builder filesfile 07 of 18built c. 1960s–1981boyenga team at compass
Brown & Kauffmann homes
Brown & Kauffmann was a Palo Alto development company founded by Samuel H. Kauffmann III. Its best-documented work is Rinconada Hills in Los Gatos: 394 townhouses and 40 single-family homes built from 1968 to 1981. Here’s what the records confirm and what Brown & Kauffmann homes sell for.
- builder
- Brown & Kauffmann
- founder
- Samuel H. Kauffmann III
- based
- Palo Alto
- partner
- Brown (not named in the records we read)
- best documented
- Rinconada Hills, Los Gatos, 1968–1981
- homes there
- 394 townhouses and 40 houses
- listings say
- “Brown & Kauffmann,” “Brown & Kaufman”
- sales on record · live…
- median $/sq ft, last 2 yrs…
- for sale now · live…
- homes at Rinconada Hills434
one we listed
A Rinconada Hills townhome we listed
103 El Porton in Los Gatos is a 2,156 sq ft end-unit townhome in Rinconada Hills, remodeled before we listed it in 2025. The front and the entry court show the community’s design; the rooms show the remodel. Photos from our listing.
where they are
Where the homes are
Two areas have a record naming the builder.
| tract | city | built | homes | streets and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rinconada Hills | Los Gatos | 1968–1981 | 434 | 394 townhouses (1,268 to about 2,400 sq ft) and 40 single-family homes on 107 gated acres, built in five phases. The Rinconada Hills Association runs the pools, lake, tennis courts and clubhouse. |
| Cherryhill West | Sunnyvale | likely 1960s | — | An archive record describes photos of a mid-century ranch home the firm built in this subdivision. Streets and count aren’t on record. |
Listings and a few write-ups also credit Brown & Kauffmann with homes in Palo Alto (Meadowpark, Adobe Meadow) and San Jose. We couldn’t confirm those from primary records, so they aren’t listed here.
how to spot one
What’s on record about the homes
The records describe the community at Rinconada Hills more than the houses themselves.
- rinconada hills
A planned community
Rinconada Hills mixes townhouses and single-family homes on 107 acres, with shared pools, a lake and ponds, tennis courts, a clubhouse and community gardens run by the association.
- rinconada hills
Townhouse sizes
The association lists its townhouses at 1,268 to about 2,400 square feet.
- sunnyvale
Ranch houses
The one archive record from Sunnyvale describes a mid-century ranch home from the 1960s.
- myth check
Eichler-like? Not on record
We found no source describing the houses in enough detail to call them Eichler-like or modern. Judge each house on its own plan.
the sales ledger
The Brown & Kauffmann sales ledger
Every sale on record whose listing names Brown & Kauffmann, in any spelling, or Rinconada Hills, which the firm built. Hover a dot for the address, date and price.
- sales on record…
- median price…
- median $ per sq ft…
- latest sale…
one recorded salemedian for the yearprice per sq ft = sale price ÷ listed living area
| sold | address | price | $/sq ft | bd / ba | sq ft |
|---|
Rinconada Hills sales are included by community name. Sales come from the MLS records available to us and include every sold listing whose description names the builder, so a few homes may be labeled by the listing agent rather than confirmed from tract records. Sold data is shown with the listing brokerage. Price per square foot uses the living area in the listing. Ask us for a full comparable-sales report on any address.
on the market
For sale now
Active listings whose description names Brown & Kauffmann or Rinconada Hills.
Checking active listings…
owning one today
Owning one today
- The associationRinconada Hills homes come with association dues and rules. Ask for the resale packet, budget, reserves and CC&Rs; the association’s page doesn’t say whether the community is a PUD or a condominium.
- Gated accessThe community is gated, with traffic control around the clock, according to the association.
- No historic designation foundWe found no historic designation for any Brown & Kauffmann tract.
the nerd check
Buying or selling one
What we check when you buy
- HOA documents firstAt Rinconada Hills we review the budget, reserves, any special assessments and the rules before you write an offer.
- Which phase?The phases were built from 1968 to 1981, and the year and plan affect both updates and comparables.
- InspectionsRoof, electrical, plumbing and who maintains what under the HOA. Our Inspection Decoder covers what to order.
- The right comparablesWe compare against the same plan inside the community first.
How we market one when you sell
- Lead with the communityWe show the shared amenities alongside the home, since buyers weigh both.
- HOA packet readyWe order the resale documents early so buyers can review them up front.
- Prep with a planOur Prep Lab budgets the repairs and refresh before you list.
- Price from real salesWe price from recent sales of the same plan and size in the community.
questions
Questions we hear
Is it Brown & Kauffmann or Brown & Kaufman?
The founder’s Princeton memorial and the Rinconada Hills Association spell it Brown & Kauffmann. Listings often use “Kaufman.”
Who founded Brown & Kauffmann?
Samuel H. Kauffmann III founded the company in Palo Alto, according to his Princeton Alumni Weekly memorial. The partner named Brown isn’t identified in the primary records we read.
What did Brown & Kauffmann build in Los Gatos?
Rinconada Hills: 394 townhouses and 40 single-family homes on 107 acres, built from 1968 to 1981, according to the community’s association.
Did they build in Sunnyvale and Palo Alto?
An archive record shows a 1960s ranch home in Sunnyvale’s Cherryhill West subdivision. Palo Alto tracts are credited to the firm in listings, but we couldn’t confirm them from records.
sources
Sources
Memorial, association and archive records, checked October 2026.
- Princeton Alumni Weekly: Samuel H. Kauffmann III ’46Founded Brown & Kauffmann in Palo Altopaw.princeton.edu/memorial/samuel-h-kauffmann-iii-46
- Rinconada Hills Association: About Rinconada HillsBuilder, phases, homes and amenitiesrinconadahillsca.pilera.com/page/aboutrinconada
- Calisphere: Brown & Kaufman home, Cherryhill West, SunnyvaleArchive photo record, seen as a search excerptcalisphere.org/item/1ef24705e645369264705cb2d8d2e892
builder files
Every builder file, by era
Bars show the years each builder was building here. See all builders or the home styles field guide.
- Doelger1927–1960s
- Rousseau1931–1933
- Stern & Price1951–1953
- Mackay Homes1950s
- Mardell1955–1959
- Ditz-Crane1962–1984
- Brown & Kauffmann1960s–1981
- Bahl1968–1986
- SummerHill Homes1976–today
- Robson Homes1989–today
- Classic Communities1990s–2010s
- Trumark Homes2012–today
- KB Home1980s–today
- Pulte Homes2000s–today
- Shea Homes2000s–2010s
- Lennar2000s–today
- Toll Brothers2000s–today
- Taylor Morrison2007–today
talk to a property nerd
Own a Brown & Kauffmann home?
We can value it against recent sales of the same plan and get the HOA documents in order. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.
