The San Francisco real estate scene is so typically despair-inducing that an Oliver-style “May I have some more” isn’t the typical vibe. But it’s 2020, and it’s time to manifest some real estate magnificence: the Bay Area pool. (Hey, there’s a reason why those random castle-type things across Europe are called “follies.” Sometimes you just want the architecture you want.)
Here, a round-up of Bay Area pools (houses come with), ranging from $500K+ to $85 million. Speaking of castles, there’s one here definitely fit for a lord, one for a Bond villain, one for someone who’d pay a whole lot less anywhere else, the one with the views, and the indoor heated one, because it’s nice to be practical.
Address: 1177 California St., #1211
Pricetag: $585K
In brief: OK, so it’s only a studio, but it has views of Twin Peaks, and it’s basically across the street from Grace Cathedral. The 437 square feet might not sound so limited (they’re calling it a “pied-à-terre”) if you spend most of your time inside staring out that window.
Pool: Shared, indoor(!)
Address: 718 Long Bridge St. $114
Pricetag: $1.55M
In brief: What elsewhere might be a perfectly normal, 1,280-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment is here listed as a “luxury oasis” in Mission Bay. Lots of building amenities — rooftop space, an “outdoor edible garden,” two gyms — but you’ll have to share.
Pool: Shared, outdoor
Address: 123 Sugarloaf Drive, Belvedere Tiburon (Marin)
Pricetag: $7.9M
In brief: Spiral staircase? Panoramic views? A tidy little .4-acre lot? All that plus four beds, five baths, and nearly 5,900 square feet.
Pool: But going back to those views for a second: If you’re a sucker for them, this property might offer the best of all — if you want to see the bay (and Golden Gate, and downtown San Francisco, and everything else) in all its weather-rich glory, this is your place. And the pool is perfectly situated to take it all in.
Address: 240 Pinehill Rd, Hillsborough (San Mateo)
Pricetag: $16.9M
In brief: You’ll get only three bedrooms from your nearly $17M payment. On the other hand: It really does sort of look like an Italian palace, and there’s a six-car garage. So for empty-nesters with a taste for things that go fast and “spectacular bay views.”
Pool: Quite possibly the best of the lot, we have a heated pool surrounded by the sort of highly ornamental topiary familiar to docudramas about 17th-century European royals.
Address: Undisclosed address, Ross (Marin)
Pricetag: $85M
In brief: How did Stephen Curry miss this one? For $85 mil, you’ll get 5 acres — 3.8 more than he got in Atherton — plus nine bedrooms, a tennis court, multiple terraces and balconies — oh don’t trust us, check out this castle-style map.
Pool: Not just a pool but a huge, glass-walled pool house/guest house, ready for the Ryan Atwood in your life.
This article was featured in the InsideHook SF newsletter. Sign up now for more from the Bay Area.
