Hillsborough

The Top 5 Reasons to Live in Hillsborough

1. BIGGER PROPERTIES

Space is hard to come by on the Peninsula. Most homeowners are lucky to get a small or medium-sized backyard and have little room to grow beyond that. Hillsborough residents are lucky to live in the exception to the rule. According to local Realtors, most houses are

built on larger plots and have a minimum of 1/3-1/2 acre of land. The extra space means more play room for the kids and more opportunities to garden.

2. OUTSTANDING SCHOOLS

Hillsborough is renowned for its excellent school system, which educates children in kindergarten-8th grade. Studies conducted indicate that virtually 100% of their students

graduate from high school and are expected to graduate from college. All Hillsborough Schools have been cited as California Distinguished Schools and Crocker School

has been named one of the best schools in the world by the

Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering Sciences.

3. EASY TO-WORK-WITH BUILDING CODES

In some towns, building an addition to a home can be a nightmare. It can take months to get the proper permits and get plans approved through the appropriate channels.

The Hillsborough Building and Planning Departments work together to make sure the process is well-defined, clear and easy to work with.

4. RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT

Hillsborough is solely a residential neighborhood. There are no businesses in the Town and no plans for future business growth. The result: a community with focus and a

commitment to ensuring its residents get the best service possible. This gives Hillsborough a small-town feel and helps relieve the pressures of balancing economic and residential development. It also means less traffic congestion, parking problems and noise issues associated with business areas.

5. UNIQUE HOME DESIGN

For people looking to express their individuality, Hillsborough is a great place to live. Each home in the Town is uniquely designed and has its own personality. There

are no tract homes or cookie cutter properties. The diversity in design distinguishes Hillsborough from other Peninsula cities and provides an escape from the homogeneity of most suburban neighborhoods.

Hillsborough: The Peninsulaÿs Most Charming Town

Hillsborough seems like an idyllic place tolive from the get go. Passerbyÿs love the striking trees and greenery that line the streets. Homes are all single-family units and are uniquely built in different styles as well as with varying amenities.

Each house is built on a large plot of land, at minimum 1/3-1/2 acre. ´Hillsborough is a beautiful place to live,¡ said Mayor Thomas Kasten. ´We have a great park-like setting and quiet atmosphere that makes for a very nice environment.¡

What homebuyers wonÿt find here: tract homes, small yards and overdeveloped plots of land. Hillsborough defies suburban clichés and exudes an aura of charm and luxury.

The Town of Hillsborough is a residential community located on the Peninsula, almost exactly halfway between San Jose and San Francisco. Unlike many other Peninsula cities, Hillsborough prides itself on being an exclusive

residential community with only single-family, uniquely designed homes. Mayor Kasten boasts about its ´rustic character with rural charm-the hallmark of our Town.¡

Hills, flatlands and other interesting geographical

landscape gives the Town an interesting topography that offers something for everyone. Homebuyers are likely to find what they are looking for, be it a home on the hills with a view of the Bay or a house closer to the freeway for

easier commuting.

Because it is solely a residential community, homeowners benefit from the amenities of a small town while being in close proximity to shopping and commercial districts in neighboring

Burlingame and San Mateo. ´We have the best of all worlds-people can enjoy the commerce and services available in nearby cities and come home to a quiet town,¡ said Mayor Kasten. The lack of commerce means than Hillsborough has fewer of the problems that arise in

live/work communities. The extra traffic, parking problems and noise common to commercial areas have yet to plague the Town.

Hillsborough is a safe community and offers residents some of the best amenities possible. ´Many people are surprised to hear that 11,000 people live in Hillsborough because the Town offers all the amenities (fire, police, and public works) available at any large city,¡ said Mayor

Kasten. ´We have a team of dedicated employees

who serve the town exceptionally well.¡ ´The amenities are excellent,¡ said Hillsborough residents and Realtors Lizette and Collette dÿAlmeida. ´Our Fire and Police departments

respond within seconds.¡

Another benefit of a well-managed town...easier and more organized processes for adding to or modifying homes. According to local Realtors, Hillsborough has a well-defined

and easy-to-work-with process for remodeling. ´The commission works closely with home owners to make the remodeling process easier,¡ said Lizette dÿAlmeida.

Dÿ Almeida is a member of the San Mateo County Association of Realtors (SAMCAR), a professional trade organization that organizes Realtors on the Peninsula. The Association provides members with opportunities for community involvement and access to a network

of professional resources and business contacts.

Realtors must abide by a strict code of ethics

and participate in additional training above and

beyond state real estate license requirements.

Many families choose to move to Hillsborough because of the excellent school system catering to children in grades K-8. ´One of our most important community values is education,¡ said Mayor Kasten. ´We have a fabulous school system with outstanding schools, all of which have won awards.¡ In fact, every Hillsborough School has been cited as a California Distinguished School. Crocker School was even named one of the best schools in the world by the Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering Sciences.

These qualities and more make Hillsborough a highly desirable place in which to live. Residents who move here rarely move away unless they are transferred to another city or are looking to downsize their homes. Realtor Stanley

Lo has lived in Hillsborough for more than 40 years ´I have lived here since 1975, I raised my family here and have worked here since then. It is my roots.¡

The drawback to living in such a perfect

town: extreme home prices. Fixer-uppers start at $1.75 million and the median price of homes is around $2.3 million. Many people canÿt afford to even think about living in Hillsborough, which in the end, makes it a very elite community.

All in all, residents love the small-town feel and thrive from the close-knit neighborhood. ´If you could design the ideal place to live with all the amenities imaginable available close by but that retains that quiet town feel, you would

build Hillsborough,¡ said Kasten.