Burlingame
Burlingame is the Peninsula town people move to when they want a real downtown, a short commute in either direction, and a house with some character to it. It is small — roughly 31,000 people across about six square miles — and it has been protecting its tree canopy since 1908, which is why the streets look the way they do. It is also expensive, competitive, and full of 1920s housing stock that rewards buyers who know what to look for. This guide covers what the market is doing right now, how the neighborhoods actually differ, and the specific things that trip up buyers coming from outside the area.
The Burlingame market at a glance
Under one month of inventory is about as tight as a market gets. For context, a balanced market carries five to six months. Roughly two-thirds of Burlingame homes sell above asking, and the average sale closes near 105% of list price — so the number in the listing is a starting point, not a ceiling.
One figure worth reading carefully: median days on market runs around 37, which looks slow next to Palo Alto's ten or eleven. It mostly is not. Different sources measure days on market differently, and this one runs through close of escrow rather than to the offer date. Most Burlingame homes are in contract well before day 37. Treat it as directional, not as permission to take your time.
What your budget actually buys
Burlingame's housing stock skews old, and that is largely the point — the Spanish Revival, Tudor, Craftsman, and Colonial homes from the 1920s and 1930s are a big part of why people pay to live here. The practical implications:
- Lots are modest. Five to seven thousand square feet is typical in the flats. Estate-sized parcels exist in Burlingame Park and up in the hills, and they are priced accordingly.
- Original homes need real work. A 1928 house that has not been touched may have knob-and-tube wiring, an unreinforced foundation, a single bathroom, and galvanized supply lines. None of that is disqualifying. All of it belongs in your budget.
- Rebuilds and heavy remodels carry a premium. Move-in-ready contemporary homes trade well above the median, partly because permitting and construction here is a slow process and buyers pay to skip it.
- Condos and townhomes open the market considerably. There is meaningful inventory near Burlingame Avenue and along the El Camino corridor well below the single-family median, and it is the most realistic entry point into the city.
Burlingame neighborhoods
Six square miles, but the neighborhoods differ more than you would expect — in age, elevation, walkability, and how close you are to the freeway or the flight path.
Burlingame Park
Premium tier
One of the original subdivisions and still the most prestigious address in town. Large traditional homes on wide, heavily canopied streets, many of them thoughtfully rebuilt, a short walk from Burlingame Avenue. If you want the postcard version of Burlingame, this is it, and you will pay a premium over the citywide median for it.
Easton Addition
Premium to mid tier · largest neighborhood
The city's biggest and arguably most architecturally interesting neighborhood, running north toward Broadway. Bungalows, Victorians, Craftsman and Arts-and-Crafts cottages, Tudors, and newer custom builds all on the same street. Gridded, walkable, and closer to the Broadway shopping district than to Burlingame Avenue. Wide price range depending on how far up the hill you go.
Ray Park
Mid tier · most family-oriented
Postwar construction on the west side, near Mills Canyon. Ranch-style homes, quieter streets, more consistent housing stock than the older neighborhoods, and a strong family draw. Less walkable to downtown than the eastern neighborhoods — most Ray Park residents drive to Burlingame Avenue — but you generally get more square footage for the money.
Mills Estate
Mid tier
The north end of the city, bordering Millbrae. Mostly postwar homes, well kept, with good freeway and BART access via Millbrae. This is also the part of Burlingame closest to SFO, which matters more on some streets than others — see the aircraft noise note below. Verify the school assignment here specifically; the north end does not always follow the same pattern as the rest of the city.
Burlingame Hills
Premium tier · unincorporated
West of Highway 280, up the hillside. Larger lots, more privacy, some genuine views, and a more wooded setting than anywhere in the flats. Important detail that catches buyers off guard: Burlingame Hills is unincorporated San Mateo County, not the City of Burlingame. That changes which agency issues your permits and which services you receive, even though the mailing address says Burlingame.
Lyon-Hoag, Burlingame Terrace, and Oak Grove
Entry tier
The eastern neighborhoods, closer to El Camino, the Caltrain corridor, Rollins Road, and Highway 101. Smaller lots, more compact homes, more condos and townhomes, and the lowest cost of entry in the city. You trade some quiet for proximity — you are walking distance to the downtown Caltrain station and to Washington Park, but you also hear the train and the freeway. For a lot of buyers that trade is well worth it.
Schools
Burlingame is served by two districts, which surprises people. The Burlingame School District handles kindergarten through eighth grade with six elementary schools — Franklin, Lincoln, Hoover, Roosevelt, Washington, and McKinley — plus Burlingame Intermediate School for grades six through eight. Students then continue into the San Mateo Union High School District, with most attending Burlingame High School.
Two cautions. Elementary attendance boundaries within the city are not intuitive and a single street can be split between schools, so confirm the assignment for the exact address with the district before you write an offer. And the high school assignment is worth verifying independently at the north end of the city, where the boundary with neighboring districts runs.
If schools are the whole reason you are looking here, tell me that early. It changes which streets I show you, and it is the difference between a search that works and one that wastes three months. It also affects whether Burlingame is even the right city for you versus Hillsborough, San Mateo, or Millbrae.
Commuting and getting around
Location is a genuine part of what you are buying. Burlingame has two Caltrain stations — the downtown Burlingame station, whose 1894 depot is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Broadway station a mile north. Downtown San Francisco is roughly 25 to 40 minutes by train depending on the service, which makes this one of the more practical Peninsula cities for a hybrid San Francisco schedule.
SFO is about three miles north, which is a real convenience if you travel for work and a real consideration if you are noise-sensitive. Highway 101 runs along the bay side and Interstate 280 along the west, and Millbrae BART one stop north connects you to the East Bay without driving the Bay Bridge. Heading south, the major Silicon Valley campuses are a 20 to 35 minute drive outside of peak hours.
Where out-of-area buyers lose deals here
- Not checking aircraft noise at the specific address. Burlingame sits near SFO's approach and departure corridors, and the experience varies substantially block to block and by which runway configuration is in use that day. Do not judge from one Sunday afternoon showing. Visit at different times, on different days, before you commit.
- Underestimating the tree ordinance. Burlingame has protected its trees by ordinance since 1908 and maintains more than 18,000 public trees. Protected trees on and near your lot can constrain an addition, a driveway, or a rebuild footprint. If your plan depends on removing one, find out before you are in escrow, not after.
- Skipping the disclosure package. Sellers here typically provide inspections, pest, title, and often a roof report up front, specifically so buyers can waive contingencies. If you have not read the package before offers are due, you cannot compete with the buyers who have.
- Waiving contingencies reflexively. Non-contingent offers are common and often necessary in this market. They also put your deposit genuinely at risk. That call should follow a disclosure review and a conversation with your lender — never offer-day adrenaline.
- Missing pre-emptive offers. Plenty of Burlingame homes never reach their scheduled offer date. If you are not positioned to move within 48 hours of a listing going live, you will lose houses you never got a chance to bid on.
- Budgeting for the purchase price and nothing else. Property tax is reassessed at what you pay. On a $3 million home in San Mateo County, that is a monthly number worth modeling honestly before you set your search range, along with what a 1930s house will realistically need in the first two years.
Common questions
Is Burlingame a buyer's or seller's market right now?
A seller's market. Inventory is running at roughly 0.6 months, about two-thirds of homes sell above asking, and the average sale closes near 105% of list. Prepared buyers still win here regularly, but the advantage comes from speed and clean terms rather than simply from bidding higher.
How much do I need to put down?
No formal requirement, but competitive offers are generally 20% down or more, and all-cash offers appear regularly at the upper end. What matters more than the percentage is how fast and how clean your financing is. A fully underwritten pre-approval from a lender who works the Peninsula routinely is worth more than a few extra points of down payment.
How bad is the airplane noise in Burlingame?
It depends entirely on where in the city you are and which SFO runway configuration is in use. Some Burlingame streets are essentially unaffected; others are noticeably under a flight path, particularly toward the north and bay side. It is one of the few variables in this market you can evaluate for free — visit the specific address at several different times before deciding.
Is Burlingame Hills the same as Burlingame?
Not administratively. Burlingame Hills is unincorporated San Mateo County, even though homes there carry a Burlingame mailing address. That affects permitting, some services, and occasionally insurance. The homes are often excellent value for the lot size — just go in understanding which jurisdiction you are actually buying in.
What is the cheapest way into Burlingame?
Condos and townhomes near Burlingame Avenue and along El Camino Real, and single-family homes in the Lyon-Hoag, Burlingame Terrace, and Oak Grove areas on the east side. If the city itself is not essential, neighboring San Mateo and parts of Millbrae offer comparable housing stock at a lower entry point.
Thinking about a move to Burlingame?
I work with buyers relocating to the Peninsula, and most of what I add happens before you write an offer — getting your financing genuinely competitive, going through disclosure packages with you, and telling you plainly when a house is not worth what it is about to sell for.