A monthly letter from the Heights
September 2026 · Published November 9, 2026 · Data through August 31, 2026 · By Jeremy Higgins
Same neighborhood, two outcomes. In August, four Pacific Heights condos sold well over asking in about a week, while two co-ops took about six weeks and closed at or just under list. What the numbers show, and what to look at before you price your own home. Plus: the Heights Trivia Challenge and the Sushi Report.
San Francisco prices up 24% on the year, with less to choose from
The median San Francisco single-family home sold for $1.855 million in August, up 24% from a year earlier. 85% of homes sold above their list price, and the median home sold in 21 days. Active inventory was down 31% from last year, and 150 single-family homes closed during the month.
Single-family homes, San Francisco · Compass September 2026 San Francisco House & Condo Market Outlook (Compass via MLS), data through August 2026
Condos citywide moved the same direction. Condo sales were up 11% from a year earlier, active condo listings were down 36% to 411, and the median condo sold for $1.233 million, up 22%.
Condominiums, San Francisco · Compass September 2026 San Francisco House & Condo Market Outlook, data through August 2026
What it looks like in Pacific Heights
Over the past 12 months, 47 houses, 146 condos, and 17 co-ops sold in Pacific Heights. The median house sold in 12 days at 106.0% of its list price. The median condo sold in 13 days at 104.2%. The median co-op took 44 days and sold at 98.2%. August itself was quiet for houses, with a single sale. Six condos and two co-ops closed.
| Houses | Condos | Co-ops | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed sales | 47 | 146 | 17 |
| Median sale price | $7,250,000 | $1,525,000 | $3,950,000 |
| Median days on market | 12 | 13 | 44 |
| Median sale-to-list | 106.0% | 104.2% | 98.2% |
| Sold above list | 55.3% | 63.7% | 23.5% |
| Median price per sq ft | $1,671 | $1,257 | $1,476 |
| Price per sq ft coverage | 43 of 47 sales | 134 of 146 sales | 16 of 17 sales |
Co-op figures rest on 17 sales and move with individual transactions.
| Houses | Condos | Co-ops | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed sales | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| Median sale price | — | $2,067,500 | — |
| Median days on market | — | 8.5 | — |
| Median sale-to-list | — | 119.6% | — |
| Median price per sq ft | — | $1,455 | — |
| Price per sq ft coverage | 1 of 1 sale | 6 of 6 sales | 2 of 2 sales |
August's one house sale (with three or fewer sales, we list them instead of a median): 2033 Baker Street · sold for $6,625,000 · listed at $3,995,000 · 5 days on market · 165.8% of list · $2,529 per sq ft.
August's two co-op sales: 1925 Gough Street #42 · sold for $5,300,000 · listed at $5,300,000 · 46 days on market · 100.0% of list · $1,262 per sq ft. 1800 Gough Street #5 · sold for $3,950,000 · listed at $3,995,000 · 44 days on market · 98.9% of list · $1,143 per sq ft.
SFAR MLS District 7B (Pacific Heights), pulled Nov 8, 2026 · Houses = single-family; condos and co-ops are shown separately; TICs and other ownership types are excluded · $/sf coverage shown where square footage was available. District 7B is the MLS's Pacific Heights boundary, not Compass's neighborhood boundary. Citywide figures above: Compass September 2026 San Francisco House & Condo Market Outlook (Compass via MLS), data through August 2026.
In San Francisco, sellers usually pick one of two pricing strategies. One is to price below value and let competition push the price up. The other is to price at or above value and hope a buyer feels they got a good deal by paying list or less. Neither one is wrong. But buying a home is emotional, and a lot of buyers are competitive. When several people want the same home, everyone takes that as a sign it’s a good home and a smart buy, and they pay more. When a buyer knows they’re the only one making an offer, it’s easy for them to start wondering why nobody else wants it.
August showed both strategies at work in Pacific Heights. The right choice depends on the home, its price point, the neighborhood, the time of year, and what the market is doing right now. Make that call only after a close look at the data for your specific home.
Same Neighborhood, Two Outcomes
August’s eight Pacific Heights condo and co-op sales split two ways: some sold well over asking in about a week, others took about six weeks and closed at or just under list. Here is what the numbers show, and what it means if you’re thinking of selling.
Eight condos and co-ops sold in Pacific Heights in August. Same neighborhood, same month, and the results landed in two very different places.
Four sold fast and well over list. Four condos closed at 117.8% to 135.1% of their list price, after 8 to 11 days on market. They sold for $1,302 to $1,608 per square foot. Those results are consistent with the first strategy in this month’s Take: price below value and let competition push the price up.
Two took longer and closed at or just under list. Two co-op sales spent 44 and 46 days on market and closed at 98.9% and 100% of list, at $1,143 to $1,262 per square foot. Those results are consistent with the second strategy: price at or near value and wait for the buyer who will pay it.
Two landed in between. Two more condos closed at exactly 100% of list, one after 9 days on market and one recorded at 0 days.
Four August condo sales closed at 117.8% to 135.1% of list in 8 to 11 days. Two co-ops took 44 and 46 days and closed at 98.9% and 100%.
SFAR MLS District 7B · August 2026 closed condo and co-op sales
What the numbers can’t tell us. We don’t know what any of these sellers intended when they set their price, and list price wasn’t the only difference. The two co-ops were the two largest homes and the two highest prices of the month, at $3.95 million and $5.3 million. The four fast sales were between $1.45 million and $3.1 million. Co-ops also tend to trade differently from condos here: over the past 12 months, the median Pacific Heights co-op took 44 days and sold at 98.2% of list, with 23.5% selling above list, while the median condo sold in 13 days at 104.2%, with 63.7% above list. Co-ops require board approval and have fewer lenders, so property type likely explains part of the gap, not just pricing. And eight sales in one month is a small sample.
What to look at for your own home. Before you choose a pricing strategy, look closely at:
- Price point. How many buyers are shopping at your number, and how have recent sales near it done?
- Property type. House, condo, or co-op, and how have similar homes sold over the past 12 months, not just last month?
- Season. When would you list, and what is the market doing at that time of year?
- Current competition. What is active near your price today, and how quickly are comparable homes going into contract?
If you are thinking about selling, whether that is this fall or a few years out, give me a call. I’m happy to walk your home with you and go through the data for your specific home. No pressure, no obligation.
Jeremy Higgins
The serious stuff is up front.
This page is for the cool ones.
Learn something about your own street.
Last month’s answer: Van Ness Avenue. On the second day of the 1906 fire, soldiers dynamited buildings along the east side of the 125-foot-wide avenue to create a firebreak, and most of Pacific Heights was spared.
The 1886 Victorian at 2007 Franklin Street survived the 1906 earthquake and fire, stayed in one family until 1973, and in 2012 was named one of only 34 National Treasures in America by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. What is the house called?
Call or text me your answer at 415-583-5121. Answer revealed in next month’s issue.
Tataki: 3 out of 5 wasabi.
This month I went to Tataki at 2827 California Street and had the Golden State Roll and a sashimi plate. The scallops were amazing. Score: 3 out of 5 wasabi.
21 years in real estate. 504 homes sold over my career, as of November 2026. Third-generation in real estate. Broker Associate with Compass. Home is Pacific Heights. And thank you to anyone who has passed my name along.
Thinking about selling? Start with a conversation.
I'll walk your home with you and give you a straight answer on value and timing. No pressure, no obligation.
415-583-5121 Hear when a new issue is postedCitywide market data sourced from the Compass September 2026 San Francisco House & Condo Market Outlook (Compass via MLS), data through August 2026. Pacific Heights figures are from SFAR MLS District 7B (Pacific Heights), pulled Nov 8, 2026; District 7B is the MLS's Pacific Heights boundary, not Compass's neighborhood boundary. Houses = single-family; condos and co-ops are shown separately; TICs and other ownership types are excluded. Price per square foot medians use sales where square footage was available. The Heights Trivia Challenge is not affiliated with Compass. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Equal Housing Opportunity.