Carmen Miranda & Associates

Belmont is a tranquil community built primarily on the hills overlooking San Francisco Bay and the coastal range. The small, but busy, downtown has easy access to freeway and rail transportation and is a mix of locally owned shops and commercial shopping. The population of 25,000 works in San Mateo County with only 17 % commuting elsewhere. There are excellent private and public schools with exceptionally high-test scores and several community colleges in the adjacent towns. Belmont has a rich heritage of fine homes from the turn of the twentieth century and enjoys the security of a very low crime rate less than one-fifth the national average.

Burlingame

Burlingame, the "City of Trees" boosts 18,000 public trees on its 5.5 square miles. This upscale community of 28,000 enjoys a very high standard of living including trendy shops, high-quality hotels, and extensive commercial operations. Located near the San Francisco International Airport and on the bay, Burlingame offers warm hospitality, great shopping, fine dining, and year-round outdoor recreation in a beautiful setting. With an exceptionally low crime rate and superior public and private schools scoring in the upper 5% of the nation, this charming community ranks among one of the most desirable places to live in the Western United States.

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Daly City

Daly City, the gateway to peninsula, it’s one of the older cities in San Mateo County and consists of older established neighborhoods, newer developments, and some planned developments with outstanding city and ocean views. Numerous shopping and restaurant options exist in Daly City. With its close proximity to San Francisco and a centrally located Bart station and another nearby in Colma, Daly City offers an excellent location for commuting to downtown San Francisco, the airport (SFO), the peninsula or Silicone Valley.

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El Granada

El Granada "the jewel of the coast," is a small, picturesque community on the Pacific Ocean side of the Coastal Range. With about 5,000 inhabitants, it is blessed with spectacular ocean beaches and unobstructed views of the migrating Gray whales and other sea mammals who make their homes along the San Mateo County Coast. Away form the hustle and bustle of the “other side of the mountain,” El Granada is accessible by scenic Highway 1 just a few miles north of the city of Half Moon Bay. El Granada and the Princeton Harbor area are home to some of the finest restaurants and beaches on the coast. The world famous "Mavericks" surf spot is close by. The schools are excellent, in the top 8% in the nation, and citizen participation is at a very high level in this peaceful, small town.

Foster City

Foster City is located in California’s San Mateo County halfway down a peninsula that juts up between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. A very water-oriented community, Foster City has 223 acres of waterways, 13 miles of shoreline and 12 residential islands. Residents can often be seen enjoying peaceful views from their backyard decks.

Most of the homes in Foster City were built in the last 30 years. One of the few master-planned cities in the San Francisco Bay Area, Foster City has a nice mix of homes—from small town homes to elegant custom estates on the water.

Both the San Mateo-Foster City district and the San Mateo Union High District serve schools in Foster City. Students in all schools score quite high in standardized testing with scores that range from the 70th percentile all the way up to the 90th percentile.

There are many employment opportunities in and around Foster City with a good number of biotech firms located in the area. Visa has chosen Foster City as its headquarters, bringing over 900 jobs to the area. For those who commute to San Francisco, it is a 21-mile drive to the north.

Residents of Foster City never have to commute to find recreation. There is plenty of it right here. Nineteen parks are within the city limits and there is a nine-hole golf course with a new driving range. Boating and wind surfing are popular pastimes and there is a fishing pier that extends into the Bay. In the summer, swimming is available in Foster City’s many lagoons.

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Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay is a small town right on the Pacific Ocean in California’s San Mateo County.

One of the county’s oldest communities, Half Moon Bay was, and is still largely, a farm community. Major crops in Half Moon Bay are strawflowers, artichokes, cabbage, and sprouts. Although Half Moon Bay is home to a very popular annual Pumpkin Festival, pumpkins do not rank as one the area’s big agricultural assets.

If you like the ocean, Half Moon Bay is the town for you. Most homes are within a few blocks of the Pacific and are built on flat land. There are older homes easy of the highway and country club estates in the south section of town as well as everything in between in the center. You can find something for everyone in Half Moon Bay and the prices are very reasonable

Schools in Half Moon Bay are very good and enjoy much support from the community. Some schools have bilingual programs. The elementary schools have been renovated, there is a new middle school and the high school has been expanded. Test scores reflect the area’s interest in education with most coming in above the 50th percentile.

Many residents of Half Moon Bay commute to work to San Francisco (about 47 minutes), San Mateo (about 24 minutes) or Palo Alto (approximately 35 minutes). The brave even travel as far as Silicon Valley (almost an hour’s drive away). After work, however, Half Moon Bay really stands out. There is whale watching and surfing, fishing and horseback riding, golf and fine dining. Half Moon Bay also has a state beach.

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Hillsborough

Offering a rare combination of tranquil seclusion and access to one of the most vibrant economic areas in the world, Hillsborough is an ideal place to live, work, and raise a family. With its neighboring town, Burlingame, this area provides a unique combination of city sophistication and rural beauty. A quick drive to the San Francisco International Airport (around ten minutes from most points in Hillsborough) puts the world at your fingertips. We have a lot to brag about in Hillsborough - the home of Bing Crosby. Some of the most exclusive homes in San Mateo County are found in the community of Hillsborough. Great neighborhoods and schools, outstanding libraries and parks, and some of the best shopping and restaurants on the Peninsula.

Hillsborough has something for everyone. The newly remodeled regional shopping center, Hillsdale Shopping mall. Stroll around our downtown commercial district, Burlingame Avenue.

Hillsborough is an ideal community location, situated between two major freeways, 101 and I-280. Hillsborough provides a link with San Francisco to the north, and Silicon Valley to the south and the East Bay to the east. Hillsborough's proximity to San Francisco Airport provides convenient air transportation.

Maintaining the quality of life remains a key goal for our community. We recognize our financial strength relies on a strong partnership between our residential and business community. Our elected officials and the many citizen volunteers who serve carefully plan the City’s growth on our advisory boards and commissions.

Menlo Park

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At the turn of the 20th century, Menlo Park was a summer home location for wealthy San Francisco professionals. Many large homes remain from that era with huge oak trees and other lush vegetation. Today Menlo Park is an upscale community, primarily residential, with a number of private prep schools, colleges and an excellent public school system. A complete selection of shops and stores is available downtown along with many fine restaurants. Located at the southern-most end of San Mateo County, the population of 35,000, which includes West Menlo Park, enjoys one of the nation's lowest crime rates. Although most of the homes are valued well above the Peninsula average, there are affordable areas in Menlo Park.

Millbrae

Millbrae is located in the northern part of California’s San Mateo County just northwest of the San Francisco International Airport. Millbrae is on the San Francisco Bay and ascends into the hills

Incorporated in 1948, Millbrae experienced a boom in housing construction after World War II. It is, and has always been, a middle-to upper middle class town with attractive, well-kept homes. Homes in the hills often have decks for taking advantage of the beautiful views. Those nearer the highway are smaller and more affordable.

Schools in Millbrae are excellent with academic rankings in the 40th to 90th percentile. Elementary schools are all connected to the Internet and four of them offer day care for working parents. The schools receive a lot of support from both parents and the business community and show the result of that care.

Millbrae has easy access to two freeways and is right next to a major airport, making it a city that is easy to commute from. Millbrae is also served by Cal Train, which goes to Silicon Valley and by SamTrans for local bus transportation.

After school and work, residents have easy access to many recreational opportunities. There are ten parks in Millbrae, one with a PAR course. Green Hills Country Club is in the middle of town and, on the western side is Crystal Springs Reservoir where hiking is popular. The annual Arts and Wine Festival in Millbrae is a popular event and draws over 100,000 visitors.

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Palo Alto

Palo Alto is located at the north end of Santa Clara County, just a short drive from San Francisco International Airport.

One of Santa Clara County's most prestigious addresses, Palo Alto is home to Stanford University. The San Francisco Chronicle for good cause named it. Palo Alto has tree-lined streets, gorgeous homes and a low crime rate. The schools score very high on standardized testing with many students taking advanced classes. Palo Alto High School won an Excellence in Education Award and was honored at the White House.

Because of its excellent location, Palo Alto residents generally have a very good commute to work. With companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Syntex and Varian located within the city, many people work right in town. For those who commute to other Silicon Valley towns, there are two freeways, Cal Train and a short drive to San Francisco International Airport.

After work, recreational opportunities abound. There are 30 parks in Palo Alto, including a 1400-acre park in the Santa Cruz Mountains reserved solely for Palo Alto residents. Many cultural events are held at Stanford University as well as major college football and basketball. Palo Alto has a number of excellent restaurants and upscale coffee shops as well as many youth activities and enrichment opportunities.

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Redwood City

Redwood City is located in California’s San Mateo County about twelve miles south of the San Francisco Airport and ten miles north of Palo Alto.

Incorporated in 1868, Redwood City is the county seat of San Mateo County and its third most populated city. Diverse and with a variety of housing styles, Redwood City offers everything from cottages to castles. The older sections of Redwood City sports charming smaller homes while the newer neighborhoods, including Redwood Shores and Emerald Lake, offer beautiful upscale living with views of San Francisco Bay.

Four different districts serve schools in Redwood City. Many of the schools in Redwood City have been renovated and some have technology-computer centers. There are magnet schools available as well as bilingual programs at Redwood City elementary schools. Some elementary schools offer after school care. With a variety of resources available and class sizes being reduced, students tend to score very well in testing with scores ranging from the mid to upper percentiles. For higher education, residents can attend Cañada College, situated right on the city’s border

Employment opportunities in and around Redwood City are vast. There are a number of high-tech firms in Redwood Shores with Oracle and Electronic Arts being major employers. The San Francisco Airport, San Mateo County’s largest employer is close by and two major highways—Highway 101 and Highway 280 offer reasonable commutes.

On the weekends, Redwood City residents can enjoy a number of recreational activities. Redwood City is home to a number of parks and playgrounds as well as 20 public tennis courts and an ice-skating rink. For the nautically inclined there are several marinas in Redwood City as well as a yacht club.

An excellent City with lots to offer, Redwood City welcomes you for a visit.

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Redwood Shores

One of the very few new areas still under development is the community of Redwood Shores. Although it is within the City Limits of Redwood City and Belmont, this is a distinct community east of US 101 between the freeway and the bay. The beautifully landscaped homes are set among lagoons and saltwater ways with a network of bicycle and walking trails. A major shopping center recently opened and the community has a number of high-rise office buildings including the very large Oracle complex. Redwood Shores depends on the cities across the freeway for police and fire support as well as for school and churches. Because of the economic power behind this rapidly growing community, it is expected that it will soon develop its own social infrastructure.

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San Bruno

This bedroom town is located just west of the San Francisco International Airport. It rises from the flats near the bay up and over the hills of the coastal range. There are great views of the bay, the wooded hills and even the Pacific Ocean from the western slopes. Tanforan Park is one of biggest shopping malls, about 120 stores, on the Peninsula. The town is aging gracefully, most of housing was built after World War II and the styles are reminders of the Fifties and Sixties. Golden Gate National Cemetery is located in the northern section of San Bruno not far from the Federal Archives and Records Center. Skyline Community College is in the city along with excellent public and private schools. Because of a break in the coastal mountains separating the ocean from the bay, the fog routinely rolls into San Bruno during summer afternoons and evenings.

San Carlos

San Carlos is a wonderful community twenty-five miles south of San Francisco reachable by both highway 101 and I-280. Its population of 26,000 works primarily in San Mateo County with 16% commuting to San Francisco or elsewhere in the Bay area. The schools are of high quality ranking in the top 4% of the nation. The neighborhoods are friendly and well established with mature oak trees lining the streets. A saying among real estate professionals holds that "…there are no bad areas in San Carlos." The new Hiller Museum opened in the summer of 1998. This museum is located at the San Carlos Airport and offers a fascinating look at the history of aviation in northern California through the aircraft collection of Stanley Hiller, the father of the modern helicopter.

San Francisco

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San Francisco is a unique and breathtaking City. Built on a series of hills that offer memorable views of the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean, the City offers visitors much more than the great Golden Gate Bridge. Besides featuring renowned museums and art galleries, almost every neighborhood is a treasure of its own including a variety of restaurants and shops that reflect the City's great ethnic, and culture.

Atop Telegraph Hill is Coit Tower, a 210-foot monument to the firefighters of San Francisco. Coit Tower was completed in 1933 and was built with funds left by philanthropist Lillie Hitchcock Coit. It is believed that the tower is designed in the shape of a fire hose nozzle due to Coit's admiration for the fire fighters who fought the 1906 earthquake fires. The 180-foot tower has spectacular 360-degree views of the entire San Francisco Bay Area. Below the tower are beautiful private gardens and cottages on steep paths, which also command magnificent views of San Francisco. Davies Symphony Hall is home to the San Francisco Symphony. The venue is striking from both the inside and out - with its 1980 modern design to the 72-foot-high performance hall to the enormous rear-wall organ pipes which complete the sculptural effect. San Francisco an experience that you should, repeated over and over.

San Mateo

San Mateo is located within San Mateo County about 18 miles from downtown San Francisco. It is the second most populous city in the county.

Rising from the San Francisco Bay into the hills, San Mateo is a middle-class city with a diversified housing stock. Many homes in the area were built between 1940 and 1960 but you will also find a variety of newer homes. From town homes to family homes, there is a lot to choose from in San Mateo.

Schools in San Mateo are very good. They score in the 70th to 90th percentiles in standardized testing. The local high school has won national recognition for excellence. Residents recently approved a bond to renovate elementary schools and built new facilities.

Employment in and around San Mateo is plentiful. The Hillsdale Mall provides many opportunities with its major department stores and there are two major hospitals in the area. For those who wish to commute either to nearby San Jose or San Francisco there are several highways as well as a commuter train and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART).

After work, San Mateo residents have many opportunities for play. There are a number of parks in the area as well as a marina and bike paths that criss-cross the town. Residents can attend thoroughbred racing at Bay Meadows or enjoy a Bay beach and swimming at Coyote Point. Just west of the city is Crystal Springs Reservoir where you will find miles of open space and trails.

For affordable, convenient and enjoyable Bay Area living, San Mateo is an excellent choice.

Santa Clara

Well-established and nicely maintained, Santa Clara is the third most populace city in Santa Clara County. Home to Santa Clara University, Mission Santa Clara, Mission College and the Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara has much to offer in the way of education and arts. The school district in Santa Clara includes many diverse neighborhoods and students generally score well on standardized testing. Some of Santa Clara's schools are located in the renowned Cupertino School District. Parents are supportive of the arts in schools and work to maintain their programs.

In Santa Clara, you will find many homes built in the Fifties and Sixties, as well as an "old quad" neighborhood near Santa Clara University where there is historic pre-World War II housing. You will notice that residents have lovingly maintained their homes with considerable renovation and remodeling.

With more than 31 parks and playgrounds, residents can enjoy tennis, baseball, basketball and many other recreational activities. Great America is a major amusement park and destination for families both within and outside of the area. In addition, there are many restaurants, youth centers and shopping centers. Known for turning out Olympic swimmers, the Santa Clara International Swim Center is another of Santa Clara's claims to fame.

Centrally located, freeways and parkways through and around the city making commuting to work a breeze. Cal Train travels to San Francisco and the light rail starts at Great America and goes to South San Jose. Santa Clara is also close to San Jose International Airport.

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South San Francisco

South San Francisco is a residential and industrial community of 58,000. It is located mostly on flat land near the western edge of the bay 2.2 miles north of San Francisco International Airport, and is nestled between San Bruno Mountain, the Santa Cruz Mountain Range and San Francisco Bay. It is well known for its name on a hill highly visible to commuters who travel north on US 101. Originally a center for steel mills and manufacturing, South San Francisco has evolved into a mix of offices and industry. South San Francisco is one of the centers of bioscience worldwide, the birthplace of the biotechnology industry, and home of what is arguably the highest concentration of commercial biotechnology companies anywhere. The homes are modestly priced by Bay Area standards making it a favorite bedroom community for San Francisco. It has excellent schools and an unusually low crime rate.

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