San Francisco, CA Commercial Real Estate Market Trends

Commercial Real Estate Market Report

This page provides a high-level view of commercial real estate conditions in San Francisco, combining current pricing, property scale, and active inventory to support early market evaluation.

Explore Commercial Properties in San Francisco

Browse properties currently for sale or lease to see how local market pricing and building sizes translate into real opportunities.

 

San Francisco's Demographic Profile

With a population of 777,336 and a median household income of $128,655, these metrics help investors gauge whether San Francisco's pricing reflects local demand fundamentals.

Key Demographic Metrics Value
Population 777,336
# Households 330,111
Median age 42
Median household income $128,655
Avg household size 2
Renter-occupied housing units 220,085
5-year population change -8%

Commercial Real Estate Market Snapshot in San Francisco

These market metrics outline current pricing, typical deal size, and observed cap rate ranges, giving investors a quick read on entry costs and high-level underwriting expectations.

Key Market Metrics Value
Avg asking sale price $578 per SF
Avg asking lease rate $439 per SF
Avg unit size for lease 19,382 SF
Avg building size for sale 27,982 SF
Average cap rate 6.15%

In San Francisco, commercial properties are currently listed at an average sale price of $578 per square foot, with average lease rates around $439 per square foot. Typical leased spaces are approximately 19,382 SF, while properties for sale average 27,982 SF in building size. Observed cap rates average 6.15%, offering a reference point for return expectations relative to pricing and deal scale.

 

Commercial Properties For Sale In San Francisco

The listings below reflect how current market pricing and building scale translate into active opportunities available today.
For Sale

Vacant Repositioning Opportunity | Downtown

San Francisco, CA 94111

  • 10,465 SF Office Building
  • Auction Sale
For Sale

Bush & Larkin

San Francisco, CA 94109

  • 37,812 SF Industrial Building
  • Price Upon Request
For Sale

The Redstone Building

San Francisco, CA 94103

  • 55,560 SF Office Building
  • 9.39% Cap Rate
  • $7,150,000
For Sale

Redstone, Solano, and Irwin

  • 7.60% Cap Rate
  • $21,082,000
For Sale

1532 Howard St

San Francisco, CA 94103

  • 8,225 SF Multifamily
  • $4,895,000
For Sale

246 28th St

San Francisco, CA 94131

  • 3,748 SF Multifamily
  • 4.24% Cap Rate
  • $2,500,000
For Sale

794 San Jose Ave

San Francisco, CA 94110

  • 5,768 SF Multifamily
  • 4.10% Cap Rate
  • $2,200,000
For Sale

1355 47th Ave

San Francisco, CA 94122

  • 4,488 SF Multifamily
  • 3.80% Cap Rate
  • $1,100,000

 

Commercial Market Metrics by Property Type

Office Building Market Metrics Near San Francisco

Office market metrics highlight how pricing, typical deal size, and return expectations vary across submarkets, helping investors compare entry costs and yield potential efficiently.

Nearby Office Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
San Francisco $572 32,990 SF 10.98%
South San Francisco $545 8,929 SF 4.01%
Pacifica $571 6,282 SF 4.70%
Alameda $298 10,793 SF 7.70%
Burlingame $920 11,306 SF 6.59%

Industrial Property Market Metrics Near San Francisco

Industrial market data shows how cost per square foot and typical building size differ by submarket, supporting comparisons around deal scale and pricing alignment.

Nearby Industrial Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
San Francisco $516 16,476 SF 7.30%
Brisbane $417 4,017 SF 6.50%
South San Francisco $568 14,689 SF 4.79%
San Bruno $457 18,642 SF 4.70%

 

Retail Property Market Metrics Near San Francisco

Retail pricing varies widely across nearby markets, making this comparison useful for identifying where cost per square foot and deal size diverge most.

Nearby Retail Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size
San Francisco $619 18,663 SF
Daly City $466 19,910 SF
South San Francisco $641 11,773 SF
Pacifica $616 5,820 SF
Alameda $451 8,493 SF

Multifamily Property Market Metrics Near San Francisco

Multifamily metrics show how pricing and building size relate to observed cap rate ranges, helping investors evaluate income potential relative to entry cost.

Nearby Multifamily Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
San Francisco $575 6,929 SF 8.91%
South San Francisco $357 7,154 SF 6.58%
Pacifica $636 22,242 SF 6.43%
Alameda $327 27,806 SF 7.78%
Burlingame $630 9,093 SF 5.75%

 

How Investors Evaluate Commercial Real Estate Markets in San Francisco

Use these tools to move from market-level signals to deal-level math. Each calculator helps translate San Francisco pricing, rents, and building size into concrete metrics like value, income, and space requirements, so you can validate assumptions before spending time on individual listings.

 

Nearby Commercial Markets

Comparing nearby markets helps investors see whether San Francisco pricing and building scale sit above, below, or in line with surrounding areas.

Commercial Markets Avg Cost/SF Average Size
San Francisco $578 27,982 SF
Brisbane $503 5,613 SF
Colma $288 10,511 SF
Daly City $444 18,629 SF
South San Francisco $531 13,980 SF

Multifamily For Sale In San Francisco

Multifamily listings shown here connect market pricing and cap rate patterns with income-producing opportunities currently available.
For Sale

1532 Howard St

San Francisco, CA 94103

  • 8,225 SF Multifamily
  • $4,895,000
For Sale

1650 Clay St

San Francisco, CA 94109

  • 8,975 SF Multifamily
  • $4,200,000
For Sale

Across from Twitter Building-$187K Per Unit

San Francisco, CA 94103

  • 22,670 SF Multifamily
  • 5.30% Cap Rate
  • $10,500,000
For Sale

1601- 1603 Revere Ave, San Francisco, CA 941

San Francisco, CA 94124

  • 2,387 SF Multifamily
  • 7.39% Cap Rate
  • $949,000
For Sale

661-667 Fillmore St

San Francisco, CA 94117

  • 12,326 SF Multifamily
  • 5.54% Cap Rate
  • $3,675,000
For Sale

Assumable 3.5% Loan Through 2030

San Francisco, CA 94110

  • 5,697 SF Multifamily
  • 5.08% Cap Rate
  • $4,400,000
For Sale

888 Seventh Street

San Francisco, CA 94107

  • 275,000 SF Multifamily
  • $875,000
For Sale

1715 Polk St

San Francisco, CA 94109

  • 8,420 SF Multifamily
  • $1,200,000

Regional Demographic Comparison

This comparison places San Francisco alongside nearby cities to show how population size, household counts, and income levels differ across the region. Viewing these markets side by side helps investors understand whether local demand and income characteristics are concentrated in San Francisco or distributed across surrounding areas.

City Population # Households Age MedianHouseholdIncome AvgHouseholdSize RenterOccupiedHousingUnits FiveYrPopGrowthPct
San Francisco 777,336 330,111 42 $128,655 2 220,085 -8%
Brisbane 4,433 1,779 45 $126,109 3 662 -6%
Colma 1,152 399 44 $103,688 3 233 -9%
Daly City 94,537 28,588 42 $103,334 3 13,272 -6%
South San Francisco 20,527 6,950 44 $132,000 3 2,554 -6%

FAQs About Commercial Investing in San Francisco

View All Commercial Real Estate For Sale in San Francisco
Is San Francisco a good market for a first-time commercial real estate investor?

San Francisco offers commercial properties across a wide range of sizes and price points. By reviewing the market data and benchmarks on this page, first-time investors can better understand what a typical commercial property looks like before committing capital and narrowing in on specific listings.

How can this market data help me decide whether to buy commercial property for my business in San Francisco?

The pricing and size metrics on this page help business owners compare the cost of ownership against leasing in San Francisco. Typical building sizes and asking prices provide a starting point for evaluating space needs, budget fit, and long term occupancy costs before engaging lenders or brokers.

What should conservative investors focus on when evaluating commercial properties in San Francisco?

Conservative investors often prioritize manageable deal sizes, stable pricing ranges, and cap rate benchmarks shown for San Francisco. These metrics help assess whether current market conditions support steady income potential without relying on aggressive assumptions.

How does San Francisco compare to nearby commercial real estate markets?

Nearby market comparisons highlight differences in pricing, building scale, and cap rate ranges relative to San Francisco. Reviewing these side by side helps experienced investors identify relative value, pricing premiums, or alternative markets that may better align with return targets.

How can this page support early-stage deal screening for San Francisco acquisitions?

This page provides high-level benchmarks for pricing, deal size, and observed cap rates in San Francisco, which are useful for initial market filtering. Institutional and data-driven investors often use these signals to prioritize listings that meet size, pricing, and return thresholds before deeper underwriting.