home stylesplate 07 of 09built c. 1949–1974boyenga team at compass

Eichler homes sold and bought by the Property Nerds®

Post-and-beam, walls of glass, atriums and radiant floors. Joseph Eichler built more than 11,000 homes in California between 1949 and 1974, about 2,700 of them in Palo Alto. We've been marketing, restoring and selling Silicon Valley's mid-century modern homes since 1996, and we know what these houses need and what buyers look for.

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selling silicon valley since1996

how to spot one

How to spot an Eichler from the sidewalk

Most Eichlers show the street a nearly blank face and save the glass for the atrium and the yard. Hover or tap a number on the drawing to match it to the list.

plate 07 of 09 · eichlerc. 1949–1974

fig. 1 · a front-gable Eichler with glass in the gable, exposed beam ends, a flush garage door and a glass entry into the atrium. drawing not to scale.

Low gable or flat roof
Broad gables at a shallow pitch, or flat roofs, with deep overhangs.
Glass in the gable
Clerestory glass fills the triangle at the gable end, lighting the atrium or living room.
Exposed beam ends
Beams run front to back and show at the eaves: the post-and-beam frame is the structure.
A closed street face
Few or no street windows and a flush garage or carport, so the house keeps its privacy.
Glass atrium entry
Glass panels beside a solid door, opening into an open-air atrium at the center of many later models.
Vertical-groove siding
Grooved wood or plywood siding in long vertical lines.

on the market

Eichlers for sale now

Every active listing in our service area, built 1949 to 1976, that the MLS tags Eichler or whose description says Eichler. Updated each time the page loads. For other mid-century tracts, see our mid-century modern page.

citytypesort MLS-tagged only

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

Eichler tracts we cover

Each name opens our full neighborhood guide, with tract history, live listings and what to check.

Palo Alto

GreenmeadowA National Register historic district, listed in 2005.
Duveneck / St. FrancisGreen Gables, built in 1950 and also a National Register district.
Fairmeadow'The Circles,' opened for sale in May 1951 on an Anshen & Allen site plan.
Charleston MeadowsSeven Anshen + Allen floor plans for about 100 houses.
Palo VerdeRoyal Manor (1957–58) and Los Arboles (1959–61).
Barron ParkThree of Palo Alto's earliest Eichler tracts: University Gardens, El Centro Gardens and Maybell Gardens.
Community CenterJust over two dozen Eichlers from 1973 and 1974, among his last.

Sunnyvale

FairbraeA series of late-1950s Eichler tracts.
Sunnyvale Manor & Sunnymount GardensEichler's first architect-designed, post-and-beam houses, from 1950.
Cumberland & Las PalmasEichler's second development and the first sold under the Eichler Homes name.
PrimewoodOne of the last Eichler tracts in Sunnyvale.

Mountain View, Los Altos & Cupertino

Monta Loma, Mountain ViewEichler's Fairview tract, built beside Mackay and Mardell tracts around 1954–57.
Fallen Leaf Park, Los Altos37 Eichlers designed by Claude Oakland, built in 1968 and 1969.
Fairgrove, CupertinoCupertino's Eichler neighborhood.

San Jose & Saratoga

Fairglen, San JoseEichler's south Willow Glen development, built in pieces.
Golden Triangle, SaratogaSaratoga's only Eichler tract, built in 1964 and 1965.

Peninsula

The Highlands, San MateoEichler Homes started building on this ridge in 1955.
Sunnybrae, San MateoEichler homes credited to the architects Jones & Emmons.
Ladera, Portola ValleyAbout two dozen Jones & Emmons Eichlers on Aliso Way and La Mesa Drive, on sale by August 1951.
Horgan Ranch, Redwood CityThe Atherwood tract, released in November 1950, one of Eichler's first.
Treasure Isle, Foster CityPart of the more than 200 Eichlers built in Foster City from 1963 to 1968.

San Francisco

Diamond HeightsAbout 100 Eichler houses by Claude Oakland, built from about 1962 to 1964.

inside

What you find inside

plan
An open living core
Living, dining and kitchen at the center of the plan, opening to the back yard through walls of glass.
comfort
Radiant floors
Original heat runs through pipes in the concrete slab, which shapes inspections and remodels.
detail
Exposed beams and decking
Tongue-and-groove ceilings and beams left exposed, often with mahogany paneling.
plan
The atrium
An open-air courtyard at the center of many later models brings the outside in.

by city

Eichlers city by city

Tract history, homes for sale now and what to check, for each city with Eichler tracts.

eichler city pagePalo Alto Eichlers eichler city pageMountain View Eichlers eichler city pageSunnyvale Eichlers eichler city pageCupertino Eichlers eichler city pageSan Jose Eichlers eichler city pageSanta Clara Eichlers eichler city pageLos Altos Eichlers eichler city pageSaratoga Eichlers eichler city pageMenlo Park Eichlers eichler city pagePortola Valley Eichlers eichler city pageSan Mateo Eichlers eichler city pageFoster City Eichlers eichler city pageBurlingame Eichlers

the nerd check

Buying or selling one

What we check when you buy

Radiant heatingDoes it work, what has been converted, and what a repair or replacement involves. Palo Alto's Eichler guidelines flag inefficient radiant heat as a known issue.
Roof type, age and insulationLow-slope and flat roofs are a common leak point. Ask the roof covering's age, drainage and insulation.
Glass and energySingle-pane glass and missing insulation are typical of originals. Check what has been upgraded, and the permits.
Original materialsSome original materials may need testing before a remodel. EPA recommends accredited testing before work disturbs suspect materials.
Beams, siding and overhangsCheck exposed beams, siding and fascia for dry rot and pest damage.
Design guidelines and overlaysSeveral cities publish Eichler design guidelines, and some tracts have single-story overlay zoning. Check before you plan a second story.
Sewer lateral and wiringOwners are responsible for at least the private part of the lateral, and circuits installed from 1965 to the mid-1970s may include aluminum branch wiring.

How we market one when you sell

Prep that respects the architectureRestoration choices that keep the post-and-beam character, with Compass Concierge if needed.
Mid-century staging and photographyFurniture and light that show off the glass and the atrium.
Marketing aimed at modern-home buyersReaching the buyers who look for Eichlers, not just the general market.
A complete disclosure packetThe roof, radiant-heat and sewer reports Eichler buyers ask for first.
Pricing from Eichler salesComparables from Eichler tracts, not just nearby ranch houses.

property nerd note

Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and Cupertino publish Eichler design guidelines, and many Eichler tracts sit in single-story overlay zones that limit homes to one story. Palo Alto's Greenmeadow and Green Gables are National Register historic districts. Check before you plan a second story or a major remodel; we'll help you read the rules for a specific address.

What’s my home worth?Help me buy one

questions

Questions we hear

How many Eichlers are there?

Joseph Eichler built more than 11,000 homes in California between 1949 and 1974. About 2,700 are in Palo Alto, with large tracts in Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Cupertino, San Jose, San Mateo and Foster City.

Can a second story go on an Eichler?

Many Eichler tracts are in single-story overlays (Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Los Altos), which limit homes to one story. Outside them, design review and city Eichler guidelines may apply.

What should buyers know about radiant heat?

Original Eichlers heat through pipes in the slab. Some systems still work, some leak, and many owners have switched to other systems. A specialist inspection tells you which you have.

Are Eichlers historic?

Two Palo Alto tracts, Greenmeadow and Green Gables, are National Register historic districts. Most Eichler tracts aren't designated, but several cities have Eichler design guidelines.

Do Eichler owners sell off-market?

Some do. Ask us to watch your favorite tracts for Compass Private Exclusives and Coming Soon homes.