A home can gain value for many reasons, but a combination of location, land and an unusual family history can make it particularly attractive to buyers. A redwood-clad cottage in San Francisco associated with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s early childhood has drawn attention after selling for $5.85 million, substantially above its asking price. According to The San Francisco Standard, which reported the sale on October 26, 2026, the two-bedroom property was listed for $4.5 million in early October and sold just 14 days later after attracting multiple all-cash offers. The sale price was more than double the $2.8 million it fetched in 2019, highlighting the appeal of the property’s location and development potential alongside its connection to Newsom’s family history.
A quick sale above the asking price
The property at 1284 Stanyan Street is located in the Cole Valley area of San Francisco, close to Mount Sutro Forest. The house measures less than 1,500 square feet and has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, but the surrounding land adds considerably to its appeal. The property comprises two adjoining parcels measuring nearly 10,000 square feet combined. One of the parcels opens onto Belgrave Avenue, while the wooded surroundings provide a degree of privacy that is unusual for a home within a major city.The property attracted multiple cash offers after entering the market in early October. It ultimately sold for $5.85 million, approximately $1.35 million above its asking price. The transaction closed 14 days after the listing, according to The San Francisco Standard. Listing agent John DiDomenico of Compass told The San Francisco Standard that the Newsom connection initially attracted attention, but the property’s land value and potential were ultimately important factors behind the price.
The property at 1284 Stanyan Street is located in the Cole Valley area of San Francisco, close to Mount Sutro Forest (Image Credit: Compass)
The home’s connection to Gavin Newsom
The house has a history linked to Newsom’s maternal family. His maternal grandfather, Arthur Menzies, originally owned the property, which later passed to Newsom’s mother, Tessa Menzies. A 1967 election record listed Newsom’s father, William Newsom, as living at the Stanyan Street address around the time Gavin Newsom was born. However, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that although the records establish the family’s connection to the property, it is unclear exactly how long Newsom himself lived there as an infant.Newsom was born in San Francisco on October 10, 1967. His parents divorced in 1972, and his mother sold the property that year, according to public records cited by The San Francisco Standard. The home subsequently passed to another family, which reportedly owned it for more than four decades. The property’s historical association has added interest to its recent listing, although its location and land are also central to its real estate value.
A small cottage on a sizeable plot
Built in 1951, the house has undergone changes over the decades. Its exterior was clad in redwood sourced from Marin County in 1979. The kitchen and bathrooms have also been renovated, with work carried out in 2020 including updates to the kitchen, bathrooms and upstairs primary closet.The home features a deck, garden patios and views through the surrounding trees. It also includes a separate studio and a Japanese soaking tub. The two adjoining parcels offer room for potential expansion, subject to city approvals. The land may be particularly significant in a city where developable space is limited. The listing agent pointed to the property’s location and future potential as important elements of its value, beyond the attention generated by the Newsom connection.
From $2.8 million to $5.85 million
The latest transaction marks a substantial increase from the property’s 2019 sale price of $2.8 million. Its October 2026 sale price was $3.05 million higher, representing an increase of more than 100 per cent over seven years. The house had been listed for $3.6 million in May 2019 before selling for $2.8 million in July that year. The property also changed hands for $3.9 million in an off-market intra-family sale in 2025, according to The San Francisco Standard. Its latest sale followed a $4.5 million listing price and a swift round of offers.The transaction illustrates how a property’s value can reflect several factors at once: its location, the size and potential of its land, its condition and its history. In this case, the cottage’s connection to Newsom helped bring attention, while the land and its potential were identified by the listing agent as key considerations in the final price.
