Oceanview, San Francisco Real Estate & Homes for Sale
Its small commercial center sits on Broad Street and Plymouth Avenue, where the M Ocean View runs toward Balboa Park.
Explore Oceanview, 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 | Single-family houses, some flats/duplexes and BMR townhouses (2016) |
| Hazards to check | Narrow liquefaction zones along San Jose Ave/I-280 edge; Broad St in FEMA Zone X |
| Getting around | M Ocean View along Broad St to Balboa Park station; I-280 |
| Local rules | Parcel check needed for lots near the I-280 liquefaction zones |
It is subdistrict 3J of SF District 3 , and its commercial heart is the short run of shops on Broad Street and Plymouth Avenue that the M Ocean View passes on its way to Balboa Park.
Oceanview homes for sale
Oceanview market report
A rail stop before it was a neighborhood
Wikipedia’s Oceanview article, citing local histories, traces the area to a 19th-century train station on the line between San Francisco and San Jose, which Southern Pacific bought in 1868. By the article’s account, passenger service ended in 1904 and the residential community took shape in the 1910s around Sagamore Street and San Jose Avenue. The same article notes a former lake, Lake Geneva, near Geneva Avenue, fed by a creek that ran through the canyon.
The old Engine Co. No. 33 firehouse at 117 Broad Street dates from those early years. The San Francisco Fire Department Museum says the company moved in in 1896 and left in 1974 for a newer station on Capitol, and the building has been privately owned since 1977. Broad Street also had the first Ocean View branch library, opened in 1903 near Capitol Avenue according to the San Francisco Public Library; today’s branch, opened in 2000, stands just over the line in Ingleside Heights at 345 Randolph Street.
Streets and edges
Inside the Assessor’s boundary, the houses line streets such as Lobos, Farallones, Sadowa, Thrift, Montana, Sagamore, Minerva and Summit streets and Broad Street, crossed by Plymouth, Capitol, Orizaba and Lakeview avenues.
- West: Orizaba Avenue, with Ingleside Heights beyond.
- North: Lakeview Avenue, with Ingleside and, farther on, City College’s Ocean Avenue campus.
- South and east: Interstate 280, beyond which are Daly City and the Outer Mission.
Larger lots than the neighbors
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.
Habitat Terrace and other newer housing
Below-market-rate homes carry resale price limits and buyer eligibility rules set by the city, explained in our San Francisco BMR homes guide ; read the recorded restrictions before making an offer.
Our condo guide covers the association documents for any condominium purchase.
Broad Street, Plymouth Avenue and the recreation center
The neighborhood shops sit on Broad Street (roughly the 0 to 200 numbers), Plymouth Avenue between about 100 and 250, and the nearby corners of Sagamore, Sadowa and Capitol, plus a short San Jose Avenue frontage.
The Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center, which San Francisco Public Works lists at 650 Capitol Avenue, sits mid-neighborhood beside Oceanview Playground. Public Works describes the current center as four connected buildings that replaced a recreation building more than fifty years old, and Rec and Park lists an athletic field, basketball, tennis, a playground and a community garden there.
Zoning and the Oceanview Large Residence district
Oceanview gives its name to the Oceanview Large Residence Special Use District, Planning Code section 249.3, added in 2019, which covers the RH-1 and RH-2 blocks here and across the rest of OMI. In it, Conditional Use authorization is required for:
- any dwelling unit with five or more bedrooms;
- a multi-unit project whose smallest unit is less than 33 percent of the largest unit’s floor area;
- floor area above the code’s ratios: 1:1 for one unit on RH-1 (1.15:1 with an ADU), 0.8:1 for one unit on RH-2, and 1.5:1 for two units on RH-2 (1.75:1 with an ADU).
To approve such a project, the Planning Commission must find at least two of four things: it maximizes allowed density, it keeps any unit of five or more bedrooms to three full baths, it is compatible with the scale of surrounding buildings, or it adds no new off-street parking. Planning’s map also places Oceanview in the Priority Equity Geographies Special Use District (section 249.97), whose added controls run through the code’s notification and demolition sections. For the separate state route to a second unit, see our SB 9 guide.
The I-280 edge: what the hazard maps show
Planning’s copy of the state seismic hazard map draws two narrow liquefaction polygons along the San Jose Avenue and Interstate 280 corridor at Oceanview’s eastern edge. Blocks near San Jose Avenue and the east ends of Caine, Majestic, Margaret and Lakeview avenues and Farallones and Lobos streets are close to them; whether a given lot is inside takes a parcel check.
Several very small earthquake-induced landslide polygons sit along the same freeway edge. The rest of the neighborhood shows no mapped zone, and the point we checked on Broad Street is in FEMA Zone X (unshaded). Our San Francisco hazard maps page explains how to look up a lot.
Transit: the M’s Broad Street run
The M Ocean View crosses the neighborhood after leaving Randolph Street: it takes Orizaba Avenue to Broad Street, follows Broad to San Jose Avenue, and ends at San Jose and Geneva by Balboa Park station. Stops include Broad and Orizaba, Broad and Capitol, Broad and Plymouth, San Jose and Farallones, and San Jose and Lakeview. Downtown trains run through the Market Street subway to Embarcadero.
The M Ocean View Transit and Safety Project, which Wikipedia says began planning in 2022 for the stretch from Junipero Serra Boulevard to Balboa Park, had main construction expected to begin in 2026; check SFMTA for current work and stop changes. The 54 Felton runs on Sagamore Street and Plymouth Avenue toward Daly City BART and Balboa Park, and the 29 Sunset runs on Plymouth Avenue north of Lakeview.
Selling a home in Oceanview
Oceanview sales are compared first with other 3J houses, then with Ingleside and Ingleside Heights. Buyers here tend to weigh lot size and any legal second unit closely, since lots are larger than in neighboring subdistricts.
- Space and units: reconcile ground-floor rooms and any second unit with the permit record; see our page on unwarranted units.
- Location within the neighborhood: a house near the I-280 edge should have its hazard disclosure ready, and one near Broad Street should note the commercial zoning nearby.
- BMR townhouses: resale goes through the city’s below-market-rate program rules, not the open market alone.
- Citywide rules: transfer tax, the 3R report and the energy requirements are explained in our San Francisco selling requirements guide.
For current market figures in 3J, see the market report on this page.
Questions people ask
What are Oceanview’s boundaries?
Orizaba Avenue on the west, Lakeview Avenue on the north and Interstate 280 on the south and east, per Wikipedia; on the MLS it is subdistrict 3J.
Is it Oceanview or Ocean View?
Both spellings are used. The MLS and Assessor use Oceanview for the neighborhood; the Muni line and the branch library use Ocean View.
What is the Oceanview Large Residence Special Use District?
A 2019 Planning Code district (section 249.3) covering OMI’s RH-1 and RH-2 blocks. It requires a Planning Commission hearing for five-bedroom units, lopsided unit sizes in multi-unit projects, and floor area above set ratios, such as 1:1 for one unit on RH-1.
Which Muni lines serve Oceanview?
The M Ocean View on Broad Street and San Jose Avenue, the 54 Felton on Sagamore Street and Plymouth Avenue, and the 29 Sunset just north on Plymouth. Balboa Park BART is at the line’s east end.
Are there liquefaction zones in Oceanview?
Two narrow mapped liquefaction polygons follow the San Jose Avenue and I-280 corridor on the eastern edge. The rest of the neighborhood shows no mapped seismic hazard zone on Planning’s layers.
Are there below-market-rate homes in Oceanview?
Verify the particular property’s current records and dimensions; a neighborhood statistic is not a substitute for a parcel-specific answer.
Thinking about selling in Oceanview, or comparing it with Ingleside and Ingleside Heights? Request a home valuation based on recent 3J sales, or browse the wider San Francisco guide.
Costs to plan for when buying in Oceanview
Transfer tax. San Francisco charges a single citywide transfer tax, set by price tier and applied to the whole price. Most Oceanview houses fall in the $3.40 per $500 tier (over $250,000 and under $1 million) or the $3.75 tier ($1 million to under $5 million) (SF.gov: Transfer tax). Our transfer tax guide covers custom on who pays.
Parcel taxes and liens. For 2025–26, bills carry the School Parcel Tax of 2020 ($334.38), SFUSD Teacher Support ($319.34) and the SFUSD Facilities District ($43.00 per house), each with a senior exemption, plus the City College and $12 Bay Restoration Authority taxes, which have none. The Treasurer also collects sidewalk repair, water lien and garbage lien charges for other departments (SF Treasurer). Read the seller’s current bill rather than estimating from the 1% base.
Habitat Terrace townhouses. Townhouses with recorded below-market-rate restrictions are bought under program rules on price and eligibility, and their HOA dues are a separate line. See our BMR homes guide. After a reassessable ownership change, plan for possible supplemental bills or refunds (SF.gov) and see San Francisco property tax.
Permits, ADUs and remodels in Oceanview
Oceanview’s lots are larger than its neighbors’, which makes a second unit a common question. Planning runs a State ADU program and a Local one, and they can’t be combined. The State program allows a junior ADU of up to 500 square feet inside a house, a detached unit, and ministerial review within 60 days of a complete application. The Local program can waive some Planning Code rules for existing buildings, but those ADUs fall under rent control, and waivers on a lot with rental units can require a Costa-Hawkins Regulatory Agreement before the permit issues (SF Planning: ADUs). 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 Oceanview Large Residence SUD sets its floor-area thresholds a little higher when a project includes an ADU: 1.15:1 instead of 1:1 for one unit on RH-1, and 1.75:1 instead of 1.5:1 for two units on RH-2 (Planning Code §249.3). Size a project against those ratios before you pay for drawings.
Removing housing is harder here than in most of the city. Because Oceanview is in the Priority Equity Geographies SUD, any removal of a unit, including a merger, needs Conditional Use authorization, with no exemption route (Planning Code §317). DBI issues building permits, mostly through its PermitSF portal from September 14, 2026 (SF.gov: DBI).
Luxury homes and estates in Oceanview
Oceanview has no estate or hillside-estate zoning. The neighborhood includes RH-1 and RH-2 house blocks; confirm the current parcel zoning and lot dimensions. Its higher-end homes are therefore defined by lot and condition rather than size: houses on the larger or deeper lots, remodeled houses with legal second units, and houses on the upper streets with long views west. The Large Residence SUD limits how big a new or expanded house can get without a Planning Commission hearing, including any unit with five or more bedrooms. A buyer who wants a much larger house should price the lot as it stands.
The key checks are the permit record for ground-floor rooms, against the 3R report (SF.gov: 3R report), and the hazard maps for lots near the I-280 edge. Get insurance quotes before you remove contingencies; see insuring a high-value home.
Some owners prefer to sell quietly. 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). Buyers comparing larger lots nearby also look at Ingleside Terrace and Merced Heights. For the citywide picture, see San Francisco luxury homes.
Oceanview real estate: questions people ask
What homes are for sale in Oceanview?
Mostly single-family houses from before 1930 through the postwar years, plus a few condos on Plymouth Avenue and the below-market-rate townhouses on Habitat Terrace, which follow city resale rules.
Can I build a big addition in Oceanview?
Within limits. Above the Large Residence SUD’s floor-area ratios, or for a unit with five or more bedrooms, you need a Planning Commission hearing.
Who handles permits in Oceanview?
SF Planning reviews zoning and the special use districts. The Department of Building Inspection issues building permits.
Parcel-tax amounts labeled 2025–26 are historical examples. Use the current fiscal-year Treasurer information and the parcel’s actual bill for today’s amounts, applicable exemptions and assessments.
For a Large Residence SUD project, confirm the mapped boundary, application-date exceptions and the code’s floor-area calculation before relying on a summary. Qualifying state-law housing paths require their own eligibility review.
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
- SF.gov, Transfer tax: https://www.sf.gov/transfer-tax
- SF Treasurer & Tax Collector, Parcel tax exemptions and special assessments: https://sftreasurer.org/property/parcel-tax-exemptions-and-special-assessments
- SF.gov, Learn about supplemental assessments: https://www.sf.gov/information–learn-about-supplemental-assessments
- SF Planning, Accessory dwelling units: https://sfplanning.org/accessory-dwelling-units
- San Francisco Planning Code §249.3 (GoCodebook mirror): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_planning/0-0-0-61744
- San Francisco Planning Code §317 (GoCodebook mirror): https://gocodebook.com/library/us/ca/san-francisco-planning/article-3-zoning-procedures/sec.-317.-loss-of-residential-and-unauthorized-units-through-demolition,-merger,-and-conversion
- SF.gov, Department of Building Inspection: https://www.sf.gov/departments–department-building-inspection
- SF.gov, 3R report: https://www.sf.gov/request3r
Sources & notes
- DataSF (Office of the Assessor-Recorder): Assessor Historical Secured Property Tax Rolls, 2025 closed roll (parcel counts by class, build years, stories, zoning codes, street listings and subdistrict extents; queried October 2026)
- San Francisco Planning: PlanningData map service (zoning, height and special use districts, seismic hazard liquefaction and landslide layers, FEMA flood layer; point and envelope queries, October 2026)
- San Francisco Planning Code (via GoCodebook): Sec. 249.3, Oceanview Large Residence Special Use District
- San Francisco Planning Code (via GoCodebook): Sec. 249.97, Priority Equity Geographies Special Use District
- Wikipedia: Oceanview, San Francisco (boundaries, history, parks, library, firehouse)
- Wikipedia: M Ocean View (route, stops, station details, planned projects)
- SFMTA: 54 Felton route page (streets, stops, hours)
- SFMTA: 29 Sunset route page (streets and stops)
- San Francisco Fire Department Museum (Guardians of the City): Engine Co. No. 33, 117 Broad Street
- San Francisco Public Library: Ocean View Library History
- San Francisco Public Works: Minnie & Lovie Ward Recreation Center and Park project
- San Francisco Recreation and Park Department: Minnie & Lovie Ward Recreation Center facility page
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 Oceanview, 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 Oceanview, San Francisco home and property valuation
