A quick Zillow search shows multiple places in Potrero that are for sale and under $2M right now. I've been casually watching the area for most of the year and there's usually a place or two available in the $1.3-$2M range at any given time.

Article was written in 2017. So maybe in 2014-ish the protagonist of Story 1 bought the house??

Give it a couple of months.