Tiburon jumbo loans and 2026 loan limits.

Tiburon was a railway town before it was a residential one. Trains ran to the yards at the end of the peninsula until the 1960s, and the town became a municipality in 1964. Tiburon Boulevard runs the length of the peninsula from Highway 101 to Main Street, where ferries still leave for San Francisco and Angel Island. Ark Row, part of Main Street, is named for the arks, the houseboats once common on these waters. Paradise Drive loops around the eastern shore. Ring Mountain and other open-space preserves cover much of the ridge.

The homes follow the land. On the southern slopes, houses are terraced for views of the bay, the city skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge. Near the highway end of the boulevard there are level streets of mid-century ranch houses. Along the water are houses with docks and several condominium communities. Lots on the ridge are larger, with custom houses from the 1960s to the present.

The view, the slope and, by the water, the flood map.

A view can account for a large part of a home’s value here, and appraisers try to compare like with like: a full bay view with another full bay view. Town rules protect views and sunlight when neighbors build or plant, which is one reason additions go through careful design review. If your plans depend on adding a story, ask the town first.

Landslides are a recognized hazard on the peninsula’s steep slopes. An appraiser notes retaining walls, drainage and any sign of movement, and a geological report is worth ordering on a steep lot. Parts of Tiburon are in the state’s highest fire hazard zone, which can slow homeowners insurance.

Homes at the water’s edge may be in a flood zone on FEMA’s map. If so, a lender requires flood insurance. A private dock is valued as part of the property, and the appraiser notes its condition. Condominiums bring a review of the homeowners association and its dues.

Old Tiburon is the hillside above Main Street and the ferry landing, at the tip of the peninsula. Its streets, such as Esperanza Street, Centro West Street and Mar West Street, zigzag up the slope, joined by public stairways. Old St. Hilary’s, a white wooden church from the 1880s, stands in a wildflower preserve above.

This is the oldest residential part of town, first built up in the railway years. Lots are small and steep, and houses stand close together: early cottages, mid-century houses and newer homes built to the edges of what the lot allows. Nearly every house looks out over the bay toward Angel Island or San Francisco. For an appraisal, view, parking and access matter as much as size. Some houses have no garage, and some are reached by stairs from the street. Remodels are tightly reviewed by the town, so a buyer planning changes should allow time. Old foundations and retaining walls on steep ground call for a structural inspection. Being able to walk to the ferry adds value, and appraisers adjust for it. The upper streets border open land, so check the address on the state’s fire hazard map.

Bel Aire is a level neighborhood near the Highway 101 end of Tiburon Boulevard, around Blackfield Drive and the short streets off it, beside the Cove shopping center. It was built in the 1950s.

It is one of the few parts of Tiburon made up mainly of single-story ranch houses on regular, flat lots. Many have been remodeled or enlarged, and some have added a second story. Because the houses began alike and sell fairly often, an appraiser usually has good matches, and the work is in adjusting for remodels. Check permits for additions and for any garage conversion. The ground is low and close to Richardson Bay, so have the address checked on FEMA’s flood map. If it is in a high-risk zone, a lender will require a flood policy and count its cost. The neighborhood is away from the open hillsides, so wildfire insurance questions are fewer than on the ridge. A loan here can be conforming or jumbo, depending on the house and the money down.

Paradise Cay is a small waterfront community on the eastern side of the Tiburon peninsula, off Paradise Drive, facing the open bay toward the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. It has a Tiburon address but is in unincorporated Marin County.

The houses are built on filled land along waterways that open to the bay, and many have a boat dock at the back. They date mainly from the 1960s on, and many have been rebuilt. Dredging of the waterways is handled by a Marin County service area and paid for by a special tax on the parcels, which a lender counts in the housing cost along with any association dues. Ask what that tax is and when dredging was last done. The land is low and beside the water, so expect the lender’s flood certificate to show a flood zone and expect to carry flood insurance. Ask the seller for an elevation certificate. Sales are few, and waterfront homes with docks are compared with one another, so an appraiser may draw on sales from other bayside communities. Permits come from the county.