You Paid How Much for That? What Costs How Much Where in San Francisco

From the SFRealEstateBuzz

Low, High & Median Sales Prices & Average Dollar per Square Foot 
San Francisco  MLS Home Sales:
February 15, 2010 - August 15, 2010

Median Sales Price is that price at which half the properties sold for more and half for less. It may be affected by "unusual" events in any particular period or by changes in buying trends, as well as by changes in market values.
 
 Dollar per Square Foot ($/sq.ft.) is based upon the home's interior living space-- and does not include garages, unfinished attics and basements, rooms and apartments built without permit, decks, patios or yards (all of which can still add significant value). These figures are usually derived from appraisals or tax records, but can be unreliable or unreported altogether. (Out of every 10 sales, perhaps 6 - 8 gave square footage, from which the average is calculated.)
 

In the charts below, neighborhoods are listed in order of median sales price. A price followed by a "k" references thousands of dollars; if followed by an "m", it signifies millions. "REO" refers to the sale of bank-owned properties, typically pursuant to foreclosure.

Low Price & High Price are self-explanatory-- but be aware that the low price listed might be for a home that needs significant work just to be habitable, while the high price sale may be for an Architectural Digest quality, panoramic-view home. 
 
All things being equal, a house will have a higher dollar per square foot than a condo (because of land value), a condo will have a higher $/sq.ft. than a TIC (quality of title), and a TIC will have a higher figure than a multi-unit building (quality of use). All things being equal, a smaller home will have a higher $/sq.ft. than a larger one. 
 
When comparing median prices and average dollar per square foot, remember that the average size (and quality) of houses or condos of the same bedroom count can vary widely by neighborhood (usually due to era and style of construction). Thus one neighborhood's 3-bedroom house can have a higher median price and yet a lower average dollar-per-square-foot than another neighborhood -- because its 3-BR houses are significantly larger.