For a long time, Bernal Heights was the best kept secret in San Francisco real estate.
Short commutes into downtown, relatively affordable homes, and panoramic hilltop views made it a desirable place for artists, musicians, and tech workers to settle down.
But the residential enclave located south of the city's Mission District and Noe Valley has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, causing home prices to appreciate 111% over the past six years. The median sales price for a two-bedroom abode is $1.58 million.
In 2014, real-estate site Redfin named the north slope of Bernal Heights, an area that's densely packed with million-dollar homes, the hottest neighborhood in America based on increases in search traffic to local listings.
I spent an afternoon in Bernal Height's northern end to see what the buzz is about.
SEE ALSO: What it's like to live inside one of the iconic 'Painted Lady' homes in San Francisco
Bernal Heights has a small town feel while still being in a central part of San Francisco.
It sits south of the city's downtown and is bisected by Cortland Avenue, a main shopping strip populated by small markets, cafes, restaurants, and hair and nail salons.
I started my day north of Cortland at Café St. Jorge, a Portuguese-inspired coffee shop and restaurant where I found young people catching up with friends and working on laptops.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider