A move to a new city can often feel like an overwhelming experience. We know that finding the right home in the right neighborhood is important for your family, so we have created these helpful guide pages to make your move a little easier. Take a look at important information to see if this area is right for you.

What's it like to live in San Mateo?

Located just twenty-five minutes from downtown San Francisco and thirty minutes from downtown San Jose, San Mateo offers small-town living surrounded by big-city amenities. As one of the largest cities in the Silicon Valley, San Mateo has great job opportunities, especially in high-tech fields. It's a family-friendly city with beautiful homes, excellent schools, and a warm, year-round Mediterranean climate that makes getting outdoors to one of 15 city parks easy.  

What types of homes are in San Mateo?

San Mateo real estate is quite diverse. You'll find a variety of traditional, contemporary and California ranch-style homes scattered through different neighborhoods. Many homes in the Marina Lagoon neighborhood have waterfront views, while many Sugarloaf Mountain homes offer wooded landscapes. The Hillsdale neighborhood, closer to town, has homes with a more suburban feel. Whatever architectural style you prefer, you'll find comfortable homes that are great for small and large families in San Mateo. Housing is mostly condos and single-family homes with two to five bedrooms, two or three full bathrooms, large family rooms and kitchens, attached two-car garages, and lovely outdoor areas. 

What's unique about San Mateo?

Because San Mateo is located in the heart of the Bay Area, you'll find easy transportation to the office every morning with Caltrain. With such close proximity to San Francisco and San Jose, San Mateo operates three train stations and 41 trains that make daily travel fast and easy for commuters. San Mateo is also located near three major airports – San Francisco International Airport, Oakland International Airport, and San Jose Mineta International Airport that provide convenient access for easy, long-distance travel. The downtown district of San Mateo contains many historic buildings from the late 19th century. This beautiful architecture that's prominent in the town square area gives the city a unique look with character and comfortable atmosphere. San Mateo's business district is full of gorgeous mid-century modern structures that are home to hundreds of high-tech companies located in the Silicon Valley.  

Where are the good schools in San Mateo?

• Baywood Elementary School | Grades K-5 | 600 Alameda De Las Pulgas
• Borel Middle School | Grades 6-8 | 425 Barneson Avenue
• San Mateo High School| Grades 9-12 | 506 North Delaware Street

Stanford University, one of the country's most prestigious universities, is located just 12 miles south of San Mateo. The city is also home to the College of San Mateo, a local community college with over 10,000 students.  

What are the best things to do in San Mateo?

There are a lot of fun things to do in San Mateo, both indoors and outdoors. You can enjoy California seashores and sunshine, endless outdoor recreational activities and sporting events, shopping and dining, and much more. Gather up the family and head to the downtown district where you can shop to your heart's content through 800 different shops. Take in the latest movies at the beautiful 12-screen movie theater complex in the town square. Stroll through Central Park, a beautiful downtown park with its own Japanese Tea Garden designed by a former architect at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. It includes a tea house, a pagoda, waterfalls, and wonderful pathways that wind through the cherry blossom trees in the park. If you love the outdoors, you'll love the lifestyle in San Mateo. With nearly 60 miles of Pacific coastline, San Mateo beaches offer surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking, windsurfing, and deep sea fishing. Mavericks is one of the world's best surfing areas that draws thousands of surfers each year. Coyote Point Recreation Area and Sawyer Camp Trail are great for kids and provide a fun-filled day for the entire family.  

Is San Mateo right for me?

San Mateo provides a wealth of job and business opportunities, especially if you're a “techie”. The world-famous Silicon Valley is full of high-tech companies. Even if you're not in the high-tech world, San Mateo is an easy commute to thousands of job opportunities in nearby San Francisco and San Jose. Besides work, the lifestyle in San Mateo offers warm weather, cool ocean breezes, great schools, beautiful homes, family-friendly entertainment, and year-round outdoor activities. What more can you possibly want in a new home?