San Francisco, CA
Seller's marketAppreciation-driven market: San Francisco home values up 6.0% YoY, but the 3.6% rent yield favors flippers over landlords.
DATA · Zillow Research (via scrape.do) · AS OF APRIL 2026
| Detail | Value | Detail | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median list price | $1,197,963 | Median sale price | $1,409,417 |
| Sale-to-list ratio | 1.067 | % sold below list | +27.5% |
| Active inventory | 1,049 | New listings | 518 |
How San Francisco has moved.
San Francisco sits at a median home value of $1,369,171 as of the latest Zillow read, up 6.0% year-over-year — still in appreciation mode, which favors flippers willing to compete on speed.
66.2% of homes are still closing above list, with a sale-to-list ratio of 1.067. San Francisco remains a seller’s market — bidding wars are common on well-priced inventory. Off-market sourcing is the only consistent path to a buyable spread here.
Rents are the weak side of this market. ZORI is $4,101/mo against a $1369k median — a 3.59% gross yield isn’t enough to make most BRRRRs cash-flow at today’s debt costs. Plan to exit, not hold.
Median days-on-market is running around 13 days against 1,048.667 active listings — that’s a fast-moving market. Speed is the moat; pre-arranged proof of funds and a tight buyers list are the difference between getting under contract and getting outbid.
MDR’s composite investor score for San Francisco is 20/100 based on rent yield, sale-to-list discount, motivated-seller proxies, and DOM. Lower tier this quarter. Watch list, not deploy list — re-evaluate next read.
The same data, five operator lenses.
Lead lists, sourcing channels, and disposition strategies tuned to the local market.
ARV math, rehab scope, and exit timing for the local buyer profile.
Buy-rehab-rent-refi-repeat math tuned to local rents, prices, and DSCR.
Buy-and-hold rental analysis tuned to local rents, taxes, and tenant mix.
Subject-to, seller financing, wraps, and lease-options sized for the local market.
San Francisco for investors.
Is San Francisco a good market for real estate investors in 2026?
Metro Deal Report's composite investor score for San Francisco is 20/100, based on rent yield, sale-to-list ratio, motivated-seller proxies, and days on market. San Francisco is a lower-tier market right now. Watch list, not deploy list, until the numbers shift.
What is the median home price in San Francisco?
The typical home value in San Francisco as of the most recent Zillow read is $1,369,171. Median list price is $1,197,963 and median sale price is $1,409,417. Year-over-year change: +6.0%.
What can a landlord expect to rent a property for in San Francisco?
Zillow's Observed Rent Index for San Francisco is $4,101/mo. Against the typical home value of $1.4M, that produces a gross annual rent yield of 3.59% — below the national 4-5% baseline, which makes BRRRR difficult at today's debt costs.
Is San Francisco a buyer's or seller's market?
San Francisco's current sale-to-list ratio is 1.067 with 27.5% of homes closing below list. That's a seller's market — bid wars are common. Median days on market: 13 days. Active inventory: 1,049 listings.
Which investment strategy works best in San Francisco?
San Francisco's data favors flipping — appreciation tailwind with fast exits, though competition is real. See the per-strategy breakdowns at /wholesaling/san-francisco, /brrrr/san-francisco, and /flipping/san-francisco.
Loan options for San Francisco properties.
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