home stylesplate 05 of 09built c. late 1930s–1970sboyenga team at compass

California ranch homes single-level living

Long, low and one story, with an attached garage and a big picture window. Ranch tracts replaced orchards across Santa Clara County after the war: San Jose alone issued permits for 5,722 single-family homes in 1958. Here is how to read one, where to find them, and every one listed for sale now.

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how to spot one

How to spot a ranch from the sidewalk

Six details give a ranch house away. Hover or tap a number on the drawing to match it to the list.

plate 05 of 09 · california ranchc. late 1930s–1970s
fig. 1 · a one-story ranch with a low hip roof, a picture window over a brick wainscot, board-and-batten siding and a garage wing that turns the plan into an L. drawing not to scale.

  1. Low-pitched roof

    A shallow gable or hip roof that keeps the house low to the ground.

  2. Long, horizontal body

    One story stretched across the lot, often asymmetrical.

  3. Attached garage

    The garage is part of the house, usually facing the street at one end.

  4. Picture window

    A large fixed front window, often with smaller operable windows beside it.

  5. Mixed cladding

    Board-and-batten with stucco, brick or wood boards, sometimes all on one front.

  6. L- or U-shaped plan

    Wings wrap a back patio. Cliff May's compact L-shaped plan became the basis of his tract and prefab houses.

on the market

Ranch homes for sale now

Every active listing in our service area that the MLS tags Ranch, or whose description calls it ranch-style or a California ranch (for houses built 1930–1990). Many ranch houses aren't tagged at all, so ask us about any one-story house you see.

Loading live listings from the MLS…

How homes land here: we read each active listing’s MLS style field and its description, then check the year built. “MLS-tagged only” keeps the homes whose listing agent picked this style. Orange pins are MLS-tagged. Some listings record a style only in fields this search can’t filter on, so a few may not appear here; ask us for a full search. Listing data comes from the MLS and is shown with the listing brokerage; confirm details with the listing agent.

where to find them

Where ranch homes cluster

Neighborhoods where our guides record single-story ranch houses as the original housing. Many now mix originals with remodels and rebuilds. Each name opens the full guide.

Cupertino

  • Rancho RinconadaIn a 1984 oral history, Cliff May recalled designing about 900 houses here for the builders Stern & Price.
  • Monta Vista1950s and 1960s ranch houses beside newer two-story rebuilds.
  • JollymanMostly single-story ranch homes from 1959–64 on lots with a median of about 7,500 sq ft.

Los Altos

  • Central Los AltosThe originals are mostly single-story ranch houses.
  • RanchoThe originals are single-story ranch houses.
  • South Los AltosRanch houses from 1955 on Ranchita Drive and 1959 on Holt Avenue.
  • Santa RitaMostly one-story ranch houses, about 80 percent of those with floor data, on lots near 12,000 sq ft.
  • SummerhillRanch houses from the 1940s through the 1970s, now with two-story rebuilds, on lots with a median near 16,100 sq ft.
  • Montebello Acres1940s and 1950s ranch houses, about 79 percent of houses one story, on lots with a median near 17,400 sq ft.
  • Purissima Hills, Los Altos HillsA mix of older one-story ranch houses and larger two-story rebuilds on one-acre-plus hillside lots.
  • Town Hall & Fremont Road, Los Altos HillsCustom houses from early one-story ranch houses to much larger rebuilds, on lots with a median of about 1.1 acres.
  • Costello Acres1940s–60s ranch houses among 1920s and 1930s country houses; 13 of the 51 R1-20 houses date from 1946 to 1967.
  • Country ClubSingle-story ranch homes and older cottages on wooded lots, mostly late 1940s to 1970s, with new two-story custom homes replacing some.
  • The HighlandsSingle-story ranch homes from the late 1950s to early 1970s; only 13 percent of the 315 houses have two or more stories.
  • Woodland AcresMost original houses are single-story ranches on generous lots sold from 1950 to 1957, many since remodeled or replaced.

Mountain View & Sunnyvale

Santa Clara

  • Fairway Glen221 single-story ranch houses with 1960 build dates in county records.
  • Bowers-MonroeA one-story 1950s ranch is the starting point, from original to fully redone.
  • Central Park WestNearly nine in ten single-family parcels are one story, mostly original ranches remodeled.
  • El Camino HomesOne-story ranch homes in the five El Camino Homes tracts, mostly built 1950–54, on a median lot of about 6,370 sq ft.
  • Montague Park1960s ranch homes, about nine in ten of them one story, with almost no rebuilds since 2000.
  • Sunny BraeOne-story ranch houses from 1949 to the early 1960s; about 575 of roughly 598 houses are one story.
  • BriarwoodRanch houses, about 89 percent one story; about 2,150 of 2,280 date from the 1950s, most from 1954 to 1958.
  • Killarney FarmsRanch houses from 1952 to 1964, mostly single-story; fewer than 10 houses show a build year of 1990 or later.
  • Westwood OaksLate-1950s ranch houses, about 96 percent one story; only three show a build year after 1990.

San Jose

  • Cadillac-WinchesterSingle-story ranch houses on lots of about 6,000 sq ft; 34 of 185 list a second story.
  • Hamann ParkMostly single-story ranch homes on lots of about 6,000 to 8,000 sq ft.
  • San Tomas Park & WestmontRanch houses on lots of about 6,000 to 7,500 sq ft.
  • Canoas GardenSingle-story ranch homes from 1956 to about 1960, many with additions.
  • Blossom ValleySingle-story ranch plans with attached garages, many expanded.
  • Almaden Lake & Sunrise AlmadenSingle-story ranch homes, about 1,470 sq ft in recent Sunrise Almaden listings; 1962–63 build years on Lillian Way and Vegas Dr.
  • Almaden MeadowsSingle-story ranch homes, tri-levels and two-story homes from the late 1960s and early 1970s, about 2,000 to 3,000 sq ft.
  • Cahalan & ChesbroOriginal single-story ranch plans from the 1960s and early 1970s, many with remodels and second stories.
  • CrossgatesMostly single-story ranch plans of about 1,500 to 2,300 sq ft, built from 1962 to the early 1970s.
  • MontevideoSingle-story ranch homes from the mid-to-late 1960s, including four-bedroom plans of about 1,670 to 2,010 sq ft.
  • Oakridge & FoxchaseOriginal ranch and split-level plans on the 1960s streets; two-story plans on Foxchase Dr, which dates to 1983.
  • Palmia & Oak RidgeSingle-story ranch plans and two-story tract plans, mostly 1962–1971, many with added rooms or second stories.
  • Santa Teresa & BernalSingle-story ranch plans and two-story tract plans from the late 1960s and early 1970s, many remodeled.
  • Seven Trees & HellyerSingle-story and two-story ranch homes in late-1950s and 1960s tracts, with 1959 houses on Santa Rosa Dr.
  • Thousand Oaks & EriksonSingle-story ranch homes and two-story tract homes from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s, many remodeled or expanded.
  • Westgate & BucknallNearly every lot holds a single-story ranch house: only 121 of 1,531 list a second story; mostly built 1958–1964.

West Valley

  • Blossom Hill, Los GatosFlower-street tracts of single-story 1950s ranch homes.
  • Campbell Village, CampbellMostly one-story ranch houses; about a quarter show a second floor.
  • Montalvo & Horseshoe, SaratogaEarly-1950s ranch houses on half-acre lots, with two-story replacements between them.
  • Virginia & Budd, CampbellMostly single-story ranch houses, about 90 percent one story; 162 of the 291 houses date from the 1950s.
  • Shadow Oaks, SaratogaMostly one-story ranch houses from the 1950s and 1970s; about 88 percent list one floor.
  • Hazelwood, CampbellMostly single-story ranch homes of roughly 1,100 to 2,100 sq ft; about 470 of 613 date from the 1940s–1960s.
  • Pruneyard–Dry Creek, CampbellMostly one-story ranches of about 1,600 to 2,400 sq ft, built mostly 1947–1965 on lots of about 7,400 to 9,600 sq ft.
  • San Tomas, CampbellSingle-story 1960s ranch homes of roughly 1,300–1,400 sq ft on the tract streets, on lots of about 6,000–6,600 sq ft.
  • San Tomas West, CampbellSingle-story ranch houses of about 1,200 to 1,800 sq ft; about 520 of 1,000 houses date from the 1950s.
  • Los Gatos Blvd & North 40Single-story 1950s ranch homes on the side streets, mostly built 1946–1968, with some two-story rebuilds.
  • Vasona & Oak Meadow, Los GatosSingle-story 1950s ranch homes of about 1,300 to 1,800 sq ft, mostly in 1957–1959 tracts such as Foothill Farms.
  • Daves Avenue, Monte SerenoOlder single-story ranch houses and newer two-story homes on lots with a median of about 13,400 sq ft.
  • Twin Creeks, Monte SerenoPostwar single-story ranch houses to two-story rebuilds, on lots with a median of about 0.9 acre.
  • Blue Hills (Azule), SaratogaSingle-story ranch houses on the 1950s and early-1960s streets; lots a little over a quarter acre at the median.
  • Brookview, SaratogaSingle-story 1950s ranch houses, about 96 percent single-story, from tracts recorded 1953 to 1957.
  • Fruitvale, Saratoga1940s–70s ranches among 1970s–90s two-story homes and custom rebuilds, on one-acre lots.
  • Parker Ranch, SaratogaThe Arguello streets are ranch-house country, mostly 1950s to early 1970s, on lots of about 10,000 to 15,000 sq ft.
  • Prides Crossing, SaratogaMostly 1960s single-story ranches plus two-story plans from the same years; about 14 houses date from 2000 or later.
  • Quito & El Quito Park, SaratogaSingle-story 1950s ranch houses, 86 percent one floor, mostly 1950–1952 and 1955–1959, on lots with a median of 10,000 sq ft.
  • Saratoga Foothills1950s to 1970s ranch houses on the lower tracts, mostly single-story on 10,000 to 15,000 sq ft lots.
  • Saratoga Woods1950s single-story ranches, about 92 percent single-story, on lots with a median of about 10,700 sq ft.

Gilroy

  • Las Animas & CrestwoodOne-story ranch homes fill the late-1950s to early-1970s tracts near First St, Welburn Ave and Wren Ave.
  • Miller Avenue & CastlewoodAbout four in five houses are one-story ranch homes, mostly 1960s and 1970s, on lots of about 6,900 to 8,400 sq ft.

Milpitas

  • Milford Village & PiedmontOne-story ranch houses, about 82 percent of houses, mainly 1955 to 1977, with a median lot of about 6,200 sq ft.
  • Park VictoriaThe 1960s streets are one-story ranch houses; the 1978 streets east of Cardoza Park mix one- and two-story models.
  • ParktownOne-story ranch houses and two-story tract models from the 1960s; about 58 percent of houses list one floor.
  • Starlite Pines1960s single-story ranch homes on lots of about 5,000 sq ft; about 81 percent of the Starlite Pines houses are one story.

Peninsula

inside

What you find inside

  • plan

    Everything on one level

    All main rooms, bedrooms included, on one floor, often with a bedroom wing.

  • plan

    The kitchen as a selling point

    Fully equipped kitchens were a standard feature of postwar ranch houses.

  • plan

    Indoor-outdoor

    Picture windows and full-length sliding glass doors connect the living rooms to the yard.

  • plan

    Garage by the kitchen

    The attached garage often opens near the kitchen or service area, depending on the tract.

the nerd check

Buying or selling one

What we check when you buy

  • Slab or raised floorFind out whether the house sits on a slab or a raised wood floor over a crawl space. Confirm the foundation type and any bolting and cripple-wall bracing. California's Earthquake Brace + Bolt program offers retrofit grants for wood-framed houses built before 1980 on raised foundations in designated ZIP codes, with registration open for a limited time each year.
  • Wiring generationsCheck panel capacity, grounding and later additions. Aluminum branch wiring may be present in circuits installed from 1965 to the mid-1970s; the federal safety commission points to the connections as the concern.
  • Water and drain pipesHave a plumber identify supply and drain pipe materials and condition, and ask about any repiping permits.
  • Asbestos-containing materialsEPA lists popcorn ceilings, joint compound, resilient floor tiles, sheet-vinyl backing and pipe insulation as possible sources, and recommends accredited testing before work disturbs them.
  • Lead paintPaid work that disturbs paint in a house built before 1978 must be done by a certified firm under EPA's renovation rule, and window replacement is always covered.
  • Sewer lateralOwners are responsible for at least the private part of the lateral, and rules vary by city. San Bruno requires a compliance certificate before selling a home 50 or more years old.
  • Additions and permitsRanch houses are often expanded. Compare the current footprint with the city's permit records.
  • Single-story overlaysCheck whether the lot is in a single-story overlay before planning a second story.

How we market one when you sell

  • Show the one-level planA floor plan and photos that make the single-level layout clear, since it is the style's draw.
  • Document the systemsPanel, wiring, plumbing and roof dates, plus any retrofit permits.
  • Sewer and foundation reportsA lateral video and a foundation report answer the two questions buyers ask most about houses of this age.
  • Disclose the zoningState whether the lot is in a single-story overlay, since it limits a buyer's options for adding space.
  • Stage the yardThe patio and yard are part of the plan, so present them as rooms.
property nerd note

Single-story overlays: Palo Alto limits homes to one habitable floor and 17 feet, Sunnyvale's S district to one habitable floor and 17 feet, Cupertino's i district to one story and 18 feet unless a conditional use permit is granted, and Los Altos's R1-S to one story and 20 feet. Neighbors create them by petition. We check the zoning before you write an offer or plan a remodel.

What’s my home worth?Help me buy one

questions

Questions we hear

Which ranch houses qualify for Earthquake Brace + Bolt?

Wood-framed houses built before 1980 on raised foundations in a participating ZIP code, registered during the yearly window. Slab houses don't qualify.

Can a second story be added?

Not in a single-story overlay in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Cupertino (without a conditional use permit) or Los Altos. Elsewhere a second story may trigger design review, as it does in Los Altos.

How is a single-story overlay created?

Neighbors petition the city. Palo Alto requires 70% owner support (60% with recorded one-story deed restrictions), Sunnyvale 55% and Los Altos at least 70%.

Which ranch houses may have aluminum wiring?

The federal safety commission says homes built before 1965 are unlikely to have it, while circuits installed from 1965 to the mid-1970s may, including later additions.

Who owns the sewer lateral?

The owner, at least for the private portion. Cities split responsibility differently, so check the local rule.

further reading

From the Property Nerds

midmod tractsSilicon Valley midmods beyond Eichler: 34 tracts, city by cityranchModern Ranch Homes in Silicon Valley: Why Buyers Love Single-Level LivingranchWhy Mountain View Buyers Love Single-Level Ranch and Mid-Century HomescompareEichler, ranch or new construction? A Silicon Valley guidebuilder fileCliff May: ranch houses around patiosbuilder fileStern & Price: Rancho Rinconadabuilder fileBohannon: Westwood and Hillsdale ranch tracts

all home styles

Every style in the field guide, by era

Bars show the years each style was mostly built here. See the full field guide.

  1. 01Victorian & Edwardian1870s–1910s
  2. 02Craftsman & bungalow1905–1930
  3. 03Spanish & Mediterranean1915–1940
  4. 04Tudor, storybook & traditional1920s–1940s
  5. 05California ranchlate 1930s–1970s
  6. 06Mid-century modern1945–1975
  7. 07Eichler1949–1974
  8. 08Modern & contemporary1970s–today
  9. 09Modern farmhouse & new construction2005–today

talk to a property nerd

Own a ranch, or want one?

Call us for a value, a plan for the foundation, panel and sewer questions buyers ask, or help reading the zoning before you add on. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.

Book a strategy callCall (408) 373-1660Call (650) 383-8606

by the numbers · houses sold in silicon valley · two years to Oct 27, 2026

What California ranch houses sell for

From listing descriptions that name the style, across 31 Silicon Valley cities. Where they sold most: San Jose (198), Los Altos (56), San Mateo (32) and Sunnyvale (28).

  • houses sold632
  • median price$2.35M
  • median $/sq ft$1,347
  • sold over asking70%
  • $/sq ft vs. city13% above

The last figure compares each sale with the typical house in its own city, so location doesn’t flatter or hurt the style.

California ranch prices city by city → Every style side by side

More home types, from single-story and pools to big lots and condos: Silicon Valley home types by the numbers →

Get new ranch home listings first, or ask us anything.

Eric & Janelle Boyenga

Eric & Janelle Boyenga

+1(408) 373-1660

Agent DRE01254724 / 01254725

Agent DRE01254724 / 01254725

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