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Outer Parkside, San Francisco Real Estate & Homes for Sale

Q: When were Outer Parkside houses built?

Mostly from 1940 to 1955. On the 2025 roll about 34% of house parcels date from 1940 to 1945 and 44% from 1946 to 1950, with 1947 the busiest year.

The Outer Parkside is the ocean end of San Francisco’s Parkside, from Sunset Boulevard west to the Great Highway between Ortega Street and Sloat Boulevard, under city rules through SF Planning.

Explore Outer Parkside, San Francisco real estate and homes for sale with this local guide. Contact Diamond to discuss your criteria and current property-search options.

At a glance
County	San Francisco (City and County)
Local government	City and County of San Francisco — SF Planning
Housing	1940–1955 single-family houses; about 91% RH-1 zoning
Hazards to check	Coastal Zone on Great Highway frontage; checked frontage in FEMA Zone X
Getting around	L Taraval to its loop at 46th Ave and Wawona; Muni buses; Great Highway
Local rules	Coastal permits in Coastal Zone; Family Zoning Plan timing differs there

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By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

The Outer Parkside is the ocean end of the Parkside: the avenues from Sunset Boulevard west to the Great Highway, between Ortega Street and Sloat Boulevard, with the San Francisco Zoo just beyond its southwest corner. In the San Francisco MLS it is neighborhood 2B of District 2 .

The questions that set it apart are mostly about the coast: the Great Highway vote, the SFPUC’s plans south of Sloat, and how far the coastal maps reach inland. The L Taraval’s western loop and two city landmarks along Sloat Boulevard round out the picture.

Outer Parkside homes for sale

Outer Parkside market report

From Sunset Boulevard to the sand

On the Assessor’s map the Outer Parkside begins on the south side of Ortega Street; the 1900 block of 41st Avenue, for example, is coded 2B, while the blocks north of Ortega belong to the Outer Sunset. Sunset Boulevard separates it from Parkside to the east. To the west the avenues run out to 48th Avenue and the row of parcels facing the Great Highway, and to the south Sloat Boulevard is the line, with the Zoo and Lake Merced area across it in District 3.

Popular usage is looser. Many people call this whole area the Outer Sunset, and Wikipedia’s Parkside article treats the Outer Parkside as part of a larger Parkside District that reaches the ocean and the Zoo. When a listing or a news story names the neighborhood, check which definition it uses.

A neighborhood finished after the war

Construction period	Houses on the roll	Share
Before 1940	276	about 6%
1940 to 1945	1,472	about 34%
1946 to 1950	1,879	about 44%
1951 to 1955	538	about 13%
1956 or later	115	about 3%

The result is the most consistent stock in the district, block after block of houses within a few years of one another.

They are also the smallest on paper. The Assessor’s building area may not count a finished lower level, so two houses listed at the same size can feel quite different inside.

Sunset Dunes, the November vote and the coast south of Sloat

The Outer Parkside fronts the southern part of Sunset Dunes, the roughly two-mile, 50-acre park that the Recreation and Park Department opened on April 12, 2025, on the former Upper Great Highway between Sloat Boulevard and Lincoln Way. Voters approved closing the road to cars with Proposition K in 2024.

The question is on the ballot again. KQED reported on July 24, 2026 that organizers had gathered enough signatures to put a weekday-reopening measure on the November 3, 2026 ballot: the road would carry cars Monday through Friday and stay a park on weekends. A Superior Court judge had already dismissed a lawsuit challenging Proposition K. The outcome affects how much traffic the western avenues and the Lower Great Highway carry, so look it up before relying on either version.

South of Sloat, the Ocean Beach Climate Change Adaptation Project, run by the SFPUC, will end public driving on the Great Highway from Sloat to Skyline Boulevard for good and put a trail of more than a mile in its place. The project includes:

a buried wall shielding wastewater and recycled-water infrastructure against erosion, plus sand added to the beach as needed;
a new lot of about 60 stalls near the south end of the trail, replacing the 35-space lot at the Great Highway and Sloat;
improvements to the Great Highway intersection at Sloat, a rerouted layover and turnaround for the 23 Monterey, and reconfigured Zoo parking access;
construction estimated from late 2027 to early 2031, with parts of South Ocean Beach closed about six months a year.

For owners near Sloat Boulevard, the intersection, bus and parking changes are the parts of the project closest to home.

What the coastal maps show

To test how far inland each coastal designation reaches, we queried individual points on SF Planning’s GIS layers. Treat the results as a guide, not a parcel ruling:

Coastal Zone: a parcel facing the Great Highway between Rivera and Santiago streets was inside the zone, while a point on the 47th-to-48th Avenue block nearby was outside. Near Sloat Boulevard the zone reaches farther inland: parcels on Sloat between 46th and 47th Avenues were inside.
Liquefaction: on the state seismic hazard map in Planning’s layer, the zone’s eastern edge runs close to the Great Highway frontage from about Pacheco Street to Taraval, and 48th Avenue houses checked near Santiago were outside it. Near Sloat the edge bends inland toward 46th and 47th Avenues.
Flood: the Great Highway frontage parcel was in FEMA Zone X (unshaded), outside the Special Flood Hazard Area, on the flood map effective March 23, 2021.

Inside the Coastal Zone, building projects can involve coastal permitting on top of the usual building permit, and the Family Zoning Plan’s changes there take effect as Local Coastal Program amendments that need California Coastal Commission certification. For a particular lot, the Natural Hazard Disclosure report and our hazard maps guide are where to confirm it.

Zoning: nine parcels in ten are RH-1

The Taraval Street commercial district on Planning’s map ends around 35th Avenue, east of Sunset Boulevard, so the shops in the Outer Parkside are corner and cluster sites rather than a continuous strip.

The apartment buildings and flats are a small share of the neighborhood but a distinct market. Rented units, rent history and any buyout or eviction filings shape their value; our San Francisco multifamily guide covers how investors underwrite them.

The L Taraval’s west end and the buses

The L Taraval’s outer terminal is at Wawona Street and 46th Avenue near the Zoo, on a one-way loop along Vicente Street, 47th Avenue, Wawona and 46th Avenue. From there trains run north on 46th Avenue to Taraval and east along Taraval, stopping at 46th and Vicente, 46th and Ulloa, 46th and Taraval, then Taraval at 44th, 42nd and 40th Avenues and Sunset Boulevard. Rebuilding of the western segment, from Sunset Boulevard to 46th Avenue, began in August 2019, and the project added boarding islands at 40th, 42nd and 44th and westbound at 46th.

Per published route lists:

the 18 46th Avenue links its daytime terminal at the Legion of Honor with 19th Avenue and Buckingham Way;
the 23 Monterey ends at the Great Highway and Sloat, by the Zoo;
the 48 Quintara/24th Street ends at the Great Highway and Rivera;
the 7 Haight/Noriega ends at Ortega and 48th Avenue, on the northern edge;
the 29 Sunset serves the Sunset Boulevard side.

By car, Sloat Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard carry most trips, and the Great Highway’s status depends on the November vote.

Sloat Boulevard, the Zoo and two landmarks

Sloat Boulevard is the neighborhood’s southern edge. On it, near 45th Avenue, stands the Doggie Diner sign, a 1966 roadside sign designated City Landmark 254 in 2006; Planning’s record credits its graphic design to Harold Bachman.

Across Sloat, the San Francisco Zoo holds the Mother’s Building, a 1925 Italian Renaissance Revival building by George W. Kelham, listed on the National Register and designated Landmark 304 in 2022, with Planning citing its ties to women’s history and the New Deal. The Assessor codes the Zoo parcel to District 3, but from the Outer Parkside it is the neighbor at the end of the L.

Selling a home in the Outer Parkside

Most buyers here are comparing one 1940s house with another, so small differences decide the price, and documents prove them:

Show the permitted space. With the district’s smallest recorded houses, a finished ground floor adds a lot. Match rooms, baths or a second unit to permits, or plan for disclosure or legalization using our unwarranted units guide.
Document the exterior. Near the ocean, roofs, windows, paint and metal work hard. Recent work with receipts answers a common buyer question before it is asked.
State the map status. For blocks near the Great Highway or Sloat, include the parcel’s Coastal Zone and liquefaction readings in the disclosure package. Anyone planning an addition will want them.
Give the coastal context factually. Be ready to describe Sunset Dunes, the ballot measure and the SFPUC project without predicting outcomes.
Assemble the city requirements. The 3R report, inspections and transfer tax are on our San Francisco seller requirements page.

Current prices are in the market report on this page; for one house, ask for a home valuation.

Costs to plan for when buying in the Outer Parkside

the Outer Parkside 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.

Coastal exposure. Near the ocean, buyers often budget for roof, window and exterior maintenance; ask for receipts for recent work.

Permits, ADUs and remodels in the Outer Parkside

Two city departments handle most home projects in the Outer Parkside: 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). RH-1 house blocks are part of the neighborhood; confirm the district and whether the lot is in the Coastal Zone on Planning’s map (Planning GIS).

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). Parcels in the Coastal Zone near the Great Highway may also need a coastal development permit, as the live page explains.

Luxury homes and estates in Outer Parkside

The Outer Parkside is a neighborhood of 1940s and early-1950s houses, so its high end is a house that has been expanded or rebuilt with permits, or one of the parcels facing the Great Highway and the ocean. Confirm the specific parcel’s current RH-1 or other zoning (Planning GIS), and the blocks nearest the Great Highway are in the Coastal Zone, where projects can need a coastal permit.

The due diligence that matters most for an ocean-facing house is its exposure and its map status: check the parcel’s Coastal Zone and liquefaction readings on our San Francisco hazard maps page, follow the SFPUC’s Ocean Beach Climate Change Adaptation Project (SFPUC fact sheet), and match any ground-floor rooms or second unit to DBI permits.

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.

Questions people ask

Where is the Outer Parkside?

West of Sunset Boulevard to the Great Highway, between Ortega Street and Sloat Boulevard, in the southwest corner of the Sunset District. It is MLS neighborhood 2B.

Is the Outer Parkside part of the Outer Sunset?

In everyday usage it often is. The MLS and the Assessor treat it separately, with Ortega Street as the line between the Outer Sunset (2C) and the Outer Parkside (2B).

Is the Great Highway open to cars along the Outer Parkside?

Not the upper roadway: since April 12, 2025 it has been Sunset Dunes. Voters decide on November 3, 2026 whether to let cars back on weekdays, so look up the outcome.

What is happening to the Great Highway south of Sloat?

The SFPUC plans to close it permanently between Sloat and Skyline boulevards, protect wastewater facilities with a buried wall and build a trail of over a mile, with construction estimated from late 2027 to early 2031.

Is the Outer Parkside in the Coastal Zone?

The westernmost parcels are, and near Sloat Boulevard the zone reaches farther inland. Our point checks found a Great Highway frontage parcel inside and a 47th-to-48th Avenue point outside; check the specific parcel.

Where does the L Taraval end?

At a loop around Wawona Street and 46th Avenue near the San Francisco Zoo, using Vicente Street, 47th Avenue, Wawona and 46th Avenue.

When were Outer Parkside houses built?

Construction eras and later alterations vary by property. Confirm the particular building’s original records, permits and final inspections.

Selling an Outer Parkside house, or comparing it with other San Francisco neighborhoods near the ocean? Get in touch with Diamond Real Estate Group.

Sources & notes

Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.

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