Cow Hollow, SF Real Estate & Homes for Sale
Cow Hollow is the sloping San Francisco neighborhood between the Marina and Pacific Heights, from Lombard Street to Green Street, with Union Street as its commercial spine. Homes are Victorian and Edwardian houses, flats and small apartment buildings, and older multi-unit buildings fall under the Rent Ordinance.
Explore Cow Hollow, SF real estate and homes for sale with this local guide. Contact Diamond to discuss your criteria and current property-search options.
| County | San Francisco (City and County) |
|---|---|
| Local government | San Francisco Planning; Union Street NCD controls |
| Housing | Victorian and Edwardian houses, flat buildings, small apartment buildings |
| Hazards to check | Liquefaction zones reach western and eastern parts |
| Getting around | Muni 45 Union/Stockton, 22 Fillmore; US 101 via Lombard and Van Ness |
| Local rules | Union Street NCD; Rent Ordinance for pre-June 1979 multi-unit buildings |
Cow Hollow is the sloping neighborhood between the Marina and Pacific Heights, roughly from Lombard Street up to Green Street and from the Presidio east to Van Ness Avenue, with Union Street as its main street. Its housing is a mix of Victorian and Edwardian houses, flat buildings and small apartment buildings, and its name comes from the cows that once grazed in the valley.
In the San Francisco Association of Realtors’ MLS map Cow Hollow is subdistrict 7D, part of SF District 7. Neighborhood groups do not all agree on the edges: some treat the western blocks as Golden Gate Valley, and the Cow Hollow Association claims some streets that others call Pacific Heights. This guide uses the MLS definition; our San Francisco guide covers the neighborhoods around it.
Cow Hollow homes for sale
Cow Hollow market report
Union Street: a commercial district inside a residential neighborhood
Union Street is zoned as its own Neighborhood Commercial District, the Union Street NCD, which Planning maps along the street through the middle of Cow Hollow. Its storefronts include older houses and flats whose ground floors have been turned over to shops, salons and restaurants, often with apartments or offices above.
For a buyer, living a block off Union means walkable errands and a busier street at night. For an owner of a mixed-use building on Union itself, the NCD controls govern which uses can occupy the ground floor, so check Planning’s rules before you assume a retail space can become a residence or the reverse.
Fillmore Street crosses Union and adds a second, shorter commercial stretch. The Metro Theater at 2055 Union Street, a 1924 movie house, is City Landmark No. 261.
The houses and flats: older than the Marina
Cow Hollow was built up earlier than the filled land to its north. It has some of the oldest designated houses on the northside, including the Octagon House (1861) and the Casebolt House (1865), and the typical block mixes single-family Victorians and Edwardians with two- and three-unit flats and a few larger apartment buildings.
| Building | Landmark No. | Address | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Octagon House (Colonial Dames) | 17 | 2645 Gough Street | 1861 |
| Casebolt House | 51 | 2727 Pierce Street | 1865 |
| Sherman House | 49 | 2160 Green Street | 1876 |
| North End Police Station and Garage | 218 | 2475 Greenwich Street | 1912 |
| Golden Gate Valley Carnegie Library | 300 | 1801 Green Street | 1918 |
| Metro Theater | 261 | 2055 Union Street | 1924 |
Compare the particular property’s permitted living area, actual lot size, construction history and ownership documents; a neighborhood statistic is not a substitute for those records.
Owners of houses this old should expect questions about foundations, original framing and past alterations. Our Victorian and Edwardian homes guide lists what inspectors typically look for.
How Cow Hollow is zoned
Besides the Union Street NCD, Lombard Street carries NC-3 moderate-scale commercial zoning, and a few parcels are RC-3, a residential-commercial district.
RTO-C transit-oriented parcels also appear. The Family Zoning Plan, in effect since January 12, 2026, focuses added height on major transit and commercial streets, which in Cow Hollow points to the commercial corridors rather than the RH-2 side streets; the parcel map is the final word.
An RH-2 lot permits two units as a base, and state law allows accessory dwelling units on many residential lots. If you are buying a single-family house with an eye to a second unit, have an architect read the parcel’s zoning and any historic status before you count on it.
Ground conditions vary block by block
Cow Hollow sits between the filled Marina and the Pacific Heights ridge, and its ground is mixed. Planning’s copy of the state seismic hazard maps shows liquefaction-zone polygons reaching into parts of Cow Hollow on both its western and eastern sides, while other blocks lie outside any zone.
The practical step is the same as in the Marina: look up the exact parcel on the state’s EQ Zapp or Planning’s Property Information Map and read the Natural Hazard Disclosure. A zone designation triggers a soils study for new construction and certain additions, and a disclosure when the property sells; it does not by itself say anything about the condition of a particular house.
Older flat and apartment buildings of five or more units may fall under the city’s Mandatory Soft Story Program, and most multi-unit buildings from before June 1979 are covered by the Rent Ordinance. Our hazard maps guide covers the flood and seismic lookups in one place.
Transit and the U.S. 101 corridor
The 45 Union/Stockton is Cow Hollow’s own line: it runs on Union Street from its terminal at Lyon and Greenwich east to North Beach, downtown and the Caltrain depot, daily from about 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. The 22 Fillmore crosses the neighborhood on Fillmore, Broadway, Steiner and Union Streets toward the Western Addition and the Mission.
The 30 Stockton on Chestnut Street and the 43 Masonic are a few blocks north in the Marina, and the 49 Van Ness/Mission runs on Van Ness Avenue at the eastern edge. There is no BART or Muni Metro station.
Lombard Street and Van Ness Avenue together form the U.S. 101 corridor to the Golden Gate Bridge. That is convenient for drivers heading to Marin and a factor for houses that front Lombard or sit on the cross streets that feed it.
Selling a home in Cow Hollow
Buyers here usually shortlist Cow Hollow alongside the Marina and the lower blocks of Pacific Heights, so the comparison is less about the neighborhood and more about the property’s position: distance from Union and Lombard, slope and view, parking, and whether it is a house, a flat or a condo.
- Explain the position. Note street noise and how the bedrooms are oriented if the house is on or near Union, Fillmore or Lombard. Buyers will visit at night either way.
- Show the alterations. Many Cow Hollow houses were enlarged or converted over a century. Pull the Department of Building Inspection permit history and the 3R report early so the legal unit count is settled before buyers ask.
- Disclose the ground. If the parcel is in a liquefaction zone, the disclosure will show it; have any foundation or retrofit records ready to put it in context.
- Know the ownership form. Many two- and three-unit buildings are condominiums or tenancies in common, and the buyer’s lender will look closely at the documents; see our guides to condos and TICs.
The city’s own items, including the 3R report, the energy and water inspection and the transfer tax, are explained in San Francisco seller requirements. For a mixed-use building on Union Street, also gather commercial leases and any Planning approvals for the ground-floor use.
Questions people ask
Why is it called Cow Hollow?
The name comes from the cows that once grazed in the valley, before it was built up with houses.
Is Union Street in Cow Hollow or Pacific Heights?
Under the MLS definition, Union Street is in Cow Hollow (7D); Pacific Heights begins at Green Street. Some neighborhood groups draw the boundary differently.
Is Cow Hollow in a liquefaction zone?
Parts of it are. Planning’s version of the state map shows zones reaching into some Cow Hollow blocks while others are outside, so check the specific parcel.
Can I open a business in a Union Street building?
Permitted uses depend on the Union Street NCD controls and the specific space. Planning’s zoning rules and the building’s permitted use history decide what is allowed.
Which Muni lines serve Cow Hollow?
The 45 Union/Stockton runs on Union Street and the 22 Fillmore crosses on Fillmore and Union; the 30 Stockton and 43 Masonic are a few blocks north, and the 49 Van Ness/Mission runs on Van Ness Avenue.
Is Cow Hollow mostly houses or condos?
Both. The side streets are mostly houses and two- to three-unit flat buildings zoned RH-2, and many of the flats are owned as condominiums or TICs.
Thinking about selling a Cow Hollow house or flat? Ask for a home valuation that compares it with the right Cow Hollow, Marina and Pacific Heights sales, or read how we approach a San Francisco sale.
Flats, condos and TICs: ownership rules in Cow Hollow
Cow Hollow purchases can involve a unit in a small older building. Three City rules shape what you can do with one.
Past evictions or buyouts can disqualify a building, and buildings with legalized unauthorized units cannot apply (SF Planning: condominium conversion). A pair of flats held as a TIC is therefore a different product from a pair already mapped as condos; see our TIC guide.
Condominium conversion needs a building-specific eligibility review. San Francisco Public Works has a separate two-unit residential conversion process and publishes distinct Expedited Conversion Program updates. A historical lottery limit or ECP description is not a standing right to convert. Before assigning value to conversion, have Public Works confirm the actual pathway, ownership and occupancy history, tenant protections, eviction/buyout restrictions and any unauthorized-unit issue.
Rent rules. Units in buildings built on or before June 13, 1979 often have both rent increase limits and just-cause eviction protection. Most single-family homes and condos rented to a tenant who moved in on or after January 1, 1996 have eviction protection only (SF.gov: rental laws). If a flat comes with a tenant, read buying tenant-occupied property.
Seismic program. Wood-frame buildings of five or more units, two or more stories over a soft story, with an original permit applied for before 1978, fall under the Mandatory Soft Story Retrofit Program. Buildings with ground-floor commercial use, such as flat-and-store buildings on Union and Fillmore, are in Tier IV (SF soft story program).
Permits, ADUs and remodels in Cow Hollow
On the RH-2 blocks, the most common question is a second unit. SF Planning offers a State ADU Program, reviewed ministerially within 60 days of a complete application and not subject to discretionary review, and a Local Program that can waive rear-yard and exposure rules in existing buildings but places the unit under rent control and bars ADUs where an owner move-in eviction occurred in the prior five years or another no-fault eviction in the prior ten (SF Planning: ADUs). The programs can’t be combined. For qualifying lots with five or more legal units, the Local Program goes further: unlimited ADUs plus one detached ADU in an existing building with five or more legal units, still under rent control. Review periods apply to qualifying complete applications and the applicable state pathway, with statutory exceptions; they do not guarantee that a proposed unit is feasible or that a building permit will be issued. Confirm the current requirements with the permit agency and HCD.
The Department of Building Inspection issues the permit and keeps the building record (DBI); the seller must provide a Report of Residential Building Record, the 3R report, which lists the authorized use and permits on file (SF.gov: 3R report). Compare it with the number of kitchens actually in the building. Our unwarranted units guide covers what to do when they differ.
For the designated landmarks listed above, such as the Octagon House and the Casebolt House, exterior work goes through Article 10 review (Article 10, third-party reproduction).
Luxury homes and estates in Cow Hollow
At the top of the Cow Hollow market are large single-family Victorians and Edwardians on the upper blocks toward Green Street and the Pacific Heights ridge, and full-floor flats in older buildings converted to condominiums. In planning terms they sit mostly on RH-1 and RH-2 lots, so a buyer is usually paying for an existing house, not new development rights; the Family Zoning Plan points added height to the commercial corridors rather than these side streets (SF Planning: Family Zoning Plan).
The due diligence that matters most: where the lot falls on the liquefaction map that reaches the western and eastern parts of the neighborhood, checked by block and lot on the Property Information Map; foundation and framing condition in a house built before 1906 or just after; the 3R report against the house as it stands; and whether a garden-level unit was permitted. Insurance on older wood houses needs early quotes; see insuring a high-value home and earthquake insurance. The City’s transfer tax rises to $11.25 per $500 at $5 million and $27.50 at $10 million (SF.gov: Transfer tax).
Many owners of houses like these prefer a quiet sale. Ask Diamond Real Estate Group which permitted private-marketing options fit your property, goals and the applicable MLS rules. Availability of any particular listing is not guaranteed. Related reading: private sales · San Francisco luxury homes · Pacific Heights. We do not promise that any particular property is available.
The Local ADU eviction lookbacks have a specific exception for temporary capital-improvement evictions when the required declaration preserves the tenant’s right to reoccupy. Confirm the actual eviction history and chosen program with Planning.
Historic review depends on the designating ordinance and scope of work. Ordinary in-kind maintenance/repair can be exempt from a Certificate of Appropriateness, and some minor work has an administrative review path.
Sources for this section
- SF Planning: Condominium conversion restrictions — https://sfpublicworks.org/services/citysurveyor
- SF.gov: Learn about San Francisco rental laws — https://sf.gov/learn-about-san-francisco-rental-laws
- City and County of San Francisco: Mandatory Soft Story Program — https://sfgov.org/sfc/esip/soft-story
- SF Planning: Accessory Dwelling Units — https://sfplanning.org/accessory-dwelling-units
- SF.gov: Department of Building Inspection — https://www.sf.gov/departments–department-building-inspection
- SF.gov: Request a Report of Residential Building Record (3R) — https://www.sf.gov/request3r
- SF Planning Code Article 10 (gocodebook reproduction) — https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_planning/0-0-0-27871
- SF Planning: Family Zoning Plan — https://sfplanning.org/sf-family-zoning-plan
- SF Planning: Property Information Map — https://sfplanninggis.org/pim/
- SF.gov: Transfer tax — https://www.sf.gov/transfer-tax
Sources & notes
- DataSF: Assessor Historical Secured Property Tax Rolls, 2024 closed roll, parcel counts by property class for assessor neighborhoods 7A-7D
- San Francisco Planning: PlanningData map service (zoning districts, landmarks, Article 10 districts, seismic hazard zones)
- San Francisco Planning: SF Family Zoning Plan
- California Geological Survey: Seismic Hazards Program
- San Francisco Department of Building Inspection: Mandatory Soft Story Program
- San Francisco Association of Realtors: SFAR San Francisco MLS district map (via Reineck & Reineck)
- SFMTA: 45 Union/Stockton route
- SFMTA: 22 Fillmore route
- SFMTA: 30 Stockton route
- SFMTA: 43 Masonic route
- SFMTA: 49 Van Ness/Mission route (links the Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit project)
- Wikipedia: Cow Hollow, San Francisco (boundaries and name; used for background only)
Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
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