Greenbrae, CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale
By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.
Greenbrae is a community in central Marin County, California, split between the City of Larkspur and unincorporated county land, with ZIP code 94904, which it shares with Kentfield. No one publishes a Greenbrae-only median, but Redfin put the ZIP 94904 median sale price at $2,559,432 for the three months to July 2026. It’s home to MarinHealth Medical Center and to the Greenbrae Boardwalk, one of the last two walk-in houseboat communities on Corte Madera Creek.
- County
- Marin County
- Government
- Part City of Larkspur, part unincorporated
- ZIP code
- 94904 (shared with Kentfield)
- Median sale price
- $2,559,432 (ZIP 94904, 3 months to Jul 2026, Redfin)
- Hospital
- MarinHealth Medical Center
- Sewer
- Ross Valley Sanitary District
Greenbrae homes for sale
Greenbrae listings appear below. Because Greenbrae shares a ZIP code with Kentfield and sits partly inside Larkspur, a map-based search of central Marin homes is the surest way not to miss one.
What do homes in Greenbrae sell for?
$2,559,432
3 months to July 2026, Redfin
27
3 months to July 2026, Redfin
104.8%
July 2026, Redfin
There’s no reliable Greenbrae-only price. Redfin’s Greenbrae page showed blank placeholders when we checked in October 2026, and Zillow’s Greenbrae page returns Kentfield’s figures. The nearest usable figure is the ZIP code, 94904, which covers both Greenbrae and Kentfield. In Redfin’s data it rose 13.8% in a year, 46 homes sold in July 2026, and 62.3% of sales closed above the asking price.
| Measure | Figure | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, ZIP 94904 | $2,559,432 (up 13.8% year over year) | 3 months to July 2026, Redfin (its calculation from MLS and public records) |
| Median price per square foot, ZIP 94904 | $796 (down 10.4%) | 3 months to July 2026, Redfin |
| Homes sold, ZIP 94904 | 46 (42 a year earlier) | July 2026, Redfin |
| Homes sold above list, ZIP 94904 | 62.3% | Redfin, accessed October 2026 |
| City of Larkspur median, for comparison | $1,901,548 | July 2026, Redfin |
| Marin County median, single-family | $1,678,750 | September 2026, C.A.R. |
Read the ZIP median as context, not a Greenbrae price. It blends Greenbrae’s homes with Kentfield’s, and a Boardwalk floating home and a house on a 10,000-square-foot lot won’t price off the same comparables. We build Greenbrae comparisons from recent sales of the same property type on the same side of the city line.
Is Greenbrae in Larkspur or unincorporated Marin?
Both, and the answer changes the rules for a specific house. Marin LAFCO, the agency that oversees local boundaries, describes the Central Marin Fire Department as serving “the City of Larkspur, including Greenbrae,” and separately lists the Greenbrae Boardwalk and Lucky Drive among the parts of County Service Area 31, an unincorporated county service area, that the same department covers (Marin LAFCO). Other Greenbrae addresses are also under county control: in July 2025, for example, county planners decided a design review for a house on Wolfe Canyon Road in Greenbrae under the county’s Kentfield/Greenbrae Community Plan, in a single-family zone with a 10,000-square-foot minimum lot (County of Marin decision P5023).
| Question | Greenbrae inside Larkspur | Unincorporated Greenbrae |
|---|---|---|
| Who handles planning and permits | City of Larkspur | Marin County Community Development Agency |
| Rent increases | Larkspur’s rent stabilization chapter (Municipal Code 6.20) for covered units | No local cap; county just-cause rules for properties with three or more units, and the county’s mandatory mediation program for increases above 5% a year |
| Short-term rentals | Ask Larkspur Planning; 10% city hotel tax | County license required, with new applicants waitlisted; a license ends when the property sells; 10% county hotel tax |
| Transfer tax | County tax only, $1.10 per $1,000 | County tax only, $1.10 per $1,000 |
To confirm the side for a parcel, give its assessor’s parcel number to Larkspur’s Planning Division and the county’s planning counter before you rely on a rental plan or an addition. A Greenbrae mailing address on its own doesn’t tell you which side a parcel is on.
The Greenbrae Boardwalk
The Greenbrae Boardwalk is what remains of a much larger waterfront community. Close to 400 arks and houseboats once lined Corte Madera Creek from Kentfield and Greenbrae through Larkspur to the bay. Those that survive were either moved ashore or are moored at two boardwalks, one in Greenbrae across from the Larkspur ferry terminal and one in Larkspur near Piper Park, and both are reached only on foot (Marin History Museum). Ark living on the bay dates to the 1880s; arks were flat-bottomed, arch-roofed floating homes.
The Boardwalk is unincorporated and sits on the water, so building work there goes through the county and sometimes state agencies. A 1997 county approval for a new house on a Boardwalk lot was issued as a tidelands permit plus design review (CEQAnet), and county planning approvals carry a standard condition requiring proof of any San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission or State Lands Commission permits before a building permit is issued. If you’re considering a Boardwalk home:
- Ask what you’d actually own: the structure, the lot under it, a lease or a mooring right. Title and the county’s records should agree.
- Ask lenders early whether they’ll finance it, and get an insurance quote before you remove contingencies.
- Walk the route you’d use for groceries and moving day; there’s no car access to the homes.
MarinHealth Medical Center
MarinHealth Medical Center is at 250 Bon Air Road in Greenbrae and works in partnership with UCSF (MarinHealth). Its replacement building, the Oak Pavilion, was open by November 2020: a $315 million, 265,000-square-foot building on four levels with 115 private patient rooms, three operating rooms, an emergency department and a trauma center, designed by Perkins Eastman and built by McCarthy Building Companies (Healthcare Design).
For a buyer, the practical effects are close emergency care and the traffic and parking around a hospital campus. If you’re looking at a street near the campus, visit at a weekday shift change as well as on a weekend.
Flooding and high tides in Greenbrae
Parts of Greenbrae flood at high tide. Before the 2024–25 high-tide season, the county named “Lucky Drive in Greenbrae” and “Redwood Highway at Greenbrae Boardwalk” among Marin’s spots prone to tidal flooding, and advised residents there to keep sandbags and test sump pumps (County of Marin, October 21, 2024).
First Street’s flood model, published on Redfin, rates Greenbrae’s risk “severe” and estimates that 388 properties, about 16% of the area, are likely to be severely affected over 30 years; for wildfire it rates 505 properties, about 19%, as having some risk. Those are model estimates. The legal designation is the FEMA flood zone shown on the seller’s Natural Hazard Disclosure, and it decides whether a lender requires flood insurance.
On Lucky Drive, the Boardwalk or any lot near the creek, ask for the seller’s flood-insurance history and an elevation certificate, and get your own quote during the inspection period.
Fire, sewer, water and schools in Greenbrae
- Fire: two agencies list Greenbrae. Central Marin Fire covers the part inside Larkspur plus the Boardwalk and Lucky Drive, and the Kentfield Fire Protection District, based at 1004 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, includes Greenbrae in its 3.8-square-mile area along with Kentfield, Kent Woodlands and Del Mesa. Ask which one responds to the address; it matters for defensible-space inspections.
- Sewer: the Ross Valley Sanitary District serves Greenbrae and the nearby Bon Air area, sending wastewater to the Central Marin Sanitation Agency.
- Water: Marin Water supplies central and southern Marin, mainly from its Mount Tamalpais and west Marin reservoirs. Check the seller’s bill for the account.
- Schools: the Marin County Office of Education lists the Kentfield School District and the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District as separate elementary districts, and the Tamalpais Union High School District, which runs Redwood High School in Larkspur (MCOE). Which elementary district serves a Greenbrae address isn’t obvious from the address, so confirm it with the districts.
Depending on the parcel, the fire hazard map that governs it is either a local-responsibility map released in early 2025 or a state-responsibility map in effect since April 1, 2024 (OSFM). Look the parcel up on the current map, not an old disclosure. In a High or Very High zone, AB 38 means the seller hands over defensible-space documentation, or you agree to deal with it within a year of closing.
Greenbrae compared with nearby areas
| Area | Government | One verified difference |
|---|---|---|
| Greenbrae | Split between Larkspur and the county | The Greenbrae Boardwalk; MarinHealth Medical Center; no published median of its own |
| Larkspur | Incorporated city | Its own Redfin median, $1,901,548 (July 2026); ZIP 94939; the ferry and SMART at Larkspur Landing |
| Kentfield | Unincorporated | All county rules; College of Marin’s Kentfield campus; Zillow typical value $2,625,775 (February 2026) |
| Ross | Incorporated town | Upstream on Corte Madera Creek, where the county’s flood project reach begins at Lagunitas Road and runs down to Kentfield |
| San Rafael | Incorporated city | A city transfer tax of $2 per $1,000 on top of the county’s, with Measure W on the November 3, 2026 ballot proposing $10 |
How Diamond Real Estate Group helps Greenbrae buyers
In Greenbrae, the first job is to pin down the jurisdiction, because the rental, permit and fire answers follow from it. We confirm it from the parcel number, then line up the flood and insurance checks for low-lying and Boardwalk properties, and build comparables from Greenbrae sales of the same type rather than the ZIP median.
If you’re buying to rent, our investor services cover Larkspur’s rent chapter and the county’s licensing rules; if you’re selling elsewhere in Marin first, start with a home valuation. For the wider county, read our Marin County real estate guide, see the disclosed list of Marin agents, or learn how we work with buyers.
Selling a home in Greenbrae
Start with jurisdiction: part of Greenbrae is inside the City of Larkspur and part is unincorporated Marin, and the fire inspection you need depends on which side the parcel falls. Larkspur’s building division handles permits in the city part, and the county’s Community Development Agency handles the rest, including the Boardwalk.
Fire inspections by jurisdiction
| Part of Greenbrae | What applies at sale |
|---|---|
| Inside Larkspur, in its Wildland Urban Interface | Larkspur Municipal Code 15.40.045 requires a report from Central Marin Fire before the sale. It covers fire hazard zone status, construction date, sprinklers, gate access, wildfire-vulnerable features and defensible space. Individual condos and townhouses are exempt. |
| Unincorporated, in a High or Very High zone | An AB 38 inspection from the agency serving the address, Kentfield Fire or Central Marin Fire; the county lookup routes the request. Kentfield Fire’s is free; do the clearance work before asking. |
| Outside those zones | No AB 38 inspection, per the county’s lookup tool. |
Central Marin Fire charges $211 in 2026, inspects within 7 to 10 business days and emails the notice within 10 business days. The home must pass within the six months before you sign a sales contract. Inspectors also assess vents, gutters, roofing and siding, so budget time for fixes. Our AB 38 guide explains the state rule.
Sewer lateral
Greenbrae is in the Ross Valley Sanitary District, where buying or selling triggers a lateral Certificate of Compliance. The contract should say who obtains it; that party then has 90 days after closing. A contractor videos the line, gets a district permit and passes a pressure test in front of the district inspector.
Transfer tax and buyer questions
Larkspur adds no city tax and unincorporated land has none, so Greenbrae sales pay only Marin County’s $1.10 per $1,000. Sellers usually pay it in Diamond’s North Bay markets, but who pays is open to negotiation; see our California transfer tax guide. Buyers of low-lying homes near Lucky Drive and the creek ask for flood insurance history and elevation certificates, and Boardwalk buyers ask what is owned and what permits cover the structure. Sellers also certify water heater bracing in writing.
See how Greenbrae’s rules compare in our Marin selling requirements guide, or ask for a Greenbrae home valuation.
Sources for this section: City of Larkspur Municipal Code 15.40.045; Central Marin Fire: Resale inspections; Kentfield Fire Protection District: Resale inspections; Marin County Fire: What is an AB-38 inspection?; Ross Valley Sanitary District: Compliance (private sewer laterals); Marin County Assessor-Recorder: Fees (documentary transfer tax); California Public Law: Health and Safety Code 19211 (water heater bracing).
Greenbrae real estate FAQs
Where is Greenbrae, CA?
Greenbrae is in central Marin County, beside Larkspur and Kentfield, on the lower reach of Corte Madera Creek; its Boardwalk faces the Larkspur ferry terminal. It isn’t a city of its own: part of it lies inside the City of Larkspur and the rest is unincorporated county land.
Is Greenbrae part of Larkspur?
Partly. Marin LAFCO’s profile of the Central Marin Fire Department refers to “the City of Larkspur, including Greenbrae,” but lists the Greenbrae Boardwalk and Lucky Drive under County Service Area 31, an unincorporated county area, and the county decides permits for other Greenbrae addresses, such as on Wolfe Canyon Road. Confirm the jurisdiction for the specific parcel.
What ZIP code is Greenbrae?
Greenbrae uses 94904, the same ZIP code as Kentfield; Redfin treats Greenbrae and Kentfield as the two neighborhoods of that ZIP. The City of Larkspur’s own ZIP code is 94939.
How much do homes cost in Greenbrae?
There’s no Greenbrae-only median. For ZIP 94904, which includes Kentfield, Redfin reported a median sale price of $2,559,432 for the three months to July 2026, with homes selling at a median of $796 per square foot. Greenbrae prices vary widely by type, from Boardwalk floating homes to hillside houses.
What is the Greenbrae Boardwalk?
It’s one of two remaining walk-in communities of arks and houseboats on Corte Madera Creek, the other being in Larkspur near Piper Park. It sits across from the Larkspur ferry terminal, has no car access to the homes, and is unincorporated, so the county handles its permits.
Can I buy a floating home on the Greenbrae Boardwalk?
If one is offered, the purchase needs extra checks: what’s owned versus leased, whether tidelands or bay permits apply, whether a lender will finance it and what insurance costs. The county reviewed a new Boardwalk house in 1997 through a tidelands permit and design review.
Does Greenbrae flood?
Low parts do. The county lists Lucky Drive and Redwood Highway at the Greenbrae Boardwalk among Marin’s tidal flooding spots, and First Street’s model estimates about 16% of Greenbrae properties face severe flood risk over 30 years. Check the FEMA zone on the disclosure and get an insurance quote early.
Which hospital is in Greenbrae?
MarinHealth Medical Center. Its $315 million Oak Pavilion, open by November 2020, has an emergency department, a trauma center and 115 private patient rooms.
Can I rent out a Greenbrae home short term?
It depends on the side of the line. In unincorporated Greenbrae you need a county short-term rental license; new applicants join a waitlist, and a seller’s license ends when the property sells. Inside Larkspur, ask the city’s Planning Division, because its zoning code doesn’t define short-term rentals.
Does rent control apply in Greenbrae?
Only inside Larkspur’s city limits, where Municipal Code Chapter 6.20 caps increases for covered units at 5% plus inflation or 7%, whichever is lower. In unincorporated Greenbrae there’s no local cap, but county just-cause rules apply to properties with three or more units, and a rise of more than 5% in a year comes under the county’s mediation program.
Which fire department serves Greenbrae?
Central Marin Fire covers the part of Greenbrae inside Larkspur, plus the Boardwalk and Lucky Drive. The Kentfield Fire Protection District also lists Greenbrae in its service area, so confirm which agency covers a given address before you schedule a defensible-space inspection.
Is there public transit near Greenbrae?
Yes. The Larkspur ferry terminal, across from the Greenbrae Boardwalk, runs Golden Gate Ferry service to San Francisco, and SMART’s Larkspur station is linked to it by the Connect Larkspur shuttle. See our Larkspur page for fares, parking and schedules.
Sources & notes
- Redfin: ZIP 94904 housing market (July 2026) and Redfin: Greenbrae (no figures published); C.A.R.: September 2026 report
- Marin LAFCO: Central Marin Fire Department, Kentfield Fire Protection District and Ross Valley Sanitary District
- County of Marin: design review decision P5023 (July 2025), high tides release (October 2024) and short-term rental waitlist
- Marin History Museum: arks on Corte Madera Creek and CEQAnet: Greenbrae Boardwalk tidelands permit (1997)
- Healthcare Design: MarinHealth Medical Center replacement (November 2020)
- Larkspur Municipal Code Chapter 6.20; County of Marin: mandatory mediation; Marin County Recorder: transfer tax
- Marin County Office of Education: school districts and Office of the State Fire Marshal: fire hazard severity zones
Figures carry their dates where they appear, and we refresh market numbers every quarter. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice; confirm the rules for a specific property with the agency named. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
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Local resource: Marin County planning and township resources. Check official information for the address you are considering; area descriptions do not establish a property’s permitted uses.
