Rises.co | July 1, 2026
In the first half of 2026, San Francisco luxury condos sold at or above their original asking prices in most core neighborhoods. Pacific Heights and Lower Pacific Heights led, with the typical condo closing about 8 percent over original asking. South Beach, Mission Bay, Nob Hill, and Russian Hill sold right around asking, and only Yerba Buena trailed slightly. The takeaway for sellers is clear: this is a market where correct pricing draws competition, not a market that rewards an aggressive list price.
The clearest way to measure this is the ratio of the final sale price to the original list price, a figure the MLS tracks directly. A number above 100 percent means the home sold for more than it was first listed at. Here is how the core luxury neighborhoods compared in Q1-Q2 2026.
Neighborhood | Sold vs. original asking | Sold vs. final list |
|---|---|---|
Pacific Heights | ~108.5% | ~108.3% |
Lower Pacific Heights | ~108.4% | ~108.4% |
Russian Hill | ~101.1% | ~101.1% |
Nob Hill | ~100.0% | ~100.2% |
Mission Bay | ~100.0% | ~100.0% |
South Beach | ~99.6% | ~100.0% |
Yerba Buena | ~98.5% | ~100.0% |
(Russian Hill, Lower Pacific Heights, and Yerba Buena rest on smaller samples, so treat them as directional.)
"The headline is that this was a sellers' market for correctly priced homes," explains Sean Mamola, Global Luxury Specialist with Compass. "When a luxury condo was priced to the market, buyers competed and pushed it over asking."
Pacific Heights and Lower Pacific Heights stood out, each closing at roughly 108 percent of original asking. That means the typical condo in those neighborhoods sold for about 8 percent more than its first list price, a strong signal of buyer competition. Russian Hill and Nob Hill landed just over and at asking, respectively, while South Beach and Mission Bay sold essentially at their list prices.
"Pacific Heights ran the hottest, and the over-asking numbers show it," notes Mamola. "In that market, a sharp list price is a tool to start competition, not a floor to negotiate up from slowly."
The gap between sale-to-original-asking and sale-to-final-list reveals how much discounting happened. Where the two numbers are nearly identical, as in Pacific Heights and Russian Hill, homes generally sold without price cuts. Where the original-asking figure sits below the final-list figure, as in Yerba Buena, some sellers reduced their prices before closing. Yerba Buena sold at about 100 percent of its final list but only 98.5 percent of original asking, meaning the typical reduction trimmed the result.
"Reductions are the tell of an original overprice," observes Mamola. "The neighborhoods with almost no gap between the two numbers are the ones where sellers priced right the first time."
It means the list price is your most important lever, and the right move is to price to the market rather than above it. In a market where correct pricing draws offers over asking, an aggressive number tends to cost momentum and end in a reduction. The data rewards sellers who set a sharp price and let competition do the rest.
"Price it right and the market will often pay you over asking," Mamola adds. "Price it high and the same market will make you chase it down."
In several core neighborhoods, yes. In early 2026, Pacific Heights and Lower Pacific Heights condos sold for a median of about 108 percent of their original asking prices, while most other core neighborhoods sold right around asking.
Pacific Heights and Lower Pacific Heights, each at about 108 percent of original asking in Q1-Q2 2026.
Some do. The data shows modest reductions in neighborhoods like Yerba Buena, where the typical condo sold at its final list price but below its original asking, indicating a cut along the way.
Not necessarily low, but accurate. The data favors pricing to the market, which in early 2026 drew offers at or over asking without the risk of a stale listing. An artificially low price can also leave money on the table.
It means the final sale price exceeded the original list price. A figure of 108 percent of original asking means the home sold for about 8 percent more than it was first listed at.
The early-2026 data points to a favorable market for well-priced homes, with most core neighborhoods selling at or above asking and within a few weeks. Pricing and presentation still determine the result.
Wondering what your condo would sell for in today's market? Sean Mamola brings 17+ years of real estate expertise and a luxury hospitality background to every client relationship, with a track record spanning entry-level condos to an $8.7 million South Beach penthouse. As a Global Luxury Specialist with Compass, Sean prices and positions each home to draw the strongest offers. Schedule a consultation or call (415) 704-3640.
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