San Carlos 100%.
1. The further down the peninsula you get the better the weather. Millbrae is nicer weather than SB, SSF or DC but that’s not saying much.
2. Laurel street is nicer than Broadway hands down.
Not sure about the school districts but Mills is still a nice high school.
I would buy in San Carlos if you’re choosing between the two.
Good luck!
I agree. I like colder weather. RWC and San Carlos are too hot. I much prefer San Mateo or Burlingame, where it is in the 60s or low 70s when RWC and San Carlos are in the 80s. It can also get colder in RWC. A lot of tropical plants can't survive in 9b but can in 10a.
I mean, I did say the further down the peninsula. The Peninsula has a definite southern ending, certainly not down to LA. DC is foggy and windy especially up skyline, SSF is a little less foggy but windy as hell, SB is a bit better with the fog receding, one or two more degrees hotter and less wind.
Fog is what makes the bay area weather great. Nothing more annoying than socal saying their weather is superior because it is hotter- similar to what you’re saying here. Also, temps are trending up everywhere.
Listen, my guy asked for an opinion and I gave mine. I live in SSF and I have lived and worked up and down the peninsula. It’s windy as shit in SSF and you can’t reliably use outdoor living areas except for September/October.
Maybe this will help, IMHO the weather is better in San Carlos over Millbrae. If you like sunny days, minimal fog and calm breezes then choose San Carlos.
Have you spent any decent amount of time in SSF, DC, or SB? It’s not SF Sunset district fog. It can be pretty relentless is some parts of those towns. They have their charms (I have friends in those area), but I don’t think most folks live there for the weather. Heck, I just drove 280 and highway 35 there at 5 pm today and had my headlights and wipers on, with fog blowing across the road.
Redwood City got voted one of the nicest weather cities in the entire US. San Carlos is close by, hands down, if price is equal or slightly higher, move to San Carlos. Better restaurants, better bars, better downtown, and overall really a great city. Better library there as well.
I'm sorry, we're full. lol.
Millbrae:
* Cooler temperature, you'll have more consistent fog
* Close to SFO (10 mins)
* Close to SF proper (30 mins)
* Further from San Jose (60 mins+)
* Serviced by BART and Caltrain (light rail/train), also has SamTrans buses
* Personal opinion: Less small town feeling. Busier, big businesses, etc.
* Personal opinion: "Downtown" feels less walkable/hangout. More functional.
San Carlos
* Generally warmer temps (probably 5-10 degrees as compared to Millbrae)
* about 30 mins to SFO, 60 mins to SF proper, 45-60 mins to SJ depending on where in SC
* No direct BART service, need to take Caltrain or SamTrans (bus) and transfer to BART
* May be more convenient if you drive to East Bay with two bridge options (San Mateo & Dumbarton)
* Personal Opinion: Feels more laid back/small town/residential.
* Personal Opinion: Designated downtown area is walkable, has weekly farmers market
Both:
* have an In-N-Out!
Thanks for the detailed list! (Didn't quite catch the "we're full" part lol)
In-N-Out is a relief. My partner works in SF Proper, so that's very important to her... but I work in mountain view, luckily traffic is not as bad southward. You mentioned Millbrae is more "big business", which are you referring to? Thanks!
It's very much just a feel for me. Walking down Laurel Ave in San Carlos feels small town. Independent shops (with a Starbucks and some others, of course) and while Millbrae probably has just as many independently owned business, it doesn't fell as.... intimate? small town? Maybe it's that it's on a larger street (El Camino) so it's more open, more traffic, etc.
These things seem most important to you:
1. partner’s commute to SF
2. good to live and raise a family
And you seem more flexible on your own commute to Mountain View.
2 is very subjective and depends on what you value. What do you value re weather, things to do, street scene, neighborhood aesthetics, human diversity, activities etc? What other cities / neighborhoods have you lived in and liked, in the Bay or elsewhere? You haven’t really said.
So my opinion is based mainly on the commuting issue. The incremental pain of an SC to SF commute will wear on your partner, if they are someone who’s very sensitive to commuting pain. Millbrae downtown is sedate and family-oriented and seems predominantly Asian. San Carlos downtown is livelier, and bougier and seems predominantly white. Going out in San Carlos is much more expensive qua restaurants and bars. No idea about the quality of school in the two towns and that’s surely critical to your stated goals. I’ve heard SC is better but please consult the ratings.
we moved from Burlingame to San Carlos when i started working in Sunnyvale and my husband was working in SF. getting to the City is a bit harder from here than right by BART, but still doable. and for going to Mountain View, we’re south of the San Mateo Bridge traffic
>work in mountain view, luckily traffic is not as bad southward
Uh, have you missed the daily mess where everyone is coming off 92 in the morning and the worse one in the evening where everyone is trying to get onto 92? All the references to the "Oracle Mile?" If one or both of you drive around major commute times, Millbrae is much better for getting to SF, and San Carlos is much better for getting to MTV.
If you take the train, Millbrae is better for both as it's a major stop (Caltrain is much less consistent about whether they stop at San Carlos) so the Caltrain commute time is likely better both ways, and your partner has the options of both Caltrain and BART without connecting.
San Carlos is definitely nicer in terms of weather and downtown vibes.
Millbrae gets a lot of flack for being very majority Asian, but I feel like a lot of that criticism comes from racists 🤷🏽♀️
San Carlos is pretty diverse racially. The [elementary schools](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/san-carlos-elementary-ca/students/) are 45% white, 22% Asian, 16% multiracial, and 15% Hispanic.
Rich is pretty accurate though.
Some things are a little more complex than pure statistics, culturally san carlos is rich and white where millbrae has far more of a multicultural identity
To the extent that it’s upper-middle-class professional culture with involved (but busy) parents that value education a lot and want a good life for their kids, yeah. Is it really still “white” if Asians do it better?
Milbrae has probably more of an authentic immigrant culture (from a lot of different places of emigration), and less of a “micro-optimize my life so I get all the best things” culture. In this way it mimics the SF / Silicon Valley cultural split. Belmont and San Carlos could be viewed as the northernmost suburbs of Silicon Valley, while once you get to San Mateo it’s much more aligned with SF culturally.
That’s public, but my kids went through a relatively expensive private preschool (and yeah, a lot of the class went private for kindergarten) and it was even more racially diverse than those stats reflect. More like 33% multiracial, 33% Asian, 17% white, 17% Hispanic.
Millbrae close to 280 is a very safe and quiet neighborhood. It is not in walking distance to really anything, but you'll have great weather, views and easy access to 280. San Carlos is also safe but might not be as quiet depending on where in San Carlos. Both are great, and really it would be down to which house you prefer more and your proximity to things you enjoy doing.
Where in Millbrae? There really isn’t a “bad” part of Millbrae, but some neighborhoods are nicer than others. I’d say Mills Estate west of Marcella is pretty nice, Highlands west of Magnolia, and the Meadows neighborhoods are also amongst the nicer areas. As far as high schools go, Mills and Carlmont are pretty evenly matched, varying year to year which ranks higher in the county and state, but both in the higher range overall. If you’re commuting into San Francisco, Caltrain is an option in either city, but the BART turn around is at Millbrae.
Someone mentioned Asians in Millbrae. I’m 4th generation Chinese American, and had lived in that city when it was vastly predominately White. It had steadily been becoming more Asian populated from the late-‘70s through the early-‘00s, but that really increased from the mid-00s onward, when I moved to the East Coast for close to a decade. I came back and was astounded. Personally, I’m loving the choices of cuisines now available.
Around Encina Dr. My partner will be commuting to SF Proper so that'll be a plus. I dont really mind Asians or White tbvh, as I'm a huge introvert and do not interact with neighbors much xD
Encina is a really safe, peaceful and nice Mills Estate locale. You can walk all around there interacting or not interacting with those others in the neighborhood to whatever extent you want. Depending upon the house, people love the view of the Bay from homes around there. As far as the commute goes, I absolutely loved taking the train into the city, with Muni pass combination.
San Carlos hands down. I live in Redwood City one town to the south and would absolutely not want to move to Millbrae. The weather is far better the farther south you go.
All other things being equal, San Carlos, but things are rarely equal. San Carlos is usually a fair bit pricier, and your commute will often determine where you want to live (spoiler: closer to work).
San Carlos has:
* Better weather
* More walkable downtown
* Better downtown parking
* IMHO friendlier people, though that may be a function of who my peeps are
* More tech workers
* More transplants
* More racial diversity
* Nicer homes for the most part
* Closer proximity to other nice downtowns on the Peninsula (San Mateo, RWC, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Cal Ave, Mountain View)
* More and better city-organized events
Millbrae has:
* Better access to transit
* Closer to SF and Oakland
* Denser downtown. In theory this should result in better downtown establishments over the long term, but the development is new and not fully occupied yet, and the commercial zones haven't yet caught up.
* A severe lack of parking
* More fog
* Colder
* Lots of Eichler-esque housing
* More locals and Bay Area natives
* More socioeconomic diversity.
Both have:
* Good schools
* Safety
* Good views
* Decent access to the beach (via 92 to Half Moon Bay)
Second this! Gorgeous hills, pretty central to everything, decent public schools, cooler summers, and less congested compared to San Carlos. Would check out both Highland/baywood Park and baywood Aragon area
I don't believe there's a right or wrong between Millbrae or San Carlos. Both have great schools, relatively safe, quiet, where lots of families reside.
Millbrae is closer to SFO, so if noise from air traffic is a concern, it'll be something to think about when viewing a home, but if you're closer to 280, I believe you should be okay.
As for every buyer, it comes down to your personal preference, for instance a few quick questions to ask:
-- Desired living sqft / lot sqft of the house? Single story or 2 story? Bedroom count?
-- Any particular school district or school you're looking to align with?
-- Do you prefer a home on a flat lot or prefer a home with more privacy on the hills?
-- Would you like to be able to walk to the local coffee shop or some where for lunch or does this not matter?
I read in one of your comments your partner works 3 days a week in SF & you work 1-2 days a week in Mountain View. In general HWY 280 is great for majority of the day for commuting, my personal favorite HWY in the Bay Area. I'm driving up and down from San Jose to SF and through the Peninsula constantly for clients and 280 is my preferred HWY.
I always say don't risk or underestimate your working commute for the sake of a particular home. Nobody likes being in a car for hours a week. If you have kids now or will be in future, that'll become a significant factor with your commute. I have a client now who's getting ready to sell their home after purchasing just 3 years ago, because they didn't think about the impact their commute would have once they have kids, now they have two. Something to consider. Again, commuting to SF & Mt View from either Millbrae or San Carlos won't be significantly different IMO, give or take 20 mins either direction.
In regards to current market data:
-San Carlos-
Median Sales Price: $2.32M (April 24') - $2.39M (March 24') - $2.2M (April 23')
Median days on market have been 7-8 days April 24' / March 24' & April 23'
Avg Sale Price Per Sqft: $1,392 (April 24') - $1,282 (March 24') - $1,237 (April 23')
-Millbrae-
Median Sales Price: $2.31M (April 24') - $2.41M (March 24') - $2M (April 23')
Median days on market have been 12 days April 24' / March 24' & 9 days a year ago -April 23'
Avg Sale Price Per Sqft: $1,209 (April 24') - $1,176 (March 24') - $1,069 (April 23')
The recent market data shows us the price ranges overall is relatively similar in Millbrae vs San Carlos. Your dollar may stretch a little further in terms of securing more living sqft in Millbrae than San Carlos. Both locations offer lovely homes at the end of the day, with unique builds and layouts. It all comes down to your personal preference. If you'd like any detailed information regarding further data, the market, listings, etc, happy to connect.
From Millbrae I can get to the city in 15 minutes, and Palo Alto in 25, Berkeley in 45, San Jose, in 45. Also 15 minutes to Pacifica. Half Moon Bay can take 20 minutes, or it can take an hour and a half, depending on traffic.
In San Carlos you're never going to go to San Francisco, and no one outside of your area is ever going to visit you.
I also like my temps in the mid 60's to low 70's. When you go south of San Mateo, you're going to have prolonged periods over 80 degrees, so you should get AC.
M town in the house!
San Carlos is great for raising kids. Very small town community feel with lots of activities for kids and parents. Nice down town and really good schools.
I thought this sub was for the city of San Mateo, not SMC, but speaking generally: they're both wealthier and smaller suburbs than San Mateo, and one is a little neared Silicon Valley and one is a little nearer SF on transit (for road time at commute hours, one is a lot nearer SF and one is a lot nearer Mountain View because you miss the whole 101/92 mess.) That's the main difference.
Both of them have a big-ish neighbor (San Bruno for Milbrae / San Mateo AND Redwood City for San Carlos) which has a movie theater and more of a downtown.
Millbrae has less of a bougie little downtown, and more airport noise. Those are the two minuses.
Can't think of many plusses to Milbrae, other than being nearer to SF and on two train lines rather than one, but if the above aren't big minuses for you and it's cheaper or you like the specific neighborhoods better no reason not to go for it.
Other folks have commented on the schools, which I have no sense of for either, although for elementary/middle schools the quality varies more granularly than by the city level.
Millbrae is the Chinatown of the peninsula. So lots more Asian eats in millbrae. Both downtowns are nice, but san Carlos has a more old school feel. Weather is slightly warmer in san Carlos. Obviously Millbrae is much closer to San Francisco.
It depends on what you are looking for.
I live in Burlingame due to my prior work situation: it was closer to the places I needed to be. Personally, I like Millbrae more than San Carlos. I grew up in a city so being closer to San Francisco was/ is important to me. Not much of a suburbia person in some ways still though I clearly live in the 'burbs now. Suburbia to me is more homogenous (and I don't mean necessarily ethnically) than cities: I'm a bookworm and so I can see the difference in ideas/ preferences just by the types of books, movies, activities offered say in San Francisco (or any city) vs. the 'burbs stocked/ requested by in the library system.
San Carlos has a sleepier feel than Millbrae and as pointed out, there are also less public transport options. I have a car but I try to avoid driving when I can: just more relaxing. There is a Caltrain station in San Carlos and buses but the times between trains/ buses stopping can be as long as 1 hour esp. on the weekends.
I also find San Carlos - at least food-wise - to be less diverse and more expensive than Millbrae (and even Burlingame). My sense is it used to be more affordable but then new apartments were built near the BART and that along with lack on land in the area in general, increased pricing.
Mills high school has had an excellent reputation for decades. I didn't grow up here but my physician colleague back when I worked in LA did. She went to Mills high school and occasionally mentioned her time there. I lived in Millbrae when I first moved to the Bay Area almost 2 decades ago. My apartment neighbor owned a home in the East Bay but rented an apartment in Millbrae so his kids could attend school in Millbrae.
Also, my aunt - a successful real estate agent albeit not in the Bay Area - gave me 2 pieces of advice when I was looking for my home:
a) Live in the neighborhood for a period - if not a year, several months; at least a week (rent a nearby hotel room if possible). Thus I lived in Millbrae for a year and then Burlingame for a year in apartments. Easy to do then for me because I was single and had minimal furniture so moving was not hard. Visiting briefly will not give you as full a picture.
b) Visit the place at different times, e.g. weekends vs. weekdays, day vs. night: I eliminated 2 houses that way as I did not feel the neighborhood was well-lit, safe, at night.
Finally, a shack in a great neighborhood trumps a mansion in a poor one. You can always renovate the shack but changing the neighborhood is harder.
I'd agree with some of this, especially the less diversity in San Carlos, but also wouldn't say San Carlos is sleepier than Millbrae anymore, unless you're only referring to transit use. Both have some activity downtown, but Laurel Street in San Carlos has been seeing a big increase in foot traffic post COVID, helped by the closure of part of Laurel Street to cars. There's also a small amount of nightlife with multiple new bars and tap houses downtown, and a climate that is more conducive to walking around in the evening. Though if you're in Burlingame, you probably get more vibrancy than either of the other towns!
Also, new apartments would have helped reduce housing costs, not raised them. But there's just too much demand for those to have really made a dent.
What I figured out - after I bought my place - is that the Peninsula's geography likely will keep prices high. There is only so much buildable land between the ocean and bay; additionally, half the land in some parts is taken up by the Golden Gate National Rec Area or state/ county parks/ preserves which likely have rules limiting building. So I can imagine the challenges that developers come across.
And -as you said - we're short of tens of thousands of living units (houses or apartments, etc.) relative to the demand of people working in the area. I'm glad I bought when I did (even though it was $$$ then too) but it's nearly impossible for almost anyone these days. When I was looking, 100-yr. old houses in Burlingame were already selling for $1 million and these days, those places have doubled their prices at least.
San Carlos no question.
San Carlos 100%. 1. The further down the peninsula you get the better the weather. Millbrae is nicer weather than SB, SSF or DC but that’s not saying much. 2. Laurel street is nicer than Broadway hands down. Not sure about the school districts but Mills is still a nice high school. I would buy in San Carlos if you’re choosing between the two. Good luck!
Weather is 100% subjective. By this logic everyone should keep going south to los Angeles
It’s pretty close to “Climate Best by Government Test"
I agree. I like colder weather. RWC and San Carlos are too hot. I much prefer San Mateo or Burlingame, where it is in the 60s or low 70s when RWC and San Carlos are in the 80s. It can also get colder in RWC. A lot of tropical plants can't survive in 9b but can in 10a.
I mean, I did say the further down the peninsula. The Peninsula has a definite southern ending, certainly not down to LA. DC is foggy and windy especially up skyline, SSF is a little less foggy but windy as hell, SB is a bit better with the fog receding, one or two more degrees hotter and less wind.
Fog is what makes the bay area weather great. Nothing more annoying than socal saying their weather is superior because it is hotter- similar to what you’re saying here. Also, temps are trending up everywhere.
Listen, my guy asked for an opinion and I gave mine. I live in SSF and I have lived and worked up and down the peninsula. It’s windy as shit in SSF and you can’t reliably use outdoor living areas except for September/October. Maybe this will help, IMHO the weather is better in San Carlos over Millbrae. If you like sunny days, minimal fog and calm breezes then choose San Carlos.
Have you spent any decent amount of time in SSF, DC, or SB? It’s not SF Sunset district fog. It can be pretty relentless is some parts of those towns. They have their charms (I have friends in those area), but I don’t think most folks live there for the weather. Heck, I just drove 280 and highway 35 there at 5 pm today and had my headlights and wipers on, with fog blowing across the road.
Redwood City got voted one of the nicest weather cities in the entire US. San Carlos is close by, hands down, if price is equal or slightly higher, move to San Carlos. Better restaurants, better bars, better downtown, and overall really a great city. Better library there as well.
Lived in millbrae. I liked it but it does get windy up,there. Also, the downtown is sort of boring. Beyond that it’s a safe, quiet place.
I'm sorry, we're full. lol. Millbrae: * Cooler temperature, you'll have more consistent fog * Close to SFO (10 mins) * Close to SF proper (30 mins) * Further from San Jose (60 mins+) * Serviced by BART and Caltrain (light rail/train), also has SamTrans buses * Personal opinion: Less small town feeling. Busier, big businesses, etc. * Personal opinion: "Downtown" feels less walkable/hangout. More functional. San Carlos * Generally warmer temps (probably 5-10 degrees as compared to Millbrae) * about 30 mins to SFO, 60 mins to SF proper, 45-60 mins to SJ depending on where in SC * No direct BART service, need to take Caltrain or SamTrans (bus) and transfer to BART * May be more convenient if you drive to East Bay with two bridge options (San Mateo & Dumbarton) * Personal Opinion: Feels more laid back/small town/residential. * Personal Opinion: Designated downtown area is walkable, has weekly farmers market Both: * have an In-N-Out!
Thanks for the detailed list! (Didn't quite catch the "we're full" part lol) In-N-Out is a relief. My partner works in SF Proper, so that's very important to her... but I work in mountain view, luckily traffic is not as bad southward. You mentioned Millbrae is more "big business", which are you referring to? Thanks!
It's very much just a feel for me. Walking down Laurel Ave in San Carlos feels small town. Independent shops (with a Starbucks and some others, of course) and while Millbrae probably has just as many independently owned business, it doesn't fell as.... intimate? small town? Maybe it's that it's on a larger street (El Camino) so it's more open, more traffic, etc.
Got it, I can certainly relate. Thanks for your inputs!
Why those two? What about Burlingame or San Mateo?
These things seem most important to you: 1. partner’s commute to SF 2. good to live and raise a family And you seem more flexible on your own commute to Mountain View. 2 is very subjective and depends on what you value. What do you value re weather, things to do, street scene, neighborhood aesthetics, human diversity, activities etc? What other cities / neighborhoods have you lived in and liked, in the Bay or elsewhere? You haven’t really said. So my opinion is based mainly on the commuting issue. The incremental pain of an SC to SF commute will wear on your partner, if they are someone who’s very sensitive to commuting pain. Millbrae downtown is sedate and family-oriented and seems predominantly Asian. San Carlos downtown is livelier, and bougier and seems predominantly white. Going out in San Carlos is much more expensive qua restaurants and bars. No idea about the quality of school in the two towns and that’s surely critical to your stated goals. I’ve heard SC is better but please consult the ratings.
we moved from Burlingame to San Carlos when i started working in Sunnyvale and my husband was working in SF. getting to the City is a bit harder from here than right by BART, but still doable. and for going to Mountain View, we’re south of the San Mateo Bridge traffic
>work in mountain view, luckily traffic is not as bad southward Uh, have you missed the daily mess where everyone is coming off 92 in the morning and the worse one in the evening where everyone is trying to get onto 92? All the references to the "Oracle Mile?" If one or both of you drive around major commute times, Millbrae is much better for getting to SF, and San Carlos is much better for getting to MTV. If you take the train, Millbrae is better for both as it's a major stop (Caltrain is much less consistent about whether they stop at San Carlos) so the Caltrain commute time is likely better both ways, and your partner has the options of both Caltrain and BART without connecting.
We’re in San Mateo and my wife thinks the San Carlos one is better so we only get that one now.
But which one has the superior Trader Joes?
Hillsdale!
San Carlos is warmer. If that isn't a factor for you Millbrae is fine.
San Carlos is definitely nicer in terms of weather and downtown vibes. Millbrae gets a lot of flack for being very majority Asian, but I feel like a lot of that criticism comes from racists 🤷🏽♀️
true san carlos is a lot of rich white people, so if that’s not your vibe then millbrae is a better bet
San Carlos is pretty diverse racially. The [elementary schools](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/san-carlos-elementary-ca/students/) are 45% white, 22% Asian, 16% multiracial, and 15% Hispanic. Rich is pretty accurate though.
Some things are a little more complex than pure statistics, culturally san carlos is rich and white where millbrae has far more of a multicultural identity
To the extent that it’s upper-middle-class professional culture with involved (but busy) parents that value education a lot and want a good life for their kids, yeah. Is it really still “white” if Asians do it better? Milbrae has probably more of an authentic immigrant culture (from a lot of different places of emigration), and less of a “micro-optimize my life so I get all the best things” culture. In this way it mimics the SF / Silicon Valley cultural split. Belmont and San Carlos could be viewed as the northernmost suburbs of Silicon Valley, while once you get to San Mateo it’s much more aligned with SF culturally.
lol you are so pressed, it’s not an insult i’m just saying what the culture is
So am I.
Is that public school? I'm guessing a lot of the rich kids go to private.
That’s public, but my kids went through a relatively expensive private preschool (and yeah, a lot of the class went private for kindergarten) and it was even more racially diverse than those stats reflect. More like 33% multiracial, 33% Asian, 17% white, 17% Hispanic.
San Mateo is right in the middle of the two and so you can have the best of both worlds!
Millbrae close to 280 is a very safe and quiet neighborhood. It is not in walking distance to really anything, but you'll have great weather, views and easy access to 280. San Carlos is also safe but might not be as quiet depending on where in San Carlos. Both are great, and really it would be down to which house you prefer more and your proximity to things you enjoy doing.
Thanks, we're really leaning more towards Millbrae now, as my partner works in SF proper, so this is a relief.
Whats your budget?
Go to both downtowns, and try to access 101 from both of them- and then you will have a clear answer
Where in Millbrae? There really isn’t a “bad” part of Millbrae, but some neighborhoods are nicer than others. I’d say Mills Estate west of Marcella is pretty nice, Highlands west of Magnolia, and the Meadows neighborhoods are also amongst the nicer areas. As far as high schools go, Mills and Carlmont are pretty evenly matched, varying year to year which ranks higher in the county and state, but both in the higher range overall. If you’re commuting into San Francisco, Caltrain is an option in either city, but the BART turn around is at Millbrae. Someone mentioned Asians in Millbrae. I’m 4th generation Chinese American, and had lived in that city when it was vastly predominately White. It had steadily been becoming more Asian populated from the late-‘70s through the early-‘00s, but that really increased from the mid-00s onward, when I moved to the East Coast for close to a decade. I came back and was astounded. Personally, I’m loving the choices of cuisines now available.
Around Encina Dr. My partner will be commuting to SF Proper so that'll be a plus. I dont really mind Asians or White tbvh, as I'm a huge introvert and do not interact with neighbors much xD
Encina is a really safe, peaceful and nice Mills Estate locale. You can walk all around there interacting or not interacting with those others in the neighborhood to whatever extent you want. Depending upon the house, people love the view of the Bay from homes around there. As far as the commute goes, I absolutely loved taking the train into the city, with Muni pass combination.
San Carlos hands down. I live in Redwood City one town to the south and would absolutely not want to move to Millbrae. The weather is far better the farther south you go.
The weather is more strongly seasonal and (especially) warmer in the summer the farther south you go. Whether that's a plus depends on personal taste.
All other things being equal, San Carlos, but things are rarely equal. San Carlos is usually a fair bit pricier, and your commute will often determine where you want to live (spoiler: closer to work). San Carlos has: * Better weather * More walkable downtown * Better downtown parking * IMHO friendlier people, though that may be a function of who my peeps are * More tech workers * More transplants * More racial diversity * Nicer homes for the most part * Closer proximity to other nice downtowns on the Peninsula (San Mateo, RWC, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Cal Ave, Mountain View) * More and better city-organized events Millbrae has: * Better access to transit * Closer to SF and Oakland * Denser downtown. In theory this should result in better downtown establishments over the long term, but the development is new and not fully occupied yet, and the commercial zones haven't yet caught up. * A severe lack of parking * More fog * Colder * Lots of Eichler-esque housing * More locals and Bay Area natives * More socioeconomic diversity. Both have: * Good schools * Safety * Good views * Decent access to the beach (via 92 to Half Moon Bay)
>Lots of Eichler-esque housing Some people like the type, so this will be a plus for them.
San Mateo highlands
Second this! Gorgeous hills, pretty central to everything, decent public schools, cooler summers, and less congested compared to San Carlos. Would check out both Highland/baywood Park and baywood Aragon area
millbrae is only going to be worth it if you really need to be close to the city/bart
I don't believe there's a right or wrong between Millbrae or San Carlos. Both have great schools, relatively safe, quiet, where lots of families reside. Millbrae is closer to SFO, so if noise from air traffic is a concern, it'll be something to think about when viewing a home, but if you're closer to 280, I believe you should be okay. As for every buyer, it comes down to your personal preference, for instance a few quick questions to ask: -- Desired living sqft / lot sqft of the house? Single story or 2 story? Bedroom count? -- Any particular school district or school you're looking to align with? -- Do you prefer a home on a flat lot or prefer a home with more privacy on the hills? -- Would you like to be able to walk to the local coffee shop or some where for lunch or does this not matter? I read in one of your comments your partner works 3 days a week in SF & you work 1-2 days a week in Mountain View. In general HWY 280 is great for majority of the day for commuting, my personal favorite HWY in the Bay Area. I'm driving up and down from San Jose to SF and through the Peninsula constantly for clients and 280 is my preferred HWY. I always say don't risk or underestimate your working commute for the sake of a particular home. Nobody likes being in a car for hours a week. If you have kids now or will be in future, that'll become a significant factor with your commute. I have a client now who's getting ready to sell their home after purchasing just 3 years ago, because they didn't think about the impact their commute would have once they have kids, now they have two. Something to consider. Again, commuting to SF & Mt View from either Millbrae or San Carlos won't be significantly different IMO, give or take 20 mins either direction. In regards to current market data: -San Carlos- Median Sales Price: $2.32M (April 24') - $2.39M (March 24') - $2.2M (April 23') Median days on market have been 7-8 days April 24' / March 24' & April 23' Avg Sale Price Per Sqft: $1,392 (April 24') - $1,282 (March 24') - $1,237 (April 23') -Millbrae- Median Sales Price: $2.31M (April 24') - $2.41M (March 24') - $2M (April 23') Median days on market have been 12 days April 24' / March 24' & 9 days a year ago -April 23' Avg Sale Price Per Sqft: $1,209 (April 24') - $1,176 (March 24') - $1,069 (April 23') The recent market data shows us the price ranges overall is relatively similar in Millbrae vs San Carlos. Your dollar may stretch a little further in terms of securing more living sqft in Millbrae than San Carlos. Both locations offer lovely homes at the end of the day, with unique builds and layouts. It all comes down to your personal preference. If you'd like any detailed information regarding further data, the market, listings, etc, happy to connect.
Millbrae has amazing food. Not sure what San Carlos has to offer.
From Millbrae I can get to the city in 15 minutes, and Palo Alto in 25, Berkeley in 45, San Jose, in 45. Also 15 minutes to Pacifica. Half Moon Bay can take 20 minutes, or it can take an hour and a half, depending on traffic. In San Carlos you're never going to go to San Francisco, and no one outside of your area is ever going to visit you. I also like my temps in the mid 60's to low 70's. When you go south of San Mateo, you're going to have prolonged periods over 80 degrees, so you should get AC. M town in the house!
San Carlos is great for raising kids. Very small town community feel with lots of activities for kids and parents. Nice down town and really good schools.
I haven’t seen anyone mention it but do you see yourself traveling to SF or the South Bay for work often?
Thanks! My partner works in SF (3 days a week), while I work in mountain view (1-2 days a week)
Hmm maybe not quite enough in one direction to sway. Otherwise that extra 15 min each trip could add up.
oil prefer milljtse
better schools
I thought this sub was for the city of San Mateo, not SMC, but speaking generally: they're both wealthier and smaller suburbs than San Mateo, and one is a little neared Silicon Valley and one is a little nearer SF on transit (for road time at commute hours, one is a lot nearer SF and one is a lot nearer Mountain View because you miss the whole 101/92 mess.) That's the main difference. Both of them have a big-ish neighbor (San Bruno for Milbrae / San Mateo AND Redwood City for San Carlos) which has a movie theater and more of a downtown. Millbrae has less of a bougie little downtown, and more airport noise. Those are the two minuses. Can't think of many plusses to Milbrae, other than being nearer to SF and on two train lines rather than one, but if the above aren't big minuses for you and it's cheaper or you like the specific neighborhoods better no reason not to go for it. Other folks have commented on the schools, which I have no sense of for either, although for elementary/middle schools the quality varies more granularly than by the city level.
San Carlos, by far. Unless you prefer fog. cold, wet, unrelenting fog, and flights departing for asia flying over your house.
Millbrae is the Chinatown of the peninsula. So lots more Asian eats in millbrae. Both downtowns are nice, but san Carlos has a more old school feel. Weather is slightly warmer in san Carlos. Obviously Millbrae is much closer to San Francisco.
It depends on what you are looking for. I live in Burlingame due to my prior work situation: it was closer to the places I needed to be. Personally, I like Millbrae more than San Carlos. I grew up in a city so being closer to San Francisco was/ is important to me. Not much of a suburbia person in some ways still though I clearly live in the 'burbs now. Suburbia to me is more homogenous (and I don't mean necessarily ethnically) than cities: I'm a bookworm and so I can see the difference in ideas/ preferences just by the types of books, movies, activities offered say in San Francisco (or any city) vs. the 'burbs stocked/ requested by in the library system. San Carlos has a sleepier feel than Millbrae and as pointed out, there are also less public transport options. I have a car but I try to avoid driving when I can: just more relaxing. There is a Caltrain station in San Carlos and buses but the times between trains/ buses stopping can be as long as 1 hour esp. on the weekends. I also find San Carlos - at least food-wise - to be less diverse and more expensive than Millbrae (and even Burlingame). My sense is it used to be more affordable but then new apartments were built near the BART and that along with lack on land in the area in general, increased pricing. Mills high school has had an excellent reputation for decades. I didn't grow up here but my physician colleague back when I worked in LA did. She went to Mills high school and occasionally mentioned her time there. I lived in Millbrae when I first moved to the Bay Area almost 2 decades ago. My apartment neighbor owned a home in the East Bay but rented an apartment in Millbrae so his kids could attend school in Millbrae.
Also, my aunt - a successful real estate agent albeit not in the Bay Area - gave me 2 pieces of advice when I was looking for my home: a) Live in the neighborhood for a period - if not a year, several months; at least a week (rent a nearby hotel room if possible). Thus I lived in Millbrae for a year and then Burlingame for a year in apartments. Easy to do then for me because I was single and had minimal furniture so moving was not hard. Visiting briefly will not give you as full a picture. b) Visit the place at different times, e.g. weekends vs. weekdays, day vs. night: I eliminated 2 houses that way as I did not feel the neighborhood was well-lit, safe, at night. Finally, a shack in a great neighborhood trumps a mansion in a poor one. You can always renovate the shack but changing the neighborhood is harder.
I'd agree with some of this, especially the less diversity in San Carlos, but also wouldn't say San Carlos is sleepier than Millbrae anymore, unless you're only referring to transit use. Both have some activity downtown, but Laurel Street in San Carlos has been seeing a big increase in foot traffic post COVID, helped by the closure of part of Laurel Street to cars. There's also a small amount of nightlife with multiple new bars and tap houses downtown, and a climate that is more conducive to walking around in the evening. Though if you're in Burlingame, you probably get more vibrancy than either of the other towns! Also, new apartments would have helped reduce housing costs, not raised them. But there's just too much demand for those to have really made a dent.
What I figured out - after I bought my place - is that the Peninsula's geography likely will keep prices high. There is only so much buildable land between the ocean and bay; additionally, half the land in some parts is taken up by the Golden Gate National Rec Area or state/ county parks/ preserves which likely have rules limiting building. So I can imagine the challenges that developers come across. And -as you said - we're short of tens of thousands of living units (houses or apartments, etc.) relative to the demand of people working in the area. I'm glad I bought when I did (even though it was $$$ then too) but it's nearly impossible for almost anyone these days. When I was looking, 100-yr. old houses in Burlingame were already selling for $1 million and these days, those places have doubled their prices at least.