Gavin Newsom’s Real Estate History: A Governor With Bay Area Roots
Gavin Newsom’s real estate history reflects the course of his political career, with lasting ties to the San Francisco Bay Area. Born in San Francisco in 1967, Newsom progressed from the city’s Board of Supervisors to the mayor’s office, winning election in 2003, before becoming California’s governor in 2019. His second term is scheduled to end in January 2027.
Throughout his career, Newsom and his family have moved between several properties, building a real estate history that mirrors the demands of public office and family life. During his time as mayor, Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, purchased a home in Ashbury Heights for approximately $2.74 million in 2009. They sold it around 2011 for roughly $2.75 million before relocating to Marin County. That same year, they acquired a home in Kentfield for $2.2 million. The mid-century residence, situated on approximately 1.3 acres in Kent Woodlands, was listed for just under $6 million in early 2019.
The governor’s responsibilities also required a residence closer to Sacramento. In December 2018, the family purchased a gated estate in Fair Oaks for $3.7 million, reportedly setting a neighborhood record at the time. The property returned to the market in August 2026 with an asking price of $7.5 million, approximately twice its original purchase price. Meanwhile, the family established another Bay Area base in Kentfield, where a six-bedroom home sold for approximately $9.1 million in late 2024.
Taken together, these transactions reveal a recurring pattern: a strong connection to the Bay Area, a Sacramento-area residence suited to the demands of governing, and property sales marking changes in the family’s circumstances. Within that broader history, the listing of a modest redwood house associated with Newsom’s earliest years carries a different kind of significance. Smaller and older than the family’s other known properties, it offers a personal connection to the governor’s family history, even as questions remain about the extent of his childhood ties to the residence.
Gavin Newsom’s Childhood Home Lists for $4.5 Million
A redwood-clad house beside one of San Francisco’s wooded areas has returned to the real estate market with an asking price of $4.5 million. The two-bedroom property has long been associated with Governor Gavin Newsom’s early family history, although the details of his connection to the house remain partly unconfirmed.
Built in 1951, the residence stands near Mount Sutro Forest, where Cole Valley meets Ashbury Heights. The property occupies two adjoining parcels with a combined area exceeding 9,600 square feet. Its connection to Newsom comes through his mother’s family. Arthur Menzies, Newsom’s maternal grandfather, owned the property, which later passed to Newsom’s mother, Tessa Menzies, following her father’s death.
A documented link dates to 1967, the year Newsom was born and his father, Bill Newsom, ran for a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. In his official candidate statement, Bill identified the house as the residence he shared with Tessa. Although he did not win the election, the filing established a public-record connection between the address and the family at the time of Newsom’s birth.
However, the question of whether Newsom himself lived in the house during his earliest years is less straightforward. In his 2026 memoir, Young Man in a Hurry, Newsom places his young family in an apartment on Octavia Street around the time of his birth. As a result, the house’s association with his childhood rests on the candidate statement and local accounts rather than direct confirmation from the governor’s office.
The asking price places the home firmly within San Francisco’s high-end property market. At $4.5 million, it is priced approximately 60 percent above the roughly $2.8 million it sold for in 2019. Based on its approximately 1,445 square feet of interior space, the asking price equates to about $3,100 per square foot. Since its previous sale, the property has received updates, including a renovated kitchen and refreshed bathrooms. The listing presents the double-lot property as a potential long-term family holding, with additional possibilities for future expansion subject to applicable requirements.
The timing of the listing provides further context. The property entered the market roughly a month after the Newsoms listed their Fair Oaks estate for sale. With Newsom’s second gubernatorial term scheduled to conclude in January 2027, and renewed attention surrounding his personal history following the release of his memoir, the San Francisco house has attracted interest beyond its architectural and real estate features.
Property Facts: Gavin Newsom’s Childhood Home
| Feature | Details |
| Property Type | Craftsman-Style House |
| Location | Stanyan Area, San Francisco, California |
| Asking Price | $4.5 Million |
| Year Built | 1951 |
| Living Area | Approx. 1,445 Square Feet |
| Bedrooms | 2 |
| Bathrooms | 2 Full Bathrooms |
| Lot Size | Approx. 9,600 Square Feet |
| Exterior Material | Clear Heart Redwood |
| Recent Updates | Renovated Kitchen and Bathrooms |
| Special Amenities | Japanese Soaking Tub, Meditation Area, Upper-Level Deck |
| Previous Sale | Approx. $2.8 Million in 2019 |
Property Timeline
- 1951: The original house is built and initially owned by Arthur Menzies, Newsom’s maternal grandfather.
- Later years: Following Arthur Menzies’s death, the property passes to Newsom’s mother, Tessa Menzies. The exact date has not been publicly confirmed.
- 1967: Newsom is born. His father, Bill Newsom, identifies the house as the residence he shares with Tessa in his candidate statement for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
- 1979: The home’s exterior is re-clad with clear heart redwood sourced from Marin County.
- 2019: The property sells for approximately $2.8 million.
- 2019–2026: The kitchen and bathrooms undergo renovations.
- September 2026: The property is listed for $4.5 million.