A 8,500-square-foot Beaux Arts Presidio Heights home has sold for $26 million — or a little over $3,000 per square foot — in what appears to be an off-market sale, and the biggest trade in San Francisco so far this year.
The deal for 3701 Washington Street, two blocks from the Presidio Wall, closed on Jan. 9, but has not been reported until now.
The seller was 3701 Washington Street LLC, according to the deed, which is managed by William and Leigh Matthes. William Matthes is the former managing partner at Behrman Capital, a New York-based private equity firm with investments in health care, aerospace and defense, according to a profile from Stanford University’s Distinguished Careers Institute, where he is a fellow.
Leigh is an advisory board member for Stanford’s School of Education Challenge Success program, according to the university site, as well as Every Mother Counts — a global outreach maternal health organization. She has also redeveloped residential properties since the 1990s, according to her LinkedIn page.
The buyer was the Roxy Bear Trust, which is managed by David Geffon, according to public records.
The Matthes bought the grand Presidio Heights property in 2011 for $12.1 million, according to public records. At the time they were represented by Malin Giddings and Max Armour, who were then with Coldwell Banker but now with Compass. Armour said he was not involved in this sale but called the property a “beautiful home” and added that he was not surprised it had sold. The luxury market in the city has really picked up this year, he said, with five properties over $10 million already closing.
The four-level home on the corner of Washington and Spruce streets was built in 1902 in a French-inspired style popular at the time. It has Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay views, according to earlier listing notes, as well as a skylit circular staircase in the foyer. It also has a separate two-level guest house in the backyard.
Just over 100 years after it was built, it was completely remodeled and served as the 2006 San Francisco Decorator Showcase home. It was also used as a showcase home in 1988, according to a marketing page.
The Matthes also appear to have taken on a major renovation during their ownership. According to city records, they filed permits for a complete remodel plus a horizontal extension to the rear and side shortly after they bought the home, as well as a garage expansion. The work seems to have begun in 2015, though the final inspection sign-off did not take place until 2022.
At $26 million, the sale is by far the biggest in San Francisco at this early point in the year, though that price would put it among the city’s most-expensive sales if it had closed in 2024. The previous biggest sale in 2025 was Robin Williams’ former Sea Cliff home, which traded for $18.1 million on Jan. 23.
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