Half Moon Bay · San Mateo County

Moss Beach

Moss Beach, north of El Granada along Highway 1, holds single-family homes on lots ranging from urban-scale to multi-acre coastal-bluff properties.

Median Sale
$1,500,000
March 2026 · 5 closings

Moss Beach Real Estate Market Snapshot

Median Sale Price
$1,500,000
-14.3% vs prior-year median
Avg. Days on Market
34
% List Price Received
106%
Months of Inventory
2.8
Homes Sold (March 2026)
5
Median price trend
2025 · $1,750,000 March 2026 · $1,500,000
List-price received
106%
90%100%120%+

As of March 2026 · Source: SAMCAR/MLSListings

Living in Moss Beach

Moss Beach sits on the unincorporated San Mateo Coastside between El Granada and Montara along Highway 1, with single-family homes ranging from compact urban-scale lots in the village grid to multi-acre coastal-bluff parcels above the Pacific. The community is anchored by the James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, a tidepool preserve managed by San Mateo County Parks that draws weekend visitors to its rocky reef. Compared to Half Moon Bay city proper, Moss Beach reads quieter, lower-density, and more remote, with no commercial downtown beyond a handful of long-running restaurants and a post office.

Because Moss Beach is unincorporated, parcels here fall under San Mateo County jurisdiction rather than the City of Half Moon Bay (see the Half Moon Bay overview). Many homes operate on private septic systems regulated by San Mateo County Environmental Health rather than connecting to public sewer, which adds a distinct layer of pre-transfer inspection at the time of sale. The entire Coastside, including Moss Beach, lies within the California Coastal Zone, so most projects require a Coastal Development Permit through the County in addition to standard building review.

Schools

Moss Beach is served by Cabrillo Unified School District (CUSD), which covers approximately 135 square miles of the San Mateo Coastside. Most Moss Beach addresses feed Farallone View Elementary in Montara, then Cunha Intermediate Middle School and Half Moon Bay High School in Half Moon Bay city proper (Cabrillo Unified School District). CUSD also operates Pilarcitos High School as an alternative for grades 10-12 needing a smaller setting. Class sizes across CUSD are smaller than most Peninsula districts, and outdoor and arts programs are strong (CUSD).

Lifestyle

Lifestyle in Moss Beach centers on the James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and the Coastside Trail, which runs north into Montara State Beach and south through El Granada toward Pillar Point Harbor. The Moss Beach Distillery, a Prohibition-era restaurant on the bluffs, is the community's longest-running landmark. Pillar Point Harbor (about five minutes south) provides fishing, whale-watching, and kayaking, and the Mavericks surf break sits just offshore. Hiking and equestrian access into the foothills is available via Rancho Corral de Tierra and Montara Mountain trails.

Commute

Moss Beach sits along Highway 1 about three miles north of Half Moon Bay city limits. The Highway 92 commute over the coastal mountains to I-280 and US-101 typically runs 30 to 40 minutes to mid-Peninsula employers in good weather, but extends significantly during fog, accidents, or weekend visitor traffic to the Coastside. SFO is approximately 25 to 30 minutes north via Highway 1 and Highway 1 / 380. There is no Caltrain station on the Coastside; commuters drive to Hillsdale or Millbrae stations. SamTrans provides limited Coastside bus service.

Market

The Moss Beach Market Right Now

Moss Beach inherits its market context from the broader Half Moon Bay / Coastside single-family resale market, which closed calendar year 2025 at 101 single-family sales, a $1,750,000 median, and an average of $1,937,881 at 99 percent of list and 47 days on market (SAMCAR / MLSListings San Mateo County data). March 2026 came in at a $1,500,000 median across just 5 closings, with average days on market of 34 and a list-to-sale ratio of 106 percent (SAMCAR / MLSListings). Within that aggregate, Moss Beach has historically tracked at or modestly below the Half Moon Bay city median for inland village-grid homes, while blufftop and ocean-view parcels carry premiums of 20 to 50 percent over comparable inland coastside lots due to view, lot size, and septic-versus-sewer differences.
Transactions

What Buyers and Sellers Should Know About Moss Beach

Most Moss Beach parcels lie within the California Coastal Zone, so projects typically require a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) through San Mateo County in addition to standard zoning review (Half Moon Bay Municipal Code Chapter 18.20 governs the equivalent inside city limits). Total documentary transfer tax in unincorporated San Mateo County is $1.10 per $1,000 of consideration (San Mateo County Recorder; parallel HMB Municipal Code Chapter 3.16). Because Moss Beach is largely on private septic rather than the Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside system, sellers must comply with San Mateo County Environmental Health pre-transfer septic inspection requirements at title transfer. Critical NHD disclosures include FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas, coastal erosion and bluff retreat zones, tsunami inundation zones along the shoreline, Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone, and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Sellers of blufftop parcels should also disclose any prior CDP conditions and any public access easements (Half Moon Bay Municipal Code Chapter 18.38).
Field Notes

Market Notes by Lisa M. Lum

Recent transactions in Moss Beach have shown a clear split between the village grid and the blufftop segment. Inland Moss Beach homes priced in line with the broader Half Moon Bay annual median continue to draw multiple offers within 30 to 45 days of listing, while blufftop and ocean-view parcels above $2.5 million carry longer marketing windows of 60 to 90 days. Lisa M. Lum has observed that buyers who underwrite Moss Beach correctly factor in septic inspection, CDP timelines, and coastal-erosion disclosures rather than treating the property like a Bay Side comparable.

Updated 2026-05-06

Frequently Asked Questions about Moss Beach

Is Moss Beach part of Half Moon Bay?
Moss Beach is an unincorporated community on the San Mateo Coastside, not within Half Moon Bay city limits. It is governed by San Mateo County rather than the City of Half Moon Bay, but it shares the Cabrillo Unified School District and the broader Coastside market with Half Moon Bay, El Granada, Miramar, and Montara.
Does Moss Beach use public sewer or private septic?
Most Moss Beach parcels are on private septic systems regulated by San Mateo County Environmental Health rather than the Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM). Sellers must follow County and California state pre-transfer septic inspection requirements at title transfer, which adds time and conditions not present on most Half Moon Bay city sewer-served parcels.
Does Moss Beach require a Coastal Development Permit for remodels?
Most projects in Moss Beach require a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) through San Mateo County because the community sits within the California Coastal Zone. Even interior work can trigger review if it expands building footprint or alters view corridors, and blufftop parcels face additional erosion-zone conditions.
What schools serve Moss Beach?
Moss Beach is served by Cabrillo Unified School District. Most addresses feed Farallone View Elementary in Montara, Cunha Intermediate Middle School in Half Moon Bay, and Half Moon Bay High School. CUSD also operates Pilarcitos High School as an alternative for grades 10 through 12.
How does Moss Beach compare to Half Moon Bay city proper for buyers?
Moss Beach is lower-density, more remote, and largely septic-served, with no commercial downtown of its own. It typically prices at or modestly below the Half Moon Bay city median for inland homes, while blufftop parcels can carry significant premiums. Buyers trade walkable downtown access for quieter streets and direct access to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.
What is the transfer tax in Moss Beach, San Mateo County?
San Mateo County charges a base transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of consideration, paid by the seller at close. Some cities add a local supplemental tax. Moss Beach does not impose an additional municipal transfer tax beyond the county base.
Does Moss Beach require a sewer lateral inspection at sale?
Several San Mateo County jurisdictions require a private sewer lateral compliance certificate before close of escrow. The requirement varies by city — confirm with your transaction coordinator early in the listing process.
What disclosures are required when selling a home in Moss Beach?
California requires Transfer Disclosure Statement, Natural Hazard Disclosure, lead-based paint (pre-1978), water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and smoke and carbon monoxide alarm certifications. San Mateo County properties may also require sewer lateral compliance and local supplemental disclosures.
What is the difference between median and average home price in Moss Beach?
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 Moss Beach home pricing.

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