Mount Davidson Manor, San Francisco Real Estate & Homes for Sale
Mount Davidson Manor is a compact San Francisco neighborhood of mostly late-1920s houses between Monterey Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, under city rules through SF Planning. It also includes 1950s houses, a 1980s–1990s enclave on Dorado Terrace and Ocean Avenue storefronts, with the K Ingleside running along its southern edge.
Explore Mount Davidson Manor, San Francisco 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 | City and County of San Francisco — SF Planning |
| Housing | Late-1920s houses, some 1950s and 1980s–90s homes; RH-1(D) and RH-2 |
| Hazards to check | Mapped seismic hazards are limited |
| Getting around | K Ingleside on Ocean Ave to Balboa Park BART; 23 Monterey bus |
| Local rules | Family and Senior Housing SUD offers a path to added units |
Mount Davidson Manor is a compact neighborhood of mostly late-1920s houses between Monterey Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, with Balboa Terrace on its west and Westwood Park on its east. Despite the name, it sits on the gentler ground south of Mount Davidson rather than on the mountain itself. The MLS and the Assessor code it 4N, in District 4.
Mount Davidson Manor homes for sale
Mount Davidson Manor market report
Where it is
Monterey Boulevard forms the northern edge, with Monterey Heights across it. Balboa Terrace adjoins on the west, Westwood Park begins on the east at Faxon Avenue, and Ocean Avenue on the south faces Ingleside Terrace and the Ingleside area.
Inside those edges, the Assessor’s addresses run along Dorado Terrace, Keystone Way, Darien Way, Westgate Drive, Manor Drive, Pinehurst Way, Kenwood Way, Wildwood Way, Upland Drive, Fairfield Way, Lakewood Avenue, San Aleso Avenue, Homewood Court and a few houses on Northgate Drive and Elmwood Way, plus frontage on Faxon Avenue, Monterey Boulevard and Ocean Avenue.
Three building periods
The single-family build years show a clear sequence:
Compare the particular property’s lot dimensions, permitted living area, construction history and ownership form using current records. Assessment classifications do not certify legal use or current listing availability.
Dorado Terrace and the condominiums
Newer buildings usually come with their own recorded documents, so a buyer will expect the association’s governing documents and budget for a condo, and the title report for any shared areas on Dorado Terrace. Our San Francisco condo guide lists what to gather.
Ocean Avenue frontage
The southern edge is commercial. At the 1900 block of Ocean Avenue, Planning’s current map shows the Ocean Avenue Neighborhood Commercial Transit District (Planning Code Section 755), although the Assessor’s zoning field still records about 159 parcels here as NC-2.
If you are buying a mixed-use building with apartments over shops, the rent roll and leases matter as much as the structure; our San Francisco multifamily guide covers the paperwork.
Residential zoning and hazards
At a residential point on Westgate Drive, Planning’s current map shows RH-1(D) with a 40//40-R-4 height district, inside the Family and Senior Housing Opportunity Special Use District, which offers a path to added units on qualifying lots.
Mapped seismic hazards are limited. Planning’s liquefaction layer shows no polygon in a rectangle drawn around the 4N parcels, and the only landslide polygon in it lies at the northern edge near Monterey Boulevard, extending toward Monterey Heights. Check a specific address on our San Francisco hazard maps page.
The K Ingleside and the 23 Monterey
Rail runs along the southern edge. SFMTA’s K Ingleside page lists Ocean Avenue stops at Dorado Terrace, Fairfield Way and Aptos Avenue, with trains from about 5 a.m. to midnight; check SFMTA for current frequency. In one direction the K continues east along Ocean Avenue to City College and Balboa Park BART; in the other it turns onto Junipero Serra Boulevard toward St. Francis Circle, West Portal and the downtown subway.
The 23 Monterey runs along the northern edge, with stops on Monterey Boulevard at San Aleso Avenue, Northgate Drive and Faxon Avenue. SFMTA lists it from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., every 20 minutes on weekdays and 30 on weekends.
Selling a home in Mount Davidson Manor
Buyers here often compare a Mount Davidson Manor house with one in Westwood Park, Balboa Terrace or Monterey Heights, so expect questions about how the house differs from those residence parks: lot, condition, garage and distance to the K.
- 1920s houses: foundation, sewer lateral and electrical records, and permits for any rooms added at the garage level.
- Dorado Terrace and condos: association documents, budgets and any recorded agreements.
- Ocean Avenue buildings: leases, rent histories and any Rent Board filings.
- City rules: order the 3R report early; our selling requirements guide lists the other city items.
Diamond may refer you to partners we work with, such as inspectors; you’re free to choose any provider. The market report on this page shows current 4N figures.
Costs to plan for when buying in Mount Davidson Manor
Mount Davidson Manor is part of the City and County of San Francisco, so purchase costs are set citywide; there is no separate city and county layer to add up.
Transfer tax. San Francisco’s real property transfer tax is due when the deed is recorded, and the rate is set by the entire value or consideration, not just the amount above a threshold (sf.gov: Transfer tax):
| Entire value or consideration | Rate |
|---|---|
| More than $100 up to $250,000 | $2.50 per $500 |
| More than $250,000, under $1 million | $3.40 per $500 |
| $1 million, under $5 million | $3.75 per $500 |
| $5 million, under $10 million | $11.25 per $500 |
| $10 million, under $25 million | $27.50 per $500 |
| $25 million or more | $30.00 per $500 |
A Transfer Tax Affidavit goes with the deed, and anyone claiming an exemption must submit written proof at recording. Which party pays is negotiable, so put it in the contract; our San Francisco transfer tax guide has worked examples.
Property tax. San Francisco publishes one secured rate for the whole city, 1.18162182% of net taxable value for fiscal year 2026–27, plus any direct charges and special assessments printed on the parcel’s bill (Treasurer & Tax Collector). A reassessable ownership change may change the assessed value, and the Assessor-Recorder issues one or two supplemental bills depending on the purchase date (Assessor-Recorder). An owner-occupant can claim the $7,000 homeowners’ exemption (claim form). Due dates and appeals are in our San Francisco property tax guide.
Condominiums. Condominium buyers should budget for HOA dues and any special assessments; read the association’s budget and reserve study, and see our San Francisco condo guide.
Permits, ADUs and remodels in Mount Davidson Manor
Two city departments handle most home projects in Mount Davidson Manor: San Francisco Planning reviews zoning and design, and the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) reviews and issues building permits. Other agencies weigh in on some jobs, from SF Fire on fire flow to Public Works on street trees (sf.gov: ADU building permits). Away from Ocean Avenue, most lots are RH-1(D), detached one-family zoning, inside the Family and Senior Housing Opportunity Special Use District, which can allow added units on qualifying lots (Planning GIS; Planning Code Sec. 249.94).
Adding a unit. The city runs a State ADU Program and a Local ADU Program. Local Program projects need a Planning Approval Letter before the building permit is filed, and the owner must send a written declaration to the Rent Board and post it in the building at least 15 days before applying. Ask the reviewing agencies which current street-tree, notice, fee and review requirements apply to the chosen ADU path; obtain a project-specific schedule (sf.gov: Add units to your property). Our ADU investment guide covers the numbers, and buying a home with an ADU covers what to check in an existing one.
Historic review. Check the property’s current historic-resource status on Planning’s map. ACategoryBstatus means potential historic significance has not yet been evaluated; do not assume every older house has the same current status. For major alterations visible from the street, an owner may file a Historic Resource Review before the building permit, and projects that need a Certificate of Appropriateness take longer (sf.gov). Ocean Avenue frontage is in the Ocean Avenue Neighborhood Commercial Transit District (Planning Code Section 755), so a mixed-use building there follows different rules from the houses behind it.
Luxury homes and estates in Mount Davidson Manor
Mount Davidson Manor is a residence-park-style neighborhood of detached houses rather than estates, but it has the kind of property buyers seeking a larger single-family home look for: RH-1(D) detached-house zoning on most blocks (Planning GIS), a 1920s core, a 1950s group on Wildwood Way and Kenwood Way, and newer detached houses on Dorado Terrace, as the Assessor’s build years show (Assessor roll).
For the 1920s houses, the due diligence that matters most is the permit history of later changes: garage-level rooms, rear additions and rebuilt kitchens and baths should all show DBI permits. On Dorado Terrace, read the title report for shared areas and any recorded agreements. If you plan to expand, ask Planning how the Family and Senior Housing Opportunity SUD and the State ADU program apply to the lot.
On any high-value purchase, line up coverage early: see insuring a high-value home and earthquake insurance in California. Some owners prefer not to market a home publicly. 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 page. For the wider market, see San Francisco luxury homes.
More Mount Davidson Manor real estate questions
Where are Mount Davidson Manor homes for sale listed?
Use the listing search on this page; the market report covers MLS subdistrict 4N. Listings are mostly detached houses, plus condominium units on Dorado Terrace and in a few Ocean Avenue buildings. Our San Francisco buyer guide explains the purchase process.
Is Mount Davidson Manor its own city?
No. It’s a neighborhood of the City and County of San Francisco in the MLS’s District 4 (SF District 4 guide). City Planning, DBI and the Assessor-Recorder handle zoning, permits and property records.
What will Mount Davidson Manor property taxes be?
Expect the citywide secured rate, 1.18162182% of net taxable value for 2026–27, plus any direct charges on the parcel’s bill (Treasurer). A reassessable ownership change may change the assessed value, so the prior owner’s bill is not a guide.
For a taxable transfer, the applicable tier’s rate is charged on each$500 or fractional part of the taxable consideration/value; exemptions and special rules can affect the result. Confirm the calculation with escrow.
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.
Assessment records are a starting point for checking a property, not a certification of legal use or a live listing inventory. Verify current permits, recorded ownership documents and any affordability restrictions.
Sources for this section
- https://www.sf.gov/transfer-tax
- https://sftreasurer.org/property/secured-property-taxes
- https://www.sf.gov/information–learn-about-supplemental-assessments
- https://www.sfassessor.org/forms-notices/forms/homeowners%E2%80%99-exemption-claim-form-english-version
- https://www.sf.gov/get-a-building-permit-for-an-accessory-dwelling-unit-adu
- https://sfplanninggis.org/arcgiswa/rest/services/PlanningData/MapServer
- https://gocodebook.com/library/us/ca/san-francisco-planning/article-2-use-districts/sec.-249.94.-family-and-senior-housing-opportunity-special-use-district
- https://sfplanning.org/accessory-dwelling-units
- https://data.sfgov.org/d/wv5m-vpq2
Questions people ask
Where is Mount Davidson Manor?
South of Monterey Boulevard and north of Ocean Avenue, between Balboa Terrace on the west and Westwood Park, which starts at Faxon Avenue, on the east.
Is Mount Davidson Manor on Mount Davidson?
No. It lies below the mountain to the south, across Monterey Boulevard from Monterey Heights.
How old are the homes?
Construction eras and later alterations vary by property. Confirm the particular building’s original records, permits and final inspections.
Are there condos in Mount Davidson Manor?
Use current listings to identify the property type you need, then verify its ownership form, legal unit count and any recorded restrictions.
Is Mount Davidson Manor near Muni Metro?
Yes. The K Ingleside stops on Ocean Avenue at Dorado Terrace, Fairfield Way and Aptos Avenue, per SFMTA.
Planning a sale? Request a home valuation and we will compare your house with Mount Davidson Manor and nearby residence-park sales. Our San Francisco guide covers the rest of the city.
Sources & notes
- DataSF / SF Assessor-Recorder: Assessor Historical Secured Property Tax Rolls, 2025 closed roll (parcel counts by class and zoning code, single-family build years, an address listing with classes, years and units, and a Dorado Terrace count by class and year for subdistrict 4N; queried October 2026)
- San Francisco Planning: PlanningData map service (zoning, height and special use districts at Westgate Drive and the 1900 block of Ocean Avenue; landslide and liquefaction polygon counts and extent; queried October 2026)
- SFMTA: K Ingleside route page (stops, hours and frequency)
- SFMTA: 23 Monterey route page (streets, stops, hours and frequency)
Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Send a property inquiry
Matthew Martinez
Your inquiry is processed through our iHomefinder service. Review the form’s contact choices before submitting. Privacy Policy · Terms of Use.
What is your property in Mount Davidson Manor, San Francisco worth?
Planning a sale or weighing your next move? Request a broker market analysis based on the property, relevant comparable sales and the local setting.
Request your Mount Davidson Manor, San Francisco home and property valuation
