Corte Madera Real Estate

Located in the Heart of Marin County

Ideal for families, commuters, and lovers of the outdoors, Corte Madera is centrally located in Marin County, stretching from bayside to the hills of Mt. Tamalpais. Corte Madera in Spanish means “cut wood” and, like other towns in Marin County, Corte Madera supplied lumber to build San Francisco. Real estate has been booming over the last few years as people discover the unique location and the excellent schools. Homes in town, along with those in Larkspur and Greenbrae, are much sought after because of their convenient Central Marin locations. 

Lifestyle Tour of Corte Madera

Great for Commuting to San Francisco

With an average commute of 33 minutes, Corte Madera is ideal for commuters, with several convenient options. The town is 8 miles (about a 10-minute drive) north of the Golden Gate Bridge, with easy access to San Francisco. Coming home, the Corte Madera freeway exit is typically right before the heavy afternoon traffic going north. Corte Madera commuters are also close to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge providing access to the East Bay and Oakland.

Driving isn’t the only option. Commuters are a few minutes from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal just north of town. Other options are ferry, bus, and local train.

Transit Agencies and Schedules

• Local bus transportation via Marin Transit
• San Francisco commute buses via Golden Gate Transit
• Ferry to San Francisco via Golden Gate Transit
• Train to Sonoma via Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART)

Map of Corte Madera

Corte Madera Real Estate

Property Values

See our market report for the price of homes sold in Corte Madera over the last month and last two years. 

Newest Listings

Least Expensive Homes

Most Expensive Homes

Neighborhoods

Corte Madera is divided by Highway 101 into two parts, west Corte Madera and Bayside (east) Corte Madera.

Lakeside and Chapman Park

As you enter the west side of town, you’ll find older, ranch-style homes, many on beautiful lagoons that are fed from Mt. Tamalpais and the bay via the Corte Madera Creek. A little farther south is Chapman Park, an older neighborhood of California cottages and hillside homes with views of the bay. Chapman Park begins in the flat lands adjacent to Tamalpais Drive, and winds up the hill to meet Camino Alto on its way to Mill Valley. A unique section of Chapman Park at the top of Sausalito St. is Pleasant Valley, with views of Mt. Tamalpais and the bay.

Christmas Tree Hill

Also on the west side of the square is Christmas Tree Hill with narrow winding streets and diverse and interesting homes with bay views. At the top of the hill, trails lead hikers to the open expanse of Mt. Tamalpais and to Mill Valley, Larkspur, and Kentfield. At the base of Christmas Tree Hill the Old Town Square (Menke Park), is on the site of the former train station. A few of the historic buildings surrounding the square are the 19th-century hotel and horse barn.

Marin Estates/Mariner/Mira Vista

These bayside neighborhoods enjoy protected marshlands, the Ring Mountain Nature Preserve, and proximity to the Tiburon peninsula. Most homes were built from the 1950’s through the 1980’s. Many homebuyers appreciate the easy lifestyle in these neighborhoods and have upgraded or rebuilt their houses.

View of East Corte Madera from Ring Mt.

Like most of Marin, these neighborhoods have a mixture of level land and hills. The hillside developments of Mariner Highlands and Marin Estates have many curving, climbing streets with nautical names and often spectacular views of the Bay, the East Bay cities, and Mt. Tamalpais.

Meadowcreek Station and Madera del Presidio

Two bayside housing developments, Meadowcreek Station and Madera del Presidio, were built between 1988-1994, . These provide about 300 properties, including single-family homes, town houses, and condos in a beautiful setting at the edge of Ring Mountain.

Living in Corte Madera

Here are the many elements that make Corte Madera an attractive home to about 10,000 residents.

Community Information

• Town of Corte Madera information
• Corte Madera Chamber of Commerce
• Corte Madera Community Foundation
• Corte Madera Town Band
• Corte Madera History
• Friends of Corte Madera Creek Watershed, supports the maintenance and restoration of the Corte Madera Creek, which enters the Bay at the tidal marsh.

Demographics

• About 9,900 (2015) residents live in in 3,800 housing units. Over 90% of people 25 years or older have a bachelor’s or advanced degree.  Median household income in 2015 was $130,350. The median age is close to 45 years. The population is approximately 80% white, 8% Hispanic, 7% Asian, and 1% African American.
• Cost of living is about twice the national average and 50% higher than the California average.
• The ZIP code is 94925. 

Weather

Corte Madera has long, dry summers, mostly free of the fog found further south in Marin County and San Francisco. Winters are short, cooler, and partly cloudy.  Rain typically occurs from mid-November through March, for about 55 days a year. The temperature varies from about 41°F to 85°F, and relative humidity year round is in the 70-80% range. Overall, the town has mostly mild, sunny days. 

Topography

The hilltops in the area rise to 900 feet in the west and 500 feet on the eastside. A large portion of town is near sea level as it was reclaimed from bay-front marshlands (see the topography map). Lower lying areas are in a potential flood zone, as are similar areas in other Marin County towns. The town has taken many precautions to prevent flooding of homes and neighborhoods. 

Another aerial tour of Corte Madera from mountains to bay

Schools

Corte Madera and neighboring Larkspur share an excellent school district, with two elementary and one middle school:

Neil Cummins Elementary

The Cove Elementary School

Hall Middle School

Transportation

• Local Bus Transit via Marin Transit. Buses 22, 113, and 117 serve Tamalpais Drive and Paradise Drive.  Additional Marin Transit routes serve the stops at the intersection of Tamalpais Drive and Highway 101.
• San Francisco Commute Bus via Golden Gate Transit. Bus 18 travels between the College of Marin in Kentfield, through Larkspur and Corte Madera, to San Francisco. Other Golden Gate Transit Buses serve the stops at the intersection of Tamalpais Drive and Highway 101
• Golden Gate Ferry service travels between the nearby Larkspur Ferry Terminal and the San Francisco Ferry Terminal .

History

Corte Madera originated about 1900 and was incorporated in 1916. Initially a logging center in the last half of the 19th century, the economy turned to real estate development and dairy cows.

The current site of Menke Park was the site of the main train station. The town began building around the station, with a grocery, horse barn, and hotel. Stops on the railroad provided access to parcels of land sold for summer cabins.

Corte Madera Train Station at the present site of the Old Town Square (Menke Park)

The Corte Madera Memories website provides a thorough and entertaining history of the town.

Economy

The economy is centered on two large shopping malls and several car dealerships. One of the larger employers is Restoration Hardware, with two offices in town. There is also a large number of service business.

The sales tax rate is 9.25% and property taxes are approximately 1.25% of the assessed value. 

Walks & Hikes

Walks, hikes, and mountain cycling experiences are close by in the foothills of Mt. Tamalpais, Ring Mountain Nature Preserve, and bayside marshes. 

Christmas Tree Hill

Picnic on Christmas Tree Hill with views of Sausalito and San Francisco

The Menke Park area has stairs wandering up the hill above Corte Madera. These were built by land developers in the early 20th century to lure buyers from the train station to small lots on the hillside. These lots were sold primarily for summer cottages. Stairs climb steadily up the hill to a fire road with fine views of the county and bay, then down again. You can download a map (Christmas Tree Stair Walk). You can see photos at our blog. Note that parts of the walk are steep.

The trails near the top of Christmas Tree Hill connect you to the extensive trail system on Mount Tamalpais where you can roam from Mill Valley, to the ocean, to Fairfax. 

Ring Mountain

Corte Madera and Mt. Tamalpias from Ring Mountain

The Ring Mountain Nature Preserve and the adjacent Tiburon Open Space begins are great places to take in the local scenery. Walkers and runners never tire of the magnificent views of the north bay, the Tiburon Peninsula, and San Francisco. This low mountain ridge is easily accessible and provides relatively level trails. See our blog on favorite walks for photos and more information, including hiking trails.

Specialty Shops

• Book Passage Bookstore is a real neighborhood bookstore with discriminating taste, a large selection of good books, and a constant program of lectures by authors, some famous or about to be famous (including previous Presidents), and classes. Enjoy the classic bookstore café for coffee, wine, lunch, and sweets. On Tamal Vista Blvd, next to the Century Cinema movie theater.
• Nugget Market on Paradise Drive is a high-end grocery store with a large selection of interesting (and sometimes gard-to-find) groceries.
• Peets Coffee and Tea is on the top of our list for coffee and tea lovers. They originated the concept of gourmet coffee shops and are still excellent and innovative. Caution for out-of-area coffee drinkers: they make strong coffee.
• Tamalpais Paint on Paradise Drive carries the best products and provides excellent service. There is no sense in going anywhere else to save a few dollars on a can of paint. They also have a great wallpaper department.

Shopping Malls

Corte Madera is host to two of Marin’s best shopping centers:

• The Village at Corte Madera, on the west of the freeway, provides the Gap, Macy’s, and Nordstrom’s department stores, the Apple Store, Williams-Sonoma, plus a variety of boutiques and restaurants. This is a major shopping destination for all of Marin County. Check their web site for a complete list of stores.
• The Town Center, on the west side of the freeway, boasts a wonderful mix of local businesses, including REI, the Container Store, Crate & Barrel, Lewis Thomas Men’s Ware, and restaurants.

Health Clubs

• Bay Club Marin is a classy, full-featured fitness club and spa. Madeline loves it for swimming, workouts, and volleyball. It’s a good place to relax and to meet people.
• Five Points Fitness in the Paradise Shopping Center, is a place for serious exercise, with a staggering array of machinery and weights, plus many classes.

Hotels

• Corte Madera Inn, a comfortable Best Western Inn next door to the Village Shopping Center. Good swimming pool.
• Marin Suites Hotel An extended stay hotel with kitchens in each suite. Next to the Century Cinema movie theater.

Restaurants

• Blue Barn, in the Town Center, has excellent salads and sandwiches.
• Burmatown is a small restaurant with excellent Burmese and Asian fusion food. Always busy!
• Café Verde, on Tamalpais Dr. is an informal pizzeria/trattoria serving three meals a day. Inside or patio seating.
• The Counter, credible burgers with many choices, at the Town center mall.
• The Cheesecake Factory, in the Town Center mall, is enormously popular and always busy. A good bet for large quantities of respectable food.
• Il Fornaio is a well-appointed Italian Restaurant with a great bar and excellent breads and pastries that you can take home. Part of a small restaurant chain, it was initially known as a pioneer in baking Italian breads. Good salads and pastas. You can expect a charming atmosphere and pleasant experience.
• Pacific Catch has good, honest, and fairly priced seafood with an Asian-American theme. Great sweet potato fries.
• Marin Joe’s Restaurant is a classic 1950’s Joe’s with plastic upholstery, a piano bar, old-time waiters, and constant crowds. Great for grilled meats and fish. It’s fun to sit at the counter and watch the cooking. 
• Pig in a Pickle, in the Town Center mall, serves classic, strongly smoked, Southern barbecue.
• Stefanos Pizzeria is well known all through Marin for very good, thin crust pizza. A few doors away from Madeline Schaider’s real estate office.
• World Wraps, in the Town Center mall, serves a wide range of wraps and rice bowls with themes taken from many countries. Outdoor seating.
• Zinz Wine Bar, on the Old Town Square, is a relaxed, friendly gathering place with daily wine tasting, snacks, and wine sales. The wines are carefully selected from choice, small wineries in California. This place can become a good habit.