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January 2024 Multi-Family Market Report for Residential 5+ Unit Buildings

The San Francisco Apartment Building Market

5+ unit residential Income buildings. listings and sales reported to NorCal MlS Alliance by early January 2024. This market consists of a relatively small number of sales, of buildings of widely varying sizes, qualities, and financial characteristics, across a broad range of locations: This makes meaningful statistical analysis more difficult. All numbers should be considered approximate. 

 

San Francisco Apartment Building Market - 5+ Units

Listings Closing Sale in Quarter since 2018

Bar chart of quarterly San Francisco apartment building sales, with Q4 2023 sales up 56% from Q3.

 

Percentage of Listings Accepting Offers in Quarter  (Absorption Rate)

San Francisco 5+ Unit, Multi-Family Building Market Dynamics

Bar chart of San Francisco 5+ unit multifamily absorption rates, with quarterly values from 2018 to 2023.

 

Average Gross Rent Multiple

San Francisco 5+ Unit Apartment Building Sales

Bar chart of San Francisco 5+ unit apartment sales rent multiples, peaking at 17.8 in 2016 and falling to 12.1 in 2023.

 

Average Cap Rates 

San Francisco 5+ Unit Apartment Building Sales

Chart of San Francisco 5+ unit apartment building cap rates, rising from 3.8% in 2015 to 5.9% in 2023.

 

Average Price Per Unit 

San Francisco 5+ Unit Apartment Building Sales

Chart of average San Francisco 5+ unit apartment sale prices per unit, peaking in 2019 and declining through 2023.

 

San Francisco 5+ Unit Apartment Building Sales

Average Dollar per Square Foot Values

Chart of San Francisco 5+ unit apartment building sale values per square foot, peaking at $562 in 2018 and falling to $428 in 2023.

 

San Francisco Residential Rents - Approximate, Good Faith Estimates*

Average Asking Rent, 1994 - Present, Q1 Data Points (except as noted)

Chart of estimated San Francisco residential asking rents, 1994–2023, with annotations for market booms and downturns.

 

5+ Unit Multi-Family Building Markets

2023 Sales by San Francisco Realtor District*

Table comparing 2023 sales and building statistics for San Francisco five-plus-unit multifamily districts.

 

Multi-Unit Residential Property Sales, 5+ Units

2023 Sales by San Francisco Realtor District*

Chart of 2023 San Francisco sales of residential buildings with five or more units, by district and building size.

 

San Francisco 5+ Unit Apartment Building Sales

2023 Sales by Price Segment*

Chart of San Francisco 2023 apartment building sales by price range and number of units, with median prices and sizes.

 

San Francisco Unemployment Rates Since 2019

CA Employment Development Department Estimates

Chart of San Francisco unemployment rates since 2019, with a pandemic-era peak and an increase through November 2023.

 

San Francisco Employment Trends

Number of Employed Residents Since 2000

Chart of San Francisco employment trends from 2000 to 2023, showing the sharp 2020 plunge and subsequent recovery.

 

San Francisco Apartment Building Sales

By Broker, 5+ Unit Residential Sales 2020-2023*

Bar chart of San Francisco 5+ unit apartment sales, with Compass leading at 234 buildings sold.

 

 

Selected macroeconomic trends, with charts on interest rates, consumer sentiment, financial markets, and inflation.

 

Bay Area market reports webpage featuring a COMPASS banner and regional report sections.

 


Note that the quantity of sales in any given local submarket is usually relatively small and/or the number of sales that report the necessary financial information can be limited. Buildings of different ages, qualities and sizes selling in different periods can cause these average and median figures to fluctuate significantly. Furthermore, the reliability of some of these calculations depends upon the quality of the income and expense figures provided by the listing agents, and sometimes instead of actual numbers, much less meaningful projected or scheduled figures are used. Late reported listings and sales may change these statistics. Therefore, the above statistics should be considered very general indicators, and how they apply to any particular property without a specific comparative market analysis is unknown. 


These analyses were made in good faith with data from sources deemed reliable, but they may contain errors and are subject to revision. Statistics are generalities and all numbers should be considered approximate. Numbers may change with late-reported sales activity. 


Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California, DRE Of 527235. Equal Housing Opportunity. This report has been prepared solely for information purposes. The information herein is based on or derived from information generally available to the public and/or from sources believed to be reliable. No representation or warranty can be given with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the information. Compass disclaims any and all liabltity relating to this report, Including without lfmitatlon any express or implied representations or warranties for statements contained in, and omissions from, the report. Nothing contained herein is intended lo be or should be read as any regulatory, legal, tax. accounting or other advice and Compass does 1101 provide such advice. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Compass makes 110 representation regarding the accuracy of any statements regarding any references to the laws, stawtes or regulations of any state are those of the author(s). Past performance is no guarantee of future results. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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