Charm at every turn, this 1948 San Rafael home 1,635 sq ft of warm, character-filled living, plus a permitted 390 sq ft studio ADU with full kitchen and bath. The entry opens to a stunning living area with high ceilings and exposed beams, generous enough to hold both living and dining, open concept to a large kitchen with breakfast nook, coffee bar, powder room, and laundry. Marvelous views from the living area and kitchen, and from the primary bedroom as well. Handsome refinished parquet floors run underfoot, and doors open to a stone terrace, with the level grassy backyard reached directly through the kitchen and second bedroom. Downstairs, a wonderful basement with its own outside entrance is ready to become a workshop, studio, or serious storage. The permitted ADU is ready guests, extended family, a home office, or rental income from day one. Easy access to US-101 puts commutes, shopping, and all of Marin within reach.
Single-familyProperty Type
1948Year Built
5,750 sq ftLot Size
$689Price/Sq.Ft.
1 garage spacesParking
Listed by Beth Parrish•DRE #02173805• Eleven Real Estate
Picnic Valley, located between Dominican University of California and China Camp State Park, is a residential and hillside San Rafael neighborhood with winding lanes and bay-facing ridgelines. The neighborhood’s character concentrates around the 4th Street corridor near Lootens Place, where sidewalk patios, indie boutiques, and espresso counters set a steady daytime hum. Community touchstones include the Rafael Film Center, Marin History Museum, and the Marin Center farmers market. Housing leans to mid-century and ranch-style homes tucked into oak and eucalyptus. Trails and open space shape daily routines, with quick transitions from streets to ridge paths. Downtown’s galleries and dining sit just beyond the valley’s edges.
Provided by Walk Score and Local Logic
Property details
Interior
Exterior
Finance
Kitchen
Bathroom
Bedroom
Living
Interior features
Open beam ceiling
Brick fireplace (1)
Carbon monoxide detector
Smoke detector
Green energy features: efficient appliances, shaded exposure, energy-efficient lighting
Includes attic, great room, in-law apartment, possible guest/studio and storage spaces
Dining area with breakfast nook and dining/living combo
Living room with vaulted/cathedral ceiling, open beam ceiling and view
Bedrooms
5 bedrooms total
Primary bedroom includes closet and outside access
Bathrooms
3 bathrooms total (2 full, 1 partial)
Bathrooms feature double sinks, low-flow toilets, shower stall(s) and tub
Kitchen
Built-in gas range
Built-in refrigerator
Range hood
Kitchen with breakfast area, island with sink and quartz counters
Laundry & utility
Stacked washer/dryer included
Flooring
Parquet flooring
Wood flooring
Heating & cooling
Central heating
No built-in cooling
Exterior features
Front porch
Uncovered patio
Balcony
Back yard fencing
Low-maintenance landscaping with artificial grass and miscellaneous landscaping
On-site storage and workshop structures
Home design
Single family residence
Updated/remodeled condition
Three or more stories
Property faces northeast
Includes an accessory dwelling unit (ADU / 2nd unit)
Parking
3 parking spaces total
1 enclosed garage space (tandem)
Covered parking
Side-facing garage
Unassigned parking
Paved driveway
Security
Smoke detector
Carbon monoxide detector
Construction
No power production (solar) installed
Utilities
Cable available
Natural gas connected
Public sewer
220 volt electric service
HOA & community
No homeowners association
Not a senior community
Electricity and solar
View estimated energy costs and solar savings for this home
The single-family residential districts provide opportunities for low-density, detached single-family residential development. Development densities are based on existing development patterns in the area and environmental site constraints. In hillside areas, development shall conform to the hillside development standards and review procedures established in Chapter 14.12, Hillside Development Overlay District.; Single-family residential districts include hillside resource residential land use categories with minimum densities of 2 or more acres for minimum lot sizes; hillside residential and residential estate categories with densities from 20,000 sq ft to 2 acre lot minimums; and low-density residential land use categories with densities ranging from 5,000 sq ft to 20,000 sq ft lot minimums.
Permitted uses
Include but are not limited to:
Garden center
Housing-Single unit
Housing-Multiple units
Housing-Senior
Educational/school
Recreation
Park & open space
Feb 3, 2026 • Final
Building
Perform foundation repair using push piers.
Remodel
Jun 11, 2002 • Final
Plumbing
Work on a sump pump.
Plumbing
Permit history is from public records and may be incomplete or inaccurate. Redfin and its agents make no representations about the property condition or permit status. Buyers should independently verify all information.
Climate risks
1/10 Flood Factor
Minimal risk of a flood reaching the building in the next 30 years
1/10 Fire Factor
Unlikely to be in a wildfire in next 30 years
3/10 Heat Factor
7 days above 86° expected this year, 16 days in 30 years
1/10 Wind Factor
Minimal risk of severe winds over next 30 years
8/10 Air Factor
15 unhealthy days expected this year, 15 days in 30 years
Provided by First Street
Historical weather
San Rafael, CA • 94901
Average low and high temperatures (°F)
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55
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74
52
62
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Sun exposure
In this area, properties receive around 10.6 hours in
June and 5 hours in December, placing it above the
U.S. average for solar exposure.
10.6 hrs
5 hrs
JuneDecember
Provided by Shadowmap
Redfin Estimate for 51 Martens Blvd
$1,476,686
$82K over list price of $1.40M
Nearby comparable homes
The Redfin Estimate uses 6 recent nearby sales, priced between $1.3M to $2.0M.