Potrero Hill

It is funny that Potrero Hill is today's subject. I had my hair cut this evening by a great new stylist, new for me that is, and while she was snipping away we were talking about real estate. She asked if there was anything available in Potrero Hill. I told her that there had been next to nothing there lately, but that there were a few nice properties just hitting the market. That tends to be the case in really great neighborhoods; once you get in you never want to leave.

What makes Potrero Hill so great? The first thing that comes to mind is the weather. This is no doubt one of the sunniest spots in the city, and the really great part about it is that because you are on the hill you can look across to Twin Peaks as it gets covered in fog. That brings me to great thing number two...VIEWS! Potrero Hill offers some of the greatest views in the city; views of the Bay, downtown views, views of Twin Peaks, and sometimes you can find them all from one property. Another less talked about perk of living in Potrero Hill is that it is one of the safest spots to be in an earthquake as it sits on bedrock.

18th Street and 20th Street are the main commercial drags on the hill. There you will find restaurants, cafes, shops, a grocery store, and much more. Because of the nice weather many of the restaurants have outdoor seating which creates a wonderful atmosphere on warm evenings. Also, at the bottom of the north side of the hill (which tends to be the most desirable side) there is a new Whole Foods grocery store, the Metronome Ballroom (where I have taught dance for the past seven years or so), and more restaurants and cafes.

So how much does it cost to live in this wonderful place? The median home price over the summer was $830,000. An example of something selling right now at that price is this 3 bedroom, 2 bath split level condominium located on a quiet cul-de-sac block of Kansas Street. It is listed at $849,000 and is 1700 square feet.

One small drawback on the hill is that there is no BART or muni trains. The only public transportation here are buses, but you are only one quick bus ride away to BART or downtown.

As far as schools go, there is a private preschool, two public elementary schools, one private elementary, and one public high school. Starr King Elementary located on Carolina Street (one of the public schools) has San Francisco's first Mandarin immersion program.