{"id":281944,"date":"2026-04-23T12:27:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T12:27:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/281944\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T12:27:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T12:27:34","slug":"san-francisco-cottage-perched-atop-a-secret-staircase-lists-for-under-900k","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/281944\/","title":{"rendered":"San Francisco Cottage Perched Atop a ‘Secret Staircase’ Lists for Under $900K"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is extremely rare to find an elegant detached home for under $1 million in San Francisco<\/a>\u2014and even rarer still is when that “diamond in the rough” is tucked into one of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods, offering spectacular panoramic views that stretch all the way to the water. <\/p>\n

Yet that “once in an era opportunity” is exactly what has come to market in San Francisco’s Twin Peaks community: a charming, elegantly renovated cottage that is listed for $899,000<\/a>\u2014nearly $300,000 under the city’s current median listing price of $1.19 million<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The one-bedroom, one-bathroom abode, known as The Tree House, is perched on a hilltop plot that affords it jaw-dropping vistas, as well as an exceptional level of privacy.<\/p>\n

Marketed as an exceptional example of “classic architecture with thoughtful design,” the listing is being handled by Leah Johnson with City Real Estate<\/a>. She notes that the dwelling is the epitome of an “authentically San Franciscan” abode.<\/p>\n

Adding to that authentic experience is the home’s location on one of the city’s “secret staircases,” which are tucked into the hilly landscape and have long been one of the most recognizable elements of San Francisco’s architecture. <\/p>\n

The views from this cottage are a huge selling point.Open Homes PhotographyA neutral palette allows this cottage’s architectural bones to truly shine.Open Homes PhotographyAdopting an open layout, the dining room, kitchen and living room are well suited for entertaining.: Open Homes Photography<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a number of secret staircases throughout San Francisco,\u201d says Johnson. \u201cIt\u2019s rare to see these [cottages] come up that are scattered and sprinkled along these staircases.\u201c<\/p>\n

Perhaps the rarest element of this listing, however, is its price tag, which sits well below San Francisco’s median list price\u2014providing a truly affordable opportunity, particularly given that the home requires no renovations. <\/p>\n

\u201cTo get a single-family home that is turnkey in this price range is almost unheard of in San Francisco,\u201d Johnson adds.<\/p>\n

Clocking in at 818 square feet, this cottage was built in 1913 and sits on an 884-square-foot lot along the Iron Valley Stairway\u2014one of San Francisco\u2019s steepest and most iconic stairways. Since then, the abode has had multiple owners, although the seller has held onto it for the past 22 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s heartbroken to sell it, but her life took her to L.A. about 10 years ago,\u201d says Johnson. \u201cShe\u2019s been holding onto it desperately. Anyone who wants to live in this home will have a love affair with it.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

Due to this long stretch of ownership, the former \u201crustic cottage\u201d has been meticulously transformed over time, retaining character details\u2014such as vaulted ceilings, scalloped exterior trim, and window boxes in which to plant flowers\u2014while also personalized for the seller.<\/p>\n

Modern additions include vinyl-plank flooring, a brand-new kitchen, and spa-inspired bath. An open layout for the living room and dining room is conducive to entertaining.<\/p>\n

Over the weekend, Johnson hosted two open houses, which attracted a lot of interest, mostly from potential buyers who had initially been seeking a condo because they felt like a single-family home in San Francisco would never be within their financial reach.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople who thought they might be limited to condos are like, \u2018Wow, I can get into a property that\u2019s my own, that\u2019s a house, that\u2019s attached and private,\u2019\u201d says Johnson. And since it\u2019s less than 1,000 square feet, \u201cit\u2019s not too big that you are taking on a project.\u201d<\/p>\n

A curved wall of windows in the bedroom coaxes in lots of natural light. Open Homes PhotographyInspired by spas, this cottage’s lone bath is designed to be a real retreat.Open Homes PhotographyWindow boxes and scalloped trim are two of this cottage’s timeless design features.Open Homes Photography<\/p>\n

She notes that the home’s very unique listing features mean it is not a property that many simply stumble across, particularly because\u2014while it is a fully-detached family home, it doesn’t have things like a private garage or additional bedrooms. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a very robust turnout,\u201d the listing agent says of the open houses. \u201cMost buyers are not typing into their search engine ‘one-bedroom, one-bath, single-family homes with no garage.’ Most potential buyers are looking for a condo or their agent found this for them.”<\/p>\n

The aforementioned views are also poised to entice, Johnson says, noting: “The views are spectacular. You feel very authentically San Francisco.”<\/p>\n

Included in the listing are photos snapped at twilight, for a peek into what the buyer might see as a homeowner. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey aren\u2019t Photoshopped,\u201d says Johnson. \u201cThey are beautiful purples and blues.\u201d<\/p>\n

What also might entice a buyer is the fact that home is located in Twin Peaks, but also sits at the cross section of multiple other neighborhoods. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou feel very remote in this setting,\u201d says Johnson. \u201cIt\u2019s sloping streets, micro parks and pathways. But in any direction, you\u2019re in the Castro, Cole Valley, and Noe Valley. If you need an artery to the freeway, you\u2019re within minutes of those and you have public transit within your fingertips, too.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

With a school right across the street, \u201cit would be very sweet to have a schoolteacher\u201d as a buyer, says Johnson.<\/p>\n

Or really, anyone with an eye on a once-in-a-lifetime home purchase could live here. <\/p>\n

\u201cPeople like things that are unique, special, and one of a kind,\u201d she says. \u201cThis property is definitely that.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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