San Mateo County Property Search by Owner, Address & Parcel Records
Use the San Mateo County Property Search tool to quickly locate public property records using an owner name, property address, parcel (APN) number, ZIP code, city, or advanced filters. Review ownership history, assessed values, parcel boundaries, tax information, sales records, building details, and other publicly available property data to make informed real estate decisions with confidence.
Communities
20
Total Parcels
234,263
Median Home Value
$1.98 Million
Data Updated
August 2026
Explore More San Mateo County Property Resources
Tax Calculator
Estimate annual property taxes using assessed value, exemptions, and California tax rules before purchasing or evaluating a property.
Tax Rate
Compare local tax rates, understand assessment districts, and review how property taxes are calculated throughout San Mateo County.
Zoning & Maps
Explore zoning classifications, parcel boundaries, GIS maps, flood information, and nearby land use for residential and commercial properties.
Transfer Tax Calculator
Calculate estimated documentary transfer taxes before buying or selling property anywhere within San Mateo County.
San Mateo County Assessor Office
The San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections (ACRE) is responsible for discovering, identifying, and valuing taxable property while maintaining official assessment records used for local property taxation. The office is led by Mark Church, who serves as Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer. The county’s assessment roll exceeded $357.6 billion for the 2026–27 fiscal year, reflecting continued property value growth.
Assessor Office Services
- Assess residential and commercial property values
- Maintain parcel ownership records
- Process ownership transfers
- Review property tax exemptions
- Update parcel maps and assessment data
- Manage business property assessments
- Assist property owners with assessment questions
- (650) 363-4500
- assessor@smcacre.gov
- (650) 363-1903
San Mateo County Real Estate Market Trends (2025–2026)
San Mateo County’s real estate market experienced notable changes throughout 2025 and 2026, with shifts in home prices, sales activity, lending volumes, and foreclosure levels shaping the county’s overall housing landscape. Market conditions evolved over time as buyer demand, financing activity, and property transactions responded to changing local trends.
San Mateo County Housing Market Trends (2025–2026)
This graph offers a snapshot of the local real estate market by tracking home values, mortgage lending, sales performance, and foreclosure activity.
Median Home Prices Continued to Reach New Highs
Median sales prices increased from $1,810,000 in January 2025 to $2,015,000 in June, reaching $2,060,000 in June 2026 before easing to $2,010,000 in July.
Buyers Needed Larger Down Payments
Median down payments rose from $362,000 in January 2025 to $443,300 in June, reaching $453,200 in June 2026 before declining to $422,100 in July, reflecting substantial buyer costs.
Home Sales Remained Strong Throughout Spring
Homes sold increased from 245 in January 2025 to 465 in June, reaching 450 in June 2026 before easing to 402 in July, demonstrating strong seasonal sales activity overall.
Purchase and Refinance Loans Followed Different Trends
Purchase loans climbed from 184 in January 2025 to 349 in June, reaching 338 in June 2026 before easing to 302 in July, while refinancing activity followed different patterns.
HELOC Activity Reflected Growing Home Equity
HELOC loans increased from 85 in January 2025 to 118 in May, reaching 110 in May 2026 before easing to 102 in July, reflecting continued homeowner borrowing activity.
Foreclosure Filings and Starts Increased Gradually
Foreclosure filings rose from 18 in January 2025 to 26 in October, reaching 34 in June 2026, while foreclosure starts increased from 10 to 20, indicating gradually rising foreclosure activity.
Completed Foreclosures Stayed Relatively Low
How the San Mateo County Property Search Tool Works
Finding property records is simple with the San Mateo County Property Checker. Choose the search method that best matches the information you have, enter your search criteria, and review the available public property records. Whether you’re researching a home, verifying ownership, or analyzing investment opportunities, each search option helps you locate accurate property information quickly and efficiently.
If you know the property owner’s name, this search method helps you locate associated real estate records within San Mateo County. Enter the full or partial owner name to view matching properties, ownership history, parcel information, assessed values, tax details, land characteristics, and other available public records. This option is especially useful for investors, researchers, and title professionals.
Searching by property address is the fastest way to identify a specific parcel. Simply enter the street address to access available property information, including ownership records, assessed value, lot size, building characteristics, sales history, parcel number, tax information, and public assessment data for the selected property.
Every property is assigned a unique Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN). Entering the APN provides one of the most accurate search methods, helping you retrieve the exact parcel without confusion. Results may include ownership information, assessment history, land details, tax records, GIS references, and recorded parcel characteristics.
Use a ZIP Code search to browse properties located within a specific postal area of San Mateo County. This option is useful for market research, neighborhood analysis, investment planning, or comparing property values across different communities before making buying or selling decisions.
Searching by city allows you to explore property records throughout individual communities such as Redwood City, Daly City, San Mateo, Burlingame, Foster City, or other incorporated areas within the county. It’s an effective way to compare neighborhoods, review assessment data, and analyze local real estate activity.
Advanced Search combines multiple filters to narrow your results. Search using a combination of owner name, property address, parcel number, city, ZIP Code, property type, or other available criteria to locate specific records more efficiently. This feature is ideal for professionals who need highly targeted property searches.
What Information Can You Access?
The San Mateo County Property Search tool provides access to a wide range of publicly available property information. Depending on the available records, users can review ownership, assessment, tax, parcel, building, and land-related details to better understand a property’s history and characteristics.
Property Identification
Quickly identify essential records for any parcel
- Assessor's Parcel Number (APN)
- Current property ownership
- Legal property description
- Parcel status
- Recording reference information
- Public record identification
Property Location
View accurate location and parcel mapping information
- Property street address
- City and ZIP Code
- Parcel boundaries
- Neighborhood information
- GIS mapping availability
- Land location references
Building Details
Explore important structural and improvement information
- Year Built
- Living area
- Lot size
- Number of bedrooms
- Number of bathrooms
- Property improvement details
Assessment & Value
Review assessed values and historical assessment information
- Land assessed value
- Improvement value
- Total assessed value
- Assessment year
- Value history
- Proposition 13 assessment information
Tax & Exemptions
Access available taxation and exemption details
- Annual property taxes
- Tax rate area
- Assessment roll year
- Available exemptions
- Tax payment information
- Assessment-related notices
Classification & Records
Understand how the property is classified and recorded
- Property use type
- Land use classification
- Residential or commercial designation
- Sales history
- Public ownership records
- Assessment record references
Communities Served in San Mateo County
San Mateo County includes a diverse mix of incorporated cities, towns, census-designated places, and unincorporated communities. The property search tool can be used to locate records throughout the county.
Atherton
Belmont
Brisbane
Broadmoor
Burlingame
Colma
Daly City
East Palo Alto
El Granada
Emerald Lake Hills
Foster City
Half Moon Bay
Hillsborough
La Honda
Ladera
Menlo Park
Millbrae
Montara
Moss Beach
North Fair Oaks
Pacifica
Portola Valley
Redwood City
San Bruno
San Carlos
San Mateo
South San Francisco
West Menlo Park
Woodside
Nearby California Counties
San Mateo County shares borders with several neighboring California counties, making regional property research easier for buyers, investors, and real estate professionals.
San Mateo County Property & County Information
| Property & County Information | San Mateo County Details |
|---|---|
| County | San Mateo County |
| State | California (CA) |
| County Seat | Redwood City |
| Incorporated Cities | 20 Cities |
| Population | Approximately 737,000 Residents |
| Property Records | Publicly Available Through Official County Records |
| Median Home Value | Approximately $1.98 Million |
| Property Tax Information | Based on California Proposition 13 Assessment System |
| Assessment System | Annual County Assessor Assessment Roll |
| Primary Property Types | Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Agricultural & Vacant Land |
| Major Property Uses | Residential Housing, Commercial Business, Mixed-Use Development & Public Facilities |
| School Districts | Multiple Public and Unified School Districts Throughout the County |
| Time Zone | Pacific Time (PT) |
| Flood Zone Information | Available Through FEMA Flood Map Service |
| Property Search Options | Owner Name, Property Address, APN, ZIP Code, City & Advanced Search |
| Property Records Available | Ownership, Assessed Values, Sales History, Tax Information, Parcel Details & GIS Maps |
| Official Assessor | Mark Church |
| Official Records Source | San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections |
| GIS & Parcel Maps | Available Through Official San Mateo County GIS Services |
| County Property Feature | High-value Silicon Valley and Peninsula real estate market supported by comprehensive digital parcel records |
FAQ's
How can I search property records in San Mateo County, California?
You can search San Mateo County property records using an owner’s name, property address, Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN), ZIP Code, city, or advanced search filters. These search options help you locate public information such as ownership details, assessed values, tax records, parcel data, building characteristics, and sales history. Using multiple search methods can also improve accuracy when researching a specific property.
Can I find a property owner by address in San Mateo County?
Yes. If you have a property address, you can use the San Mateo County Property Search tool to locate available public ownership information. Results may include the current owner, parcel number, assessed value, land characteristics, tax details, sales history, and other publicly available property records maintained through county assessment and recording systems.
What is an APN, and why should I use it for a property search?
An Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) is a unique identifier assigned to each parcel of real estate. Searching by APN is usually the most precise method because every parcel has its own identification number. This allows you to quickly retrieve the correct property record without confusion caused by similar addresses or owner names.
What property information can I view using the San Mateo County Property Checker?
Depending on the available public records, you may access ownership information, parcel boundaries, assessed land and improvement values, tax rate areas, sales history, legal descriptions, building characteristics, lot size, property classification, GIS mapping references, and other assessment-related information useful for buyers, homeowners, investors, and researchers.
Does the San Mateo County Property Search tool provide property tax information?
Yes. Property tax information is available for many parcels and may include assessed values, tax rate areas, annual tax assessments, exemption information, and other publicly available tax-related records. While the tool helps you review assessment data, official tax billing and payment information remains available through the appropriate county offices.
Is the San Mateo County Property Search tool free to use?
Yes. California Property Checker is designed to make it easier to search publicly available San Mateo County property records. Users can search by several methods without needing extensive property research experience, making it a convenient resource for homeowners, buyers, real estate professionals, and anyone researching California properties.
How often are San Mateo County property records updated?
Property records are updated whenever new public information becomes available through county assessment and recording processes. Updates may occur after ownership transfers, new construction, parcel changes, recorded documents, reassessments, or other official actions. The timing of individual record updates depends on when information is processed by the responsible county offices.
Can I research investment properties in San Mateo County using this tool?
Absolutely. Investors can compare assessed values, ownership history, parcel characteristics, property classifications, tax information, and neighborhood locations before evaluating investment opportunities. Combining searches by city, ZIP Code, or APN can also help identify comparable properties and support market research across different communities within the county.
Can I search commercial and vacant land records in San Mateo County?
Yes. The property search tool is not limited to residential real estate. Depending on the available public records, users can also research commercial buildings, industrial properties, mixed-use developments, vacant land, agricultural parcels, and other property types located throughout San Mateo County.
Why should I use California Property Checker instead of searching multiple county databases?
California Property Checker provides a streamlined search experience that allows you to locate San Mateo County property records using several search methods from one place. Instead of navigating multiple public record resources, you can quickly search by owner name, address, APN, city, or ZIP Code to access publicly available property information more efficiently while saving valuable research time.