Sterling Terrace /Stonegate

Sterling Terrace and Stonegate are a pair of neighborhoods located behind and west of South San Francisco’s iconic Sign Hill Park. Both came to be via South City’s post-war growth period, a time which saw the city’s population soar from 6,000 (in 1940) to 39,000 (in 1960). Sterling Terrace which was largely developed between 1949 and 1951, and Stonegate are both largely populated by comfortable mid-century ranch homes and a slew of newer, larger homes that have pushed the neighborhoods’ median home prices into the seven-figure range.

Single-family homes here often enjoy views (sometimes bay views) and lots ranging in size from 4,000 to 7,000 square feet. Newer homes, including Ridgegate, a Stonegate subdivision built in the late 1980s, can have up to 2,500 square feet of space, though they often sit on smaller (sub-4,000 square-foot) lots. Sterling Terrace and Stonegate homes are perched on hilly, quiet streets; many properties back up to the protected green space of Sign Hill Park. This adds up to a district whose single-family homes have been selling in a range from the high $700s to as much as $1.5 million.

Favorable

• Quiet, hillside neighborhood; many properties back up to protected green space

• Newer (1980s and 1990s), larger homes available

• Proximity to Sign Hill Park

Adverse

• Secluded setting and winding streets make for extra commute time and limited downtown access

• Newer properties are at South San Francisco’s highest price points