Montara CA Real Estate & Homes For Sale
Montara is an unincorporated coastal community in San Mateo County, so county planning handles property questions and Midcoast rules apply to new residential work. Owners should confirm each home’s water and wastewater arrangements and review its exterior and drainage history, since streets, elevation and exposure vary.
Explore Montara, CA real estate and homes for sale with this local guide. Contact Diamond to discuss your criteria and current property-search options.
| County | San Mateo County |
|---|---|
| Local government | Unincorporated — San Mateo County planning |
| Water and sewer | Varies by parcel — confirm water and wastewater providers |
| Housing | Coastal homes on shoreline, inland and sloping sites |
| Local rules | Coastal permits; county Midcoast rules for new residential work |
Montara homes: investigate the street and the exterior
Montara is an unincorporated San Mateo County coastal community. Compare the exact street, elevation and practical lot arrangement before treating its homes as one interchangeable coastal search. The maintenance needs of an individual residence depend on its actual condition and exposure.
Montara homes for sale
Montara market report
Start with the exterior walk
Trace the route from parking to entry and identify the outdoor spaces you would use. Note drainage features, exterior steps and access for maintenance where relevant. Ask for the history of significant roof, window, siding or site work rather than assuming an attractive finish establishes the underlying condition.
Identify the actual water and wastewater arrangements. Request the provider and system records appropriate to the property. A nearby address’s services do not by themselves establish your parcel’s connections or capacity for a proposed change.
Buying in Montara
Use county planning resources for the appropriate unincorporated property questions. If new residential work is essential, review the current Midcoast information through the county property workbook and obtain an address-specific answer before valuing the idea.
Compare similar usable space, access and condition. Moss Beach offers a nearby community comparison and Pacifica a separate coastal-city setting; each needs its own record route.
Selling a Montara property
Gather the available exterior-maintenance and improvement history. Describe the present home and site accurately, with clear parking and outdoor photographs. Keep proposed projects distinct from established features and mark any missing evidence that buyers will need to investigate.
San Mateo County seller representation can connect that file to preparation and pricing. The buyer service supports evaluating a different coastal or inland ownership arrangement.
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Local property guides
- Buying a Home in Montara: Coastal Permits, Parcel Records and Existing Improvements
- Montara Property Settings Compared: Shoreline, Inland and Sloping Sites
- What Does a Montara Home Cost to Own? Insurance, Maintenance and Utilities
- Montara Home Inspections: Drainage, Foundations, Roofs and Site Access
- Pricing a Montara Home: Views, Access, Condition and Comparable Evidence
Explore related property guides
Where Montara is and who governs it
Montara is an unincorporated community at the north end of the San Mateo County Midcoast, between Pacifica and Moss Beach. It has no city government. San Mateo County Planning and Building handles zoning, planning permits and building permits, and the Board of Supervisors is the local governing body.
Montara sits inside the County’s Coastal Zone, so the Local Coastal Program (LCP) applies. The County says all Coastal Zone development needs a Coastal Development Permit or an exemption, and projects must also meet zoning, building and health codes. The Mid-Coast Land Use Plan draws an urban/rural boundary, and Montara’s developed neighborhoods are part of the urban Midcoast. See our unincorporated San Mateo County guide for how County jurisdiction works.
Water, sewer and utilities in Montara
San Mateo LAFCo’s district table lists the same providers for Montara and Moss Beach:
| Service | Provider listed by LAFCo |
|---|---|
| Water and sewer | Montara Water and Sanitary District |
| Fire | Coastside Fire Protection District |
| Street lighting | Montara Highway Lighting District |
| Other | County Service Areas No. 10 and No. 12; Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District; SamTrans |
The Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD) provides water, sewer and garbage service in Montara, Moss Beach and adjacent areas north of El Granada. Confirm the current franchise hauler and account with MWSD. According to the district’s FAQ:
- Water comes from nine active wells and treatment facilities, with seven storage tanks holding 1.44 million gallons. The district is developing new wells.
- MWSD ended its long-standing moratorium on new water connections and began serving new connections again in 2013. It issues connections for projects in urban zones, working with County Planning and Building.
- Sewage is pumped through an intertie pipeline to the treatment plant in Half Moon Bay.
- The district counts about 1,943 sewer connections and 1,658 active water connections.
For a sewer leak or lateral question, see MWSD’s sewer leaks and repairs page or call the district. Parcels with a private well or septic system fall under San Mateo County Environmental Health’s onsite wastewater and well programs.
Homes, lots and land use in Montara
For a new unit, the County’s June 22,2026 notice reports a 40-unit annual cap including ADUs. It says new-unit building applications cannot be accepted until January 1,2028 unless an LCP amendment provides relief; active applications continue to be processed. Planning applications remain open, with approved cases placed on a waitlist. The County encourages a Formal CDX for ADUs/JADUs normally requiring no planning permit. Amendment LCP-2-SMC-26-0048-1 was scheduled for November 4,2026. Check subsequent County and Coastal Commission actions and obtain written status for the actual application before relying on a timeline.
The LCP includes an ADU special parking map for Moss Beach and Montara. Check it early if you are planning an ADU.
Hazards and insurance to check
- Wildfire: Montara backs onto steep, vegetated hillsides. Look up the parcel in the State Fire Marshal’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone viewer, and get insurance quotes early.
- Tsunami: For parcels near the beach and creek mouths, check the California Geological Survey’s tsunami hazard area maps.
- Earthquake and landslide: Check EQ Zapp for fault and seismic hazard zones. On sloping lots, ask a geotechnical engineer about drainage and retaining walls.
- Flood: Check FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center for parcels near Montara Creek and other drainages.
Getting around from Montara
State Route 1 is the only through road. It runs north through the Devil’s Slide tunnels to Pacifica and south through Moss Beach to Half Moon Bay. SamTrans Route 117 serves Montara on its run between the Linda Mar Park & Ride and Half Moon Bay. On-demand Ride Plus trips cover Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada and Half Moon Bay from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and SamCoast serves the rural south coast, according to SamTrans’ Coastside services page.
Local rules buyers and owners should know
- Permit cap and waitlist: These apply to any new unit, including ADUs.
- Coastal permits: Most exterior development needs a Coastal Development Permit or a documented exemption.
- Transfer tax: San Mateo County’s documentary transfer tax is generally 55 cents per $500 or fraction of taxable value, subject to statutory thresholds, deductions and exemptions. Montara is unincorporated, so no city transfer tax applies.
- Property tax bill: Review district and County Service Area charges on the bill. See San Mateo County property tax.
Luxury homes and estates in Montara
In Montara, high-end property usually means a hillside view home looking over the ocean, or a larger lot near open space. Every one of these is in the County’s Coastal Zone and the urban Midcoast. Exterior development needs a Coastal Development Permit or an exemption, and new units, ADUs included, depend on the Midcoast cap and waitlist. A plan to add a guest unit should be confirmed with County Planning before you count on it in your price.
Due diligence for a high-value purchase: Wildfire hardening and insurance come first on hillside lots next to steep vegetation. Look up the parcel’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone, ask for defensible-space and roof records, and see our FAIR Plan guide and our guide to insuring a high-value home. Confirm the Montara Water and Sanitary District connection and its size. For anything built on a slope, get a geotechnical review of drainage and retaining walls. Pull the County permit history for additions and decks.
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. Related: San Mateo County luxury homes.
Montara real estate: questions people ask
Who provides water and sewer in Montara?
The Montara Water and Sanitary District provides water, sewer and garbage service for Montara and Moss Beach. Its water comes from nine active wells and a surface water treatment plant. Sewage is pumped to the treatment plant in Half Moon Bay. Get recent bills and any lateral repair records from the seller.
Can I get a new water connection in Montara?
MWSD ended its connection moratorium and resumed new connections in 2013 for projects in urban zones, working with County Planning. A connection does not get around the separate Midcoast permit cap, described in the County’s June 2026 notice. Check current amendments and the actual application status.
Is Montara in the Coastal Zone?
Yes. Montara is part of San Mateo County’s Coastal Zone and the urban Midcoast. Development there needs a Coastal Development Permit or an exemption under the Local Coastal Program, in addition to County zoning and building permits.
How do I get from Montara to BART or Caltrain?
SamTrans Route 117 connects Montara with the Linda Mar Park & Ride in Pacifica, and connecting routes go on toward BART. Route 294 runs from Half Moon Bay to Hillsdale in San Mateo, with a Caltrain connection. Check current schedules before you rely on them.
Sources for this section
- San Mateo County Planning and Building, Planning Permits: https://www.smcgov.org/planning/planning-permits
- San Mateo County Planning, Local Coastal Program (and Moss Beach–Montara ADU parking map): https://www.smcgov.org/planning/local-coastal-program
- San Mateo County Planning, Urban Midcoast Building Permit Cap & Waitlist (June 22, 2026): https://www.smcgov.org/planning/news/urban-midcoast-building-permit-cap-waitlist
- San Mateo LAFCo, Special Districts Serving Unincorporated Areas: https://www.smcgov.org/lafco/special-districts-serving-unincorporated-areas
- Montara Water and Sanitary District, home page and FAQ: https://www.mwsd.net/ ; https://www.mwsd.net/faq
- San Mateo County Health, Onsite Wastewater (Septic) Programs: https://smchealth.org/services/smch-services/water-protection-land-use-onsite-systems/land-use-review-and-onsite-wastewater-septic-programs/
- Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones: https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/community-wildfire-preparedness-and-mitigation/fire-hazard-severity-zones
- California Geological Survey, Tsunami Hazard Area Maps and EQ Zapp: https://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/tsunami/maps ; https://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/geohazards/eq-zapp
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home
- SamTrans, Coastside Services and Route 117: https://www.samtrans.com/service-info/coastside-services ; https://www.samtrans.com/samtrans/routes/117
- San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, Documentary Transfer Tax: https://smcacre.gov/county-clerk-recorder/documentary-transfer-tax
What is your property in Montara worth?
Planning a sale or weighing your next move? Request a broker market analysis based on the property, relevant comparable sales and the local setting.
