Where readers ask, and we (the community) try to answer:

Yes – people are obsessed with cost per square foot – why or why shouldn’t we concern ourselves with that statistic?

Thanks!

Thanks for the email.

Price per square foot in San Francisco and around the country, hell the world for that matter, is an obsession because it is the simplest way to quantify how one home may or may not be better than another or how they compare. It is a way to gauge the popularity (desirability) of an area as well (higher price per square foot in an area can fairly accurately be associated to its popularity). It’s basically a good barometer of value and something that should definitely be considered when looking at values of homes or when considering buying or selling a home in a certain location. However, in San Francisco it should definitely not be the deciding factor as every home is different, and if going off of tax records, square footage in San Francisco and public records are anything but accurate.

That said, it is a much more reliable and useful tool when buying/selling a condominium where many of the units are identical in size, amenities, and features, and something you should seriously take into consideration.

Hope this tiny bit of information helps. Maybe some other readers can shed some light?