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San Rafael, CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale
By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.
San Rafael is the county seat of Marin County, California, and its largest city: an incorporated charter city of about 59,400 people (Census estimate, July 2025) where single-family homes, condominiums and apartments all trade, and where 53% of homes are owner-occupied. Redfin put the city’s median sale price at $1,301,639 for the three months ending August 2026. It is also the only city in Marin with its own transfer tax, and Measure W on the November 3, 2026 ballot asks voters whether to raise it.
- County
- Marin County (county seat)
- Government
- Incorporated charter city
- Population
- 59,410 (Census estimate, July 2025)
- Median sale price
- $1,301,639 (3 months to Aug 2026, Redfin)
- City transfer tax
- $2 per $1,000 (Measure W pending)
- Water
- Marin Water
- SMART stations
- San Rafael (downtown) and Marin Civic Center
- School districts
- San Rafael City Elementary and High; Miller Creek Elementary
San Rafael homes for sale
Current MLS listings in San Rafael are shown below: detached houses, condominiums and townhomes across the city. New-construction homes show up here when a builder lists them on the MLS. To compare San Rafael with Novato, Larkspur or San Anselmo, or to filter for land, condos or townhomes, use our Marin property search.
What do homes in San Rafael sell for?
$1,301,639
3 months ending August 2026, Redfin
37
August 2026, Redfin (37 a year earlier)
102.5%
August 2026, Redfin
San Rafael’s median sits below the Marin County figure partly because of how each is counted: C.A.R.’s county number covers only single-family homes, while Redfin’s city median includes condos and townhomes. Redfin’s median rose 17.3% from a year earlier, but price per square foot rose only 1.2%. That gap usually means more of the recent sales were larger homes, not that every home gained 17%. Sales volume was up too: 158 homes sold in August 2026, against 114 a year before.
| Measure | Figure | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, all home types | $1,301,639 (up 17.3% year over year) | 3 months ending August 2026, Redfin |
| Median price per square foot | $689 (up 1.2%) | Same period, Redfin |
| Homes sold | 158 (114 a year earlier) | August 2026, Redfin |
| Sold above list price | 48.1% (up 15.7 points) | August 2026, Redfin |
| Marin County median, single-family homes | $1,678,750 (up 1.7%) | September 2026, C.A.R. |
| Owner-occupied homes | 53.0% | 2020–2024 ACS, Census QuickFacts |
| Median gross rent | $2,377 a month | 2020–2024 ACS, Census QuickFacts |
Read the gap with the county figure as direction rather than an exact discount. We price a San Rafael home against sales of the same type nearby, because a Peacock Gap house and a downtown condo don’t belong in one average.
What does it cost to buy in San Rafael, and what is Measure W?
A San Rafael sale pays two transfer taxes today: the county’s $1.10 per $1,000 and the city’s $2.00 per $1,000, both based on the property’s full value (Marin County Assessor-Recorder). The county recorder lists no other Marin city with its own tax, so a sale in Novato, Larkspur or San Anselmo pays the county rate alone.
Measure W asks San Rafael voters on November 3, 2026 whether to raise the city’s rate to 1%, or $10 per $1,000 of the full consideration paid, on transfers over $100. The text lists no price tiers, exemptions or end date. It needs a simple majority and would take effect 10 days after the City Council certifies the result. The county elections page puts the revenue at about $7.5 million a year, about $6.0 million of it new (Marin County Elections). The vote was still pending when we wrote this page.
| Transfer taxes on a $1,300,000 sale | Rates in October 2026 | If Measure W passes |
|---|---|---|
| Marin County ($1.10 per $1,000) | $1,430 | $1,430 |
| City of San Rafael | $2,600 ($2 per $1,000) | $13,000 ($10 per $1,000) |
| Combined | $4,030 | $14,430 |
The example uses a price near Redfin’s August 2026 median and ignores any loans assumed. Which side pays each tax is negotiated in the purchase contract, so agree on it, and on what happens if a sale closes after a rate change, before you sign. Check the certified Measure W result before you budget.
The ordinary costs of owning are covered in our Marin County real estate guide.
San Rafael neighborhoods and their housing
The city’s neighborhood directory lists 26 neighborhood associations and says San Rafael has more than 30 neighborhoods in all (City of San Rafael). ATTOM’s April 2024 snapshot of San Rafael ZIP code 94901 gives a sense of the stock’s age: the average single-family home there was about 67 years old and 2,219 square feet.
| Neighborhood | Setting and housing |
|---|---|
| Downtown | Around the SMART San Rafael station at 680 3rd Street. Building here follows the city’s adopted Downtown Precise Plan, so ask Planning what is approved on nearby lots before you buy a condo or a house close to the core. |
| Gerstle Park and the West End | Both are in the city’s directory. On any older house, here or elsewhere in the city, ask for the permit history of every addition, garage conversion and second unit. |
| Dominican / Black Canyon | Homes around Dominican University of California’s 60-acre campus at 50 Acacia Avenue. |
| Sun Valley | A neighborhood with its own public elementary school, Sun Valley Elementary, in the San Rafael City Elementary district. |
| Terra Linda | North San Rafael, mostly built after World War II and known for Joseph Eichler’s mid-century modern homes from 1955 to 1965. Marin County Parks runs the Terra Linda / Sleepy Hollow Preserve. |
| Peacock Gap and Glenwood | Both are in the city’s directory; China Camp State Park, on San Pablo Bay, uses 101 Peacock Gap Trail as its address. Near the bay or the hills, check the parcel on both the flood and the fire maps. |
| The Canal | A low-lying, densely populated peninsula in east San Rafael, the subject of the city’s Canalfront Conceptual Design Plan and the part of the city most exposed to tidal flooding (see below). |
Other names buyers search for, including Bayside Acres, Mont Marin / San Rafael Park, Loch Lomond, Fairhills and Santa Venetia, are also in the city’s directory. Some areas with San Rafael mailing addresses, such as Santa Venetia, Lucas Valley and Marinwood, aren’t necessarily inside city limits, so confirm the jurisdiction for the parcel: it decides whether city or county rules apply to rentals and permits, and whether the city transfer tax applies at all.
Is a San Rafael home in a flood zone?
East San Rafael is where flooding matters most. Bay City News reported in January 2026 that the Canal peninsula floods during storms and king tides, that its central exit roads dip to about 3 feet above sea level while daily high tides reach 4 to 6 feet, and that water sometimes pools inland into downtown. Tides topped 8 feet in early January 2026, and a Caltech study found the land subsiding by more than 0.4 inches a year (Bay City News, republished by Canal Alliance).
The city’s technical feasibility study, funded with $762,000 from the State Coastal Conservancy and the Marin Community Foundation, priced three ways to protect the area: raising walls and levees ($718 million), a flood gate ($557 million plus $7.9 million a year to run) and raising the land itself ($1.9 billion). Each would take 10 to 40 years to build. State law (SB 272) requires shoreline cities to submit adaptation plans to the Bay Conservation and Development Commission by 2034.
- Look up the parcel: check FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center or the flood hazard layer on MarinMap. If the building is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, a federally regulated or insured lender will require flood insurance (City of Mill Valley floodplain guidance).
- Read the disclosures: the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement reports whether the property is in a FEMA special flood hazard area (Civil Code §1103.2). Ask the seller about past water in garages or crawl spaces too.
- Price the insurance early: First Street’s model, shown on Redfin, estimates that about 3,722 San Rafael properties (23%) are likely to be severely affected by flooding over the next 30 years. It’s a risk model, not a FEMA map.
Fire zones and other checks before you buy
San Rafael’s hills face the opposite risk. The state released new Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for city areas in four phases between February and March 2025, so look up the address on the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s viewer and the city’s adopted map rather than relying on an older disclosure (OSFM). In a High or Very High zone, the seller provides a defensible-space inspection report from the six months before the sale, or the two sides agree in writing that the buyer will get one within a year (AB 38). First Street’s model on Redfin shows about 13,843 San Rafael properties (77%) with some wildfire risk over 30 years.
- Wildfire parcel tax: San Rafael is inside the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, whose Measure C parcel tax, approved in March 2020 for ten years from 2020–21, was set at up to 10 cents per square foot of building, or $75 per multifamily unit, with annual inflation adjustments (MWPA). Check the property tax bill for this year’s charge.
- Water: San Rafael is in Marin Water’s central Marin service area. About 75% of the district’s supply is rain on 22,000 acres of watershed that fill seven reservoirs on Mount Tamalpais and in west Marin (Marin Water).
- Insurance: ask for quotes in your first days in contract, and price fire and flood cover separately where both apply.
Buying a rental or a home with tenants in San Rafael
San Rafael has no rent cap of its own, but it limits evictions and lets tenants call for mediation. Read these rules before you plan changes to a building that comes with tenants.
- Cause for eviction: the Cause for Eviction Ordinance (San Rafael Municipal Code 10.105), in effect since July 17, 2019, covers properties with three or more units. An owner needs one of the reasons it lists to end a covered tenancy (City of San Rafael).
- Rent-increase mediation: San Rafael is one of three places in Marin, with Fairfax and the unincorporated county, where mediation is mandatory for a rent increase above 5% in 12 months. The District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Unit runs it (County of Marin).
- Short-term rentals: stays of 30 days or less are allowed if the host registers with the city’s short-term rental program and collects the 12% transient occupancy tax (City of San Rafael).
State rent law (AB 1482) can apply on top of the city’s rules, depending on the building’s age and ownership, so get an attorney’s read on any tenancy you’d take over. Our investment property services cover how we underwrite Marin rentals.
Where are new homes being built in San Rafael?
The largest project is Northgate Town Square, Merlone Geier Partners’ plan to rebuild the Northgate Mall site. The City Council approved it unanimously in December 2024, according to the developer’s law firm: more than 1,400 townhomes and apartments on 42 acres, about 200,000 square feet of shops and restaurants and a town square, built in two phases (Perkins Coie). Earlier city updates described for-sale townhomes, some of them deed-restricted as affordable, alongside the apartments (City of San Rafael).
Beyond Northgate, new building is guided by General Plan 2040, adopted on August 2, 2021, the Downtown Precise Plan and the 2023–2031 Housing Element (City of San Rafael). If you’re buying new construction, ask for the HOA budget and reserve study, the CC&Rs, any deed restrictions on the unit and the builder’s warranty, and check the construction schedule for later phases next door.
Getting around from San Rafael
Only three Marin cities have SMART stations, and San Rafael has two of them. The next stop south, Larkspur, connects to the ferry.
| Station or line | Where | What it connects to |
|---|---|---|
| SMART San Rafael | 680 3rd Street, downtown | North to the three Novato stations and Sonoma County; south to Larkspur |
| SMART Marin Civic Center | 3801 Civic Center Drive | The Civic Center and north San Rafael |
| SMART Larkspur | 600 Larkspur Landing Circle | The Connect Larkspur shuttle to the Golden Gate Ferry terminal for San Francisco |
| Golden Gate Transit 580 and 580X | San Rafael to Del Norte BART | The East Bay and BART |
Station addresses are from SMART. Bus routes are from Golden Gate Transit‘s schedule effective September 13, 2026, and the Larkspur–San Francisco ferry from Golden Gate Ferry.
Daily life: the Civic Center, parks, schools and Dominican
The Marin County Civic Center on North San Pedro Road houses county offices and the Hall of Justice. It was Frank Lloyd Wright’s largest public project and his last commission: the Administration Building runs 580 feet, the Hall of Justice was completed in 1969, the Veterans Memorial Auditorium opened in 1971 and the Exhibit Hall in 1976, and the campus is a National Historic Landmark (Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation). The county runs docent-led and self-guided tours (Marin County Cultural Services).
- China Camp State Park: 1,514 acres on San Pablo Bay, about four miles east of San Rafael by North San Pedro Road, with 15 miles of trails, more than 100 acres of tidal salt marsh and the historic China Camp Village (California State Parks).
- County preserves and parks: Marin County Parks lists the Terra Linda / Sleepy Hollow, San Pedro Mountain, Santa Margarita Island and Lucas Valley preserves and the Santa Venetia Marsh in central Marin, plus McInnis Park and McNears Beach Park (Marin County Parks).
- Dominican University of California: founded in 1890, on a 60-acre campus at 50 Acacia Avenue (Dominican University).
- Public schools: the state directory lists San Rafael City Elementary and San Rafael City High, and, for parts of north San Rafael, Miller Creek Elementary (California Department of Education). Confirm the assigned schools for an address with the district.
How does San Rafael compare with nearby towns?
| Area | Government | One verified difference |
|---|---|---|
| San Rafael | Charter city | $2 per $1,000 city transfer tax on top of the county’s, with Measure W pending; two SMART stations |
| Novato | General-law city | County transfer tax only; water from the North Marin Water District, not Marin Water; Redfin median $1,099,273 (3 months to August 2026) |
| Larkspur | City | SMART’s southern end and the Larkspur ferry to San Francisco; county transfer tax only |
| San Anselmo | Town | County transfer tax only; Golden Gate Transit Route 132 to San Francisco |
| Fairfax | Town | Voters repealed its rent stabilization and just-cause eviction ordinances with Measure I in November 2024 (Town of Fairfax); like San Rafael, it is still in the county’s mandatory rent-increase mediation program |
How Diamond Real Estate Group helps San Rafael buyers
The relevant checks depend on the side of town. On a bayside home request the FEMA designation and elevation information and get flood quotes early. On a hillside home confirm the fire zone and the AB 38 paperwork. On anything with three or more units review the tenancies against the city’s cause-for-eviction rule. And the offer should specify who pays the transfer taxes, and what happens if Measure W changes the rate before closing.
- Licensed agents who serve San Rafael: a disclosed list with each DRE license linked.
- Real estate agents across Marin County, compared on checkable criteria.
- Greenbrae and Kentfield, central Marin neighbors where you confirm by parcel whether city or county rules apply.
Selling a San Rafael home? Start with a private home valuation and our seller services. Looking at the top of the Marin market? See our luxury real estate guide, or read how we work with buyers.
Selling a home in San Rafael
Inside city limits, the City of San Rafael keeps the building records, and two city rules shape every sale: a required resale report and Marin’s only city transfer tax. Some San Rafael mailing addresses are unincorporated and follow county rules, so confirm the parcel’s jurisdiction first.
The city resale report
The Report of Residential Building Record must be requested and completed before close of escrow, and it covers condos and townhouses as well as houses. Staff check permits, planning files and code enforcement records, then inspect the home against that record. Since July 1, 2025 the fee is $383 for a single-family home or condo and $766 for a duplex.
- Expect a scheduling call within seven business days, the visit about ten business days later and the report three business days after that.
- A report stays valid for six months, with one three-month extension on written request.
- Expired permits must be renewed. Older unpermitted work never flagged before can be legalized with standard fees and penalties waived.
- Items left open at closing become the buyer’s responsibility.
The buyer signs a receipt. Ordering it before listing leaves time to close out old permits on additions, garage conversions and second units, which buyers here ask about most.
Sewer lateral and fire inspections
North of central San Rafael, the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (Terra Linda, San Rafael Meadows, Marinwood and Lucas Valley) requires the seller to submit a lateral inspection report before close of escrow. Laterals replaced under district permit within 20 years are exempt, as are inheritances and certain trust transfers. Illegal inflow connections must come out within 90 days. We found no sale rule for the San Rafael Sanitation District in central San Rafael; ask it directly.
San Rafael Fire says many properties fall in the local High fire hazard zone. Where an AB 38 defensible-space inspection applies, the department schedules it, supplies the escrow paperwork and asks sellers to book early.
Transfer tax and Measure W
A sale inside the city currently pays Marin County’s $1.10 per $1,000 plus the city’s $2.00 per $1,000. Measure W on the November 3, 2026 ballot would raise the city rate to 1%, or $10 per $1,000, ten days after the council certifies the result. It was pending when we wrote this: check the result before you price or sign. In Diamond’s North Bay markets the seller customarily pays, but it’s negotiable; our California transfer tax guide has the detail.
State rules add water heater bracing and plumbing-fixture disclosures. Our Marin County selling requirements page compares the towns, and a San Rafael home valuation is the place to start on price.
Sources for this section: City of San Rafael: Report of Residential Building Record (RBR); City of San Rafael: What is a resale report?; Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District: Sewer lateral ordinance (Title 2, Chapter 9); Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District: Our service area; City of San Rafael: What is an AB-38 inspection?; Marin County Assessor-Recorder: Fees (documentary transfer tax); Marin County Elections: Measure W (City of San Rafael), November 3, 2026; California Public Law: Health and Safety Code 19211 (water heater bracing); California Public Law: Civil Code 1101.4 (water-conserving plumbing fixtures).
San Rafael real estate FAQs
Is San Rafael the county seat of Marin County?
Yes. County offices and the Hall of Justice are at the Marin County Civic Center on North San Pedro Road, which has its own SMART station. San Rafael is also Marin’s largest city, with about 59,400 residents in July 2025 (Census).
What is the median home price in San Rafael?
Redfin’s median was $1,301,639 for the three months ending August 2026, up 17.3% on a year earlier. It includes condos and townhomes, one reason it sits below C.A.R.’s $1,678,750 single-family median for Marin County in September 2026.
Does San Rafael have a transfer tax?
Yes: $2 per $1,000 of value on top of Marin County’s $1.10, or $4,030 in total on a $1,300,000 sale at October 2026 rates. The county recorder lists no other Marin city with its own tax.
What is Measure W in San Rafael?
It’s the city measure on the November 3, 2026 ballot that would raise the transfer tax from $2 to $10 per $1,000, with no tiers or exemptions in its text. It needs a simple majority and was pending when we wrote this. It isn’t the county’s 2018 West Marin hotel-tax measure, which was also called Measure W.
Are there new homes for sale in San Rafael?
Some, and more are planned. Northgate Town Square, approved in December 2024, is set to add more than 1,400 townhomes and apartments on the old mall site in two phases. New homes appear in the listings above once a builder puts them on the MLS.
Is there land for sale in San Rafael?
Lots do come to market; use the land filter in our property search. Before you buy one, check the fire zone, the FEMA designation on bayside land, water and sewer service, access, and what the zoning allows with the city’s Planning Division.
Which school districts serve San Rafael?
The state directory lists San Rafael City Elementary and San Rafael City High, plus Miller Creek Elementary, whose schools include Lucas Valley and Mary E. Silveira elementary schools. Confirm the assigned schools for an address with the district.
Is my San Rafael home in a flood zone?
Look the parcel up on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center or MarinMap, and read the flood entry on the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement. The Canal floods in storms and king tides, and water sometimes pools into downtown. In a Special Flood Hazard Area, a federally regulated or insured lender will require flood insurance.
Does San Rafael have rent control?
The city has no rent cap of its own, though state law (AB 1482) can limit increases depending on the building. The Cause for Eviction Ordinance covers properties with three or more units, and tenants can require mediation of an increase above 5% in 12 months.
Can I run a short-term rental in San Rafael?
Yes, if you register with the city’s program and collect the 12% transient occupancy tax on stays of 30 days or less. A condo or townhome association’s CC&Rs may also restrict short stays.
How do I get from San Rafael to San Francisco without a car?
Ride SMART south from the downtown station to Larkspur, then take the Connect Larkspur shuttle to the Golden Gate Ferry. Check current timetables, since departures change by season.
Where is Dominican University of California?
On a 60-acre campus at 50 Acacia Avenue, in the Dominican / Black Canyon neighborhood named in the city’s directory. The university was founded in 1890.
Sources & notes
- Redfin: San Rafael housing market (August 2026, with First Street risk figures) and ATTOM: ZIP 94901 property data (updated April 28, 2024)
- C.A.R.: September 2026 home sales and price report and U.S. Census Bureau: QuickFacts, San Rafael city (V2025; ACS 2020–2024)
- Marin County Assessor-Recorder: transfer taxes and Marin County Elections: Measure W (November 3, 2026 election)
- City of San Rafael: cause for eviction, transient occupancy tax, neighborhoods, General Plan 2040 library and Northgate Town Square update
- County of Marin: mandatory rent-increase mediation (updated July 20, 2026) and Town of Fairfax: Ordinance 892, Measure I (Repeal of Rent Stabilization) (December 19, 2024)
- Bay City News: San Rafael sea level rise options (January 27, 2026), City of Mill Valley: floodplain management and Civil Code §1103.2
- Office of the State Fire Marshal: Fire Hazard Severity Zones, Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority: Measure C and Marin Water: our water system
- SMART: stations, Golden Gate Transit: bus routes (effective September 13, 2026) and Golden Gate Ferry
- Perkins Coie: Northgate Town Square approval (January 2025)
- Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation: Marin County Civic Center, California State Parks: China Camp, Marin County Parks: parks and preserves, Dominican University: about and CDE School Directory
Figures carry their dates where they appear. Measure W’s status is as of October 23, 2026. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice; confirm the rules for a specific property with the agency named.
Plan your next move
Share your preferred location, budget, property requirements and timing. We can help organize a focused search, arrange showings or discuss preparing a property for sale.
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.
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September 2026 MLS area snapshot
| MLS area | Closed sales | Avg price | Avg DOM, days |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Rafael (A2300) | 52 | $1,541,113 | 41 |
BAREIS, September 2026; reported October 7. Residential all subtypes; MLS areas may differ from city limits; averages, not medians. Checked October 29.
