Old Town / Downtown Novato
Walk to Grant Avenue — bungalows and mid-century homes with the town's best everyday convenience.
Communities / Novato & Northern Marin
Novato & Northern Marin
Novato and northern Marin—Old Town, Mt. Burdell, Hamilton, SMART rail, and connections south through San Rafael.
County
Marin
To Golden Gate Bridge
~25 miles from Novato
Rail
SMART — San Marin & Downtown Novato
Feels like
Small-town Marin with big open space
Living Here
Life in Novato & Northern Marin
Old Town's Grant Avenue provides Novato's restaurant and civic center, Mount Burdell rises above the northern neighborhoods, and two SMART stations connect the town north and south.
South of Novato, San Rafael adds Marin's county-seat services, varied housing stock, and connections to central and southern Marin. This guide focuses on Novato and northern Marin; properties farther south require their own neighborhood and comparable-sale review.
Neighborhoods to know
Hamilton
The converted 1930s airfield: landmark hangars, parade grounds turned parks, and a planned-community feel.
San Marin
Established neighborhoods under Mount Burdell with a nearby SMART station, schools, and open-space access.
Pleasant Valley & Indian Valley
Semi-rural west Novato — horse properties, oaks, and the college's wooded campus.
San Rafael
Marin's county seat, with varied housing from central condos and bungalows to hillside properties near Dominican.
Central & Southern Marin
Distinct markets shaped by redwood canyons, ridgeline views, ferry access, and proximity to San Francisco.
Out your front door
- Mount Burdell Open Space — 1,600 acres of oak savanna trails rising directly from San Marin's streets.
- Stafford Lake Park — Picnics, disc golf, and the west-county reservoir views.
- Grant Avenue, Old Town — Novato's main street — restaurants, the farmers market, and the Fourth of July parade.
- China Camp & the bay shore — State-park shoreline and mountain-bike singletrack minutes from San Rafael.
- Mount Tamalpais — The county's rooftop — the view that explains Marin prices in one look.
Schools & essentials
- Novato Unified — K–12 across town, including Novato High's MSEL academy and San Marin High.
- Marin school districts — Assignments vary by address; verify current boundaries and enrollment information directly with the relevant district.
- Marin Health & Kaiser San Rafael — The county's hospital anchors.
- US-101, ferries & SMART — Two Novato rail stations; Larkspur ferry and the bridge for the city commute.
Local Market Structure
How the local market differs
Novato's market includes Old Town bungalows, Hamilton's planned redevelopment, San Marin's established housing, and semi-rural properties west of town. Central and southern Marin operate as distinct markets, so comparisons should not be carried across the county without adjusting for location, property type, condition, and transportation access.
Jonathan and Matt bring their transaction experience to one shared client plan. For properties farther south, the team prepares a separate neighborhood and recent-sales comparison.
For current comparable sales on a specific street or property, call either agent and we will prepare a focused local review.
Considering Novato & Northern Marin?
Buying, selling, or comparing options in Novato & Northern Marin? Send the street, property, budget, or question. Your message reaches both agents, and one of us will respond the same day.
Photography: Mt. Tamalpais view — Chris Koerner, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Novato SMART platform — Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0 — via Wikimedia Commons.