Sea Cliff Takes the Lead as Priciest San Francisco Neighborhood

When it comes to expensive lifestyle and pricey neighborhoods, San Francisco seems to give New York’s steep prices a run for their money (pun intended). After all, it’s the fourth most expensive city in the U.S. and it’s located in one of the wealthiest regions in the world.

So if you’re on a spending spree and looking to relocate to a posh area, which upscale San Francisco nabes should you be looking at? Well, here’s a list of the top 10 most expensive San Francisco neighborhoods in 2013:

#1. Sea Cliff

With a median sale price set for $3,115,000 in 2013 (sorry TriBeCa, you fall behind with only $2,724,228) Sea Cliff is officially San Francisco’s most expensive place to live in, though it registered only a modest 8% growth as compared to 2012. But then again, Sea Cliff has been a regular presence in the top for quite some time — see 2009 most expensive neighborhoods rankings.

Priciest sale in 2013? This single-family residence at 632 El Camino Del Mar that had a price tag of $11.5 million:

#2. Presidio Heights

Though it dropped more than half a million in year-over-year growth comparison, San Francisco’s former star neighborhood still made it to our list. It’s the second priciest neighborhood in the City by the Bay, with a median sale price of $2,541,667.

#3. Clarendon Heights

In 2012 this was more on the “so-and-so” side. But then magic happened (that and a surprising 35% year-over-year increase) and ta-daaa! Clarendon Heights now ranks 3^rd on the list, with a median sale price of $2,400,000.

#4. Saint Francis Wood

Next in our ranking is Saint Francis Wood. Nothing much changed in terms of median sale prices since 2012—and by “nothing” we mean a trifling 5% climb that translates into $1,850,000.

#5. Monterey Heights

Did you honestly think nothing can beat Clarendon Heights’ 35% year-over-year growth? Well surprise, surprise! Monterey Heights can! This neighborhood climbed an amazing 40% in our charts since 2012, its median sale prices now reaching $1,685,000.

#6. Forest Hill

With a median sale price of $1,535,000, Forest Hill is one of the most stable neighborhoods in San Francisco. The 5% year-over-year growth doesn’t sound like much, but still this is one of the priciest areas in good old San Fran.

#7. Marina

Marina registered one of the smallest year-over-year drops in our list. This neighborhood only plummeted 2% since 2012, from $1,535,000 to $1,505,000, but with its super-active nightlife going out beats staying in. Fair enough, right?

#8. Pacific Heights

With a median sale price of $1,432,000, Pacific Heights registered a significant 15% growth as compared to 2012. As we see it, this is one of the most promising neighborhoods in San Francisco in terms of real estate.

#9. Buena Vista – Ashbury Heights

Number 9 on our list is another negative growth. Not what we’d call a dramatic fall, it’s true… but a decrease remains a decrease, even if it’s only 3%. As compared to 2012, the median sale price in Buena Vista – Ashbury Heights is now set at $1,400,000.

#10. Eureka Valley – Dolores Heights

Eureka Valley – Dolores heights closes our top 10 priciest neighborhoods in San Francisco. As compared to 2012 when its median sale price was hovering around $1,280,000, the neighborhood scored a modest but honorable 8% increase and added $100,000 to the median home price tag.

Too many stats for you? Check out our interactive map of San Francisco and see just how much median home prices have been soaring in the past 10 years, neighborhood by neighborhood:

Browse neighborhoods and see exact changes in median home prices, 2013 vs 2003