Curbed Cup Elite Eight: (5) Hayes Valley vs. (13) NoPa

Last year's Curbed Cup runner-up Hayes Valley has had another big year with new condo projects starting up regularly, including high-profile projects 8 Octavia and 55 Laguna, and the recently completed 300 Ivy proved this 'hood is in crazy-high demand when 350 buyers overwhelmed the sales office its opening weekend. With a growing number of the neighborhood's boutiques and restaurant/bars going upscale, local favorites like Moishe's Pippic and Marlena have packed up and left.

NoPa, on the other hand, has been described by a few as "the new Mission." It's a nice mix of affluent families and aging hipsters, and you can find top tier eateries right next door to a decent dive bar. It's also home to a newly opened and fancy schmancy Bi-Rite, where you can wait in line to pay more than $5 for a single piece of fruit.