About Monte Sereno
About Monte Sereno
Hillside views, custom homes, and a five minute drive to town.
Monte Sereno is a quiet residential community, approximately 1.6 square miles in size with a population of about 3,500 residents, with no commercial buildings. The City of Monte Sereno is approximately 50 miles southeast of San Francisco and minutes from the heart of Silicon Valley and has easy access to Highways 17/880 and 85. Because of the City’s beauty, location, estate properties and superior schools, many Silicon Valley executives have chosen Monte Sereno as their home. As Monte Sereno’s most experienced real estate agent, Annette Seaborn has personally guided buyers and sellers through this exclusive market for over 25 years.
- Estate lots
- Custom builds
- Hillside views
- El Sereno / Sanborn
- Top schools
Neighborhood guide
Living in Monte Sereno
Monte Sereno is one of the most exclusive addresses in the Bay Area — a quiet, entirely residential hillside city of about 3,500 residents tucked into the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, bordered by Los Gatos and Saratoga. With no commercial zoning, tree-lined private streets, and large estate lots, it offers privacy and serenity just minutes from downtown Los Gatos shopping, dining, and Highway 17 access to Silicon Valley.
Life in Monte Sereno right now
Monte Sereno is small, but its residents show up for one another.
- A record turnout at the annual city picnic — In August, 300 to 400 residents gathered at Vasona Lake County Park for Monte Sereno’s annual city picnic, the biggest turnout yet.
- Youth Commission leads a preparedness effort — Monte Sereno’s Youth Commission has launched an initiative to help residents get ready for earthquakes, power outages and other emergencies.
- The General Plan Update — The City is updating its General Plan and has launched a website where residents can follow along. Residents also receive the City’s Peaceful Mountain Monitor newsletter.
- Los Gatos traditions, minutes from home — The Sunday farmers market, the December 5 Children’s Holiday Parade and Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake are a short drive away.
Setting & lifestyle
Monte Sereno has no commercial district of its own — by design, it’s 99% single-family homes on generous lots with no through-traffic streets. Residents step outside their gates and are minutes from Old Town Los Gatos’ boutiques, restaurants, and weekly farmers’ market, or downtown Saratoga’s village charm.
- Homes Only
- No Commercial Zoning
- Estate Lots
- Quiet Residential Streets
- Minutes to Downtown Los Gatos
Outdoors
Rolling hills, oak woodlands, and access to the Santa Cruz Mountains make Monte Sereno a haven for outdoor lovers. Nearby Vasona Lake County Park and the Los Gatos Creek Trail offer miles of walking, biking, and picnicking, while private trail networks wind through the hillside neighborhoods themselves.
- Vasona Lake
- Creek Trail
- Sierra Azul
- Dog Parks
Schools
Most Monte Sereno homes are served by the Los Gatos Union School District and the top-rated Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District (Los Gatos High School), with a smaller pocket zoned to Saratoga Union School District or Campbell Union School District — all consistently ranked among the best in Santa Clara County.
- LGUSD
- LGSUHSD
- Blossom Hill
- Daves Avenue Elementary
- Private Schools
Monte Sereno streets
From the hillsides below El Sereno to the tree-lined streets that border Los Gatos, each part of Monte Sereno has its own character. I know these streets home by home.
About Monte Sereno
Monte Sereno at a glance
A quiet, residential hillside town next to Los Gatos, Monte Sereno is known for custom homes on larger lots and leafy, low-traffic streets. You’re minutes from downtown Los Gatos for dining and errands, with quick connections to HWY 17/85 and top-rated Los Gatos schools. Trails, open space, and sunset views give it a retreat feel without leaving Silicon Valley.
- Residential-only city (no commercial core)
- Custom homes & estate lots
- Los Gatos schools (LGUSD & LGSUHSD)
- HWY 17 & 85 access
- Trails & open space nearby
Monte Sereno Real Estate Trends: Market Snapshot — Q3 2026
Sources: Juliana Lee Q3 2026 Monte Sereno statistics (updated Sept. 18, 2026); Trulia closed sales, September 2026
Monte Sereno houses that sold in the third quarter of 2026 closed at a median of $4.0M, in a median of 11 days, at about 102% of list price. In September, two homes closed in the $3.5M–$9M range, at $4.4M and $4.8M (roughly $1,640–$1,760 per square foot), and one estate closed at $12.3M. With only a handful of sales each quarter, a single large sale can swing the citywide median, so I price every Monte Sereno home street by street, not from an average. For the full picture, see my October 2026 market update for $3.5M–$9M homes.
What Makes Monte Sereno Unlike Anywhere Else in Silicon Valley
Structurally Limited Supply
No commercial zoning, no multifamily development, no plans to change. Total number of homes is fixed. Declining supply plus rising demand from tech wealth means the long-term trajectory is clear.
Absolute Privacy
No through streets, no commercial activity. Streets exist only for residents. This is the privacy that people with the means to choose anywhere choose.
The Neighbor Effect
Tech founders, executives, and investors who could buy anywhere chose Monte Sereno specifically. The community that forms around that demographic is itself part of the value.
The Street Named After Annette
Seaborn Court, off Highway 9 in Monte Sereno, exists because I purchased the land, managed the development, and sold the homes — solo. This was not a team effort. This was one agent, one vision, and 25 years of knowing this market well enough to see opportunity where others saw undeveloped land.
I tell this story not to boast. I tell it because it is the most honest answer I can give to the question every buyer and seller eventually asks: "How well do you really know this market?" The answer is: well enough that a street here carries my name. That is the level of expertise you get working with a dedicated Monte Sereno real estate agent who lives and works exclusively in this market — not a generalist covering the entire Bay Area.
I have sold homes on Seaborn Court. I have sold homes on Grandview, on Wild Way, on Belgatos. I know which lots have the best views, which streets stay quiet during school traffic, which homes have the privacy that ultra-luxury buyers require. This is not knowledge I read somewhere. It is knowledge I earned.
What to Expect When Buying in Monte Sereno
Private Strategy Call
I'll tell you what's available and what's coming — including things not yet listed.
Pre-Qualification at This Level
Most Monte Sereno buyers pay cash or have significant liquidity. Organizing your financial picture in advance accelerates everything.
Off-Market Access
Some of the most significant Monte Sereno properties never appear on MLS. Owners who want discretion call agents they trust.
Offer Strategy
I focus on Monte Sereno homes from $3.5M to $9M. The approach is nuanced at each price point.
Properties Sold in Monte Sereno
Ready to buy or sell in Monte Sereno? Meet Monte Sereno Realtor Annette Seaborn, with 25+ years of experience and 104 homes sold.
