home stylesplate 02 of 09built c. 1905–1930boyenga team at compass
Craftsman & bungalow homes in Silicon Valley and San Francisco
Low gables, deep porches, tapered columns and wood you can see. Bungalows filled the streetcar neighborhoods of San Jose, Palo Alto, Burlingame and San Francisco from about 1905 to 1930. Here is how to read one, where to find them, and every one listed for sale right now.
- for sale now · live…
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- selling silicon valley since1996
how to spot one
How to spot a Craftsman from the sidewalk
Six details give a Craftsman bungalow away. Hover or tap a number on the drawing to match it to the list.
Low-pitched gable roof
Broad gables at a gentle pitch, often one facing the street over the porch and a wider one behind it.
Exposed rafter tails
Rafter ends left open under wide eaves, with triangular knee braces at the gable ends.
Deep front porch
A porch under its own gable or under the main roof, wide enough to sit on.
Tapered columns on piers
Square columns that narrow toward the top, set on brick, stone or shingled piers.
Grouped windows
Windows in pairs or threes, often with a divided upper sash over a single-pane lower sash.
Shingle or clapboard walls
Natural wood siding, in shingles or clapboard, often with shingles in the porch gable and simple, solid trim.
on the market
Craftsman and bungalow homes for sale now
Every active listing in our service area that the MLS tags Craftsman, or whose description calls it a Craftsman or (for pre-1946 houses) a bungalow. Updated each time the page loads.
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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 Craftsman and bungalow homes cluster
These are the neighborhoods where our guides, city historic inventories and planning documents record Craftsman and bungalow houses. Each name opens the full guide.
San Jose
- Naglee ParkThe city inventory records Craftsman bungalows with Queen Anne, Prairie, Tudor and Spanish Revival houses, mostly 1902 to the 1920s.
- Hanchett & Hester ParkWhere the inventory notes a style, Craftsman and bungalow houses lead.
- BurbankAbout 30 inventory entries, mostly Craftsman bungalows from about 1910 to the early 1940s, plus a 1927 bungalow court.
- Rose GardenCraftsman houses among 1910s–30s Tudor, Dutch Colonial and Spanish Eclectic designs, including a 1920 Craftsman landmark on Randol Ave.
- Palm HavenA 1913 residence park with Prairie, Craftsman, Mission Revival and Spanish/Mediterranean Revival houses.
- Buena VistaCraftsman bungalows dated about 1910 to the late 1930s in a county survey.
Palo Alto
- ProfessorvilleCity design guidelines trace the look to Shingle, Arts and Crafts and Colonial Revival styles and the First Bay Tradition.
- College TerraceEarly Craftsman houses, English cottages and Spanish Colonial Revival bungalows on a historic grid.
- SouthgateThe original houses were California bungalows.
Los Gatos
- Fairview PlazaThe Town describes Victorian and Craftsman homes set close together.
- Almond GroveVictorian houses with bungalow cottages built somewhat later.
- University-EdelenVictorian is predominant, mixed with Craftsman bungalows built a little later.
Mountain View
- Old Mountain ViewA row of Craftsman bungalows on View Street built between 1906 and 1925.
- Shoreline WestA historic homes walking tour points out Craftsman bungalows on Palo Alto, Pettis and Mariposa avenues.
Peninsula
- Burlingame Park, BurlingameThe General Plan describes Craftsman and vernacular houses of the 1910s and 1920s.
- Burlingame Terrace, BurlingameMost lots filled in during the 1910s and 1920s with Craftsman and vernacular houses.
- Howard Park, San CarlosA 1920s news photo shows one of thirty-six bungalows just finished on Elm Street.
San Francisco
- Outer SunsetCraftsman rows along Lincoln Way from 1910 to 1913, and Parkway Terrace in 1916.
- ParksideLang Realty built about 200 California bungalows in 1926 and 1927.
- Miraloma Park & SunnysideMore than 650 bungalows.
- Inner RichmondRichmond Heights, built 1910–11 between 9th and 11th avenues, in Craftsman and medieval revival styles.
Santa Clara, Campbell & Saratoga
- Old Quad, Santa ClaraCraftsman bungalows among Italianate, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival houses from the 1860s into the 1920s.
- Downtown CampbellBungalows with Craftsman or Prairie lines next to 1890s Queen Anne cottages.
- Golden Triangle, SaratogaCraftsman bungalows of the 1910s through 1930 along the City's Heritage Lane.
inside
What you find inside
- plan
A half story upstairs
One-and-a-half-story Craftsman houses tuck rooms under the roof, lit by gabled or shed dormers.
- plan
Bay windows
Boxed or angled bays push out from the main rooms.
- detail
Craft in the wood
In brown-shingle and First Bay Tradition houses, the craftsmanship shows in carved wood and art glass.
- site
Garage at the back
In Professorville, most houses had a detached garage at the rear of the lot by the 1920s.
the nerd check
Buying or selling one
What we check when you buy
- Foundation and boltingConfirm the foundation type, the anchor bolts and any 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, during a limited window each year.
- Wiring generationsAsk an electrician to identify every wiring type in the house and whether any older circuits are still live.
- Lead paintFor houses built before 1978, sellers must disclose known lead-based paint and give buyers the federal pamphlet, and buyers get a 10-day window to inspect.
- Asbestos before remodelingSuspect materials can't be identified by sight. EPA advises sampling by an accredited professional before a remodel disturbs them.
- Eaves and rafter tailsExposed rafter ends, fascia and gutters sit open to the weather. Check them for rot and for working drainage.
- Siding, porch and piersCheck shingles, clapboard, porch piers and steps for decay. Palo Alto's Professorville guidelines advise against covering original siding with vinyl or aluminum.
- Original windowsNote whether the wood sashes are original. The same guidelines suggest weather stripping and storm windows instead of replacement sash.
- Permits and historic statusCheck permits for past additions, and whether the house is in a historic district or on a city inventory, since exterior work there can need added review.
How we market one when you sell
- Show the original featuresPhotograph the porch, rafter tails, siding and original windows in clear daylight.
- Pull the records earlyGather the permit history and confirm any inventory or district status before listing, so buyers know which reviews apply.
- Pre-listing inspectionsFoundation, electrical and roof reports answer the first questions buyers ask about a house of this age.
- Share the guidelinesIn a historic district, include the design guidelines that apply, such as Professorville's.
- Disclose any Mills Act contractContracts transfer to new owners, so buyers need to see it.
Palo Alto's Professorville is a local historic district with its own design guidelines. San Jose requires a Historic Preservation Permit for exterior work on City Landmarks and in City Landmark Districts. Los Gatos treats houses in its five historic districts, and many primary structures built before 1941, as potentially historic. We check the rules for a specific address before you plan a remodel or second story.
questions
Questions we hear
Is a bungalow different from a Craftsman?
Palo Alto's Professorville guidelines treat the bungalow as a type of Craftsman house: one or one-and-a-half stories, a low-sloped gable roof, exposed rafter tails and a porch on tapered piers.
Where are the documented Craftsman neighborhoods?
City and federal sources document them in Palo Alto's Professorville, San Jose's Hanchett & Hester Park and Naglee Park, Los Gatos's Fairview Plaza, and San Francisco's Parkside, where about 200 California bungalows went up in 1926 and 1927.
What is a Prairie-influenced house?
A two-story house with a broad front, a shallow hipped roof with wide overhangs and a wood band between floors. San Jose notes several in Hanchett Park, and Professorville has examples.
Could a Craftsman qualify for Earthquake Brace + Bolt?
It might, if it is wood-framed, built before 1980, on a raised foundation, in an eligible ZIP code, and registered during the yearly window. Check the program's current rules first.
Can a second story go on in a historic district?
Often, with review. Professorville's guidelines expect a second-story addition to be designed to keep its bulk down, since it will likely be visible from the street. We walk buyers through the rules for a specific address.
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.
- 01Victorian & Edwardian1870s–1910s
- 02Craftsman & bungalow1905–1930
- 03Spanish & Mediterranean1915–1940
- 04Tudor, storybook & traditional1920s–1940s
- 05California ranchlate 1930s–1970s
- 06Mid-century modern1945–1975
- 07Eichler1949–1974
- 08Modern & contemporary1970s–today
- 09Modern farmhouse & new construction2005–today
talk to a property nerd
Own a Craftsman, or want one?
Call us for a value, a prep plan that respects the original details, or a tour of the bungalow neighborhoods. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.
Questions about Craftsman & bungalow homes? Send us a note.
