Young Family - Peninsula Cities (San Francisco, San Mateo: houses, neighborhood, movie theater)

[latosf]

We may be relocating from Manhattan Beach in LA's Southbay to the Peninsula for my husband's job (in San Mateo). We'd like to find a ~4 bedroom house in a nearby town with great public schools. Ideally, he wouldn't commute more than 30 minutes, and we'd find a town with natural beauty (parks, trails, etc), some character (not cookie cutter / master planned), plenty of young families, and a great sense of community, with its own restaurants & shopping (walkability would be a dream, but second choice would be kind of a 'bubble' with everything we need within a few mile drive). Our kids are 3 years and 6 months right now, I am a stay at home mom, we are all very active and social. Our max budget would be $2.7 million, and we would of course like to find something for closer to 2 if we could. We live in a beach town here and are used to some fog, but don't want to live somewhere totally socked in either.

Currently on our radar are:
Pacifica - Linda Mar area?
Burlingame
Brisbane (though I know the least about it)
Hillsbourough (though there isn't a lot anywhere near our budget there)

Would love any feedback on these areas or any new suggestions - we are at the early stages of exploring the area online before starting to look in person

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by latosf

We may be relocating from Manhattan Beach in LA's Southbay to the Peninsula for my husband's job (in San Mateo). We'd like to find a ~4 bedroom house in a nearby town with great public schools. Ideally, he wouldn't commute more than 30 minutes, and we'd find a town with natural beauty (parks, trails, etc), some character (not cookie cutter / master planned), plenty of young families, and a great sense of community, with its own restaurants & shopping (walkability would be a dream, but second choice would be kind of a 'bubble' with everything we need within a few mile drive). Our kids are 3 years and 6 months right now, I am a stay at home mom, we are all very active and social. Our max budget would be $2.7 million, and we would of course like to find something for closer to 2 if we could. We live in a beach town here and are used to some fog, but don't want to live somewhere totally socked in either.

Currently on our radar are:
Pacifica - Linda Mar area?
Burlingame
Brisbane (though I know the least about it)
Hillsbourough (though there isn't a lot anywhere near our budget there)

Would love any feedback on these areas or any new suggestions - we are at the early stages of exploring the area online before starting to look in person

I'd add San Mateo (west of train tracks/El Camino), Belmont, and San Carlos to this list also.

[Chuck5000]

In Pacifica, Traffic on route 1 is bad bad bad. I'd never do it unless I had very flexible hours. One is also "trapped" there. But I like the town overall, despite its lack of a downtown. I think (without checking) you could get an ocean view home for that price.

You have a decent budget, I think you'll get something. Brisbane is nice but tiny. I think Burlingame is what I would choose, it also has a downtown-like strip. San Mateo maybe second choice only because it's less upscale, which I'm guessing you want. San Mateo is much more economically mixed than the 'Game. Belmont or San Carlos are nice towns - Belmont has more hill areas and no downtown; carlos has a small downtown-like strip and more flat areas with larger lots. Also more expensive

[zitsky]

You're better off living on the peninsula and going to Pacifica or Santa Cruz on the weekends. You'll get plenty of cloud cover and fog. It really varies though. It can be cloudy on the peninsula and sunny on the coast, or vice versa.

[jade408]

If you really want the beach, Half Moon Bay is the best choice, and closest to San Mateo.

[zitsky]

Originally Posted by jade408

If you really want the beach, Half Moon Bay is the best choice, and closest to San Mateo.

True. But then commute on highway 92 can be slow.

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by Chuck5000

In Pacifica, Traffic on route 1 is bad bad bad. I'd never do it unless I had very flexible hours. One is also "trapped" there. But I like the town overall, despite its lack of a downtown. I think (without checking) you could get an ocean view home for that price.

You have a decent budget, I think you'll get something. Brisbane is nice but tiny. I think Burlingame is what I would choose, it also has a downtown-like strip. San Mateo maybe second choice only because it's less upscale, which I'm guessing you want. San Mateo is much more economically mixed than the 'Game. Belmont or San Carlos are nice towns - Belmont has more hill areas and no downtown; carlos has a small downtown-like strip and more flat areas with larger lots. Also more expensive

I'd recommend: Burlingame, San Mateo, Belmont and San Carlos (possibly in that order).

Burlingame is probably the most upscale option, but you'll get a bit less for your money there. The nicest parts of San Mateo are hardly any different than Burlingame - and you'll get a bit more house for your money. For instance, about 1/8 mile down my street is the Hillsborough/Sam Mateo line, and if the sign weren't there, you'd have no idea you left one and entered another. I'm sure the home prices on each side of the line differ quite a bit, though! Schools are probably better overall in Burlingame, but San Mateo schools are good west of El Camino.

Downtowns are a wash in my opinion - but each has advantages:

• I prefer San Mateo's because to me it feels most like a neighborhood (like what you might see in San Francisco). It has a bit of a block structure, and is geographically fairly large (for a suburban downtown). It's Caltrain station is also much more functional in that more trains stop at it. Has some retail, but is mostly geared to restaurants/some bars. It has a nice downtown movie theater.
• Burlingame's downtown is more upscale and has more shopping in it. Is a good mix of retail and restaurants. It has a Caltrain station, as well, but isn't served by as many trains as SM.

Either way, Burlingame's downtown is only ~1 mile from San Mateo's - so each are very close and accessible to each city. I frequently walk from my apt. in downtown SM to Burlingame Ave. (more in the summer when it stays light later), and it is a pleasant walk. So you don't really "lose" either, whichever town you go for.


I also throw Belment and SC into the mix because the OP mentioned being interested in Hillsborough. If you want that house on the side of the steep hill, you can get that in Belmont and San Carlos (and a lower price than Hillsborough, I might add). The schools in both are very good, too.

Neither have downtowns like San Mateo and Burlingame (SC has a downtown, whereas Belmont just has a few large strips on El Camino), but they each have a Caltrain station. Each are worth a look. Do keep in mind that they'll be further away from the job in San Mateo.


I'd also avoid Pacifica, or anywhere on the coast. As awesome as coastal living can be, it's not worth the inconvenience in traffic/commute time. The drive isn't terrible, but I don't know if it'd be worth it when there are possibly better living situations much closer to the potential job (it'd also be at the upper limit of that "30 minute" commute that the OP mentioned wanting). You also lose out on public transit accessibility with Caltrain/BART by being on the coast (although, I suppose one could drive to those).

And by not living on the coast (i.e. the east side of the mountains), the weather is significantly nicer (mostly in the summer/fog season). I know the OP mentioned being familiar with some fog in southern CA, but I'm not sure if the OP realizes that the fog can be more intense up here comparatively.

San Mateo's central location (convenient to East Bay with bridge) comes in handy for easy access to Half Moon Bay on 92 also (if you go on a weekday or early in the morning on Saturday/Sundays, you can get there in ~15/20 minutes).

Pacifica isn't hard to get to, either - can go 101 -> 380 -> 280 -> 1 - or alternatively (which I prefer) you can go Crystal Springs -> Skyline -> 280 (or you can continue on Skyline, which paralells 280) -> Sharp Park.

Other peninsula cities have good access to the coast, but you'll have to drive to 92 to get over the hill, or head up towards Pacifica access roads.


Either way, mid-peninsula should offer everything the OP is after. I think the OP will just have to check each city out individually (which shouldn't take more than a weekend), and then narrow in on a few areas where they can look for houses. Their budget should offer some good flexibility.

[latosf]

Thank you all so much!

[calicoastal]

Burlingame and west side San Mateo pretty much nail your criteria. Palo Alto and maybe Los Altos are potential options if commuting via Caltrain or 280 is feasible. West side Menlo Park and San Carlos could work, especially if high school is less of a concern. Belmont doesn't have a real downtown but is close enough to the others. Redwood Shores is very nice but in a cookie cutter way. And then there are Hillsborough, Woodside, Portola Valley, etc. if your budget allows it. You have a lot of great options with your budget.

[CC12345]

I agree with the other posts. San Mateo, Burlingame and San Carlos fit the budget, the commute, and the feel that you want. The Aragon neighborhood in San Mateo is close to downtown and in your price range. It's a great neighborhood.