The former Newsom family home at 1284 Stanyan Street in Upper Cole Valley just SOLD for $5,850,000, a whopping 30% over its $4,500,000 asking price.

Multiple all-cash offers, a buyer in contract within two weeks, and a final sale price that works out to approximately $4,048 per square foot.

For a two-bedroom, two-bathroom house measuring just 1,445 square feet.

That’s some serious money for a relatively small house… even by San Francisco standards.

But there’s quite a bit more going on at this address.

The Land Is Where Things Get Interesting

Sitting near the top of Stanyan Street, across from Sutro Forest, this redwood-clad home occupies two adjoining parcels totaling approximately 9,600 square feet.

The second parcel, roughly 3,420 square feet according to the listing, has access from Belgrave Avenue and includes a small finished cabin. There’s also a Japanese soaking tub, garden patios, a view deck, and an unusual amount of privacy for a property in the middle of San Francisco.

The home itself dates to 1951, received its Marin redwood siding in 1979, and underwent substantial renovations in 2020, including updates to the kitchen and bathrooms.

The extra parcel presents possibilities for future development, although any additional construction would require the necessary city approvals.

And the land values around Belgrave are worth paying attention to.

Consider 35 Belgrave Avenue, where a parcel with approved plans sold for $5,750,000 in April 2026. It’s a different property with different entitlements, but it gives you an idea of what land can command in this particular corner of the City.

A Little Newsom Family History

There’s a legitimate connection between this property and Governor Gavin Newsom.

His maternal grandfather, Arthur Menzies, once owned the home. Menzies was a horticulturist whose work helped establish the California native plant garden at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, which now bears his name.

An official 1967 election record identifies 1284 Stanyan Street as the residence of Newsom’s father, Bill Newsom, who was running for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors that year.

The exact childhood timeline is a little less clear. Newsom’s 2026 memoir recalls his family living on Octavia Street around the time of his birth. Still, the family connection to Stanyan Street is well documented.

The property eventually changed hands in 1972, and the next family owned it for more than four decades.

From a 2019 Sale to a 2026 Bidding War

The sales history is equally interesting.

Back in 2019, the home was initially offered for $3,600,000, but eventually sold for $2,800,000.

Substantial renovations followed.

In May 2025, public records show another transfer at $3,900,000. According to listing agent John DiDomenico of Compass, that transaction was an intra-family sale.

Fast forward to October 2026, and the property is changing hands again at 30% over asking.

For those tracking the timeline, the home was listed September 23, went pending October 7, and closed October 22. That’s two weeks to secure a buyer and 29 days from listing to closing.

Impressive, particularly with multiple cash offers reportedly in the mix.

There’s a temptation to look at the appreciation between 2019 and today and declare that every San Francisco property is headed in the same direction. That would be quite a stretch. Renovations, an unusually large parcel, and a family transfer make this a difficult sale to use as a conventional market comparison.

Still, buyers willing to compete this aggressively for a property with significant land potential tell us something about demand for scarce opportunities in San Francisco.

According to The San Francisco Standard, the buyer was the Sutro Trust.

Congratulations to the buyers and sellers.

The governor’s name made for a good headline. But the parcel map explains a lot more about the price.

For more overbid sales, head to The Goods.

Thinking of buying or selling? Contact us today to work with the only realtor in SF giving back to the planet with each transaction.

– 1284 Stanyan St, San Francisco, CA 94117 (The Goods)