home stylesplates 06 to 09 · modernpalo altoboyenga team at compass
Palo Alto modern homes
Contemporary, modern, mid-century, Eichler and new-construction homes for sale in Palo Alto, sorted by style, plus what we check before you buy one and how we market one when you sell. The Property Nerds® have sold Silicon Valley homes since 1996.
- modern homes for sale now · live…
- most listed style…
- median year built, listed now…
- selling silicon valley since1996
on the market
Modern homes for sale in Palo Alto, by style
Active Palo Alto listings we can place in one of four styles: modern and contemporary, mid-century, Eichler, or new construction and modern farmhouse. We read the MLS style field first, then the description, and check the year built. Pick a style to narrow the board.
Loading live listings from the MLS…
Want the ones that never hit the MLS?
Tell us the style and streets you love in Palo Alto and we’ll watch for Compass Private Exclusives and Coming Soon homes.
Want the ones that never hit the MLS?
Tell us the style and streets you love in Palo Alto and we’ll watch for Compass Private Exclusives and Coming Soon homes.
How homes land here: we read each active Palo Alto listing’s MLS style field and its description, then check the year built. “MLS-tagged only” keeps the homes whose listing agent picked the 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 in palo alto
Where to look in Palo Alto
Each name opens our full neighborhood guide, with live listings, a map and what to check.
08 · modern
- Community CenterEichlers from 1973 and 1974 with Claude Oakland's later roof forms.
07 · eichler
- GreenmeadowA National Register historic district, listed in 2005.
- Duveneck / St. FrancisGreen Gables, built in 1950 and also a National Register district.
- Fairmeadow'The Circles,' built from 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.
09 · new & farmhouse
- MidtownAbout 180 of roughly 975 houses rebuilt since 2000.
- Crescent Park171 of 1,187 dated single-family parcels record 2000 or later.
- Old Palo AltoAbout one in five houses records a build year of 2000 or later.
- Leland Manor & GarlandAbout one in five rebuilt since 2000.
- Green AcresAbout 43 of roughly 170 houses on the smaller-lot streets date from 2000 or later.
how to spot one
How to spot a modern house from the sidewalk
Simple volumes and lots of glass instead of ornament. Hover or tap a number on the drawing to match it to the list.
Flat or low-slope roof
Flat or nearly flat roofs with a thin edge or parapet.
Offset roof planes
Flat or shed roofs at different heights, stepping with the plan.
Large fixed glazing
Floor-to-ceiling glass and wide sliding or folding doors, especially toward the garden.
Clerestory bands
Strips of high windows that bring in daylight while limiting views in.
Flat cladding, little trim
Smooth plaster, wood boards or panels in large planes, with almost no ornament.
Rooftop solar
California has required solar on most new low-rise homes since January 1, 2020.
Open the full Modern & contemporary plate
The other plates on this board
the nerd check
Before you buy or sell a modern home in Palo Alto
What we check when you buy
- Flat-roof membrane and drainageGet the membrane's age, type and warranty, and the location of drains, scuppers and overflows.
- Glass and heat gainLarge west- and south-facing glass drives cooling. Ask about window specs, shading and the energy-compliance documents filed with the permit.
- Permits and final inspectionsConfirm every permit was finaled. In Los Altos the signed final inspection record serves as the certificate of occupancy.
- Solar ownershipOwned, financed with a lien, leased or on a power purchase agreement. A lease or PPA has to be assumed, kept or bought out at sale.
- HVAC zones and equipmentEach zone, the age and type of heat pump or furnace, and any radiant or mini-split systems.
- Smart-home systemsWhich devices convey, and how accounts and admin access transfer at closing.
- Conditions of approvalHillside approvals can carry conditions such as landscape screening or open space easements. Ask for the approval letter and recorded easements.
- 1970s housesCircuits installed from 1965 to the mid-1970s may include aluminum branch wiring, and paid work on pre-1978 paint falls under EPA's lead renovation rule.
How we market one when you sell
- Lead with the design recordThe architect, the approval date and the permit finals. Buyers of custom modern homes ask for them.
- One folder for the systemsRoof warranties, solar contracts, energy certificates and HVAC zone maps together.
- Photograph the lightSchedule photos and showings when the glass isn't in direct glare, and show any shading systems.
- Explain the solar arrangementOwned or leased, and what a buyer would need to assume.
- Plan the smart-home handoffA device list and a reset or transfer plan.
New houses in the hill towns go through local review: Los Altos Hills scores new residences on a points system (height limit 27 feet), Portola Valley's Architectural & Site Control Commission reviews new buildings and larger additions, Woodside's Architectural and Site Review Board applies its 2012 Residential Design Guidelines, and Saratoga requires design review for any new house. Los Altos requires design review for new two-story homes.
modern homes in other cities
More modern-home city pages
All Silicon Valley modern homes · The home styles field guide
Modern architects in the Builder Files: Swatt | Miers · Feldman Architecture · Goodwin Steinberg
every style in palo alto
Every style in the field guide, by era
Bars show the years each style was mostly built here. Each name opens that style’s live board, set to Palo Alto.
- 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
by the numbers · palo alto · houses sold in the two years to oct 27, 2026
What modern and contemporary houses sell for in Palo Alto
Houses in Palo Alto whose listings called them modern and contemporary, sold in the two years to Oct 27, 2026. The last figure compares their price per square foot with the typical Palo Alto house.
- palo alto sales, 2 years66
- median price$4.2M
- median $/sq ft$1,933
- sold over asking76%
- $/sq ft vs. palo alto6% below
More home types, from single-story and pools to big lots and condos: Palo Alto home types by the numbers →
Your Palo Alto Modern Home Experts
We are experts in Palo Alto modern real estate, from mid-century Eichlers to new contemporary homes. We help clients buy and sell modern homes, from Scandinavian to Farmhouse. Industrial to Mid-Century Modern, as well as Glam Modern, Contemporary, and much more. Let us know what type of architecture interests you and our team of experts would look forward to helping you in your home search on market and off-market.
Modern homes make for great living spaces as they are timeless and stylish. People are drawn to their sleek features like large windows, grid windows, walls of glass, flat roofs, sharp angles, industrial features, open floor plans, minimal decor, and emphasis on natural light.
We pair Palo Alto modern home buyers and sellers with the homes they’ve long been searching for. Whether it’s a home through one of our developers, an existing home, or connecting you with our preferred modern home builders and architects – we’re your resource for Silicon Valley modern homes. View our lists of all modern homes for sale in Silicon Valley and throughout the Bay Area.
SV Modern and the Boyenga Team is your doorway to modern living in Silicon Valley. From seeing the big picture to negotiating the details of a modern home, our agents pair local knowledge with current tools and technology.
To find out more about the Palo Alto real estate market, be provided data and statistics, feel free to reach out to the Property Nerds of the Boyenga Team to provide you with the information you need to make an educated and informed decision.
Palo Alto modern home market trends
Market Trends are calculated using MLS® sold listing data
Your modern-home team
Eric Boyenga
Founder & Property Nerd
Janelle Boyenga
Founder & Property Nerd
Darcy Richardes
Agent
CONTACT THE BOYENGA TEAM
talk to a property nerd
Own a modern home in Palo Alto, or want one?
Call us for a value, a prep plan or a tour. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what's included.