Redwood Shores, CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale
Redwood Shores is a bay-side neighborhood within Redwood City in San Mateo County, so Redwood City rules apply. Homes are detached houses, townhomes and condominiums, and owners should check address-specific flood information and get association permission for material alterations.
Explore Redwood Shores, 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 | Part of Redwood City — city rules apply |
| Housing | Detached homes, townhomes and condominiums |
| Hazards to check | Flood — check address-specific flood and insurance information |
| Local rules | Association permission for material alterations, separate from city permits |
Redwood Shores homes: review the rights beyond the interior
Redwood Shores is a bay-side neighborhood within Redwood City. Its detached homes, townhomes and condominiums should be compared by their actual ownership and maintenance arrangements. The neighborhood name does not establish that a waterfront feature or outdoor space belongs privately to every residence.
Redwood Shores homes for sale
Redwood Shores market report
Trace the boundary of responsibility
Identify which surfaces, structures and systems the owner maintains and which are collective. Read the governing documents where applicable, then compare the budget, reserve information and planned work with the physical property. A monthly charge needs that context before it can be compared meaningfully.
For any water-related feature, establish the actual rights and maintenance responsibility. Obtain current address-specific flood and insurance information without substituting a general bay-side description for an underwriting or lending decision.
Buying in Redwood Shores
Use Redwood City’s municipal route identified through the county city directory. Review material alterations and distinguish building completion from an association’s permission where both apply.
The county property workbook connects rights, condition and cost evidence. Compare Foster City as a different bay-side search and the main Redwood City guide for other city settings.
Selling a Redwood Shores property
Obtain current shared-property documents early. Explain parking, storage and outdoor rights accurately, and support meaningful improvements with the records available. Show the property’s actual relationship to nearby water without implying access or protection that has not been established.
The San Mateo County seller service supports preparation and pricing based on verified differences. The buyer service helps compare the next property’s different obligations.
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Where Redwood Shores is and who governs it
Redwood Shores is a bay-side neighborhood of the City of Redwood City in San Mateo County. It is not a separate city. Redwood City’s planning, building and public works departments handle permits, and the City Council sets local rules. OneShoreline’s Redwood Shores Sea Level Rise Protection Project page describes the area’s edges: Belmont Slough to the north, San Francisco Bay to the east, Steinberger Slough to the south and U.S. 101 to the west. To confirm that a particular parcel is inside city limits, use San Mateo LAFCo’s cities page and the tax bill. Neighboring Belmont, San Carlos and Foster City are separate cities.
Water, sewer and utilities in Redwood Shores
- Water: Redwood City Public Works provides water service to more than 24,000 customers in Redwood City and parts of San Carlos, Woodside and unincorporated San Mateo County. The City’s water section also covers rates, conservation, water quality, cross-connection control and recycled water. Ask the seller for recent bills and, for a condo or townhome, find out whether water is billed through the association.
- Sewer treatment: Silicon Valley Clean Water, a joint powers authority serving Belmont, Redwood City, San Carlos and the West Bay Sanitary District, treats wastewater for more than 220,000 people and businesses. Its treatment plant is at 1400 Radio Road in Redwood City, in Redwood Shores.
- Association-maintained systems: In many townhome and condominium communities, the association maintains some common utility lines, irrigation and exterior systems. The governing documents define the line between association and owner. Our HOA documents guide explains what to request.
Homes, lots and land use in Redwood Shores
Redwood Shores has detached houses, townhomes and condominiums, many inside planned communities with their own CC&Rs and architectural rules. Zoning, setbacks and ADU rules come from Redwood City. Exterior changes usually need two separate approvals: association approval under the CC&Rs, and a City permit. One does not replace the other. For lagoon-front and shoreline homes, read the recorded documents for any rights to docks, decks or water access, and find out who maintains seawalls and bulkheads. Our buying a condo guide covers what to check in attached-home documents.
Hazards and insurance to check
Flood and sea level rise is the main issue to check. According to the project page:
- A 2010 project raised more than three miles of Redwood Shores levee to meet FEMA requirements.
- In April 2020, FEMA notified the City that the levees must be modified to keep FEMA accreditation. Otherwise the area would be mapped as a Special Flood Hazard Area.
- Without the modifications, the Flood Insurance Rate Map would show 100-year coastal flood risk, and many properties could become subject to flood-insurance requirements, depending on current mapping and the loan.
- Redwood City leads the Redwood Shores Sea Level Rise Protection Project, with help from OneShoreline, which helped secure FEMA funding. The project’s goal is to select an alternative that renews FEMA accreditation, addresses sea level rise and adds recreation.
For any address, check the current map on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center and ask your lender whether flood insurance is required. Get a flood quote even if it is not required, because map changes can follow the project’s outcome. See our flood insurance guide.
- Earthquake and liquefaction: Bay-fill ground can be subject to liquefaction. Look up the parcel in EQ Zapp and read the Natural Hazard Disclosure. Our earthquake insurance guide covers CEA policies.
- Tsunami: Check shoreline parcels on the California Geological Survey’s tsunami hazard area maps.
Getting around from Redwood Shores
U.S. 101 forms the western edge of Redwood Shores, connecting north toward San Francisco and south toward San José. Caltrain stations are in nearby downtown Redwood City and Belmont. SamTrans buses serve the area. Check current routes and stop lists for the stop nearest a given address.
Local rules buyers and owners should know
- Exterior work: Identify any association review and City permit required for the actual work.
- Flood insurance: Watch the levee accreditation project. Federal mandatory-purchase requirements depend on the mapped building, loan and lender; lenders may also impose broader requirements.
- Transfer tax: San Mateo County’s documentary transfer tax is $1.10 per $1,000. Ask escrow to confirm whether any other transfer charges apply to the sale.
- Property tax and assessments: Review the tax bill for any special assessments. See San Mateo County property tax.
Luxury homes and estates in Redwood Shores
In Redwood Shores, high-end property usually means larger detached homes in planned communities, including homes on the lagoon or shoreline, and premium townhomes and condominiums. Many sit inside associations with CC&Rs and architectural review, so exterior changes need association approval as well as a Redwood City permit.
Due diligence for a high-value purchase: Flood risk and insurance top the list. FEMA told the City in 2020 that the levees must be modified to keep accreditation, so check the current FEMA map and get a flood quote whether or not your lender requires one. For water-front homes, read the recorded documents for dock or water-access rights, and find out who maintains seawalls and bulkheads. Review association reserves and any planned special assessments. Check EQ Zapp for liquefaction. See our guide to insuring a high-value home.
Ask Diamond Real Estate Group which permitted private-marketing options fit the property, your goals and the applicable MLS rules. Availability of any particular property is not guaranteed. Related: San Mateo County luxury homes.
Redwood Shores real estate: questions people ask
Is Redwood Shores its own city?
No. Redwood Shores is a neighborhood of Redwood City, so Redwood City zoning, permits and ordinances apply. It sits east of U.S. 101, between Belmont Slough to the north and Steinberger Slough to the south. Confirm a parcel’s jurisdiction on the tax bill or LAFCo’s city maps.
Do Redwood Shores homes need flood insurance?
It depends on the current FEMA map for the address and on your lender. FEMA told the City in 2020 that the levees must be modified to keep accreditation, or the area would be mapped as a Special Flood Hazard Area, with lender requirements depending on the current effective map and loan. Check the map and get a quote.
Who provides water and sewer in Redwood Shores?
Redwood City Public Works provides water. Wastewater is treated by Silicon Valley Clean Water, whose plant is at 1400 Radio Road in Redwood Shores. In association communities, some lines and irrigation may be association-maintained, so read the governing documents.
Do I need HOA approval to remodel in Redwood Shores?
In planned communities, usually yes, for exterior or structural changes. That approval is separate from a Redwood City building permit, and you may need both. Ask for the CC&Rs, architectural guidelines and any pending violation notices before you remove contingencies.
Sources for this section
- OneShoreline (San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District), Redwood Shores Sea Level Rise Protection Project: https://smcfslrrd.specialdistrict.org/redwood-shores-sea-level-rise-protection-project
- San Mateo LAFCo, Cities in San Mateo County: https://www.smcgov.org/lafco/cities-san-mateo-county
- City of Redwood City, Public Works – Water: https://www.redwoodcity.org/departments/public-works/water
- Silicon Valley Clean Water, About Us: https://svcw.org/about-us/
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home
- California Geological Survey, EQ Zapp and Tsunami Hazard Area Maps: https://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/geohazards/eq-zapp ; https://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/tsunami/maps
- San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, Documentary Transfer Tax: https://smcacre.gov/county-clerk-recorder/documentary-transfer-tax
What is your property in Redwood Shores worth?
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