Buyers searching for 55+ communities in Silicon Valley often come across Foster Square when exploring the Sunnyvale, CA area - and right away there's something worth clearing up. Despite showing up in regional property searches alongside Sunnyvale listings, this community is actually located up the peninsula in Foster City. Lennar Homes built it starting in 2016, and the development offers 200 modern condominium units designed with accessible floor plans from the ground up.

The Santa Clara County housing market stays fast-paced. The median sale price is hovering around $1,645,000 this year, with homes spending roughly 18 days on the market. Buyers drawn to age-restricted living look at Foster Square for its mixed-use design - ground-floor retail, assisted living at Atria, and nearby apartment options like Alma Point all share the same footprint. Knowing exactly where this place sits, what it costs, and what's around it makes it a lot easier to decide whether it fits your plans.

Overview of the Foster Square Community

Foster Square is a 55+ age-restricted condominium community built around a mixed-use layout - residential units above commercial spaces, with daily conveniences a short walk from your front door. The immediate area also includes the Atria assisted living facility and the Alma Point apartment complex, so the broader development has a genuinely multi-generational feel even though the condo portion is age-restricted.

The real anchor here is Leo J. Ryan Park, directly across the street. It's a waterfront park with a lagoon, a recreation center, pickleball and bocce courts, an amphitheater, and paved walking and biking paths. The community itself doesn't have a private clubhouse, so that park does a lot of heavy lifting as the primary outdoor recreation space.

What and Where It Is

Most buyers who search "Foster Square Sunnyvale" are actually looking at a property in Foster City. That distinction matters. Foster City puts you closer to the San Mateo Bridge and the San Francisco Bay shoreline than a Sunnyvale address would. For getting around the broader Bay Area, the Hillsdale Caltrain and Millbrae BART stations are your nearest transit options.

Community Character and Housing Setting

Lennar built these units under their "Everything's Included" package, which means modern finishes and appliances were priced into the original purchase rather than offered as upgrades. Shared outdoor recreational facilities - including a basketball and tennis court - are available to residents. The ground-floor retail element is genuinely useful day-to-day; basic errands and a morning coffee don't require getting in the car.

Real Estate and Home Prices in Foster Square

Santa Clara County's median home price sits at approximately $1,645,000 as of mid-2026, with inventory tight at just 1.7 months of supply. Sunnyvale itself posted a median sale price of around $1.8 million earlier this year, at roughly $1,240 per square foot. Foster Square condos in Foster City, by comparison, traded at a median of $1.4 million in early 2026 - about $857 per square foot.

That gap gives buyers who are open to the Sunnyvale area an alternative price point for newer construction, as long as they meet the 55+ requirement. The broader regional market is competitive; more than half of all properties currently close above list price, so the pace here isn't slow just because the price is lower.

Home Types and Property Attributes

Every unit in Foster Square is a condominium built from 2016 onward. Floor plans are designed for accessibility, which is consistent with the 55+ focus of the community. Most units include two designated garage parking spots - that's standard for this development, not an upgrade.

Homeowner Association Fees and Rules

The monthly HOA fee on recent Foster Square listings is $710. That covers management and maintenance of common areas and exterior building upkeep. It's a real line item in your monthly budget, so factor it in early when you're running numbers.

Dining, Shopping, and Daily Life

The mixed-use setup means several storefronts operate on the ground floor directly beneath the residential units - coffee, a market, basics. You won't need to drive for every small errand. For larger shopping trips, five distinct shopping centers are within 1.3 miles of the property. Add Leo J. Ryan Park across the street, and the immediate blocks handle a lot of daily life without much effort.

Restaurants and Everyday Dining

A Starbucks and a local market sit just steps from the condo entrances. Philz Coffee is a popular stop for residents who want something more neighborhood in feel. For a sit-down meal or fresh seafood, the New England Lobster Market & Eatery is a nearby option that comes up often.

Groceries and Local Shopping

The surrounding area is well-stocked. Target, Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, and Costco are all within reach for general retail. On the grocery side, you've got Safeway, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market, and Nob Hill Foods operating in the immediate area - that's more options than most mid-Peninsula neighborhoods can claim.

Practical Information: Schools, Healthcare, and Weather

The mid-Peninsula climate does what Bay Area weather is known for: dry, comfortable summers, mild and wet winters, very little drama. It's a genuinely pleasant place to be year-round if you're not a fan of weather extremes.

Healthcare infrastructure along this corridor is solid. Multiple medical networks are accessible nearby, which means residents have real choices for primary and emergency care without a long drive to San Jose or San Francisco.

Hospitals and Medical Care

Three hospitals fall within an eight-mile radius of Foster Square. The closest is San Mateo Medical Center at roughly three miles - a six-to-eight-minute drive. Sequoia Hospital and Mills-Peninsula Health Services also serve the area, and the Foster City Medical Center, along with several specialized doctor's offices, sits just a few miles from the community.

Local School Districts

This is a 55+ community, but the school district question comes up more than you'd expect - sometimes for resale considerations, sometimes because buyers have younger family members. Properties in this development fall within the San Mateo-Foster City School District attendance zone. If school zoning matters to your long-term plans, verify current boundary maps directly with the district.

Finding a Home in Foster Square

Two hundred total units means inventory is genuinely limited. The broader Santa Clara County and San Mateo County markets average about 18 days on the market, and when a Foster Square unit comes up, you won't have weeks to think it over.

The $1.4 million median here versus the $1.8 million median in Sunnyvale proper is a meaningful difference. The right way to weigh it is simple: lower price per square foot, $710 monthly HOA dues, and a slightly different geographic position up the peninsula. Whether that trade-off works depends on what matters most to you.

Homes for Sale and Rent

Most residents own their condominiums. Rental opportunities do come up occasionally in the adjacent Alma Point apartment community, but if you're focused on buying a Lennar-built condo, you're working the resale market. Setting up a search alert so you see new listings the moment they hit the MLS is the practical move here.

Working With a Local Agent

An agent who knows 55+ communities - the specific age-restriction rules, what to look for in HOA documents, how this development compares to other options closer to Sunnyvale, CA - will save you time and catch things a general search won't. The $710 monthly HOA documents alone are worth having someone experienced review before you write an offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do both spouses need to be 55 or older to buy a condo in Foster Square Sunnyvale?

It depends on the specific community bylaws, but typically only one resident must be 55 or older to satisfy the age restriction. Have your agent review the current homeowner association rules to confirm household age requirements before writing an offer.

How much are the monthly HOA fees at Foster Square, and what amenities do they cover?

Recent listings show a monthly HOA fee of $710. That covers management and maintenance of common areas, exterior building upkeep, and access to outdoor recreational facilities like the tennis and basketball courts.

Is Foster Square within walking distance to downtown Sunnyvale shops and the Caltrain station?

No - Foster Square is in Foster City, not Sunnyvale. Residents do have nearby transit access via the Hillsdale Caltrain and Millbrae BART stations.

Can I purchase a home in Foster Square as an investment property to rent out to Silicon Valley seniors?

You'll need to review the homeowner association's rental restrictions before purchasing a unit for investment purposes. Many 55+ communities limit the percentage of units that can be rented or require tenants to meet the age restrictions.

How often do single-story or ground-floor units become available, and is there a waitlist?

Inventory is limited - the community has 200 total units. There's no official waitlist for resale condos, so the practical approach is to monitor the market closely and move quickly when a suitable floor plan comes up.

How does Foster Square compare to other active 55+ communities in the Silicon Valley area?

Foster Square offers newer construction from 2016 with a median sale price around $1.4 million, which is lower than Sunnyvale's $1.8 million median. It runs on a mixed-use model with ground-floor retail rather than a traditional private clubhouse setup.