Real Estate Investing in San Francisco, California (94104)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

San Francisco County • Population: 478 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 94104 (San Francisco, CA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
WEAK FIT
Grade F (21/100)

Multiple negative signals. Better options likely exist nearby.

📈 For Investors
WEAK
2.0 / 5 (33/100)

Structural challenges here. The numbers may look cheap but operational risk is high. Only for experienced, hands-on investors.

⚠️ Risks to Know
5 flags
  • Declining values: -2.0% 5-year CAGR — values have moved lower.
  • Elevated vacancy: 10.0% vacancy may signal weakening demand.
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 — slower evictions, more regulations.
  • Higher unemployment: 18.9% unemployment — tenant risk signal.

• Limited market data — this is a very small market; averages are built from few observations and can swing widely. • Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in San Francisco, CA (94104)?

Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.

✨ Live AI + Web Search
Want to ask your own questions? Upgrade to Pro for unlimited custom queries.
2.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

1.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $1,155,478
Avg Monthly Rent $3,420
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $47,386
% Renters 76.3%

Market Analysis: 94104 San Francisco

ZIP 94104 in San Francisco, CA carries a healthy set of headwinds. Home values near $1.2M and rents of $3,420/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 94104 comes in at the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Regionally, 94104 sits on the difficult end of the CA spectrum. The a solid fit for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Who lives in 94104 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

Distressed ZIPs reward experience. significant returns are possible in 94104, but they flow to investors who already understand how to operate in soft markets.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in San Francisco:

D Needs Caution
Buy Confidence Score: 30/100
Affordability
0/25
Appreciation
0/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 24.4× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+1.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $3,420/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
38 days
Average time to sell
Average
7.6%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$1.7M$1.5M$1.4M$1.3M$1.1M$990KDec 2011Apr 2019Jul 2026

📊 How Does 94104 Compare?

Metric 94104 San Francisco San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA California
Home Value $1,155,478 $693,502 N/A $761,003
5-Year CAGR N/A N/A N/A 5.7%
Avg Rent $3,420 $4,437 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.3% 2.6% - -
💡 Why Invest in 94104? Click to expand

76% of households rent in this area, creating consistent tenant demand for landlords.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
Open the Market Finder →
Free to search · investor plans from $19/mo

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 94104 (San Francisco, CA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 94104 (San Francisco, CA)?

~25 seconds · no account needed · your report is anonymous

Property managers serving San Francisco County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

2B Living offers reimagined property management services, including residential management, property onboarding, accounting, and reporting, for properties around the Bay Area. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Azari Property Management provides one-stop real estate service as a property management company since 2006. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Boardwalk Investments Property Management specializes in property management and leasing in San Francisco and the Northern Peninsula. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Fair
Cap Rate
2.3%
Low
5yr Growth
-2.0%
Declining

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $1,155,478
Monthly Rent $3,420
Price-to-Rent 28.2:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.6%
Cap Rate 2.3%
5-Year IRR 0.3%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +1.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR -0.4% ▼
5-Year CAGR -2.0% ▼
10-Year CAGR -3.0% ▼

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.3%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.3%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
10.0%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
-2.0%
Declining
Eviction process: Very Slow Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 94104

Population: 478

💰 Median Household Income
$47,386
This area
$47,386
State
$94,164
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
76.3%
This area
76.3%
State
39.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
18.9%
This area
18.9%
State
-16.6%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
40.5%
This area
40.5%
State
7.7%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
49.8 years
This area
49.8 years
State
9.6 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
10.0%
This area
10.0%
State
15.3%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
Asian 44.9%
White 38.4%
Other/Mixed 12.1%
Hispanic/Latino 10.6%
Black/African American 4.7%
👶 Under 18
9.3%
This area
9.3%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
9.3%
This area
9.3%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
7.3%
This area
7.3%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 94104

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A+ Excellent

Everett Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 450 Church St., San Francisco
👥
467 Students
👨‍🏫
14.4:1 Class Size
💰
$27,074 Per Student
A Very Good

Francisco Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 2190 Powell St., San Francisco
👥
511 Students
👨‍🏫
15.8:1 Class Size
💰
$27,074 Per Student
A Very Good

King (Thomas Starr) Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 1215 Carolina St., San Francisco
👥
335 Students
👨‍🏫
16.6:1 Class Size
💰
$27,074 Per Student
A Very Good

Lick (James) Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 1220 Noe St., San Francisco
👥
476 Students
👨‍🏫
16.5:1 Class Size
💰
$27,074 Per Student
A Very Good

O'Connell (John) High

📚 09 – 12 High School
📍 2355 Folsom St., San Francisco
👥
483 Students
👨‍🏫
15.2:1 Class Size
💰
$27,074 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby
C
San Francisco Film School
141 students · 0.1 mi
C
Cinta Aveda Institute
95 students · 0.1 mi
D
Golden Gate University
2,262 students · 0.2 mi
D
Bay Area Medical Academy
159 students · 0.2 mi
C
Academy of Art University
6,320 students · 0.3 mi
F
Miami Ad School-San Francisco
19 students · 0.3 mi
C
Presidio Graduate School
103 students · 0.3 mi
B
Minerva University
656 students · 0.7 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

How strong are rents in San Francisco, CA?

Investors in San Francisco, CA typically see rents near $3,420/mo per month against $1.2M home values - a solid setup for rental cash flow.

How do home values compare in San Francisco, CA?

Homes in San Francisco, CA typically sell near $1.2M. Prices have moved at a 0.0% 5-year CAGR, which consistent long-term demand.

What is the investability score for San Francisco, CA?

San Francisco, CA reports an investability rating of 2.0/5, with median home values near $1.2M and average rents around $3,420/mo. That combination puts it in the notable tier for investor interest.

What is the typical vacancy rate in San Francisco, CA?

San Francisco, CA vacancy trends elevated. Investors running standard buy-and-hold plays see reasonable downtime between tenants.

Is San Francisco, CA landlord-friendly?

CA ranks as a tenant-protective state for landlord-tenant law. San Francisco generally follows the statewide framework, so landlords face reasonable operating rules.

You know 94104 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 94104 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

Compare Plans

How 94104 ranks in San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 94104 (San Francisco)

Loading...

Community Ratings

What people who’ve spent time here actually say. Not paid reviews.

Be the first to rate 94104 (San Francisco, CA).

It takes 30 seconds. No signup. Your rating helps everyone who comes here after you.