Relocating to Burlingame

Sternsmith Group


By Sternsmith Group

Burlingame has a way of making one block feel completely different from the next, and that is why neighborhood choice matters so much here. Some parts of town feel centered on walking to coffee and dinner, some feel more residential and park-oriented, and some feel quieter and more tucked away behind mature trees and larger homes.

When we help clients with relocating to Burlingame, we spend a lot of time narrowing down which neighborhood rhythm actually fits their day-to-day life.

Key Takeaways

  • Downtown energy: Burlingame Avenue suits people who want shops, dining, and a polished walkable routine.
  • Broadway feel: The Broadway side often feels more casual and more rooted in everyday local use.
  • Park-centered living: Areas near Washington Park or Ray Park offer a more neighborhood-driven rhythm.
  • Residential calm: Easton Addition and hillside pockets can feel more private and home-centered.

Choose the Burlingame Avenue Area if Walkability Matters Most

Some moves work best when daily life happens on foot, with restaurants, coffee, boutiques, and errands close together.

Why this area stands out

  • Daily convenience: Shops, dining, and personal errands stay close together.
  • Polished atmosphere: The district feels finished, lively, and easy to enjoy without much planning.
  • Evening ease: A simple walk can become dinner, dessert, or an unplanned stop along the avenue.
  • Connected feeling: The neighborhood tends to suit people who want less driving in the week.
The Burlingame Avenue area is often the clearest fit for that because it gives the city one of its most polished and social routines.

Look Toward Broadway if You Want a More Relaxed Local Rhythm

Broadway offers a different tone, and that difference matters when personality is part of the search.

Why Broadway can be the better match

  • More casual atmosphere: The area often feels less polished and more lived-in.
  • Useful convenience: Everyday errands, coffee stops, and meals still stay close to home.
  • Weekend rail option: Broadway Station adds another access point on weekends.
  • Balanced pace: The area suits people who want convenience without centering every day on the busiest blocks.
The district still provides shops, dining, and convenience, though the mood often feels a little more understated and a little more tied to local routine.

Focus Near Washington Park if Community Amenities Matter

For some people, the right fit starts with open space, recreation, and a neighborhood that feels connected by shared amenities.

What makes this area appealing

  • Park access: Green space, recreation, and community use stay close at hand.
  • Established surroundings: The nearby streets often feel settled and familiar.
  • Everyday rhythm: Walks, local routines, and neighborhood activity feel easy to maintain.
  • Civic energy: Being close to one of the city’s major parks gives the area more day-to-day life.
Washington Park gives that part of Burlingame a more community-centered pattern, and the surrounding streets often reflect that same sense of comfort.

Consider Easton Addition and Ray Park for a More Residential Feel

Some moves feel best in a neighborhood where the home itself is the main focus and the surrounding streets carry a more classic residential tone.

What people often like here

  • Home-centered feel: The area tends to revolve more around the house and the block than the commercial district.
  • Park connection: Ray Park adds courts, open space, and a neighborhood gathering point.
  • Established atmosphere: Streets often feel settled, mature, and familiar.
  • Breathing room: The setting can appeal to people who want more privacy and less daily bustle.
Easton Addition and the Ray Park area often offer that kind of environment, with tree-lined streets, established homes, and a quieter pace.

Think About the Hillside Areas if Privacy Comes First

For others, the right fit comes from stepping away from the flatter, more walkable sections of town and choosing a setting with more separation.

Why hillside living appeals to some movers

  • Greater privacy: Homes often feel more removed from the busiest parts of town.
  • Quieter streets: The pace can feel calmer and more retreat-like.
  • Visual presence: Elevation and landscaping often give properties more distinction.
  • Home-first lifestyle: The setting tends to suit people who want the property itself to shape daily life.
Hillside neighborhoods often shift the mood of the move by adding elevation, privacy, and a more tucked-away relationship to the rest of Burlingame.

FAQs

Which neighborhood is best if we want to walk to shops and restaurants?

The Burlingame Avenue area is usually the first place we look. It gives the city one of its clearest walkable routines and one of its most polished daily atmospheres.

What part of Burlingame feels the most residential?

Easton Addition, the Ray Park area, and some of the quieter interior streets usually feel the most home-centered. They tend to appeal to people who want the neighborhood to revolve more around the property than the commercial core.

How do we know which area is the right fit before we buy?

We usually compare neighborhoods by how the day would unfold there, from mornings and commutes to weekends and evening walks. That kind of comparison makes relocating to Burlingame much clearer than choosing only by lot size or map location.

Reach Out to Sternsmith Group

The right Burlingame move usually has less to do with finding the perfect listing on paper and more to do with landing in the neighborhood that feels natural once real life starts.

Reach out to us at Sternsmith Group, and we'll help you sort through the differences between Burlingame Avenue, Broadway, Washington Park, Easton Addition, Ray Park, and the hillside streets with a practical eye for what each area offers.


Casey Sternsmith

Casey Sternsmith

Founder

Get to Know Me

Meet Casey Sternsmith, founding partner of the Sternsmith Group. In business, exceptional service is what matters most to Casey Sternsmith.

With Casey at the helm of the Sternsmith Group, this level of commitment is shared by all members of the group who pride themselves on being excellent listeners with unwavering integrity, and for providing the best advocacy and negotiation skills for their buyers and sellers.

Casey’s philosophy of “love what you do, or do something else” is at the forefront of the entire team, which is evident by their true passion for helping clients achieve their real estate goals.
 
As a leader in real estate marketing, Casey employs tried and true traditional marketing as well as cutting-edge strategies such as social media marketing and professional videos for every home – from small condos to luxury estate properties. Casey’s clients also benefit from her vast personal network as a lifelong resident of the area.
 
As a result, she often achieves unprecedented outcomes for her sellers with quick sales and prices exceeding the list prices. To her buyers, Casey is known for excelling in competitive multiple-offer situations.
 
With more than 10 years of results that speak for themselves, Casey never looks at the process as a transaction, but rather as a personal decision and life choice that impact each and every day of their life. Because of this, a great deal of Casey’s personal business, and the Sternsmith Group’s as a whole, comes from repeat businesses and referrals.
 
Prior to her career in real estate, Casey owned and operated a personal training/Pilates studio in San Mateo where she honed her customer service, management, organization, and marketing skills. Combined with a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara, all of this proved to be the ideal foundation for her future success in real estate. Casey and her husband have two small children and reside in Hillsborough.
 
Tess Salter

Tess Salter

REALTOR®

Get to Know Me

Tess Salter is a top-ranked real estate agent in San Mateo County and a key leader of the Sternsmith Group, known for her exceptional negotiation skills, client-first approach, and record of delivering outstanding results. Tess has helped clients buy and sell homes across San Mateo, Burlingame, Hillsborough, Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood Shores, Redwood City, San Bruno, Millbrae, South San Francisco, Bay Meadows, Menlo Park, and Foster City. She specializes in single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes, luxury estates, and investment properties.

With over 10 years of experience, Tess has sold 71 homes in San Mateo County in 2025 and helped 61 buyers and sellers achieve over $125M in sales in 2024, according to RealTrends. Since 2015, Tess and her partner Casey Sternsmith have closed $1.3B+ in total sales, ranking them among the top 5 agents in San Mateo County and the #1 agents in San Mateo for seven consecutive years.

Tess was recognized by Gentry Magazine as one of the Top 10 Agents Under 40 in 2020, and the Sternsmith Group has been nationally recognized on The Leading 100 for the past seven years, celebrating the top-performing real estate teams in the San Francisco Peninsula.

Tess is known for her expertise in off-market listings, pre-market preparation, luxury marketing strategies, and customized property-specific marketing. She leverages Compass’ advanced technology, social media, and Facebook/Instagram Live tours to maximize exposure and deliver top results. With a strong foundation in finance, accounting, and economics, Tess provides data-driven insights that help clients make strategic real estate decisions.

Outside of real estate, Tess is deeply committed to her community. She served as PARCA Auxiliary President (2024–2025), continues on the PARCA Board (2019–2025), volunteers in Hillsborough schools, served on the West Elementary School Site Council, and chairs the Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society.

With 150+ five-star reviews and a reputation for integrity, responsiveness, and personalized service, Tess Salter and the Sternsmith Group provide exceptional guidance, strategic marketing, and unparalleled support for anyone buying or selling in San Mateo County, Burlingame, Hillsborough, and surrounding Peninsula neighborhoods.

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