A Streetcar Named Desiree

by Richard Valdez - www.richardvaldezre.com

They say in real estate, it’s all about location—but in San Francisco, it’s also about emotion. As a local agent, I don’t just sell homes—I tell stories. And every street, every storefront, every streetcar has one. Some days, I walk down from Twin Peaks to the corner of Castro and Market, and I’m reminded that this city isn’t just where we live—it’s how we live. That’s when I usually catch a glimpse of her—Desiree, one of our iconic vintage streetcars—and I’m instantly transported into a different kind of journey.

I couldn’t help but wonder… in a city as timeless as San Francisco, is it possible to be transported not just from street to street, but from era to era?

There are days when I stroll down through the hills, the city spread out like a movie set, and I think—how lucky am I to live here? And then I spot her: the historic streetcar that glides with elegance from the Castro to Fisherman’s Wharf. Not just a piece of infrastructure, but a moving metaphor, a time machine. I've even given her a name—Desiree. Because every city has its moods, and every ride tells a story.

Sometimes, I climb aboard and let myself drift—not just physically, but through time. I imagine the roaring 60’s here in San Francisco: all Mad Men tailoring and big dreams. I've seen the black-and-white snapshots. I’ve watched the old films where women wore gloves, men wore hats, and everyone looked like they were going somewhere fabulous.

But even then, beneath the elegance, the city wrestled with its own truths—civil unrest, inequality, political shifts, and environmental concerns. It was beautiful, yes, but far from perfect. A lot like now.

Today, as I ride Desiree down Market Street, I feel something shifting again. The boarded-up storefronts from the pandemic are opening their doors once more. There’s a cautious optimism in the air. Homelessness still casts a shadow, and yet there's momentum. We’re not fully there—but we’re getting there.

Still, the uncertainty is real. You can feel it in the protests echoing through City Hall, in the whispered worries about inflation, and in the fierce debates about where we're heading as a city.

But here’s the thing about San Francisco—it doesn’t give up. I’ve seen this city rise, rebuild, reinvent. Twenty years ago, we were a beacon for innovation and inclusivity. And I believe we will be again.

Because like Desiree, who sometimes sputters to a stop mid-track—only to be restarted by the hopeful hands of engineers and dreamers alike—San Francisco knows how to come back to life. She pauses. She repairs. She moves forward.

And as someone who helps people find not just homes, but chapters in their lives, I know this: no matter how many times the city breaks down, it always finds its rhythm again.

Because just like our streetcars—we may stall, but we never go in reverse.