Palo Alto, CA Building Permits & Teardown Predictor
We track every Palo Alto building permit, demolition filing, zoning change, and off-market transaction in one place, giving spec builders and developers a single feed of where the market is moving. Each permit is scored against lot value, structure age, and neighborhood comps to surface high-ROI teardown and new-build opportunities before they hit the MLS.
Related guides: See the median home price in Palo Alto and how fast homes sell · Find new construction homes in nearby East Palo Alto · Who tracks demolition & building permits in Silicon Valley? · Can you SB 9 lot-split in Palo Alto? Run the screener · How to estimate developer ROI on a teardown rebuild
The free weekly Peninsula Plays brief
The week's best teardown and spec-build plays across the Peninsula, with the developer ROI worked out from permits, parcels, and sold comps. One email a week, no spam.
Why Developers Target Palo Alto
Palo Alto has seen a surge in “mansionization”, older, smaller homes on large lots demolished to build luxury spec homes. AddressIntel's algorithm identifies these aging properties from Floor Area Ratio (FAR), recent neighborhood comps, and permit velocity.
- Automated Demolition Cost Estimates
- New-Build Proforma ROI Generation
- Real-time Permit Webhooks
Palo Alto Market Metrics
| Permits Trackedall permits on file | 969 |
|---|---|
| Demolition Permitssince January 1, 2023 | 4 |
| New-Construction Permitssince January 1, 2023 | 12 |
| High-Probability Teardowns | 69 Active |
| Total Declared Permit Valueall permits on file | — |
Palo Alto & Santa Clara County Building Permits
AddressIntel tracks 969 Palo Alto building permits as part of our Santa Clara County building permits dataset, pulled from municipal sources and updated regularly. Whether you need to look up a single Palo Alto building permit for one address or scan Santa Clara County building permits for teardown and new-construction activity, every filing is scored for developer ROI and teardown potential.
Working a teardown? See our guide to the demolition permit process, or learn who tracks Silicon Valley building permits and how Santa Clara County permit data reaches developers.
Top Teardown Opportunities in Palo Alto
| Address | Teardown Score | List Price |
|---|---|---|
| 795 E Charleston Rd | 95 | $2,898,000 |
| 3377 Waverley St | 95 | $3,300,000 |
| 845 Los Robles Ave | 95 | $4,890,000 |
| 340 Palo Alto Ave | 95 | $6,300,000 |
| 246 Palo Alto Ave | 92 | $3,750,000 |
| 2260 Williams St | 90 | $2,988,000 |
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Recent Palo Alto Building Permits
The latest Palo Alto building permits and demolition filings, drawn from 969 permits we track for the city, pulled from municipal sources and updated regularly.
| Address | Type | Value | Issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| 268 WAVERLEY ST, PALO ALTO CA 94301 | Project - Building Permit | — | 2026-09-10 |
| 1625 MADRONO AV, PALO ALTO CA 94306 | Project - Building Permit | — | 2026-09-10 |
| 269 SOUTHWOOD DR, PALO ALTO CA 94301 | Building Addressing | — | 2026-09-10 |
| 3398 EL CAMINO REAL, PALO ALTO CA 94306 | Revision-Building Permit | — | 2026-09-10 |
| 836 EMBARCADERO RD, PALO ALTO CA 94303 | Heat Pump Space Conditioning Systems: New, retrofit, or replacement of space conditioning system (heat pump, furnace/air handler) and associated ductwork (detached single-family, duplex, and ADUs) | — | 2026-09-10 |
| 1093 TANLAND DR, PALO ALTO CA 94303 | Project - Building Permit | — | 2026-09-10 |
| 1145 AMARILLO AV, PALO ALTO CA 94303 | Project - Building Permit | — | 2026-09-10 |
| 1094 TANLAND DR, PALO ALTO CA 94303 | Project - Building Permit | — | 2026-09-10 |
Palo Alto Teardown & Permit FAQ
How many teardown opportunities are there in Palo Alto?
AddressIntel currently tracks 69 high-probability teardown opportunities in Palo Alto, scored by lot value, structure age, and neighborhood comps.
What is the typical developer ROI on a Palo Alto teardown?
We do not publish a single Palo Alto figure, because there is no honest one: returns swing on land cost, buildable envelope, and comps. Instead, every Palo Alto property page carries an interactive build-to-zoning proforma (purchase, demolition, construction at current costs, cost of sale against size-matched comps) so each lot is underwritten on its own numbers.
Where can I find recent Palo Alto building permits?
AddressIntel tracks Palo Alto building permits (969 permits currently on file), including new construction, additions, and demolition filings, pulled from municipal sources and updated regularly. See the recent permits table above for the latest activity.
How do I find demolition permits in Palo Alto?
AddressIntel tracks Palo Alto building and demolition permits (4 full-structure demolition permits since January 1, 2023), updated regularly from municipal sources.