Los Altos · Santa Clara County

Highlands-Carmel

Highlands-Carmel sits in the southern part of Los Altos, with larger lots (often 12,000 square feet and up) and elevated views in some pockets.

Median Sale
$4,575,000
March 2026 · 26 closings

Highlands-Carmel Real Estate Market Snapshot

Median Sale Price
$4,575,000
-5.7% vs prior-year median
Avg. Days on Market
13
% List Price Received
106%
Homes Sold (March 2026)
26
Median price trend
2025 · $4,850,000 March 2026 · $4,575,000
List-price received
106%
90%100%120%+

As of March 2026 · Source: SCCAOR/MLSListings

Living in Highlands-Carmel

Highlands-Carmel sits on the south side of Los Altos, generally south of El Monte Avenue and reaching toward the Foothill Expressway corridor. Compared with central Los Altos, lots tend to run larger, with many parcels at 12,000 square feet and above and a meaningful share of half-acre and larger holdings. Architecture is a mix of mid-century ranch, post-and-beam, and a growing share of substantial new builds and major remodels on consolidated lots. The streetscape skews quieter than the downtown grid, with mature trees and gentle elevation in the southern pockets producing limited Bay or hillside views on a subset of parcels.

Daily life is anchored by quick access to Foothill Expressway, the Rancho Shopping Center cluster on Springer Road, and the trail network at Rancho San Antonio County Park immediately south of the city. The neighborhood offers a softer pace than central Los Altos, while remaining inside the city limits and the Los Altos School District feeder pattern (Los Altos School District). Buyers who want larger lots, more privacy, and proximity to the Foothills frequently start their Los Altos search here before broadening to Old Los Altos or Country Club.

Schools

Highlands-Carmel addresses sit inside the Los Altos School District (K-8), with high school students attending the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District (Los Altos High School or Mountain View High School). A subset of southern parcels can fall inside Cupertino Union or feed pattern variations, so buyers should confirm the current attendance area for any specific address with the district before writing an offer (Los Altos School District; Mountain View-Los Altos UHSD). Boundaries can shift between enrollment cycles, particularly along the Foothill Expressway corridor.

Lifestyle

Rancho San Antonio County Park sits immediately south of the neighborhood, offering one of the most extensive trail networks on the mid-Peninsula. The Rancho Shopping Center cluster on Springer Road provides everyday retail, with deeper amenities in downtown Los Altos a short drive north. The pattern of larger lots through Highlands-Carmel supports private outdoor space, mature canopy, and pool siting that the smaller parcels in central Los Altos rarely accommodate (City of Los Altos).

Commute

Foothill Expressway runs along the neighborhood's eastern edge, providing direct access to Interstate 280 via El Monte Avenue and Page Mill Road, and a clear path north toward Stanford Research Park and central Palo Alto. US-101 sits roughly 12 to 18 minutes east via San Antonio Road or El Camino Real. The San Antonio Caltrain station in Mountain View is the closest commuter rail option for north-Peninsula trips. Highlands-Carmel's southern position trades a few minutes of distance from downtown Los Altos for materially easier 280 and Foothill Expressway access.

Market

The Highlands-Carmel Market Right Now

Highlands-Carmel transacts inside the broader Los Altos single-family market, which closed 283 home sales in 2025 at a median price of $4,850,000 and average days on market of 15, with the average sale closing at 107 percent of list price (SCCAOR/MLSListings, 2025 annual). March 2026 closed 26 single-family sales citywide at a median of $4,575,000 and 106 percent of list, with average days on market of 13 and median price-per-square-foot of $2,076 (SCCAOR/MLSListings, 2026-03). Highlands-Carmel's larger-lot pattern positions much of its inventory above the citywide median when the home itself has been substantially remodeled or rebuilt; older one-story ranches on big lots commonly trade as land-and-structure plays underwriting future expansion (South Bay pricing model).
Transactions

What Buyers and Sellers Should Know About Highlands-Carmel

Highlands-Carmel parcels follow Los Altos's R1-10 Single-Family District rules under Municipal Code Chapter 14.06, which sets a 10,000 square foot minimum lot size in most residential areas, with several R-1 sub-districts carrying larger minimums in specific pockets (City of Los Altos Municipal Code Chapter 14.06). Many Highlands-Carmel lots already exceed those minimums, which can support second-unit, ADU, and pool siting that tighter parcels cannot accommodate. The city's tree preservation ordinance protects designated species and street trees, and many properties carry one or more protected specimens whose root protection zones constrain footprint and driveway placement during a remodel (City of Los Altos). New construction, second-story additions, and substantial remodels are subject to the city's Design Review process for compatibility with neighborhood character (City of Los Altos Design Review Commission). Santa Clara County's base documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of consideration applies at recording; Los Altos does not impose an additional municipal transfer tax (Santa Clara County Assessor).
Field Notes

Market Notes by Lisa M. Lum

Recent transactions in Highlands-Carmel suggest two distinct buyer profiles: families targeting larger lots and the southern Los Altos feeder pattern, and buyers underwriting substantial remodels or new construction on consolidated parcels. The 106 percent list-to-sale ratio recorded citywide in March 2026 indicates that well-prepared listings continue to clear competitive offers, and Highlands-Carmel's lot pattern supports the kind of expansion and pool projects that tighter Old Los Altos parcels rarely accommodate. Days on market in the low-teens point to rapid price discovery on properly priced inventory.

Updated 2026-05-05

Frequently Asked Questions about Highlands-Carmel

Where is Highlands-Carmel within Los Altos?
Highlands-Carmel sits on the south side of Los Altos, generally south of El Monte Avenue and extending toward Foothill Expressway and the Rancho San Antonio County Park edge. The neighborhood blends into the southern Los Altos foothill zone and shares a boundary feel with the Country Club and Loyola pockets.
Are lots in Highlands-Carmel typically larger than central Los Altos?
Yes. Many Highlands-Carmel parcels run 12,000 square feet and above, with a meaningful share of half-acre and larger holdings. Central Los Altos lots more commonly cluster near the city's 10,000 square foot R1-10 minimum under Municipal Code Chapter 14.06 (City of Los Altos).
What schools serve Highlands-Carmel?
Most addresses feed the Los Altos School District for K-8 and the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District for high school. A subset of southern parcels can fall inside Cupertino Union or alternate feeder patterns, so verify the current attendance area for any specific address with the district.
Does Highlands-Carmel have its own HOA or design rules beyond Los Altos's?
Highlands-Carmel does not operate as a single HOA. The neighborhood follows Los Altos's citywide Design Review process for new construction, second-story additions, and substantial remodels, plus the tree preservation ordinance for protected species and street trees (City of Los Altos).
What is the transfer tax in Highlands-Carmel, 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 Highlands-Carmel with escrow.
What disclosures are required when selling a home in Highlands-Carmel?
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 Highlands-Carmel?
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 Highlands-Carmel home pricing.

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