builder filesfile 03 of 18built c. 1951–1953boyenga team at compass
Stern & Price homes
In the early 1950s, the builders Stern & Price put up Cliff May–designed ranch houses at Rancho Rinconada in east Cupertino and a tract of houses in south Palo Alto. Here’s what the records confirm, where the houses are and what they sell for now.
- builder
- Stern & Price (also written Stern and Price)
- partner
- Alfred Stern; Price’s first name isn’t on record
- architect
- Cliff May, at Rancho Rinconada
- built
- about 1951–1953
- tracts
- Rancho Rinconada, Cupertino; a tract in south Palo Alto
- homes
- about 900 at Rancho Rinconada, by May’s recollection
- listings say
- “Rancho Rinconada,” “Cliff May”
- sales on record · live…
- median $/sq ft, last 2 yrs…
- for sale now · live…
- architect, Rancho RinconadaCliff May
where they are
Where the houses are
Two areas of work are confirmed by primary sources, both in Santa Clara County.
| tract | city | built | homes | streets and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rancho Rinconadaeast Cupertino | Cupertino | early 1950s | about 900 | Single-story houses to Cliff May’s designs, sold from four models. Part of the area was unincorporated county land until residents voted in March 1999 to join Cupertino. |
| Stern and Price tractsouth Palo Alto | Palo Alto | 1951–1952 | not on record | Houses on Alger, Ames, Ashton, Cowper, East Meadow, Emerson, Maureen, Middlefield, Murdoch, Price Court, Rambow Drive and Stern Avenue, mostly south of Colorado Avenue. Eichler also built on some of these streets. |
The Rancho Rinconada count is Cliff May’s own recollection, given about 30 years later. We haven’t found a tract map that confirms it, and other published counts differ. Rambow Drive carries the maiden name of Alfred Stern’s wife, Johanna Rambow Stern.
how to spot one
How to spot one, and what isn’t on record
Few design details of these houses are documented. We stick to what the records say and don’t borrow general Cliff May traits without a source.
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Single-story, low-cost ranch houses
The Cupertino Historical Society describes them as inexpensive single-story houses built by Stern & Price in a style designed by Cliff May.
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Four models
Cliff May recalled the tract selling out from four models, as fast as buyers could sign up.
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Originals next to rebuilds
Many lots now hold expanded or rebuilt houses. The assessor’s year built and the permit history show how much of the original house is left.
- palo alto
A street name isn’t proof
Palo Alto Stanford Heritage lists Eichler houses on some of the same streets, including Alger, Ames and Murdoch. The builder of a given house needs the permit or tract records.
- palo alto
Most have grown
Of the Stern & Price houses Palo Alto Stanford Heritage documents, one is noted as expanded, one as remodeled in 1999 and one with an addition.
- not on record
Roofs, glass and siding
We found no primary source describing the roofs, windows or siding of either tract, so we don’t claim them.
the sales ledger
The Rancho Rinconada and Stern & Price sales ledger
Every sale on record whose listing names Rancho Rinconada or Stern & Price. Many Rancho Rinconada lots now hold rebuilt or expanded houses, so the dots mix original ranch houses and newer homes. Hover a dot for the details.
- sales on record…
- median price…
- median $ per sq ft…
- latest sale…
one recorded salemedian for the yearprice per sq ft = sale price ÷ listed living area
| sold | address | price | $/sq ft | bd / ba | sq ft |
|---|
Rancho Rinconada sales are included by neighborhood name, so some are newer houses rather than Stern & Price originals. Sales come from the MLS records available to us and include every sold listing whose description names the builder, so a few homes may be labeled by the listing agent rather than confirmed from tract records. Sold data is shown with the listing brokerage. Price per square foot uses the living area in the listing. Ask us for a full comparable-sales report on any address.
on the market
For sale now
Active listings whose description names Rancho Rinconada or Stern & Price.
Checking active listings…
owning one today
Owning one today
- Check the zoning before plansSome Cupertino neighborhoods carry single-story overlay zoning. We found no record applying an overlay or design guidelines to Rancho Rinconada by name, so check the parcel’s zoning with the City of Cupertino before planning a second story.
- Confirm the jurisdictionMost of Rancho Rinconada is in Cupertino, and part was unincorporated county land until the March 1999 vote. Confirm which city handles permits for the address.
- No historic designation foundWe found no historic district or landmark designation for Rancho Rinconada or the Palo Alto Stern & Price houses.
- Match the permits to the sizeWith additions common, pull the permit history and compare it with the square footage in the listing.
the nerd check
Buying or selling one
What we check when you buy
- Original or rebuiltWe compare the assessor year built, permit history and listed size to see how much of the 1950s house is left.
- Zoning before plansIf you plan to add on, we confirm the parcel’s zoning, height limits and any overlay with the city first.
- 1950s inspectionsRoof, electrical panel and wiring, sewer lateral and foundation. Our Inspection Decoder covers what to order.
- The right comparablesWe compare against recent sales of similar-size original houses, not rebuilt homes on the same street.
How we market one when you sell
- Tell the story with recordsIf the house is an original Stern & Price or Cliff May design, we document it from permits and tract records rather than guesswork.
- Price against the right salesWe separate original, expanded and rebuilt sales when we set the price.
- Prep with a planOur Prep Lab budgets the repairs and staging before you list.
- Lot and layoutFor many buyers the lot is part of the value, so we show the lot size, the floor plan and what the zoning allows.
Online write-ups give different house counts, dates and tract lists for Stern & Price. This page sticks to what primary sources confirm, and we’ll update it as more records turn up.
questions
Questions we hear
Is it “Stearns and Price” or “Stern & Price”?
Stern & Price, also written Stern and Price. One partner was Alfred Stern. Rambow Drive in Palo Alto carries the maiden name of his wife, Johanna, according to Palo Alto Stanford Heritage.
Did Cliff May design the Rancho Rinconada houses?
Yes. In his oral history, May said he did a tract for Stern and Price in Cupertino, and the Cupertino Historical Society credits the style to him.
How many houses are in Rancho Rinconada?
Cliff May recalled about 900, decades later. We haven’t found a tract map that confirms the count, and other published counts differ.
Can I add a second story?
It depends on the parcel’s zoning. Check with the City of Cupertino or Palo Alto for overlays, height limits and setbacks before you design.
sources
Sources
Oral history, historical society and heritage records, checked October 2026.
- Cliff May oral history, “The California Ranch House”UCLA Oral History Program, interviews 1982–83archive.org/stream/californiaranchh00mayc/californiaranchh00mayc_djvu.txt
- Cupertino Historical Society: Rancho RinconadaBuilder, architect and the 1999 votecupertinomuseum.org/ranchoRinconada.html
- Palo Alto Stanford Heritage: architectural styles and buildersStern and Price streets in Palo Altowww.pastheritage.org/PAstyle.html
- Palo Alto Stanford Heritage: R street indexRambow Drive and the Stern and Price tractwww.pastheritage.org/HousePixLists/PixListR.html
- Palo Alto Stanford Heritage: 543 Alger DriveBuilt by Stern and Price in 1952www.pastheritage.org/houses/aHouses/Alger543.html
builder files
Every builder file, by era
Bars show the years each builder was building here. See all builders or the home styles field guide.
- Doelger1927–1960s
- Rousseau1931–1933
- Stern & Price1951–1953
- Mackay Homes1950s
- Mardell1955–1959
- Ditz-Crane1962–1984
- Brown & Kauffmann1960s–1981
- Bahl1968–1986
- SummerHill Homes1976–today
- Robson Homes1989–today
- Classic Communities1990s–2010s
- Trumark Homes2012–today
- KB Home1980s–today
- Pulte Homes2000s–today
- Shea Homes2000s–2010s
- Lennar2000s–today
- Toll Brothers2000s–today
- Taylor Morrison2007–today
talk to a property nerd
Own a Rancho Rinconada ranch?
We can pull the permit history, value it against the right sales and plan the prep. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.
