Foster City CA Real Estate & Homes For Sale

Costs to plan for when buying in Foster City

The levee bond. In 2018, Foster City voters approved Measure P with nearly 81% support, authorizing a $90 million general obligation bond for levee improvements (Foster City Levee Project, About). The project says the work was needed to keep FEMA accreditation and keep Foster City properties out of the flood zone. FEMA had found in 2014 that the levee didn’t meet minimum requirements. Construction ran from October 2020 to February 2024. The project estimates repayment at about $40 per $100,000 of assessed value a year, for 30 years. The published $40 estimate is historical planning guidance, not a guaranteed current parcel rate. Review the actual current tax-rate area/bond levy and ask how a taxable ownership change, reassessment exclusion or value adjustment affects the assessment.

Transfer tax. San Mateo County charges the documentary transfer tax at recording (San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder). The rate is $0.55 per $500 under state law (Revenue and Taxation Code §11911). Confirm current city/county treatment, exemptions and the taxable base with the Recorder or escrow (San Mateo County Recorder, documentary transfer tax). See our city transfer tax guide.

Association costs. Many Foster City townhomes and condominiums sit in associations that maintain shared lagoon edges, docks or landscaping. Ask for the budget, reserve study and insurance; see our HOA documents guide.

Water and wastewater. The city sets its own water and wastewater rates (Foster City, Water and Wastewater Rates). Our San Mateo County property tax guide covers the rest of the bill.

Docks, lagoon frontage and exterior permits

For a lagoon-front home, the dock is often what buyers ask about first. The City’s posted 1990 Planning Commission Policy 1-90 described new docks and rebuilds affecting 50% or more as "subject to an Architectural Review permit" (Foster City, PC Policy 1-90, Boat docks). The City’s 1990 Policy 1-90 describes the following design criteria. Ask Planning to provide the currently operative policy, code amendments and any project-specific conditions before relying on them:

• Size on waterways 150 feet or wider: up to 20 feet long parallel to shore and 10 to 12 feet wide.
• Size on narrower waterways: up to 16 feet long and 6 to 8 feet wide.
• Waterway width: at least 45 feet of the waterway must stay open.
• Placement: no part of a private dock may extend into publicly owned water, and docks may not be anchored to or touch the lagoon walls.
• Anchoring: docks must allow at least 2 feet of rise and fall for seasonal water levels.
• Materials: foam flotation, wood framing, and an unpainted finish.
• Dredging: if the water is too shallow, deepening needs written Public Works permission, or no dock is allowed.

Before buying a home with a dock, ask the seller for the Architectural Review approval. A dock that’s larger than the policy allows, or that touches the wall, is worth raising before you remove contingencies. Other exterior changes follow the objective standards in Chapter 17.15 and, in shared developments, need an HOA approval letter (Foster City, Planning applications).

Luxury homes and estates in Foster City

For a waterfront-oriented Foster City search, compare lagoon-front detached homes by their actual lot, approved dock, permitted access and maintenance obligations. Some townhomes and condominiums face the lagoon or the Bay.

The lagoon rules shape what that waterfront offers. The city allows sail, electric-battery and person-powered boats and prohibits gasoline- and diesel-powered boating, as noted above. Ask Planning to confirm the current dock policy, amendments, approvals and any exemption for the actual work. The lagoon runs higher in summer and lower in winter to hold stormwater, so a dock and gangway that work in July need to work in January too.

For a high-value lagoon home, the due diligence that matters most:

• Dock approval: whether it matches the city policy.
• Edge maintenance: who maintains the bulkhead and edge improvements.
• Flood records: the parcel’s current flood map status and any elevation certificate.
• Permits: the history of additions and second-story work.

Price insurance early; see insuring a high-value home in California and our flood insurance guide.

Some owners of lagoon homes prefer to sell privately. Ask Diamond Real Estate Group which permitted private-marketing options fit your property, goals and the applicable MLS rules. Availability of any particular listing is not guaranteed. We don’t promise that any particular home is available. See San Mateo County luxury homes, private sales, and our guide to lagoon recreation and drainage.

Foster City real estate: questions people ask

What is the Foster City levee trail?

The public path runs along the top of the Bay levee that protects the city. The levee was rebuilt between October 2020 and February 2024 under the Measure P bond, to keep FEMA accreditation (Foster City Levee Project). See our post on levee trail wall openings and bridge design.

Does a Foster City home pay for the levee?

Yes, through the Measure P general obligation bond approved in 2018. The project’s historical planning estimate was about $40 per $100,000 of assessed value annually over 30 years; use the current actual bond levy and parcel assessment for budgeting.

Can I add a dock to a Foster City lagoon home?

Possibly. The City’s 1990 Policy 1-90 describes architectural review and dock design limits. Obtain the currently operative policy and a project-specific approval/exemption determination before relying on those historical criteria.

Sources for this section

1. Foster City Levee Project, About: https://fostercitylevee.org/about/
2. Foster City Planning Commission Policy 1-90, Boat docks: https://www.fostercity.org/1177/Planning-Application
3. San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, Documentary transfer tax: https://smcacre.gov/county-clerk-recorder/documentary-transfer-tax
4. California Revenue and Taxation Code §11911: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=RTC&sectionNum=11911
5. City of Foster City, Water and Wastewater Rates: https://www.fostercity.org/763/Water-and-Wastewater-Rates
6. City of Foster City, Planning application: https://www.fostercity.org/1177/Planning-Application
7. San Mateo County Recorder, documentary transfer tax: https://smcacre.gov/county-clerk-recorder/documentary-transfer-tax