Los Altos, “The Heights” in Spanish, home to soaring redwoods and previously an agricultural town with many summer cottages and apricot orchards, Los Altos is now an affluent commuter town in Silicon Valley. Now grown into one of the most desired cities to live in within the bay area. Home to over 30,000 residents, this charming city, located at the southern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, extends to about seven square miles. A suburb rich in culture, many Silicon Valley workers are proud to call this city home. Its cozy downtown bustles with offices and shopping areas, while Foothill Expressway and El Camino Real are easily accessible. The neighborhoods of Los Altos are divided into North Los Altos, South of El Monte, Country Club, and the Highlands/Woodland Acres. Extensive biking and walking trails exist throughout the city and connect to neighboring cities.

Los Altos has commercial zones, strictly limited to the downtown area, as well as small shopping and office parks lining Foothill Expressway and El Camino Real. Los Altos is crossed by three creeks that flow north to San Francisco Bay, Adobe Creek on its western boundary, Stevens Creek on its eastern boundary and Permanente Creek in the middle. Hale Creek is tributary to Permanente Creek, and Permanente Creek is now largely diverted to Stevens Creek by a diversion channel. All three creeks originate on the flanks of Black Mountain.

Los Altos strives to maintain a semi-rural atmosphere. Los Altos has few sidewalks except in commercial zones and along arterial roads. Minimum lot size for most residential housing is one-quarter of an acre. Most roads have broad dirt shoulders and little or no street lighting. The civic center sits in the middle of an orchard, a remnant of those that once covered the area. The downtown is a triangle with arterials and collector streets on all sides that enable most through traffic to bypass Main Street.

Take a look below at the # of single family homes sold in Los Altos & Los Altos Hills and the Average sales price for the past 5 years!