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Kentfield CA Real Estate & Homes For Sale

Kentfield is an unincorporated community in central Marin County, so the County of Marin handles planning, permits and short-term rental licensing under the Kentfield/Greenbrae Community Plan. Owners should check FEMA zones along Corte Madera Creek, where a flood risk project is underway, and expect a waitlist for STR licenses.

Browse Kentfield, CA real estate and homes for sale below, then use this guide to check what matters before you buy or sell.

At a glance
County	Marin County
Local government	Unincorporated — County of Marin (Kentfield/Greenbrae Community Plan)
Water and sewer	Marin Water; Ross Valley Sanitary District
Housing	Single-family homes, many owner-occupied
Hazards to check	Corte Madera Creek flooding; Fire Hazard Severity Zones
Local rules	County STR license/waitlist; ADU eligibility depends on category, application dates and approval conditions

By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

Kentfield is an unincorporated community of 6,808 people (2020 Census) in central Marin County, California, home to College of Marin’s Kentfield campus and governed by Marin County rather than a city. Zillow’s typical home value for Kentfield was $2,625,775 in February 2026. About four in five of its homes (80.9%) are lived in by their owners, a far higher share than in neighbouring Larkspur.

County: Marin County
Government: Unincorporated (County of Marin rules)
ZIP code: 94904 (shared with Greenbrae)
Population: 6,808 (2020 Census)
Typical home value: $2,625,775 (Feb 2026, Zillow)
Fire protection: Kentfield Fire Protection District

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Kentfield homes for sale

Kentfield listings are below. Sales here are thin from month to month, so set a saved property search that also covers Greenbrae and Ross and you’ll see new listings as they appear.

What do homes in Kentfield sell for?

Typical home value

$2,625,775

February 2026, Zillow

Median sale price, ZIP 94904

$2,559,432

3 months to July 2026, Redfin

Owner-occupied homes

80.9%

2020–2024, Census ACS

Kentfield is too small for a monthly median to mean much. When we checked in October 2026, Redfin’s Kentfield page still showed February 2025, a month with a single sale. Two steadier measures help instead. Zillow’s home value index, which estimates the value of a typical home rather than relying on the few homes that sold, was $2,625,775 at the end of February 2026, down 0.4% in a year. Redfin’s median for ZIP 94904, which adds Greenbrae, was $2,559,432 for the three months to July 2026, with 46 sales in July.

Measure	Figure	Period and source
Typical home value (Zillow Home Value Index)	$2,625,775 (down 0.4% in a year)	February 28, 2026, Zillow
Median sale price, ZIP 94904	$2,559,432 (up 13.8%)	3 months to July 2026, Redfin
Sale-to-list ratio, ZIP 94904	104.8%	July 2026, Redfin
Median value, owner-occupied homes	$2,000,000 or more (the Census survey’s top bracket)	2020–2024, U.S. Census Bureau
Median gross rent	$2,741 a month	2020–2024, U.S. Census Bureau
Land area	3.03 square miles	2020 Census

The Census survey’s published figures stop at $2,000,000+, so its Kentfield number only tells you the typical owner-occupied home is worth at least that. For pricing a specific house, recent sales of similar homes on the same side of the creek are the only reliable guide.

Living under Marin County rules in Kentfield

Because Kentfield has no city government, the County of Marin’s Community Development Agency handles planning, building permits and short-term rental licensing, using the countywide plan and the Kentfield/Greenbrae Community Plan for local policy. That changes several things a buyer might assume about Marin.

Rule	How it applies in Kentfield
Short-term rentals (under 30 days)	A county STR license, business license and hotel-tax certificate are required (County Code Chapter 5.41). The first application round closed on July 1, 2025; new applicants now join a first-come waitlist. A new license costs $600 and lasts two years
Hotel tax	10% transient occupancy tax, the rate for unincorporated Marin outside West Marin
Eviction rules	County just-cause ordinance (County Code 5.100, December 2018) for properties with three or more units; ADUs and junior ADUs don’t count toward the three
Rent increases	No local cap; state law (AB 1482) applies to covered units, and an increase of more than 5% in 12 months falls under the county’s mandatory mediation program
Transfer tax	County documentary transfer tax only, $1.10 per $1,000 of value
Wildfire parcel tax	Measure C, the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority’s tax, approved in 2020 at up to 10 cents per building square foot and adjusted for inflation each year; check the tax bill for this year’s charge

A county short-term rental license ends automatically when the property changes hands, apart from one transfer to a spouse or children. If rental income is part of your plan, assume you’ll start at the back of the county’s waitlist, not with the seller’s license.

Two more county rules are easy to miss. Current County STR procedures restrict specified ADU categories using different dates and definitions, including January 1, 2020 and February 24, 2021 cutoffs. The procedures define creation using the first application-submission date; ask CDA to determine the particular unit’s category, dates and approval conditions (County Code §5.41.060). And Kentfield isn’t among the townships with their own license caps in the county’s 2025 procedures, so it falls under the countywide limit of 1,200 licenses (County of Marin).

Neighborhoods and areas of Kentfield

Kentfield has no city limits, so its "neighborhoods" are the names that public agencies use:

Kentfield, Kent Woodlands, Del Mesa and Greenbrae. These four are named by Marin LAFCo as the service area of the Kentfield Fire Protection District, which covers 3.8 square miles.
Kent Woodlands. This is the hillside area with its own county planning document, the Kent Woodlands Land Use Policy Report. The county lists it alongside the Kentfield/Greenbrae Community Plan (1987) among its adopted community and area plans.
Granton Park. This is the low-lying neighborhood by Corte Madera Creek where buyers should verify current flood-project and pump-station work through the Corte Madera Creek Flood Risk Management Project.
The College Avenue area around College of Marin’s Kentfield campus.

These are names, not separate jurisdictions. Confirm the parcel’s jurisdiction rather than relying on a Kentfield or Greenbrae mailing label. Kentfield shares ZIP code 94904 with Greenbrae, so use the parcel number, not the ZIP, to confirm which plan and fire district apply. See our Kentfield property setting comparison for flat-lot, creekside and hillside differences.

Permits, ADUs and remodels in Kentfield

The Marin County Community Development Agency handles planning and building permits in Kentfield. It applies the county Development Code along with the Kentfield/Greenbrae Community Plan, and in Kent Woodlands the Land Use Policy Report as well.

Design review triggers. A July 2025 county decision on a nearby house in the same community-plan area illustrates two triggers applied to that particular proposal. Design review was required because an addition would take the home past 3,500 square feet of floor area (Marin County Code 22.42.020.B). It was also required because the home would exceed 30 feet in height, up to a 40-foot limit with 15-foot side setbacks (22.20.060.E.2). The lot was zoned R1-B2, single-family with a 10,000-square-foot minimum (County of Marin decision P5023). Zoning varies by parcel, so look up the district for the address you’re considering.

ADUs. County ADU and junior ADU rules are in Development Code section 22.32.120. The county’s ADU Legalization Program helps owners legalize and make safer unpermitted ADUs and JADUs built before January 1, 2020 (County of Marin, ADUs). Marin’s current STR procedures restrict specified ADU categories using different dates and definitions. Some statewide-exemption ADUs use a January 1, 2020 cutoff; other categories involve February 24, 2021. The procedures define creation by the first application-submission date. Ask CDA to determine the unit’s category, dates and approval conditions before assuming it qualifies for a short-term rental license (current procedures).

Flood-zone work. Near Corte Madera Creek, check whether a remodel would count as a substantial improvement under floodplain rules before you plan one.

Our Kentfield renovation feasibility guide explains how to request the county permit file.

Luxury homes and estates in Kentfield

Kentfield’s high-end property is mostly large single-family homes on hillside lots, especially in Kent Woodlands, which has its own county land-use policy report. A dated County decision applied floor-area and height triggers to a specific parcel. Obtain a current determination for the actual zoning, project, exemptions and controlling state housing pathway rather than treating that example as a universal current rule. A buyer who plans a major addition should check the parcel’s zoning, existing floor area and any conditions of past approvals before removing contingencies.

The checks that matter most:

Fire and insurance. Kentfield Fire runs resale inspections, and hillside lots may be in High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Get quotes in the first days of escrow. See insuring a high-value home in California and the California FAIR Plan for homebuyers.
Slope, drainage and retaining walls. See our Kentfield hillside home due diligence guide.
Permit history of additions. Match guest houses, pool houses and studios to the county file. See homes with guest houses in Napa, Sonoma and Marin.
Private roads and easements. Read the recorded easements and any road maintenance agreement for shared drives.
Sewer lateral. Confirm the actual sewer district, current lateral requirements, exemptions and any valid compliance certificate before closing.

Many Kentfield sellers value discretion. 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. For the county-wide view, see Marin County luxury homes.

Kentfield real estate: questions people ask

Is Kentfield part of a city?

No. Kentfield is an unincorporated community, so the County of Marin handles planning, building permits and short-term rental licenses. Fire service comes from the Kentfield Fire Protection District and sewer from the Ross Valley Sanitary District.

What is Kent Woodlands?

It’s a hillside area of Kentfield, named by Marin LAFCo as part of the Kentfield Fire Protection District’s service area. It has its own county planning document, the Kent Woodlands Land Use Policy Report. It’s governed by Marin County like the rest of Kentfield.

Do I need design review to add on to a Kentfield home?

Often. The county has required design review when an addition would take a home past 3,500 square feet of floor area or past 30 feet in height. Ask county planning staff about the specific parcel’s zoning and history.

How do I find a real estate agent in Kentfield?

Look for one who works with Marin County permits, Kentfield Fire’s resale inspection and the Ross Valley sewer rules. Diamond Real Estate Group (broker Matthew Martinez, DRE #01869679) serves Kentfield buyers and sellers. Our list of Kentfield real estate agents is published by us and disclosed as such.

Sources for this section

Marin LAFCo, Kentfield Fire Protection District: https://marinlafco.specialdistrict.org/kentfield-fire-protection-district
County of Marin, community and area plans (Kentfield/Greenbrae Community Plan 1987; Kent Woodlands Land Use Policy Report): https://www.marincounty.gov/departments/cda/planning/plans-policies-and-regulations/community-and-area-plans
Marin County Flood Control District, Corte Madera Creek Flood Risk Management Project: https://flooddistrict.marincounty.gov/cmcfrm-project
County of Marin, design review decision P5023 (July 2025): https://assets.marincounty.gov/marincounty-prod/public/2025-07/SunshineTrust_DR_P5023_Decision.pdf
County of Marin, Accessory Dwelling Units: https://www.marincounty.gov/departments/cda/housing-and-grants/creating-housing/accessory-dwelling-units-adus
Marin County Community Development Agency, Planning: https://www.marincounty.gov/departments/cda/planning

The Corte Madera Creek flood project and FEMA zones

Corte Madera Creek runs from Ross into Kentfield partly in a concrete channel the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built in the 1960s and 1970s, before it becomes an earthen channel farther downstream. In December 2005, floods in the Ross Valley caused nearly $95 million in damage, and Kentfield was among the communities hit (Marin County Flood Control District).

The county’s Corte Madera Creek Flood Risk Management Project covers the creek from Lagunitas Road in Ross down to the earthen channel in Kentfield, aiming at protection from a 25-year flood along with better fish passage (Corte Madera Creek project):

Approved: the environmental impact report was certified on August 17, 2021.
Done: a maintenance access ramp and a stormwater pump station for the Granton Park neighborhood, finished between 2022 and 2024.
Historical planned phases (verify current status): removing the Lower College of Marin concrete walls and restoring wetlands (listed for 2025), then removing the Unit 4 fish ladder, lowering the channel and raising walls in Units 2 and 3 (listed for 2026), with winter 2026 shown in that schedule. Confirm actual completion and any revised work dates with the Flood Control District.
Cost: about $18 million, about $12 million of it construction, funded by state grants, federal and county money and the Ross Valley Zone 9 storm drainage fee.

The project is designed for a 25-year flood, while FEMA’s special flood hazard areas are drawn for the 1%-a-year, or 100-year, flood, so don’t assume the work will change a property’s FEMA designation. The district says it’s coordinating with FEMA on hydraulic modelling. Read the FEMA designation on the seller’s Natural Hazard Disclosure, ask whether a map revision is pending, and price flood insurance before you remove contingencies.

College of Marin’s Kentfield campus

College of Marin was established in 1926, and its Kentfield Campus is at 835 College Avenue; the college’s second campus, Indian Valley, is on a 333-acre site in Novato (College of Marin). The Marin Community College District, which runs it, lists its address in Kentfield.

The creek work at the Lower College of Marin site is part of the flood project above. If you’re looking at a house near College Avenue, visit on a weekday during the semester as well as on a weekend.

Kentfield schools: the elementary and high school districts

Kentfield has its own elementary district. The Kentfield School District, formally the Kentfield Elementary School District, enrolls about 1,230 students at two schools: Bacich Elementary for kindergarten through grade 4 and Kent Middle School for grades 5 through 8. The district says voters have passed parcel-tax and facilities-bond measures over the past two decades, so check a Kentfield tax bill for school levies. High school students are in the Tamalpais Union High School District, whose Redwood High School is at 395 Doherty Drive in neighbouring Larkspur (Marin County Office of Education). Ask each district which schools a particular address is assigned to.

Fire protection, sewer and water in Kentfield

Fire: the Kentfield Fire Protection District, a special district with a five-member elected board, covers 3.8 square miles including Kentfield, Kent Woodlands, Greenbrae and Del Mesa from its station at 1004 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Kent Woodlands was annexed to the district in 1974 (Marin LAFCO Resolution 74-42).
Fire zones: the state’s fire hazard maps for state-responsibility areas took effect on April 1, 2024, and its local-responsibility maps followed in early 2025; look the parcel up on the current map. If a parcel is in a High or Very High zone, AB 38 requires the seller to provide a recent defensible-space inspection, or the buyer agrees in writing to complete one within a year. State law already requires 100 feet of defensible space around homes.
Sewer: Kentfield and Kent Woodlands are in the Ross Valley Sanitary District, which sends wastewater to the Central Marin Sanitation Agency.
Water: Marin Water serves central and southern Marin, mostly from rainfall stored in reservoirs on Mount Tamalpais’s north slope. Confirm the account on the seller’s bill.

Kentfield compared with nearby areas

Area	Government	One verified difference
Kentfield	Unincorporated	County STR licenses and just-cause rules; its own fire district and elementary district; Zillow typical value $2,625,775 (February 2026)
Greenbrae	Part Larkspur, part unincorporated	Same ZIP code, 94904; the Greenbrae Boardwalk floating homes; MarinHealth Medical Center
Larkspur	Incorporated city	City rent stabilization for covered units; 46.5% owner-occupied; Redfin median $1,901,548 (July 2026)
Ross	Incorporated town	Upstream end of the Corte Madera Creek flood project, which starts at Lagunitas Road in Ross
San Anselmo	Incorporated town	Golden Gate Transit Route 132, named for San Anselmo, runs from there to San Francisco

How Diamond Real Estate Group helps Kentfield buyers

For a Kentfield home, we start with three checks: the FEMA designation and the creek project’s schedule for that stretch, the fire zone and defensible-space status, and, if rental income matters, where the county’s license waitlist stands. Then we price the house against comparable Kentfield sales, not the ZIP median.

For higher-end homes, see our luxury real estate guide; if you’re selling a Marin home first, start with a home valuation. Our Marin County guide covers the rest of the county, and how we help buyers explains the process from first showing to closing.

Selling a home in Kentfield

Kentfield is unincorporated, so the County of Marin’s Community Development Agency holds the permit records and there is no town resale report to order; San Rafael’s resale-report page notes that unincorporated county areas don’t require one. Buyers still want to see the county permit history, especially for additions, decks and retaining walls on hillside lots in Kent Woodlands.

Kentfield Fire and AB 38

The Kentfield Fire Protection District requires its resale inspection only when the property is in a High or Very High fire hazard zone, and it charges nothing for it. Check the address in Marin County Fire’s AB 38 lookup first. If the parcel is in one of those zones:

Finish the defensible-space work before you ask for the inspection.
Submit the request as soon as the home is listed; inspections are first come, first served, and the district suggests at least 72 hours’ notice.
Give the buyer the passed report, or agree in writing that the buyer will get the documentation within a year of closing.

Our AB 38 inspection guide covers what inspectors look for.

The sewer lateral

Kentfield is in the Ross Valley Sanitary District, which ties a lateral Certificate of Compliance to the purchase or sale of a property. The two sides agree who will get it, and whoever does has 90 days from close of escrow. Expect a contractor video, a district permit and a pressure test witnessed by a district inspector. On a large lot the private line can be long, so get the video before you set a price. The district’s grant and loan funding, up to $1,500, is not income-based.

Transfer tax and state items

Without a city government there’s no city transfer tax: a Kentfield sale pays the county’s $1.10 per $1,000. In Diamond’s North Bay markets the seller customarily covers it, but the split can be negotiated (see our transfer tax guide). State law adds a written water heater bracing certification and a disclosure of noncompliant plumbing fixtures.

The Marin selling requirements page compares Kentfield with Ross, Greenbrae and the incorporated towns. To price against recent Kentfield sales, request a home valuation.

Sources for this section: Kentfield Fire Protection District: Resale inspections; Marin County Fire: What is an AB-38 inspection?; Ross Valley Sanitary District: Compliance (private sewer laterals); Town of Fairfax: Ross Valley Sanitary District grants and loans for sewer lateral work; City of San Rafael: Report of Residential Building Record (RBR); Marin County Assessor-Recorder: Fees (documentary transfer tax); California Public Law: Health and Safety Code 19211 (water heater bracing); California Public Law: Civil Code 1101.4 (water-conserving plumbing fixtures).

Kentfield real estate FAQs

Is Kentfield a city?

No. Kentfield is an unincorporated community, a Census-designated place of 6,808 people in 2020, so the County of Marin handles its planning, permits and rental licensing. It has its own fire district and elementary school district, but no city council.

What ZIP code is Kentfield?

Kentfield uses 94904, which it shares with Greenbrae. Redfin’s ZIP 94904 figures therefore combine both communities.

How much is a typical home in Kentfield?

Zillow’s home value index for Kentfield was $2,625,775 at the end of February 2026, 0.4% lower than a year before. Redfin’s median sale price for ZIP 94904 was $2,559,432 for the three months to July 2026. Kentfield has too few sales a month for a reliable Kentfield-only median.

Can I get a short-term rental license for a Kentfield home?

Only by joining the county’s waitlist. The first application round closed July 1, 2025, and the county now places new applicants on a first-come list. Kentfield licenses count toward the countywide cap of 1,200.

Does the seller’s short-term rental license transfer to me?

No. Under County Code §5.41.050, a license expires automatically on any change of ownership, except a single transfer from a person to a spouse or children. A buyer has to apply in their own name.

Does Kentfield have rent control?

There’s no local rent cap. The county’s just-cause eviction ordinance covers properties with three or more units, increases of more than 5% in a year fall under the county’s mandatory mediation program, and state rent and eviction rules under AB 1482 apply to covered units.

Is Kentfield in a flood zone?

Check each parcel. Kentfield was damaged in the December 2005 Ross Valley floods, and the county’s Corte Madera Creek project is scheduled to run through winter 2026. The FEMA zone for a parcel appears on the seller’s Natural Hazard Disclosure; check it and get a flood insurance quote early.

What is the Corte Madera Creek Flood Risk Management Project?

It’s a roughly $18 million county project to reduce flooding between Lagunitas Road in Ross and the earthen channel in Kentfield, aiming at 25-year flood protection. Its plans include removing the Unit 4 fish ladder, lowering the channel, raising walls and restoring wetlands at Lower College of Marin, with construction scheduled through winter 2026.

Which school district serves Kentfield?

The Kentfield School District (formally Kentfield Elementary School District) runs Bacich Elementary, grades K–4, and Kent Middle School, grades 5–8. High school students are in the Tamalpais Union High School District, which runs Redwood High School in Larkspur.

Where is College of Marin’s Kentfield campus?

At 835 College Avenue, Kentfield. The college was established in 1926 and also has the Indian Valley campus on a 333-acre site in Novato.

Which fire department covers Kentfield?

The Kentfield Fire Protection District, at 1004 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, covering 3.8 square miles that include Kent Woodlands and Greenbrae. Ask it about defensible-space inspections when the parcel is in a mapped fire zone.

Is there a transfer tax when buying in Kentfield?

Only the county’s: $1.10 per $1,000 of value. On a $2.6 million purchase that’s $2,860. Kentfield has no city to add one, unlike San Rafael, which charges $2 per $1,000 on top.

How do I get from Kentfield to San Francisco without a car?

The Golden Gate ferry and SMART trains both stop at Larkspur Landing in neighbouring Larkspur; our Larkspur page has the 2026 ferry schedule, fare and parking costs.

Sources & notes

U.S. Census Bureau: QuickFacts, Kentfield CDP (2020 Census; ACS 2020–2024)
Zillow: Kentfield home values (February 2026), Redfin: ZIP 94904 (July 2026) and Redfin: Kentfield (latest month February 2025)
County of Marin: short-term rental licensing, STR waitlist (updated October 8, 2026), STR administrative procedures (February 2025), mandatory mediation and transient occupancy tax
County Code Chapter 5.41 text, Coastal Commission exhibits (April 2024) and Legal Aid of Marin: just-cause ordinances
Marin County Flood Control District: Corte Madera Creek Flood Risk Management Project and Zone 9, Ross Valley
College of Marin: history; Kentfield School District: overview; Marin County Office of Education: districts
Marin LAFCO: Kentfield Fire Protection District, Ross Valley Sanitary District and 1972–1974 resolutions
Marin County Recorder: transfer tax, Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority: Measure C 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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