Homes, Apartments And San Francisco's Best Neighborhoods

My friend and her husband are moving to San Francisco for about 12 months for his work. She's not very familiar with the San Francisco area, so, she asked me to find out about the neighborhoods, and which area would be the best place to begin looking for an apartment. She wants something temporary, but, there's a chance the move will be permanent, so she also wants house options, as well, so I'll try to include that (I'd just like to say that she's very lucky I'm such a good friend.)

Most Luxurious
The most luxurious area would probably be Sea Cliff, because of its extravagant Mediterranean style villas and the chance to be neighbors with a handful of celebrities. However, since the average selling price is between 2 and 3 million dollars, I don't anticipate my friend living there. I just wanted to throw that in for fun.

Best Rental Deals
Since we are on the subject of affordability, let's talk best rentals. Outer Sunset, a vibrant urban suburb, probably has the best rental deals. The average 2 bedroom in Outer Sunset rents for just under $2,000.

Most House For Your Money
This category has a few choices. Western Addition, possibly the most economically and ethnically diverse, has houses that are just over $300 per square foot. Nob Hill, one of San Francisco's signature neighborhoods, has houses that are only slightly more than that.

Safest
The safest area would have to be Presidio and Presidio Heights. It's probably due to the fact the it's a National Park. The Presidio area had 19 crimes per half-mile radius, much lower than Marina, with 453, and Mission, with more than 800 during the same period.

Most Walkable
Lower Pacific Heights should probably take this category. This area has everything you need within a few blocks, including an area hospital. Pacific Heights apartments and Pacific Heights homes often don't even have cars registered to their owners.

Best for Families
Here we have Outer Sunset, again. 30 percent of homes in this area have children, and many of the schools have a "9" or "10" rating on greatschools.org. It's also got playgrounds, parks, the zoo, and, of course, the ocean.

Most Elegant
Pacific Heights has to be the most elegant neighborhood in San Francisco. With its many Victorian mansions, and spectacular views of the bay, it embodies Hollywood's idea of San Francisco. It has upscale shopping on Fillmore Street, but still keeps its residential area very quiet. Pacific Heights real estate can be very exclusive, but, for some, it's exactly what they're looking for.