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Photo: MLS Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close Image 2 of 23 The house is a former "earthquake shack" from 1906. The house is a former "earthquake shack" from 1906. Photo: MLS Image 3 of 23 The private courtyard The private courtyard Photo: MLS Image 4 of 23 Custom-built planters Custom-built planters Photo: MLS Image 5 of 23 Image 6 of 23 Redwood deck Redwood deck Photo: MLS Image 7 of 23 The home was renovated and designed by its artist owner. The home was renovated and designed by its artist owner. Photo: MLS Image 8 of 23 The cottage before it was renovated by the current owner. The cottage before it was renovated by the current owner. Photo: MLS Image 9 of 23 The fir floors have been whitewashed. The fir floors have been whitewashed. Photo: MLS Image 10 of 23 Image 11 of 23 Cathedral ceilings make the 330-square-foot home seem larger. Cathedral ceilings make the 330-square-foot home seem larger. Photo: MLS Image 12 of 23 A current view of the back of the cottage A current view of the back of the cottage Photo: MLS Image 13 of 23 A prerenovation pic of the back of the cottage. A prerenovation pic of the back of the cottage. Photo: MLS Image 14 of 23 The loft bedroom space is accessed by cantilevered stairs. The loft bedroom space is accessed by cantilevered stairs. Photo: MLS Image 15 of 23 Image 16 of 23 The loft bedroom The loft bedroom Photo: MLS Image 17 of 23 The view of the cottage from the loft The view of the cottage from the loft Photo: MLS Image 18 of 23 Kitchen with electric range and porcelain tile countertop Kitchen with electric range and porcelain tile countertop Photo: MLS Image 19 of 23 Another view of the kitchen Another view of the kitchen Photo: MLS Image 20 of 23 Image 21 of 23 Walk-in closet under the loft bedroom Walk-in closet under the loft bedroom Photo: MLS Image 22 of 23 The renovated bathroom The renovated bathroom Photo: MLS Image 23 of 23 A 330-sq-ft former earthquake cottage in Telegraph Hill sells for $765K 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

When the refugee camps began closing a year after the big 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fires, anyone with a mule and a piece of land could take a U.S. Army-built earthquake shack and make it a home. These tiny cottages were dragged all over the city, but many of them ended up in Bernal Heights and the Sunset—outlying neighborhoods with plenty of room.

But, according to Socketsite, at least one ended up in densely populated Telegraph Hill, where land was already selling at a premium a century ago. Obviously, that trend has only continued and the 330-square-foot former shack at 1448 Kearny Street has recently sold for $765K—or over $2,000 a square foot.

Admittedly, the artist owner of the home has done as much as could be done to make the small single-family feel bigger, from white-washing the fir floors to raising the ceiling to adding a loft bedroom to making room for a walk-in closet. (Check out the gallery above for some impressive before and afters.) But even so, that price per square foot is pretty astounding considering that the average price per square foot in the neighborhood is about half that.

However, it is rare to find a condo in the neighborhood south of $1 million, and single-family homes in Telegraph Hill are practically nonexistent. So, even with the small footprint and no real room to expand, the sellers seemed to have no problem finding a buyer. It was listed in late September at $679K and closed less than a month later for nearly 100K over asking, netting the new owners a pricey piece of San Francisco history and honorary membership into the Tiny House Movement.

Emily Landes is a writer and editor who is obsessed with all things real estate. She also has a DIY problem that she blogs about at pritical.com.