Sign Hill
Mid-century homes and city views
Sign Hill’s softly hilly streets feature narrow sidewalks with a mix of one-level and two-level homes. “The neighborhood is almost set up into two sections, where in the front part of it, you have a couple of streets with very large homes, more space and nice views of the city,” Leung says. “Then, in the back portion of the neighborhood, there’s more of an older housing track with smaller, one-story homes or properties that have been updated and built up to be two stories.” Although widely varied, the most common housing styles include midcentury ranch homes, split-levels, bungalows from the 1920s and boxy 1930s Mediterranean-style homes. The properties often feature compact front yards either landscaped with flowers and shrubs or transformed into wider driveways. Housing prices start from around $885,000 for smaller single-level properties and up to $1.9 million for two-level, 4-bedroom homes with updated modern interiors and extra lot space.
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Local dining and shopping along Grand Avenue
While shopping, dining and grocery essentials are more limited within Sign Hill, many options are located nearby. Sign Hill’s proximity to South San Francisco’s downtown area gives residents access to various eateries along Grand Avenue. Locals often wait in lines for a table at Grand Palace, a Chinese restaurant with a spacious banquet-style dining room, well known for their dim sum and Cantonese delicacies. Brothers Café is a highly rated spot for elevated American comfort food and features a quaint covered front patio. The café’s menu items are made from locally sourced ingredients, with favorites including oatmeal pancakes and eggs benedict. One of the most trendy and hip spots along Grand Avenue is Dead Eye Coffee, serving classic and specialty coffee varieties and pastries. Residents can drive less than two miles west along El Camino Real to pick up groceries at Safeway, or the nearby Pacific Supermarket, which offers specialty Asian food items. For more shopping, the Shops at Tanforan is two miles south of Sign Hill, with popular retailers like Petco and Target.
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Nearby hiking trails and infamous neighborhood park
Residents can enjoy recreational attractions inside and outside of the neighborhood. Sign Hill Park, which features the popular Hike Ridge Trail, is located within the neighborhood and offers access to the eponymous “sign” on the “hill.” The 65-foot-tall set of letters reading, “South San Francisco the Industrial City" is an infamous Northern California landmark. Hikers here can get close to it from the Ridge Trail, which spans a little over a mile and winds throughout the park. The site is also popular for its scenic natural surroundings, where native wildlife sightings are common. The Terrabay Gymnasium, located in the northern part of the neighborhood, features a public fitness room, playground area and an open gym for playing badminton, basketball, tennis or pickleball. The gymnasium is home to many of the community’s youth sports league games as well. Just outside and directly north of Sign Hill is the expansive San Bruno Mountain State and County Park where residents can explore scenic hiking and biking trails that lead up to panoramic views of the San Francisco Peninsula.
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Outdoor concert series and Halloween festivals
Many events take place throughout the year in the South San Francisco area, particularly at nearby Orange Memorial Park. Less than a mile from the neighborhood, the park hosts a Movie in the Parks event each summer, where residents enjoy family-friendly movies on the lawn. The park also holds a Concerts in the Park series each spring, with live music performances from local musicians. The annual Halloween Extravaganza is another favorite at the park, featuring a trunk-or-treat set-up, a petting zoo, a haunted house and a floating pumpkin patch at the site’s public swimming pool.
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Public schools with state-of-the-art biotech labs
Students can attend Spruce Elementary School, which gets a C-rating from Niche, followed by the B-minus-rated Parkway Heights Middle School. For high schoolers, South San Francisco High School is rated at a B-plus. In 2017, the school launched its popular Science Garage, a state-of-the-art biotech lab and classroom backed by a $7.8 million grant from the Genentech Foundation. For residents looking for a private school alternative, the nearby All Souls Catholic High School is a popular choice. It serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8.
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Close to main highways and BART stations
Sign Hill sits between two major thoroughfares, El Camino Real and Highway 101's Bayshore Freeway, which connect to Interstate 280 for getting around the Peninsula. San Francisco is located about 10 miles north, and Oakland is 20 miles northeast. Residents have easy access to San Francisco International Airport, less than six miles from Sign Hill. There are multiple public bus stops just south of the neighborhood along Grand Avenue, and less than two miles west is the South San Francisco BART station.
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Written By
Britni Petersen
Photography Contributed By
James Breedlove
Video By
Anne Sheridan
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Agents Specializing in this Area
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Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda
Compass
(650) 780-3416
92 Total Sales
1 in Sign Hill
$1,500,000 Price
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Mary Murphy
Mary Murphy
Compass
(650) 870-9175
35 Total Sales
1 in Sign Hill
$1,710,000 Price
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Julie Flouty
Julie Flouty
Compass
(650) 414-5474
191 Total Sales
1 in Sign Hill
$898,088 Price
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Sheldon Rilliet
Sheldon Rilliet
Compass
(650) 825-9245
46 Total Sales
1 in Sign Hill
$1,450,000 Price
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Elizabeth Rivera-Cerda
Elizabeth Rivera-Cerda
Exp Realty Of California
(650) 449-4082
28 Total Sales
1 in Sign Hill
$1,275,000 Price
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Tish Charles
Tish Charles
(510) 880-1682
17 Total Sales
1 in Sign Hill
$940,000 Price
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 9th to 12th
- Public
- 6th to 8th
- Public
- K to 5th
- Public
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Parks in this Area
Orange Memorial Park
Jack Drago Park
Centennial Way Dog Park
City Hall Play Area
Sign Hill Park
Firth Memorial Park
Transit
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Sign Hill | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 2 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 2 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 2 | 4 |
| Robbery | 3 | 4 |
| Burglary | 3 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 4 | 4 |
| Larceny | 3 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 3 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Sign Hill Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Sign Hill, South San Francisco sell after 78 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Sign Hill, South San Francisco over the last 12 months is $555,000, up 11% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$639,900
Median Sale Price
$555,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$714,950
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$800,000
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$325,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
2%
Last 12 months Home Sales
60
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
11%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$378
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
2,452
Number of Homes for Sale
5
Median Year Built
1957
Months of Supply
1.00
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,639
Below the national average
1,924
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
2,964
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,184
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
950
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
4,791
Open Houses
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Tuesday, Jul 2910am - 12pm
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
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$4,800 per month
- House for Rent
- 3 Beds
- 2.5 Baths
- 1,580 Sq Ft
- 108 Mountain Rd
- South San Francisco, CA
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Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
7,057
Median Age
45
Population Density
12 ppl/acre
Population under 18
18.8%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
22.1%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$137,796
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$164,987
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
86.1%
On par with the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
47.3%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
13.8%
% Population in Labor Force
64.5%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
20''
Average Winter Low Temperature
44°F
Average Summer High Temperature
73°F
Annual Snowfall
0''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
34
/ 100
Somewhat Walkable
Walk Score®
65
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Downtown South San Francis
Biotech hub and quieter and more affordable sister of San Francisco
Central Brisbane
Scenic views and a small-town feel away from the bustle of San Francisco
Orange Park
Warehouse jobs, neighborhood parks and community vibes in South San Francisco
Sunshine Gardens
Convenient suburban living with urban amenities 11 miles north of San Francisco
Avalon
Park-filled suburban hamlet with easy access to San Francisco’s rapid transit
Bayshore
Small residential gateway community at the southern end of San Francisco
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