Irish families once built proud Victorians and Edwardians. Urban flight left dilapidated ladies past their prime to be restored by a community of loving outcasts. Then it was embraced as revitalization, now it would be called gentrification. Harvey Milk once set up shop here, but the history runs far deeper than just rainbow colored sidewalks and streetlights.
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Once a predominantly working-class Irish neighborhood, the Castro was transformed by gay men in the 1970s. It was the epicenter of the gay rights revolution that began in the 1970s, led by pioneers such as Harvey Milk (a neighborhood school carries his name today). Today, the thriving commercial center of the neighborhood (radiating out a few blocks from Castro & 18th Street) is chock full of restaurants, shopping, bars, and other entertainment opportunities.
The Castro offers a diverse mix of homes, with a blend of styles and property types from large single-family Victorians and Edwardians to modern condos and tenancies-in-common (TICs). The great weather and open-minded neighbors make the Castro district a destination neighborhood, regardless of your sexuality. There is also a small percentage of unit buildings and small apartment buildings, most of which are clustered along the commercial corridors.
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Castro Neighborhood Vibe
The Castro has a rich history and was a predominantly working-class Irish neighborhood before being transformed by gay men in the 1970s. It was the epicenter of the gay rights revolution that began in the 1970s, led by pioneers such as Harvey Milk (a neighborhood school carries his name today). Today, the thriving commercial center of the neighborhood (radiating out a few blocks from Castro & 18th Street) is chock full of restaurants, shopping, bars, and other entertainment opportunities.
Popular Castro Home Styles
The Castro offers a diverse mix of homes, with a blend of styles and property types from large single-family Victorians and Edwardians to modern condos and tenancies-in-common (TICs). The great weather and open-minded neighbors make The Castro district a destination neighborhood, regardless of your sexuality. There is also a small percentage of unit buildings and small apartment buildings, most of which are clustered along the commercial corridors.
Getting Around in The Castro
In addition to several bus lines, the area is served by two Muni subway stations, as well as the street-level F-line with its collection of historic streetcars. It’s an easy neighborhood in which to live car-free, with pretty much everything you need right there in the ‘hood or a Muni ride away. Many homes don’t have parking, so don’t assume you’ll have a place to park if you consider a new home in the Castro.
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With 20+ years in the industry and over $400M in sales, we live and breathe San Francisco real estate from Visitacion Valley to The Marina and from Victorians to modern condos. Always fascinated by the people, history, and evolution of our city, we can’t imagine working anywhere else.
We know how to prepare and position your home for top dollar when selling and how to negotiate your best price as a buyer regardless of market dynamics. We work with the right people at the right time, tapping our powerful network of lenders, contractors, artisans, and vendors.
We are counselors and advisers, not salespeople. If you want a deal done, we’ll get a deal done. If you want to push pause, we’ll pause. Your search might last five years and 36 neighborhoods, or one hour and one address. Decades of experience prove we aren’t in this for the quick deal, but the lasting relationship. How about you?
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We’re proud of the recognition we’ve earned for excellence in San Francisco real estate representation.
Our broker, Matt Fuller, is a recognized thought leader, white paper author, and media consultant for the real estate industry. He has served as the President of the San Francisco Association of Realtors and the Director of the California Association of Realtors.
We are members of the Top Agent Network, San Francisco’s premier community for the top ten percent of local real estate agents.
We’ve received numerous industry certifications including Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), Graduate of REALTOR Institute (GRI), and National Association of REALTOR (NAR) Fair Housing.
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San Francisco is a city of neighborhoods, each with nuances and a distinct character that make a difference when choosing a home.
We love, live, and work here, and are experts in the details of each of the ninety neighborhoods San Francisco has to offer.
Wherever you are in the home buying or selling journey, we have insights to share. Get in touch with us today.
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Median sales price is calculated based on sold data and doesn’t account for seller concessions. Median price represents the point at which half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less. In smaller neighborhoods like many of those found in San Francisco, this metric is less likely to be influenced by extremely high or low sales prices that don’t represent the typical neighborhood home.
Days on Market indicates how quickly or slowly homes are selling in the neighborhood. The lower the days on market (DOM), the stronger the market is for sellers, all other things being equal.
The number of homes available for sale in active status at the end of a given month. Fewer homes available for sale may indicate a seasonal trend or market dynamics that favor a seller more than a buyer.
In strong or balanced markets, homes in San Francisco typically sell over asking. In a buyer’s market, homes will sell at list price or slightly under. If a home has had price reductions, the calculation is based on the last listed price.
Price per square foot is most useful when the homes are almost identical in size, age, layout and other factors important to buyers. Our experience suggests it is a more valuable metric in larger condo buildings and less valuable for homes in neighborhoods built with a diverse selection of styles, sizes, and ages.
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The Castro is one of the central districts of San Francisco. It is bordered by Twin Peaks to the west, Corona Heights to the north, Mission Dolores and the Inner Mission to the east, and Noe Valley to the south. On an SFAR (San Francisco Association of Realtors) MLS map, the Castro is often called Eureka Valley/Dolores Heights, and is identified as neighborhood 5k.
The Castro District in San Francisco’s Eureka Valley, often simply called the Castro, was one of the first gay neighborhoods in the United States. Evolving from a working-class area in the 1960s and 1970s, the Castro remains a leading symbol of LGBTQ activism and events worldwide.
Notable landmarks and attractions include the Castro Theater, a movie house built in 1922; the Casselli Mansion, a baroque Queen Anne style building of four stories and multiple towers built in 1891; the F Market streetcar line; Twin Peaks (maybe the oldest gay bar in the country); and the former Castro Camera, a shop owned by Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
Where do we begin? Thai, Greek, and seafood restaurants. Coffee shops. Booming bars and nightclubs. Grocery stores. Sunbathing or dog walking in Dolores Park. Abundant people watching, including the city’s public nudists. Street fairs and street cars. Leg-burning hikes on very steep hills, or flatter strolls to Duboce Park.
Although it still retains its place as the epicenter of the city’s LGBTQ community, the Castro is an increasingly diverse and lively neighborhood with well-kept single-family homes, apartment buildings, and newer condos. Well-served by both street cars (above Market Street) and MUNI trains (below Market Street), the Castro is a prime location for downtown workers, and a short drive to 280 and the 101 for Silicon Valley commuters.
As an “already built” neighborhood, the Castro is not a neighborhood where you should expect to find substantial new construction projects. Smaller developers may renovate/flip existing single family properties, or may take advantage of recent housing laws to add additional units to already existing housing. Transit corridors and major neighborhood streets are the most likely areas for new construction buildings in already built neighborhoods with existing housing stock.
You can scroll up to see our market charts showing current neighborhood prices and other real estate trends for the Castro. We update these charts dynamically as new data becomes available. Reach out to us to learn more about prices, trends, and possibilities in the Castro.
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