When it comes to real estate, knowledge is power! Researching San Francisco property records can be extremely valuable, whether you're a seller prepping for a listing or a buyer diving into the escrow process (or just a curious homeowner learning something new).
Two key tools at your disposal are the Property Information Map (PIM) and the Department of Building Inspection Permit / Complaint Tracking System.
Between these two tools, you can uncover a wealth of information about a San Francisco property.
When you are looking for San Francisco property records, the Property Information Map can help you find:
Parcel Information: Understand the parcel's boundaries and its evolution over time. View the size, location, and orientation of the property on the city plan map.
What’s a plat map? Drawn to scale, these maps show the divisions of a parcel of land. Subdivisions have assigned lot numbers, and the map also shows the north/south/east/west orientation of the property. This can be useful in scoping out solar panel placement, for instance.
Parcel History and Address(es): What’s the story of this property? Was a house converted into multiple condos? What are all the addresses on this parcel? How many condos are on the property? etc.
Assessor’s Summary: See the county’s assessed values for the land and structures on the property, as well as the last sale price and date, and information via tax records regarding the year built, bed and bathroom count, building area (interior square footage) and parcel area (land size).
Note that these details are not always 100% accurate. Unpermitted/unrecorded work may have been performed by homeowners. Square footage can be calculated in multiple ways. When you list your home with us, we like to be as transparent as possible, including both the tax record and additional calculations on our website, if available.
Assessor Recorded Documents: See recorded documents for the property including deeds and encumbrances, such as liens and easements on the property.
Secured Property Tax Rolls: Showing the history of assessed value for the property, upon which property tax is based.
Official Maps: Assessor’s maps and historic maps. Check out the Sanborn maps that can date back 100+ years!
Community Info: Lots of things in the surrounding area, including:
Recommended Plants: This is cool! Use the SF Plant Finder to see what plants are professionally recommended for your specific property location and microclimate. Great for growing plants that create habitat and save water. You can look up your property with the link above, or go straight there from the PIM search results.
State Opportunity Map: Produced by the Dept. of Housing and the CA Tax Credit Allocation Committee, the State Opportunity Map identifies areas with characteristics shown by research to be associated with positive economic, educational, and health outcomes for low-income families, particularly long-term outcomes for children. The goal is to avoid further segregation and poverty concentration and to increase access to opportunity.
With the DBI Permit / Complaint Tracking System, both buyers and sellers can find valuable insights into a property in San Francisco:
What might you find on a permit?
This information is particularly valuable for buyers researching properties to understand the property's history and for sellers to address or disclose pertinent details about their property.
Yes, when building or renovating in San Francisco, obtaining a building permit is generally necessary, even for smaller projects. Skipping this step can lead to serious consequences, such as hefty fines, which may be double the original permit cost. Additionally, unauthorized work might have to be undone, and future home sales could be impacted. It's important to secure the required permits to avoid these complications.
Want to apply for a permit for work on your property? Visit https://www.sf.gov/topics/building-permits
From top SF Realtors to everyday consumers, these two tools are invaluable for anyone researching properties in the San Francisco real estate market. If you have questions about a property, whether it’s yours to sell or a home you have an eye to buy, we’re happy to help. Click here to contact us.
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