Palo Alto & Peninsula Real Estate: A Week in Review

Lisa M. Musich, Compass Palo Alto

May 30, 2026

The Week That Was

Monday | Half Moon Bay & Moss Beach

Memorial Day took me somewhere unexpected and entirely worthwhile: out to Half Moon Bay to show a client properties along the coast. It was a genuine education in a market that operates by its own logic, and one I left with real appreciation for. Below are a few learnings from my research and discussions worth knowing if you’re exploring coastal San Mateo County real estate:

• The highway matters more than the map. Properties west of Highway 1 – ocean side – command a meaningful premium and tend to carry shorter days on market. East of the highway, you’re often looking at longer days on market and more negotiating room, even at lower price points.
• Half Moon Bay proper vs. Moss Beach vs. El Granada are distinct micro-markets with different buyer profiles, neighborhood characters, and price ceilings. Lumping them together is a mistake.
• Coastal fog is a lifestyle variable, not just weather. Buyers from Palo Alto often underestimate how consistently cool and grey the coast runs, even in summer. Those who love it, love it completely. Those who don’t find out quickly.
• Price per square foot drops significantly compared to Palo Alto and Menlo Park, but liquidity is lower, meaning when you want to sell, your buyer pool is smaller and more specialized.
• The commute math is real. Half Moon Bay to Sand Hill Road is roughly 35–45 minutes on a good day. For some buyers that’s freedom. For others it becomes the reason they eventually move back east of the hills.

My client was engaged, the properties were interesting, and I left the coast wishing Palo Alto were just a little closer to that ocean air. Not a bad way to spend a holiday.

Tuesday — Sorted Estate

Tuesday had me skipping broker tour in favor of lunch with the proprietors of Sorted Estate — a team I recommend frequently and with confidence. What sets them apart starts with their business model: unlike competitors who mandate a lump-sum fee upfront just to begin the work (a $10,000 retainer to get started is a real-world example from another firm), Sorted Estate doesn’t operate that way. They come in, fully clear and prepare a home for sale or rental, and do so with a philosophy rooted in giving everything a second life vs heading to the landfill. In a market where sellers are often overwhelmed by the logistics of transitioning out of a longtime family home, having a trusted partner who handles that process thoughtfully and responsibly is genuinely valuable. If you’re a seller in the Palo Alto, Menlo Park, or Atherton market facing that process, Sorted Estate is worth knowing about.

Friday — A Los Altos Hills Gem Worth Revisiting

Friday’s tour had me showing 27673 Lupine Rd in Los Altos Hills, a property that I’ll simply describe as one-of-a-kind, and I’m not alone in that assessment. Fellow agents who have toured it agree. It’s a property that is proving difficult to sell not because of what it is, but because finding the exactly right buyer for something truly singular takes time. It went back on tour this week as a reminder to the agent community that it’s still there, still wonderful, and still waiting for its person. If you know a buyer who appreciates the exceptional and the irreplaceable, let’s talk.

I’m here for you lisamusich.com @ lisa.musich@compass.com 

 

TUESDAY MAY 26, 2026 — MENLO PARK & ATHERTON

MENLO PARK

206 Sand Hill Cir, Menlo Park — $2,588,000 | 3bd/2.5ba · 2,170 sqft · Keri Nicholas, Parc Agency · Townhome · Sharon Heights

675 Sharon Park Dr #311, Menlo Park — $899,000 | 2bd/2ba · 986 sqft · Mary Molinari, Coldwell Banker · Condo · ⬇ Price reduced $86,000 from $985,000

675 Sharon Park Dr #115, Menlo Park — $699,000 | 1bd/1ba · 739 sqft · Nikan Danaei, Coldwell Banker · Condo · Sharon Heights

804 18th Ave, Menlo Park — $1,998,000 | 3bd/2ba · 1,200 sqft · 5,619 sqft lot · Lori Orion, Golden Gate Sotheby’s 

ATHERTON

15 Lloyden Dr, Atherton — $4,289,000 | 3bd/2.5ba · 1,680 sqft · 14,542 sqft lot · Judy Citron, Compass 

FRIDAY MAY 29, 2026 — PALO ALTO

PALO ALTO

411 Adobe Pl, Palo Alto — $3,488,000 | 3bd/2ba · 1,690 sqft · 8,449 sqft lot · DeLeon Team, Deleon Realty · Eichler

3991 Sutherland Dr, Palo Alto — $2,598,000 | 4bd/2ba · 1,363 sqft · 9,301 sqft lot · Connie Miller, Compass

444 San Antonio Rd #2C, Palo Alto — $1,460,000 | 2bd/2.5ba · 1,556 sqft · 2,521 sqft lot · Annie Watson, Coldwell Banker · Townhome

621 Wellsbury Way, Palo Alto — $3,489,000 | 4bd/2ba · 1,710 sqft · 7,395 sqft lot · Robert Purnell, Compass

1677 Mariposa Ave, Palo Alto — $3,600,000 | 2bd/1.5ba · 1,024 sqft · 13,092 sqft lot · Young Platinum Group, Golden Gate Sotheby’s · Land play — priced at $275/sqft of lot

500 Fulton St #105, Palo Alto — $1,408,000 | 2bd/1.5ba · 1,080 sqft · Riette Fallant, Compass · Condo

519 Webster St, Palo Alto — $6,495,000 | 3bd/3.5ba · 2,695 sqft · Zach Trailer, Compass · Penthouse condo 

515 Webster St, Palo Alto — $4,995,000 | 3bd/3.5ba · 2,823 sqft · Zach Trailer, Compass · Condo 

928–930 Scott St, Palo Alto — $4,500,000 | 4bd/3ba · 2,018 sqft · 5,625 sqft lot · Jean-Luc Laminette, Compass ·  ⬇ Price reduced $198,000 from $4,698,000

518 Everett Ave A, Palo Alto — $1,288,000 | 2bd/1ba · 1,044 sqft · Penny Goldcamp, Coldwell Banker · Condo 

As I head into this next week… Two active client situations are front of mind. The first involves a meeting with a builder and architect to determine whether they can reach an approved build plan and remove contingencies on an existing offer, the kind of moment in a transaction where preparation and vision either align or don’t. The second involves a buyer working to secure a pre-approval letter from Stanford, which, and I say this with genuine bewilderment, apparently takes four weeks. Four weeks. For a letter. In a market where properties move in days, that timeline deserves its own conversation. If you’re buying in the Palo Alto area and your purchase is tied to institutional approval timelines, planning ahead isn’t optional. It’s the strategy.