home stylesplate 06 of 09built c. 1945–1975boyenga team at compass
Mid-century modern homes Eichler, Mackay and beyond
Flat and low roofs, exposed beams, clerestories and walls of glass that face the garden instead of the street. From the late 1940s into the 1970s, builders put modern tracts on Santa Clara County orchard land, many of them designed by the San Francisco architects Anshen & Allen. Here is how to read one, where to find them, and every one listed for sale now.
- for sale now · live…
- most listed in…
- median year built, listed now…
- selling silicon valley since1996
how to spot one
How to spot a mid-century modern from the sidewalk
The street side shows little glass; the garden side shows a lot. Hover or tap a number on the drawing to match it to the list.
Flat or shallow roof
Flat roofs or broad, shallow gables with deep overhangs.
Exposed beams
Beam ends and rafters show under the eaves, revealing the post-and-beam frame, often behind a wide fascia.
Clerestory windows
High fixed windows run under the roof or fill the triangle at a gable end.
Closed street front
Few or no street windows, a solid flat front door and the garage worked into the roof form.
Walls of glass
Floor-to-ceiling glass and sliding doors face the back yard or an entry atrium.
Wood siding and carport
Vertical boards or scored plywood siding, sometimes concrete block, and on some models a carport.
on the market
Mid-century modern homes for sale now
Every active listing in our service area, built 1940 to 1980, that the MLS tags mid-century or whose description says mid-century, post-and-beam, Mackay, butterfly roof, Eichler or atrium. Eichlers are included; switch to them with the buttons.
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 mid-century modern homes cluster
Neighborhoods where our guides record modern tracts by Eichler, Mackay and others. Each name opens the full guide. For Eichler tracts city by city, see our Eichler pages.
Mountain View & Sunnyvale
- Monta Loma, Mountain ViewFrom about 1954 to 1957 three builders split the ground: Eichler's Fairview, John Mackay's Oakwood and Mardell Manor.
- Braly Park area, SunnyvaleDeveloper Elmer Gavello hired Anshen & Allen, the architects of Eichler's early houses.
- Sunnyvale Manor & Sunnymount GardensWhere Eichler built his first architect-designed, post-and-beam houses, in 1950.
Palo Alto
- Fairmeadow'The Circles': Eichler opened sales in May 1951 on an Anshen & Allen site plan of concentric streets.
- Charleston MeadowsAnshen + Allen drew seven floor plans for about 100 houses.
- GreenmeadowAn Eichler tract listed as a National Register historic district.
- Palo VerdeRoyal Manor (1957–58) and Los Arboles (1959–61, by Anshen & Allen and Jones & Emmons).
Peninsula
- Ladera, Portola ValleyHouses from the original cooperative plan by John Funk and Joseph Allen Stein, then Jones & Emmons Eichlers, split-levels included.
- The Highlands, San MateoEichlers of the 1950s and 1960s with other mid-century designs among them.
- Glenview Highlands, MillbraeOriginal mid-century houses and remodels with second stories.
- Belle Haven, Menlo ParkA grid of mostly one-story mid-century houses.
South Bay
- Sobey, SaratogaA 1954–55 modern house on Montpere Way on the city's inventory, in an enclave credited to Anshen & Allen.
- Fairglen, San JosePost-and-beam with tongue-and-groove decking, grooved siding, glass toward the atrium and radiant slabs.
- Rancho Rinconada, CupertinoCliff May's ranch tract for Stern & Price, about 900 houses by his own account.
San Francisco & Daly City
- Diamond HeightsAbout 100 Eichler houses designed by Claude Oakland, built from about 1962 to 1964.
- Twin PeaksPalo Alto Avenue's Second Bay Tradition houses (1937–1964) and 1950s Midtown Terrace.
- Westlake, Daly CityDocomomo's 2014 driving tour of mid-century Daly City included these houses.
inside
What you find inside
- plan
An open living core
Living, dining and kitchen at the center of the plan, opening straight to the back yard.
- comfort
Radiant slab heat
In Eichler-type houses, heating pipes run through the concrete slab floor. Other builders varied.
- detail
Exposed ceilings
Tongue-and-groove roof decking and beams left exposed, often with wood paneling on the walls.
- plan
Atrium and courtyard plans
Later models wrap living space around an entry atrium or courtyard.
eichler pages
Looking for an Eichler?
Joseph Eichler built more than 11,000 homes in California between 1949 and 1974. Our Eichler pages cover them tract by tract, with live listings in each city.
the nerd check
Buying or selling one
What we check when you buy
- Flat-roof conditionPalo Alto's Eichler design guidelines list leak-prone flat roofs as a common issue. Ask the age and type of the roof covering, its drainage and insulation.
- Radiant slab heatThe same guidelines flag inefficient radiant heating, and some remodels remove it. Have a specialist confirm whether it works, has leaked, or was replaced.
- Slab foundationsThese houses sit on slabs without crawl spaces, so plumbing and heating run in or under the slab. Earthquake Brace + Bolt covers raised foundations only.
- Single-pane glass and insulationTypical of original houses. In a pre-1978 house, paid window replacement falls under EPA's lead renovation rule.
- Lead paintFor houses built before 1978, sellers must disclose known lead-based paint and give buyers the federal pamphlet, and paid work that disturbs the paint must follow EPA's renovation rule.
- Asbestos before remodelingEPA lists pipe insulation, popcorn ceilings, joint compound, resilient floor tiles and sheet-vinyl backing among possible asbestos sources, and recommends accredited testing before work disturbs them.
- Wiring and sewer lateralAluminum branch wiring may be present in circuits installed from 1965 to the mid-1970s. Owners are responsible for at least the private part of the sewer lateral.
- Permits, CC&Rs, overlaysCheck permits for enclosed atriums, converted carports and additions, whether recorded CC&Rs or an architectural committee apply, and whether the lot is in a single-story overlay.
How we market one when you sell
- Document the system updatesDates and permits for roof, heating, windows, insulation and electrical, since buyers ask about these first.
- Show the original features accuratelyPhotograph clerestories, beams, glass walls and atriums as built, and label later changes as changes.
- Disclose the zoning layersSingle-story overlay, historic district or tract CC&Rs, so buyers know how far they can expand.
- Time the photographyShoot the glass-walled back of the house in even light.
- Pre-listing inspectionsA roof report, a radiant-heat check and a sewer lateral video answer the questions buyers raise most on flat-roofed slab houses.
Palo Alto (one habitable floor, 17 feet), Sunnyvale (one habitable floor, 17 feet), Cupertino (one story, 18 feet unless a conditional use permit is granted) and Los Altos (one story, 20 feet) all have single-story overlays. Palo Alto's Greenmeadow and Green Gables Eichler tracts are National Register historic districts, and Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and Cupertino publish Eichler design guidelines. We read the rules for a specific address with you.
questions
Questions we hear
How do you tell a Mackay from an Eichler?
Both builders worked with Anshen & Allen, and Mackay's modern tracts include Maywood and Sunshine Meadows in Santa Clara, Ross Park in Palo Alto and part of Monta Loma in Mountain View. Tract maps and original sales records give the surest answer.
Can a second story be added?
It depends on zoning. Single-story overlays in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Cupertino and Los Altos limit homes to one story, and many mid-century tracts sit inside one.
Are there historic districts?
Yes. Palo Alto's Greenmeadow and Green Gables Eichler tracts were listed on the National Register in 2005.
Is testing needed before remodeling?
EPA recommends asbestos testing before disturbing suspect materials, and its lead renovation rule covers paid work that disturbs pre-1978 paint.
Does Earthquake Brace + Bolt apply to a slab house?
No. The program covers wood-framed houses built before 1980 on raised foundations in eligible ZIP codes.
further reading
From the Property Nerds
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 mid-century modern, or want one?
Call us for a value, a roof-and-radiant prep plan, or a tour of the modern tracts. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.
Questions about Mid-century modern homes? Send us a note.
