BURLINGAME TERRACE

Do you read San Francisco magazine? If not, make sure to track the January 2013 issue and check its cover story – Project Utopia, edited by Jenna Scatena. It is a refreshing look on 10 up and coming Bay Area neighborhoods based on the 10 criteria yielded from the poll of 200 “Bay Areans”. What makes the ideal neighborhood?

1. Affordability
2. Safety
3. Walkability to amenities
4.  Public transportation
5. Proximity to work
6. Accessibility of nature
7. Culture (theater, art)
8. Parking
9. Good schools
10. Ethnic and economic diversity

 OK, you will most likely not agree with the all selected neighborhoods, especially if you have children in the school age and your main concern is to find a neighborhood with best schools. But I will weigh in on their choice # 10, Burlingame Terrace, only.

I'm sure you will agree with this choice, especially since schools there are excellent. If you want to read about remaining neighborhoods, such as Ocean Beach, Polk Gulch, Richmond Annex and others, I recommend that you find a copy of the magazine to read about them (if you have a problem with locating a copy – contact me and I will email you a copy of the entire article).
 

Let me start with location of Burlingame Terrace - it is the area between Broadway and Peninsula Ave and California Drive and El Camino Real in Burlingame. Please note that technically, according to the local realtor association, the area referred by the magazine as Burlingame Terrace is a combination of two adjacent areas in Burlingame: Burlingame Terrace (from Broadway to Oak Grove Ave) and Burlingame Downtown (from Oak Grove Ave to Peninsula Ave). Here are some of the benefits of Burlingame Terrace, as defined and highlighted by the San Francisco magazine:

 

• Affordability: B- (cost of 2 bedroom house starts is around $750k+)
• Walkability to amenities: B (Burlingame Ave is 10 min walk)
•  Public transportation: B (Two Caltrain stations – one operates on weekends only. Free shuttle to Millbrae BART station, bus)
• Weather: A (mostly sunny – even in summer)
• Safety: A- (“crime is very uncommon in Burlingame’s residential area, especially violent crime” – according Captain Mike Matteucci)

There are many good restaurants in walking distance (Burlingame Ave area). And of course schools. Burlingame schools are among the best on the Peninsula. McKinley elementary with API score of 882 in 2012 has dual language track (English and Spanish), Burlingame Intermediary has a score of 903(!) and Burlingame HS with the score of 869 is second best in the San Mateo County, just one point behind Millbrae’s Mills HS.

And what is bad? Let me quote San Francisco magazine: “It’s a far cry from being culturally diverse”. Another – really expensive parking tickets ($72).

Feel free to contact me if you have more questions about Burlingame Terrace or would like me to show you the neighborhood.