Lizzie, a lot of first time buyers are moving to the Ingleside neighborhood. The part of it that is nearest Stonestown is pretty good, and yes, I think some of the houses have nice architectural detail. I saw an add for a three bedroom with a small unit downstairs for under $300,00 there. The picture was very nice, at least. The part of the Ingleside that is by Ocean Avenue is definitely not. There are drive by shootings there, a definite sign for me of a bad neighborhood. I personally don't like Potrero Hill at all. If you want a nice, stable neighborhood in San Francisco under $400,000, you can find smaller houses in the Richmond, Sunset, Miraloma Park and parts of Twin Peaks, and those neighborhoods are extremely safe. In the Sunset, I wouldn't buy further out than Sunset Boulevard, though.
You should probably get a really good real estate agent and tell him that you are willing to take a house with cosmetic problems--you know, needs painting, floors need sanding, the yard is a mess. Those tend to stay on the market longer because everyone is so busy working that they want to move into a perfect house. You would also find more price flexibility in those. Your agent should be willing to let you leaf through the Multiple Listing Book, where you might get a few really good leads that he or she could show you. And around Christmas and in the dead of winter no one really wants to move, so you face slightly less competition from other buyers. |
