Los Gatos · Santa Clara County Historic district

Almond Grove Historic District

Almond Grove is a Town-designated historic district in downtown Los Gatos, with Victorian, Craftsman, and early 20th-century homes on tree-lined streets within walking distance of Main Street.

Median Sale
$2,500,000
March 2026 · 31 closings

Almond Grove Historic District Real Estate Market Snapshot

Median Sale Price
$2,500,000
-17.9% vs prior-year median
Avg. Days on Market
44
% List Price Received
105%
Homes Sold (March 2026)
31
Median price trend
2025 · $3,045,000 March 2026 · $2,500,000
List-price received
105%
90%100%120%+

As of March 2026 · Source: SCCAOR/MLSListings

Living in Almond Grove Historic District

Almond Grove is one of four formally designated historic districts in the Town of Los Gatos, and it sits directly west of the Main Street and North Santa Cruz Avenue commercial core. The grid of Bachman, Tait, Massol, Bayview, and Broadway holds Victorian, Queen Anne, Craftsman bungalow, and early 20th-century vernacular homes on tree-lined streets, most on small downtown-scaled lots that predate modern subdivision standards. Exterior alterations and additions on properties within the district route through the Town's Historic Preservation Committee in addition to standard Architectural and Site Approval review (Town of Los Gatos Historic Districts).

What sets Almond Grove apart from the rest of Los Gatos is the combination of historic-district overlay and walking-distance access to downtown amenities. Most of the neighborhood sits within a five-to-ten minute walk of restaurants, wine bars, and the Los Gatos Creek Trail. The pocket trades larger lots and modern building envelopes for character, walkability, and proximity to the historic commercial fabric of the original 1887 town site (Town of Los Gatos government overview).

Schools

Almond Grove addresses are served K-8 by Los Gatos Union School District (LGUSD), with most of the district falling within the Van Meter Elementary and Fisher Middle School attendance areas; high school students attend Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District (LGUSD; LGSUHSD). Buyers should confirm K-8 attendance area at the address level, as LGUSD elementary boundaries can shift across blocks within downtown.

Lifestyle

Almond Grove's defining lifestyle feature is walkability to downtown Los Gatos. Main Street and North Santa Cruz Avenue restaurants, wine bars, boutiques, and the Sunday farmers market are typically a five-to-ten minute walk. Oak Meadow Park, Vasona Lake County Park, and the Los Gatos Creek Trail trailhead at Forbes Mill are within roughly one mile, providing paved bike-and-pedestrian access south through the foothills.

Commute

Almond Grove's downtown adjacency means Highway 17 and Highway 85 are reachable within roughly five minutes via Highway 9 or Los Gatos Boulevard. Apple, Google, and LinkedIn campuses in Cupertino and Sunnyvale fall within a 15-to-25 minute drive via Highway 85. Los Gatos has no Caltrain station; commuters typically drive to Diridon or Sunnyvale stations, or use Highway 17 north to interface with Caltrain or VTA Light Rail in San Jose.

Market

The Almond Grove Historic District Market Right Now

Almond Grove's small footprint and historic-district overlay produce thinner, lumpier transaction flow than the Los Gatos market overall. Parent-city numbers anchor expectations: the March 2026 Los Gatos single-family median was $2,500,000 across 31 closings at 105 percent of list and 44 average days on market, against a 2025 annual median of $3,045,000 across 305 sales at 101 percent of list (SCCAOR/MLSListings). Almond Grove homes typically trade in the upper half of that band on a per-square-foot basis because of downtown walkability, with the per-square-foot premium offsetting smaller lot sizes. Buyers should expect competitive bidding on turnkey historic homes in walking distance of Main Street, with overbid premiums in line with the parent-city flatland pattern (see Silicon Valley March 2026 market report). Inventory is structurally limited because the district covers only a few blocks; sellers of well-restored Victorian or Craftsman properties tend to set the comparable, while deferred-maintenance homes carry longer marketing windows as buyers price in HPC review timelines.
Almond Grove is one of four Town-designated historic districts in Los Gatos, with exterior alterations routed through the Historic Preservation Committee. — Almond Grove Historic District public records
Transactions

What Buyers and Sellers Should Know About Almond Grove Historic District

Almond Grove transactions inherit Los Gatos public records and add a layer of historic-district review. The Town's Architectural and Site Approval process routes Almond Grove exterior alterations through the Historic Preservation Committee in addition to standard review (Town of Los Gatos Hillside Development Standards & Guidelines / Development Review Application Package). The Tree Protection Ordinance under Town Code Chapter 29 Article I Division 2 applies in full: removal of any protected tree at 12-inch diameter or larger requires a permit at $250 for the first tree plus $125 per additional tree, with replacement plantings required (Town of Los Gatos Private Trees). The district is served by West Valley Sanitation District; Los Gatos has no point-of-sale sewer lateral compliance ordinance, though property owners remain responsible for the upper lateral from the home to the property-line cleanout (West Valley Sanitation District). Total documentary transfer tax is $1.10 per $1,000 of consideration split equally between the Town and Santa Clara County, with no city-specific surcharge in Los Gatos. Disclosures should reference historic-district status on the SPQ alongside any prior Architectural and Site Approval conditions, per SCCAOR local-disclosure guidance.
Field Notes

Market Notes by Lisa M. Lum

Recent Almond Grove activity Lisa M. Lum has reviewed shows turnkey restored Victorian and Craftsman homes drawing multiple offers within two to three weeks of listing, with overbid premiums in line with the broader downtown Los Gatos flatland pattern. Properties requiring exterior work or addition entitlements through the Historic Preservation Committee tend to sit longer as buyers underwrite review timelines and contractor familiarity with district guidelines. Sellers preparing Almond Grove listings benefit from compiling prior A&S approvals and documenting any HPC-reviewed work for the disclosure package.

Updated 2026-05-06

Frequently Asked Questions about Almond Grove Historic District

Is Almond Grove a designated historic district?
Yes. Almond Grove is one of four Town-designated historic districts in Los Gatos, alongside Broadway, University-Edelen, and Fairview Plaza. Exterior alterations to properties in the district route through the Historic Preservation Committee in addition to standard Architectural and Site Approval review (Town of Los Gatos Historic Districts).
Can I do a major remodel or addition on an Almond Grove home?
Major remodels, additions, and exterior alterations on Almond Grove properties require Historic Preservation Committee review on top of standard Architectural and Site Approval. Owners planning significant changes should consult Town Community Development at the design stage and budget extra time for review and findings under the historic-district guidelines.
Is Mills Act tax abatement available in Almond Grove?
The Town Council voted 3-1 in June 2022 to move forward with a Mills Act program tied to the General Plan update; current adoption status should be verified directly with Town Community Development before relying on Mills Act tax savings when underwriting an Almond Grove purchase (Los Gatan, June 2022).
What school district serves Almond Grove?
Almond Grove is served K-8 by Los Gatos Union School District (LGUSD); high school students attend Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District. Buyers should confirm specific elementary attendance area at the address level.
How does pricing in Almond Grove compare to greater Los Gatos?
Almond Grove inventory tends to be smaller-lot, downtown-walkable historic homes priced within the broader Los Gatos single-family band. The 2025 Los Gatos single-family median was $3,045,000 across 305 sales (SCCAOR/MLSListings); Almond Grove transactions usually trade above the median on a per-square-foot basis given downtown access.
What is the transfer tax in Almond Grove Historic District, Santa Clara County?
Santa Clara County charges a base transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of consideration. The county's largest cities (San Jose, Mountain View, Palo Alto) impose additional municipal transfer taxes — confirm the rate that applies to Almond Grove Historic District with escrow.
What disclosures are required when selling a home in Almond Grove Historic District?
California requires Transfer Disclosure Statement, Natural Hazard Disclosure, lead-based paint (pre-1978), water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and smoke and carbon monoxide alarm certifications. Santa Clara County properties may also need to comply with local supplemental disclosures depending on the city.
What is the difference between median and average home price in Almond Grove Historic District?
Median price is the middle number when all sale prices are sorted — half of homes sold above, half below. It resists distortion from a few very expensive sales. Average price is the arithmetic mean and can be skewed upward by individual high-end transactions. Median is the more reliable indicator of typical Almond Grove Historic District home pricing.

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Last updated 2026-05-06 · By Lisa M. Lum, Realtor® · Coldwell Banker Realty · DRE 02005150