Burlingame Hills

Nestled right up against Hillsborough Hills, Burlingame Hills is like the less popular twin to its ritzy neighbor. Which is not to say that it isn’t nice in itself—only compared to Hillsborough would this neighborhood come up wanting.

It is, however, a pretty nice spot, nestled way up in the hills in a leafy area that makes you feel as if you are miles from anywhere. The homes here have a sort of 1960’s feel to them. As with other parts of Hillsborough, Hillsborough Hills is definitely million dollar home territory. In fact, homes here tend to climb closer to $1.5 million territory. This neighborhood is so stable, however, that few houses come on the market even in the volatile market we are currently experiencing.

Homes here tend to be on the larger side, 2000 ft and above, and to have more bedrooms, 4+. It is a fairly typical hillside neighborhood in that sense.

Of course, hillside living does come with its drawbacks such as nighttime visits from forest critters with penchant for destructive behavior such as shredding curbside garbage bags. Also, this is definitely car culture. You will have to drive to everything.

It is a nice spot for families and childrearing, except that the sidewalks are not really walkable or bike-able.

While feeling like a gated community, Burlingame Hills is an upper-class neighborhood nestled next to Highway 280 and the vast San Francisco State Fish and Game Refuge. The district is exclusively residential and provides some beautiful homes within its hilly limits. It spans about 1.4 square miles of open residential terrain, housing just over 3,500 residents. Demographically speaking, the neighborhood is a predominately white community (over 75%), with a small asian minority making up the rest. In summation, it is perfect for every type of family who can afford it.

Burlingame Hills’ residential quarters is a bit glamorous for Burlingame. The area as a whole is made up of rolling hills, curving suburban streets, lush green living quarters and upper-class housing aesthetics. Some narrow roads venture up to steep, wooded hillsides, affording great views of Burlingame’s surrounding suburban hills. For the perspective resident, most houses were built between 1950-1970 and are rather large in size (typically two-stories). They sit on rather sizable properties, usually offering quaint little gardens in front. The typical resident has a nice, luxury car parked either in its large/wide driveway or in its attached two-car garage. As a community, homes are spread out within the residential terrain, affording a safe and quiet living environment for most. For numbers sake, the median price of a home is within the vicinity of two million while the bulk of households rake in anywhere from $130,000 to $190,000.

For young families, Mercy High School skirts the northern edge of the community. The catholic all-girls college preparatory school has a good reputation with the locals and is a good fit for those interested. If you’re the outdoorsy type, Mills Creek Canyon Park takes up a large portion of the land area within the district. The grassland provides nice, shady trails and lovely views of the surrounding suburban land.