competing with several other buyers. It is very quiet (unless you're on Portola, or St. Francis Blvd), has tons of tree-lined streets (some flat, others hilly), and is very "suburban", and feels almost like something you'd find in Connecticut. The area is very lush and green. Homes are typically very well cared for, stately, and expensive. The weather can be brutally foggy in summer, but in fall and winter it is beautiful. Halloween is a HUGE event in this area (like much of the city), and smiles and waves from neighbors are common. The closest shops and restaurants are across Portola into West Portal, and popping on the I-280 to all points south is a breeze.

We leave the rest to a picture medley of some homes including the brown shingled home on the corner of Santa Ana and Monterey that stretches the entire block and has a rather large indoor pool (from what we could tell).
If you'd like listings or comps from the area, please contact us, or your sfnewsletter provider (the links we've been providing expire after 30 days, so we'll no longer be posting them.)

Happy house hunting.

Stage 32, Midtown Terrace

Ahhh, Midtown Terrace. So nice. So quiet. Great views from many of the homes. Suburban feel, but still in the city. Homes are well taken care of, and the magnetism from Sutro tower can't be topped. If you enter this district from Clarendon onto Dellbrook you'd think you were driving into Muir Woods...lush green Eucalyptus and ivy everywhere. Hang an illegal left and climb La Avenzada and you can get stink eye from the guard shack of Sutro Tower.

Dellbrook coming in from Clarendon:


Feel your skin burning? ;-)


This district is very large and not as well defined as many of the others around town, but don't hesitate to go check it out. It is home to Laguna Honda Hospital, and one of two main access roads to Twin Peaks. Judging by our calculations, 195 Marview could possibly be one of 5 or 10 homes with the highest elevation in the city (please correct us if we're wrong). The only homes higher would be those on Palo Alto, but that street is actually in Clarendon Heights, so we're not thinking about that district right now.

Very "modern" looking home at 416 Portola...the low point of Midtown Terrace:


Its front door:


Very typical house on Midcrest, this one at 39 Midcrest:


Just like Diamond Heights was the district with all the streets named after gems, Midtown Terrace takes the cake for "view" street names (Farview, Clairview, Marview, Dawnview, Cityview, Longview...you get the picture.) And yes, there are some great views in pretty much every direction from this neighborhood. Long views...you know the kind you get when you climb a mountain. Longviews out to the ocean, down into the southbay, and even east bay.

View from Panorama west out to Pacific Ocean:


These homes on Panorama have that view:


View looking west where Cityview and Knollview converge:


View from Dellbrook looking east into Midtown Terrace and the lower parts of Twin Peaks (homes on Aquavista, Skyiew)


So how do these homes sell? Very well, thanks.


We invite you to check this area out. It is, like every other district in this city, completely different from the others, and nothing like the other District 4 areas.
Happy House Hunting!

the listings
the stats

Stage 31, Ingleside Terrace (4e)

First impression: lots of dead grass in Ingleside Terrace. We're not sure if that is a drought thing, or a neighborhood thing. We get around in this town (don't laugh), and we can honestly say, we have not seen as much dead grass on front lawns in the city as we have in this area. Maybe it is because they have really big front yards and lots of space. Not sure. Anyway.....

Ingleside Terrace [enlightened by a reader]has everything a neighborhood could need to be a top area in the city, but the homes or the care they are given, simply come up a bit short. That's not to say there aren't a few standout homes with well manicured yards, good coats of paint, and nice views, but for the most part, many homes come up lacking.

The neighborhood itself is like a little oasis amongst some otherwise less desirable locations (Merced Heights, Ingleside), but on the other side of Ocean Ave., there are beautiful areas like Balboa Terrace, and Mount Davidson Manor (not yet toured). Oddly enough, the noise coming from Junipero Serra isn't that bad once you get inside the Ingleside Terrace gates.

Homes in this area, like anywhere in the city, sell quickly when priced right. There are homes from $800,000 all the way into the mid to upper $2Millions.
Here's a look at the averages:


135 Cedro ($2,950,000), a bit above average.



If you're looking for areas with serious upside, and a possible good investment, it's places like this that you want to look. The homes are very large, and the area is a little run down, but that can easily be improved, and there are many a standout home that definitely raise the bar.

Nice home on Lunado


Not so nice home on North Entrada


This is an Assist 2 Sell home coming on the market soon at 860 Head St. How 'bout watering that grass? Assist 2 Sell sure knows how to spruce up a home.


Views to the south at the corner of Cerritos and Lunado


The home that has been forgotten, there were a few of these. This one is also on Lunado.


The Standout on Mercedes


Winner of the brightest color award


A tiny fixer at 710 Victoria


And the sundial where North and South Entrada converge


For your commercial fix of restaurants, you'll want to hit Ocean Ave, and for your escape out of town Junipero Serra is right out your door, and that will take you onto the I-280 to all points south in a matter of minutes. Stonestown Galleria is nearby for your mall fix, and you're close enough to the ocean that you might even hear it at night. So check it out, you might be surprised.

If you look at "the listings" you will see a decidely different set of pictures and homes than what we've showcased here. That was the goal. Show and tell the side you most often wouldn't hear. Happy house hunting!


the listings
the stats