Seaside Luxury Homes for Sale: bay views, real value, and a foothold on the Peninsula.
Seaside sits on Monterey Bay between Monterey and Marina, minutes from downtown Monterey and right on Highway 1. It grew up as the hometown of Fort Ord, and today it’s home to military and Naval Postgraduate School families, CSU Monterey Bay faculty and students, and plenty of locals who want to live on the Peninsula without Carmel or Pebble Beach prices.
If you’re browsing Seaside homes for sale, here’s what I’d tell a friend first: how the town lays out, from the flats near Broadway up to the view streets and out to the golf courses on the former base, what to check before you buy, and how I can help.
Why buyers look at Seaside
Seaside isn’t trying to be Carmel. That’s a big part of the appeal.
- More home for the moneySeaside has long been one of the more attainable ways into the Monterey Peninsula. Your budget usually stretches further here than in Carmel, Pebble Beach or Pacific Grove, and you’re still minutes from all of them.
- Bay views from the hillsThe town rises from the bay, so a lot of streets in the upper part of Seaside look straight out over Monterey Bay toward Santa Cruz. Views here can cost a lot less than they would a few miles south.
- A central, easy-to-reach locationHighway 1 runs along the bay side of town, downtown Monterey is a few minutes away, and Highway 218 gets you to Highway 68 and the Monterey airport. It’s a practical base for commuting anywhere on the Peninsula.
- Golf, trails and the beachBayonet and Black Horse, two championship courses built for Fort Ord, are on the hill. Fort Ord National Monument’s trails are a short drive inland, Laguna Grande and Roberts Lake sit near the Monterey line, and the beach is just across Highway 1.
From Broadway to the former base
Seaside changes a lot from one part of town to the next: older homes near the bay, view streets up the hill, and newer communities on former Fort Ord land. Here’s how I think about it when I’m helping buyers.
Broadway, Fremont & the flats
The older, flatter part of Seaside west of the hills, close to Broadway Avenue’s shops and restaurants, Del Monte Boulevard, Highway 1 and Laguna Grande. Mostly smaller mid-century homes on regular city lots, and the shortest trip to the beach and to Monterey.
City of Seaside · mostly Cal Am waterDel Monte Heights & the view streets
As you climb east from the flats, streets in Del Monte Heights and the Bay View area open up to Monterey Bay. These are the blocks where a view can really change a home’s value, so it pays to compare carefully street by street.
City of Seaside · mostly Cal Am waterOrd Terrace & Ord Grove
Established neighborhoods toward the Del Rey Oaks and former Fort Ord side of town. Quiet residential streets, mostly single-family homes, and an easy drive up to the golf courses or over to Highway 68.
City of Seaside · confirm water provider by addressSeaside Highlands
A planned community built in the 2000s on former Fort Ord land, with newer construction, consistent streets and many homes looking out toward the bay. It has an HOA, and its water comes from Marina Coast Water District, not Cal Am.
City of Seaside · HOA · Marina Coast Water DistrictAround Bayonet & Black Horse
Course-frontage new construction at a City of Seaside golf club — its own section below. Premium buyers, including some who sold in Pebble Beach, come here for new homes with golf and Peninsula access.
Campus Town & nearby sites
Campus Town broke ground in 2025 on about 122 acres near CSU Monterey Bay. About 1,500 homes are planned, with shops and restaurants, built in phases over roughly a decade. The city is also working with the same developer on the Main Gate site next door.
City of Seaside · in progress · plans can change
Bayonet & Black Horse
This is the Seaside story that draws premium buyers. New construction around Bayonet and Black Horse offers something you almost can’t find elsewhere on the Peninsula: course frontage at a prominent golf club, easy reach of Monterey and the rest of the coast, and new homes at a price point that still turns heads.
- Course frontage that stands outHomes along Bayonet and Black Horse sit on City of Seaside championship courses built for Fort Ord. That golf setting is rare at this price, and it’s a big part of why the area leads Seaside’s top end.
- Buyers trading from Pebble Beach and beyondI’ve seen owners sell in Pebble Beach and move into new homes here. They’re choosing a different equation: newer construction, golf lifestyle, and Peninsula access without paying for an older Pebble Beach house.
- New construction at an interesting priceCommunities like The Enclave at Cypress Grove and other homes around the courses give you modern floor plans and finishes that older Peninsula stock often can’t match, still below Carmel and Pebble Beach price tags.
- Easy access across the PeninsulaYou’re minutes from downtown Monterey, Highway 1, and the rest of the coast — a practical base if you want golf, bay air, and reach without living in the tourist core.
Confirm current HOA rules, golf membership options, and any builder or city requirements before you buy. Inventory changes; I can walk what’s available and how it compares to Pebble Beach, Monterey, and Marina.
What to know before buying in Seaside
None of this should scare you off. These are just the things that are much easier to plan for up front than to discover in escrow.
Value varies block by block
Seaside’s prices can swing a lot over a few streets: a view, a remodel, the age of the home or being inside a newer community can matter more than the zip code. The comps that sold three blocks away may not tell you much.
My advice: before we price an offer, we’ll pull the closest true comparables, not just the Seaside average, and drive the street at different times of day.
More than one water provider
California American Water serves most of Seaside. Seaside Highlands and other former Fort Ord parts of town are served by Marina Coast Water District, and the city runs its own small water system for some addresses. In Cal Am areas, adding fixtures or an ADU usually means a city water allocation and a Monterey Peninsula Water Management District permit.
My advice: if your plans add a bathroom, a kitchen or an ADU, we’ll confirm the provider and water availability during escrow, not after you close.
Short-term rentals need a city license
Seaside requires a Short-Term Rental License for any stay of 30 days or fewer. Hosted rentals require the owner to live there as a primary residence. Non-hosted (whole-home) licenses are capped citywide and have spacing rules, and the city has said that cap is full, with a waiting list. Licenses renew every year and aren’t guaranteed.
My advice: if rental income is part of your plan, we’ll confirm current rules and license status with the city before you write an offer. Don’t count on “STR potential” in a listing, and assume a license doesn’t transfer with the sale until the city confirms it does.
Former Fort Ord land has its own paperwork
Homes built on former Army land can come with deed notices or land-use restrictions tied to the base’s history, covering things like groundwater use or past military activity. It’s usually routine paperwork, but you should read it.
My advice: we’ll go through the title report and disclosures together, and ask questions early if anything is unclear.
Older homes, additions and permits
A lot of Seaside’s homes date from the decades when Fort Ord was active. Many have been added on to over the years, and not every addition was permitted. Salt air near the bay is also hard on roofs, windows and siding.
My advice: compare the permit history to the actual square footage, get a thorough inspection, and don’t skip the sewer lateral and roof.
Some change is coming — don’t over-weight it
Campus Town, the Main Gate site and other work on the former base will bring new homes, shops and traffic over the next decade. That can help nearby values and amenities, but construction timelines move.
My advice: if you’re near a planned project, we’ll look at what’s approved, what’s only proposed, and how it could affect your street.
Rules change, so we’ll confirm current requirements with the City of Seaside, your water provider (Cal Am, Marina Coast Water District or the city’s own system), the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, and any applicable HOA for a home you’re serious about, including zoning, short-term rental licensing, water and former Fort Ord land-use restrictions. Most of Seaside is in Monterey Peninsula Unified School District; confirm school assignments by address.
A few things I’d tell you over coffee
A Seaside sale I listed, how I think about this market, and how to stay ahead of the listings that matter.
1149 Modoc Street: preparation made the difference
I listed 1149 Modoc Street in Seaside and closed it in December 2023 for $1,039,000 — at our list price, after we first tested the market higher. My clients had lived there about four or five years, put real love and sweat equity into the house, and used it as a stepping stone into a larger home in Carmel Valley.
Photos and staging did the heavy lifting. Dialed presentation brought in buyers who weren’t even looking in Seaside — they had been focused on nearby towns that cost a bit more. That’s the lesson I take into every Seaside listing: prep and presentation can expand the buyer pool beyond the zip code.
Coming-soon listings and The Balog Report
Compass is now part of the same family as Coldwell Banker, Sotheby’s International Realty, Corcoran and more, so I can often show you coming-soon listings from those brokerages before they hit the open market.
Once a month I also send The Balog Report: what actually sold on the Peninsula, what’s sitting, and what I’d do with that information if I were buying or selling.
Seaside home buying FAQ
Where is Seaside on the Monterey Peninsula?
Seaside sits on Monterey Bay between Monterey and Marina, on Highway 1. Downtown Monterey is a few minutes away, and the town is a practical base for reaching the rest of the Peninsula.
What are the main residential areas in Seaside?
Seaside changes a lot from one part of town to the next. Buyers often look at the Broadway and Fremont flats, Del Monte Heights and the view streets, Ord Terrace and Ord Grove, Seaside Highlands, homes around Bayonet and Black Horse (including newer construction such as The Enclave at Cypress Grove), and sites on the former Fort Ord near CSU Monterey Bay.
What makes Bayonet and Black Horse different from the rest of Seaside?
Homes around Bayonet and Black Horse sit on City of Seaside championship golf courses built for Fort Ord. Newer construction there can offer course frontage, modern floor plans, and Peninsula access at a price point below Carmel and Pebble Beach. Some buyers have sold in Pebble Beach and moved into new homes around these courses. Confirm HOA rules and golf membership options for any specific property.
Does Seaside have more than one water provider?
Yes. Parts of Seaside are served by California American Water (Cal Am), parts by Marina Coast Water District, and a small city system also exists. In Cal Am areas, adding fixtures or an ADU can require a Monterey Peninsula Water Management District permit. Confirm the provider and current rules for the specific address before you buy or remodel.
Can I short-term rent a home in Seaside?
Short-term rentals in Seaside need a city license. Whole-home licenses are capped, and the city has indicated the cap can be full with a waiting list. Rules change, so confirm current licensing with the City of Seaside before you buy for rental income.
What should buyers know about former Fort Ord land in Seaside?
Some Seaside properties sit on former Fort Ord land and can come with deed notices or other land-use paperwork. Development plans for sites such as Campus Town are subject to change. Review disclosures carefully and confirm current requirements with the City of Seaside and your advisors.
Has Jonathan Balog sold homes in Seaside?
Yes. Jonathan Balog listed and sold 1149 Modoc Street in Seaside, which closed in December 2023 for $1,039,000 at list price. He represented the sellers.
Have a question that isn’t here? Contact me.
Seaside homes for sale right now
Well-priced view homes and newer homes in Seaside don’t last long. Compass is now part of the same family as Coldwell Banker, Sotheby’s International Realty, Corcoran and more, so I can also show you coming-soon listings from those brokerages before they hit the open market.
The live listings are just below. If one catches your eye, ask me about water, permits, HOA rules and what similar homes nearby have actually sold for. Weighing Seaside against Monterey or Marina? Compare the areas I cover.
Thinking about Seaside? Let’s talk it through.
Tell me what you’re picturing, whether that’s a view home up the hill, something newer in Seaside Highlands, a place near the golf courses, or a first foothold on the Peninsula, and I’ll tell you honestly what it takes to get there: which part of town fits, what to check on water, permits and HOAs, and what a fair price looks like. No pitch.
Prefer to text? 831-747-0310 · [email protected]
Own in Seaside? Start with a no-pressure home valuation, or see how I help sellers. If you’re buying and selling, we’ll plan both moves together.
Looking nearby? Explore Monterey, Marina, Del Rey Oaks, Sand City or Pacific Grove. Or get The Balog Report once a month.
Jonathan Balog, Associate Broker | Compass | DRE# 01980970
Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Local rules summarized here, including zoning, short-term rental licensing, water and former Fort Ord land-use restrictions, are general information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the City of Seaside, the applicable water provider, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, and any applicable HOA. Development plans described here are subject to change. If your property is currently listed for sale, this is not a solicitation.