Foster City

Foster City Homes For Sale & Real Estate

1. Neighborhood Introduction & History

Foster City homes are part of a planned city located in San Mateo County, California. It is a man-made series of islands with over 16 miles of navigable canals weaving through it. Forbes ranked Foster City #10 on their 2009 list of America’s Top 25 Towns to Live Well. Foster City is one of the nation’s safest cities, with an average of one murder per decade.

Foster City was founded in the 1960s. It is built on engineered landfill in the marshes of the San Francisco Bay, on the east edge of San Mateo. The city was named after T. Jack Foster, a real estate magnate who owned much of the land comprising the city. He was also instrumental in its initial design. Foster City is now a thriving metropolis with a population of approximately 30,000 people. The daytime population of employees nearly equals the evening population of residents. Foster City homes are appealing to many, with beautiful surroundings and award-winning homes.

2. Housing types & styles in the Neighborhood

Foster City homes have an abundance of Eichlers.  Built from 1964 to 1966, these Eichlers are far less ambitious and more mass-market than the nearby Mills Estate Eichlers of Burlingame, built about the same time. They are also a lot less expensive. Lots are small, often under 6000 sq.ft. And virtually every home is less than 2000 sq.ft. (and often much less).

Sought after waterfront developments like Bayporte and Whalers Island often draw in great interest for their well-manicured waterfront properties and award winning New England Saltbox style architecture.

Bargain-priced compared to Palo Alto, Foster City offers consistently attractive, well-maintained neighborhoods. Foster City homes are assigned to well-regarded schools.

3. Restaurants & Shopping

There are plenty of restaurants in and around Foster City. These include popular Asian restaurants.  In addition, there are restaurants that even serious gourmets will enjoy. Sorry, but you won’t find many happening bars in town. There are a couple of nice coffee shops nearby and a solid contingent of fast food restaurants.  Shopping centers and shops are readily accessible in and around Foster City.

4. Family Lifestyle, Parks & Activities

Foster City’s 21 parks, and especially the lagoon, are well worth visiting. They are beautifully maintained, safe, and not overcrowded. Several even have nice swimming beaches! Foster City Recreation Center is quite active with many exercise classes, dances, seniors’ activities, and a separate VIBE teen center with a skateboard park open to the public. Excellent private recreational vendors can be found around the city. California Windsurfing has some of the best beginning windsurfing classes in the world. Gold Medal Martial Arts run by Olympic Gold Medalist Herb Perez is another example of a privately owned recreation center. Miles of trails for hiking and biking can be found in and around the city. Local events include the best fireworks display on the Peninsula, the Polynesian Festival, and summer concerts.