When driving up and down the streets of San Francisco, it’s not uncommon to pass rows of historic Victorian houses. Think of the opening credits of TV show "Full House."
But walk inside those homes, and the interior decor probably won’t match the exterior. Many of the city’s historic properties have been renovated and modernized. That’s why it’s rare that a restored 152-year-old house, with its original details intact, just hit the market, according to listing agent Lamisse Droubi of Generation Real Estate.
“We do have a lot of Victorians that still feel like Victorians when you’re just driving,” she said in an interview. “But once you go inside, you might find them completely white-washed and kind of not in the period.”
The four-bedroom, six-bathroom house in the city’s Inner Mission neighborhood is up for sale at just shy of $4.5 million, according to a listing on Homes.com. Though it was built in 1872, it underwent extensive renovations between 2015 and 2017.
Unlike other Victorians in the city, though, the home’s renovation didn’t compromise its historic character, Droubi said. Take the marble fireplaces, for example. While many homeowners opt to keep their fireplaces just for decoration, the homeowners of this home went the extra step to maintain the historic features’ usability.
Other notable design features include a commissioned mural painted by a local artist, stained glass windows, original chandeliers and a fully finished attic.
Entertainer’s paradise
“We’ve had a lot of consistency around people coming into these older Victorians and completely wiping it clear of all of the historical detail because it’s more expensive to work around,” Droubi said. “But these guys were meticulous about remodeling it and replacing all of the systems while maintaining the period details.”
Beyond its architecture and design details, the lot and house are also unusually large, according to Droubi.
The main floor, for example, boasts a triple parlor with an “incredible scale,” she said. In fact, Droubi said she’s attended fundraising events hosted by the current owners in the house.
“It’s had probably 100 people on that main level, and you did not feel like it was completely packed,” she said.
The property could also serve a family well, especially because there’s the potential to turn the lower level into a separate guest space with its own entrance and kitchenette. Droubi said that space could be converted into a living space for a grandparent or live-in nanny.
“Whoever buys this property will get a house that was built for someone, not by a developer,” Droubi said. “It’s a unique opportunity.”
