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San Mateo County
San Mateo County
San Mateo County sits between San Francisco and Silicon Valley on the Peninsula, with about 740,000 residents and one of the highest median household incomes in the country. The county hosts major tech employers (Meta in Menlo Park, Oracle in Redwood Shores, Visa in Foster City) plus SFO airport in Millbrae. The county seat is Redwood City; the largest city by population is Daly City.
Property in San Mateo
What every owner, heir, and investor should know.
Owning a home in San Mateo.
San Mateo County homes are among the most expensive in the country, with median single-family prices well over $1.5M in many submarkets. The Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder administers Prop 13 base-year values, Prop 19 senior and inheritance transfers, and the standard $7,000 homeowners' exemption. Coastal jurisdictions (Half Moon Bay, Pacifica) have additional planning and disclosure rules.
Investing in San Mateo.
Acquisition prices on the Peninsula are extremely high, but tenant demand from tech and biotech employment is exceptionally durable. Multifamily and single-family rental investments enjoy long-term appreciation but limited cash flow. Investors must navigate AB 1482, just-cause eviction, and the rent-control ordinances in some cities (East Palo Alto has full rent control).
After a San Mateo foreclosure or tax deed sale.
Non-judicial trustee sales for San Mateo County are typically held at the Marshall Street entrance of the County Government Center in Redwood City or as specified in the Notice of Trustee Sale. The Tax Collector conducts an annual online tax-defaulted property auction through Bid4Assets, generally in spring. Inventory is limited but bidders should verify any city-level mansion tax (Measure HH-style) exposures.
Courts and records in San Mateo.
The Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo operates the Hall of Justice in Redwood City plus the Southern Branch in San Mateo and the Northern Branch in South San Francisco. The Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections (ACRE) office maintains official records, vital records, and elections services from a consolidated facility in Redwood City.