You’ve seen them on postcards. You’ve seen them in the opening credits of Full House. You’ve definitely seen them on Instagram. Standing in Alamo Square Park, looking at that row of pastel Victorians set against the glass-and-steel backdrop of the San Francisco skyline, it’s easy to think of them as a movie set. Or maybe a museum. But the reality is a lot more mundane and, honestly, a lot more expensive.
Yes. Do people live in the Painted Ladies? Absolutely. These aren't just historic landmarks; they are private residences, often owned by families or individuals who have to deal with thousands of tourists pointing cameras at their living room windows every single day.
Living in the "Postcard Row" is a weird mix of prestige and goldfish-bowl anxiety. Imagine trying to carry your groceries inside while forty people from a tour bus watch your every move. It takes a specific kind of person to want to live there. It's beautiful, sure. But it's also a lot of work.
The Reality of Life Inside the Postcard Row
When we talk about the Painted Ladies, we’re specifically talking about the "Seven Sisters" at 710–720 Steiner Street. These houses were built between 1892 and 1896 by developer Matthew Kavanaugh. He actually lived in one of them—722 Steiner—which sits right at the corner and is slightly larger than the others.
Each house is a private home. They aren't owned by the city. They aren't a collective. They are individual properties with individual owners who pay eye-watering property taxes.
People always ask if they can go inside. Unless you know the owners or have a few million dollars to spend when one hits the market, the answer is a hard no. These are not museums like the Haas-Lilienthal House. They are kitchens where people burn toast and bedrooms where people sleep through their alarms.
The interiors vary wildly. Because they are over 130 years old, some have been meticulously restored to their Victorian glory, complete with pocket doors and redwood trim. Others have been gutted and turned into ultra-modern, minimalist spaces that would look more at home in a tech billionaire’s portfolio.
Why the "Painted Lady" name is actually a bit of a misnomer
San Francisco is covered in Victorians. Thousands of them. The term "Painted Ladies" wasn't even coined until 1978. Writers Elizabeth Pomada and Michael Larsen used it in their book Painted Ladies: San Francisco's Resplendent Victorians to describe the movement of stripping off drab grey paint and replacing it with vibrant, multi-colored schemes that highlight the architectural details.
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Before the 1960s, these houses were mostly battleship grey. During World War II, the city was a hub for the Navy, and surplus paint was cheap. It took a "colorist" movement started by artists like Butch Kardum to bring back the pinks, golds, and teals we see today.
The Logistics of Living Under a Microscope
So, what is it actually like? Do people live in the Painted Ladies comfortably?
Living here means dealing with the Alamo Square crowds. On any given Saturday, there might be 500 people sitting on the grass across from your front door. Residents have talked about people trying to peek through the mail slots or even wandering up onto the porches to take selfies.
Then there’s the maintenance.
Wood-frame houses in a foggy, salty climate are a nightmare to keep up. The paint jobs alone can cost over $100,000. You can’t just go to Home Depot and grab a bucket of "Beige" either. To maintain the "Painted Lady" status, owners often hire professional color consultants to ensure the three-to-five-color palette stays historically appropriate while still popping for the cameras.
- The Noise: It’s constant. Between tour guides with megaphones and the general hum of Alamo Square, it’s never truly quiet.
- The Layout: These houses are narrow and vertical. We’re talking three or four stories of stairs. If you forget your phone on the top floor, that’s a workout.
- The Scrutiny: Any exterior change requires a permit process that can take years because of the landmark status.
Who actually buys these things?
In recent years, the turnover has been fascinating. In 2020, one of the Seven Sisters—714 Steiner—sold for about $3.5 million. It was a "fixer-upper" in the most extreme sense of the word. The buyer, Leah Culver, a well-known software engineer, has been documenting the restoration process.
Her project highlights the struggle of living in these homes. You want to modernize the plumbing and the electrical (because 19th-century wiring is a fire hazard), but you also want to preserve the soul of the building. It’s a delicate, incredibly expensive dance.
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Another house in the row was owned for years by Michael Post, who famously dealt with the "Full House" fans. Even though the actual house used for the exterior shots of the Tanner home is about a mile away at 1709 Broderick Street, the opening credits make everyone think the family lived on Steiner Street. This leads to endless confusion and tourists asking residents where "Uncle Jesse" is.
The Full House Confusion
Let’s clear this up once and for all.
The Tanner family did not live in the Painted Ladies. If they had, they would have been incredibly wealthy, even for 1980s TV standards. The "Full House" house is a different Victorian entirely. However, the park across the street, Alamo Square, is where the family had their famous picnic.
Because of that 30-second clip, the Steiner Street residents have become the face of San Francisco real estate. It’s a blessing and a curse. It keeps property values sky-high, but it eliminates any hope of a private life.
Is it worth the price tag?
Depending on the condition, a Painted Lady can fetch anywhere from $3 million to $7 million. For that price in other parts of the Bay Area, you could get a massive estate with a pool and a six-car garage. On Steiner Street, you get a narrow house, no backyard to speak of, and a literal line of tourists at your gate.
But you also get the view.
From the upper floors of these homes, you can see the Transamerica Pyramid, the Salesforce Tower, and the sweep of the city. At night, when the park empties out and the city lights kick in, it’s arguably the most iconic view in America.
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Modern Challenges for Residents
The city has had to step in recently to manage the chaos. There are now strict rules about tour buses. Large coaches are technically banned from the immediate blocks around the park to prevent vibrations from damaging the old foundations and to keep traffic flowing.
There's also the issue of crime and safety. Like many high-profile areas in San Francisco, car break-ins are common in the vicinity. Residents have to be vigilant, and many have installed discreet, high-tech security systems that clash with the 1890s aesthetic.
What to know if you visit (and want to be a good neighbor)
If you're heading to Alamo Square to see where do people live in the Painted Ladies, remember that these are homes first.
- Stay off the stairs. It seems obvious, but people treat the porches like public benches. They aren't.
- Keep the noise down. Sound carries in the park. The residents can hear your "Everywhere You Look" singalong.
- Don't block driveways. Parking in this neighborhood is a blood sport.
- Check the lighting. If you want the best photo without bothering anyone, go at "Golden Hour"—roughly an hour before sunset. The sun hits the faces of the houses directly, making the colors glow.
The Future of the Seven Sisters
Will they always be residences? Most likely. The city’s restrictive zoning and the sheer cost of the land make it unlikely they’ll ever be converted into anything else. They are too small for hotels and too iconic to be demolished.
They remain a symbol of San Francisco’s resilience. They survived the 1906 earthquake and fire, which stopped just blocks away. They survived the urban renewal of the 50s and 60s that tore down thousands of similar Victorians in the Western Addition.
Living in a Painted Lady isn't just about owning a home; it's about being a caretaker for a piece of California history. It’s a job that involves a lot of paint, a lot of stairs, and a lot of smiling at strangers through the window.
If you are planning a trip to see these icons, your best bet is to take the 5-Fulton or 21-Hayes bus lines. Walking from the Haight-Ashbury district is also a great way to see the "lesser-known" but equally stunning Victorians that litter the panhandle. Just remember to look, snap your photo, and give the people living inside the peace they probably paid $5 million to enjoy.
Next Steps for Your Visit:
Before you head to Steiner Street, download a local walking tour app that focuses on Victorian architecture. This will give you the context of the "Queen Anne" style—the turrets, the spindles, and the fish-scale shingles—that makes these houses unique. Understanding the architectural language makes the experience much richer than just seeing a pretty row of houses. Also, grab a coffee at one of the shops on Divisadero Street first; there are no concessions in the park itself.