Foster City · San Mateo County

The Islands of Foster City

The Islands of Foster City is a 174-unit condominium and townhome complex along the central lagoon, in a low-traffic area off Beach Park Boulevard.

Median Sale
$2,247,713
March 2026 · 10 closings

The Islands of Foster City Real Estate Market Snapshot

Median Sale Price
$2,247,713
+2.2% vs prior-year median
Avg. Days on Market
20
% List Price Received
106%
Months of Inventory
0.8
Homes Sold (March 2026)
10
Median price trend
2025 · $2,200,000 March 2026 · $2,247,713
List-price received
106%
90%100%120%+

As of March 2026 · Source: SAMCAR/MLSListings

Living in The Islands of Foster City

The Islands of Foster City is a 174-unit condominium and townhome association arranged along the central lagoon off Beach Park Boulevard, set back from the city's main retail corridors and freeway frontage. The pocket reads quieter than the surrounding Beach Park and Marina Point developments because most of its drives terminate at the water rather than through-streets, and a single clubhouse with pool sits at the center of the site rather than fronting a public road. Buyers come to The Islands specifically for the lagoon-edge orientation and HOA-managed exterior maintenance package that distinguishes it from the broader Foster City overview.

Unit mix is consistent: two- and three-bedroom flats and townhomes built between the late 1970s and early 1980s, with mature landscaping that has filled in over four decades. Many units carry direct lagoon frontage or partial water views, and the association controls the dock and shoreline path. Like most Foster City planned-unit developments, single-family detached homes are not part of this community; mandatory HOA membership applies to every parcel and dues fund exterior maintenance, common-area landscaping, the clubhouse, the pool, and reserves for siding, roofing, and lagoon bulkhead work.

Schools

Addresses within The Islands fall inside the San Mateo-Foster City School District (SMFCSD) attendance area for K-8, with Audubon, Beach Park, Brewer Island, and Foster City Elementary the most commonly assigned elementary schools depending on the specific unit address, plus Bowditch Middle School for grades 6-8 (San Mateo-Foster City School District). High school students attend San Mateo Union High School District, with San Mateo High School and Aragon High School serving most Foster City addresses. Buyers should confirm both K-8 attendance area and high school assignment at the unit level before writing offers, since the district is open-enrollment within boundaries subject to space.

Lifestyle

The community's defining amenity is direct frontage on the central lagoon, which connects to Foster City's 7 miles of interconnected waterways used for sailing, kayaking, and paddle-boarding. Residents can walk to the Boat Park and Leo J. Ryan Park lagoon access points and to the Bay Trail for paved bike-and-pedestrian access along the eastern bay edge. The on-site clubhouse and pool are limited to residents and guests, and the site's interior drives keep through-traffic minimal. Charter Square shopping center on Shell Boulevard, the closest daily-needs retail node, is roughly a five-minute drive.

Commute

The Islands sits east of US-101 and just south of the Highway 92 (San Mateo-Hayward Bridge) interchange, putting the East Bay, mid-Peninsula, and SFO within a 12-to-25-minute window outside of peak congestion. Visa's Foster City headquarters is within the city; Oracle and Electronic Arts in Redwood Shores are roughly 10 minutes south, and Genentech in South San Francisco is roughly 15 minutes north. Hillsdale and Hayward Park Caltrain stations in San Mateo are 8 to 10 minutes by car, and SamTrans bus service runs along Beach Park Boulevard and East Hillsdale Boulevard.

Market

The The Islands of Foster City Market Right Now

The Islands sits in the condominium and townhome segment of Foster City, which is structurally distinct from the city's tracked single-family resale dataset. Foster City's March 2026 single-family median was $2,247,713 across 10 closings, with the calendar-year 2025 median at $2,200,000 across 103 sales (SAMCAR/MLSListings San Mateo County data). The condo and townhome market in Foster City typically transacts in the $800,000 to $1.4 million range depending on size and lagoon proximity, and lagoon-fronting units in The Islands generally price toward the upper half of that band given the pocket's central waterway position. Buyers should expect to pay a premium for direct lagoon frontage relative to interior-facing units within the same association, and competition for turnkey two-bedroom flats remains steady given limited inventory across the city's planned-unit developments.
Transactions

What Buyers and Sellers Should Know About The Islands of Foster City

Several public-records facts shape transactions in The Islands. Foster City is a general law city: total documentary transfer tax remains $1.10 per $1,000 of consideration, split equally between city and county, after the City Council voted on August 25, 2025 NOT to pursue a charter or transfer-tax ballot measure (San Mateo County Association of REALTORS). Foster City has no city-specific point-of-sale sewer lateral compliance ordinance; the Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID) operates the sanitary sewer collection system and owners are responsible for the upper lateral from the unit to the property line (Foster City Public Works). Mandatory HOA membership applies to every parcel; SB 326 requires the association to complete structural inspections of balconies, elevated walkways, and load-bearing components, and buyers should request the association's most recent inspection report, reserve study, and any open special-assessment notices during due diligence. Lagoon-fronting units carry Waterfront Setback Policy (P-92-2001) view-protection restrictions recorded against the property (see 2025 HOA and condo law changes).
Field Notes

Market Notes by Lisa M. Lum

Recent transactions Lisa M. Lum has reviewed in The Islands suggest that lagoon-fronting two- and three-bedroom units in turnkey condition continue to attract multiple offers within the first two weeks on market, while interior-facing units sell closer to list with longer marketing periods. Buyers comparing The Islands to Marina Point or Whalers Island should weigh HOA dues, reserve health, and any active SB 326 balcony repair programs alongside unit condition, since assessment exposure can vary materially between Foster City associations of similar vintage.

Updated 2026-05-06

Frequently Asked Questions about The Islands of Foster City

How big is The Islands of Foster City and when was it built?
The Islands of Foster City is a 174-unit condominium and townhome association arranged along the central lagoon off Beach Park Boulevard. Most of the buildings were constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s as part of Foster City's planned-unit development era, consistent with the city's broader 1965-2010 build-out window.
What does the HOA at The Islands typically cover?
Mandatory HOA membership applies to every unit and dues typically cover exterior maintenance, common-area landscaping, the clubhouse, the pool, and reserves for siding, roofing, and lagoon bulkhead work. Foster City PUD condo dues commonly run $400 to $900 monthly depending on amenities; buyers should request the current dues schedule, reserve study, and assessment history.
Are units at The Islands subject to SB 326 balcony inspections?
Yes. SB 326 requires every California condominium association to complete structural inspections of balconies, elevated walkways, and load-bearing components on a recurring schedule. Buyers should request the association's most recent SB 326 inspection report, any deficiency findings, and any related repair or special-assessment plans before removing contingencies.
Do lagoon-fronting units at The Islands carry view-protection restrictions?
Yes. Foster City's Waterfront Setback Policy P-92-2001 imposes additional setbacks and special fence, wall, and hedge standards on R-1 lagoon-fronting parcels, and those restrictions are recorded against the property. Sellers of lagoon-fronting units should disclose these restrictions, and buyers should review the association's CC&Rs alongside the city policy.
Which schools serve The Islands of Foster City?
Addresses within The Islands fall inside the San Mateo-Foster City School District for K-8, with Audubon, Beach Park, Brewer Island, or Foster City Elementary commonly assigned depending on the specific unit, plus Bowditch Middle. High school students attend San Mateo Union High School District, with San Mateo HS or Aragon HS most common. Confirm assignment at the unit level.
What is the transfer tax in The Islands of Foster City, 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. The Islands of Foster City does not impose an additional municipal transfer tax beyond the county base.
Does The Islands of Foster City 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 The Islands of Foster City?
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 The Islands of Foster City?
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 The Islands of Foster City home pricing.

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