If you or someone you know has had a tough time finding the perfect investment property at the right price in San Francisco, you’re not alone. We just wrapped up working with clients who had what seemed like an impossible wish list, but we made it happen. Here’s how my partner Lauren and I helped them buy a multi-family property for $2.01 million when everything else was pricing out way above their budget.
So our buyers come to us with their dream scenario: they want a vacant multi-family property with good income potential, doesn’t need a ton of work, has that classic San Francisco charm, walkable neighborhood, reasonable commute downtown. And they want to keep it under $2 million.
I’m thinking, “This is going to be a serious challenge in this market.” But we love a challenge.
Here’s where we did something different. Instead of immediately taking them around to see places, we sat down for some real talk about the San Francisco market. Lauren is big on this – she calls it “getting educated before you get disappointed.”
We went deep on how often properties like theirs actually hit the market (spoiler: not often), what the competition looks like (spoiler: brutal), and what they might need to compromise on. This wasn’t about crushing dreams – more like building a game plan that could actually work.
We also looked at backup scenarios. Maybe a single-family home? What about a really well-located condo? Better to know all your options upfront than fall in love with something impossible.
I have to give these clients credit – they really embraced the homework. They ended up seeing A LOT of homes to figure out what direction made sense. If they couldn’t find the right multi-family, was a single-family house the next best thing? Or would condo living in the perfect spot be a better lifestyle choice?
Each place we toured, they got clearer on their real needs versus their wish list. And they stayed realistic about what their budget could actually buy in this crazy market. That discipline paid off big time later.
When this property in Anza Vista hit the market, it looked almost perfect. Multi-unit, charming, great neighborhood – basically checking all their boxes. But here’s the thing: it felt too good to be true. Comps were pointing to something around $2.2 million, which was above what they could swing.
So we held back.
This is where Lauren’s approach to building relationships with listing agents really showed its value. She stays in touch with agents consistently – not in an annoying way, but in a genuine “let’s work together” way.
On offer day, she kept checking in with the listing agent and started sensing something might be off. Her gut was telling her the property might not hit those expected numbers.
Even though we hadn’t prepared an offer initially, that relationship kept us in the loop. When it became clear the offers were coming in closer to our buyers’ range, we moved fast. We put together a strategic offer and ended up competing successfully against other interested parties.
The numbers? Listed at $1.88 million, comps suggested $2.2 million, but it sold for $2.01 million. Right in their sweet spot.
Looking back, a few things were crucial:
Starting with education instead of excitement. Yeah, it’s less fun than touring beautiful homes right away, but it set realistic expectations and helped them make smart decisions when it mattered.
Building real relationships with listing agents. This isn’t about schmoozing – it’s about being professional, communicative, and genuinely collaborative. When opportunities arise, you want to be in the conversation.
Being patient but ready to pounce. They didn’t panic-bid on overpriced properties, but when the right moment came, they acted decisively.
Knowing the difference between needs and wants. All those property tours helped them figure out what they could live with versus what would be deal-breakers.
Look, buying investment property in San Francisco under $2 million isn’t easy. Inventory is limited, competition is intense, and prices can be brutal. But it’s not impossible if you approach it strategically.
The key is understanding what you’re up against and being prepared to act when the right opportunity shows up. Sometimes that perfect property is out there – it just takes the right preparation, timing, and yes, a little bit of luck to land it.
Don’t just take our word for it – here’s what the buyers from this story had to say about working with us:
“We can’t recommend Lauren Neuschel and The Krishnan Team highly enough. From the very beginning, Lauren took the time to educate us on the San Francisco market—grounding us in data from past sales and helping us make smart, informed decisions without ever feeling overwhelmed.
What truly stood out was her ability to get us into contract without needing to write offer after offer. In a competitive market, that kind of efficiency is rare—and it only happens when someone deeply understands the landscape and genuinely puts their clients’ interests first.
Throughout the process, we felt genuinely cared for. Every step, from showings to negotiations to final docs, was handled with precision, professionalism, and care. Lauren and her wonderful teammate Madeline were incredibly thorough in their communication and review of documents, and they ensured every detail was addressed promptly and clearly.
Beyond her deep market knowledge and sharp instincts, Lauren brings a level of integrity that immediately earned our trust. She made us feel like we had a true advocate on our side—someone who ran a tight, smooth process and never lost sight of what mattered most to us.
Thanks to Lauren and the team, we found a home we love—and we’re so grateful we had her in our corner.”
-A. and A., Buyers
Whether this is your first investment property or you’re adding to your portfolio, the San Francisco market rewards buyers who come prepared. The perfect property might be closer than you think – sometimes it just takes the right approach and team to make it happen.
We’d love to help you navigate this market and find something that actually works for your budget and timeline.
If you’re ready to get started drop us a line – we’re here to help make your San Francisco investment property search actually successful instead of exhausting.
