San Francisco has so many nano-markets it is truly unbelievable. Even within each district and smaller subdistrict, not only does the street you are on matter, so too does which side of the street you are on. In Ingleside Heights (IH), you can take that theory and multiply it times three.
North of Randolph, homes are typically well taken care of, but not the "gems" for which so many people are searching. By that, we mean they are nice, have great views to the south and west, have nice back yards (albeit hilly), but lack that sort of "wow" factor or general "pride of ownership" you see in many other places. This is not to say there aren't a few standouts. We have to generalize.
One thing you will certainly notice is that there seems to be an over-abundance of cars parked all over the streets, front yards, and sometimes even on the sidewalks. Some residents of this area seem to care more about their cars, than their homes, and others just don't seem to care about their homes at all. God bless America, because you can do whatever the heck you want.
On Randolph itself, especially the corner of Randolph and Orizaba, it's a bit...hmmm, sketchy? Is that the best word? There are lots of metal bars on lots of windows, and that usually indicates one thing...a fear of crime. Others may disagree, especially the owners of China View Cuisine at 295 Orizaba that are celebrating their Grand Opening, and surely hoping to get good business. We hope they do.
Moving further south, the homes in between Brotherhood Way and Alemany are quite nice and very well cared for. Saint Charles street would definitely get the nod from Sir Charles should he ever visit. Homes are very well taken care of and the neighbors definitely exude that "welcome" feeling.
Of course what nice neighborhood would be complete without the neglected home with broken windows, overgrown trees and shrubs, and well...an old, rusted, beat up boat parked in the yard? (Which you can see on your left when you get on 280 from 19th Ave, just passed Brotherhood Way.)
Cross over Alemany to the south and poof!, you're in an entirely different vibe, steps from Ocean View Village, complete with all your strip mall favorites (Supercuts, Rite Aid, Hollywood Video, etc.), and even less steps from the Daly City BART station. The freeway noise (280) is like wind in the trees. Most homes are like the ones you've already seen, but just like the random neglected home of each neighborhood, what about the random A-frame house in a sea of Parkside-esque "full fives"?
Nice ad:
It's not always easy to paint a rosy picture of every neighborhood in the city. We just like to point out a lot of things that you shouldn't over-look when buying a home in this neighborhood, and make it crystal clear that Ingleside Heights might be the place for you, but it is not for everyone. As is the case with any real estate purchase you make, we highly recommend you check out the neighborhood at all times of the day and night.
the listings
