
LA Family Housing
Helps people transition out of homelessness and poverty through housing and supportive services across LA County.
Giving real estate sounds complicated. In practice, a San Mateo County donation is mostly paperwork the receiving charity prepares — a title review, a deed transfer, and a qualified appraisal you arrange to substantiate the deduction.
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Cities & Towns
691,799
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For many owners a long-held San Mateo County property has gained far more value than any cash savings — which makes the property itself the most tax-efficient thing to give.
Donors who itemize can deduct the full appraised value of San Mateo County real estate, often the single largest charitable write-off available in a given year.
A San Mateo County sale generates a stack of settlement paperwork. A donation produces a single qualified appraisal and a charity acknowledgment letter — the two documents that substantiate the gift at tax time.
Turn your property into a second chance at life.
MatchingDonors.com is a 501(c)(3) that connects patients in need of a transplant with living altruistic organ donors — the first organization to facilitate an organ transplant through the internet. Real estate gifts are converted into operating support, helping patients find a match in months instead of years on the national waiting list.
Real estate gifts routed to MatchingDonors.com receive prioritized handling — clear title transfer, fair-market-value appraisal, and a deduction letter inside 60 days. Proceeds fund the matching platform that has connected over 15,000 registered donors with patients in need.
See how much impact your property could make.
Vetted 501(c)(3) charities ready to accept real estate proceeds from donors across San Mateo County and the rest of California.

Helps people transition out of homelessness and poverty through housing and supportive services across LA County.
The Bay Area's largest regional organization protecting and restoring San Francisco Bay.
Empowers vulnerable youth through shelter, education, and mentorship programs.
Provides food, clothing, and family support services across the Sacramento region.
Protects coastal waters and watersheds across Greater Los Angeles, from the mountains to the sea.
Choose a city in San Mateo County to see local charities that accept real estate donations.
Donors who itemize can generally deduct the fair market value of San Mateo County real estate held longer than a year, up to 30% of adjusted gross income, with a five-year carryforward for any excess.
A qualified appraisal and IRS Form 8283 substantiate the deduction. This is general information, not tax advice — confirm the specifics with your own advisor.
A transparent, four-step process ensures a smooth transition from property to philanthropy. (The exact process may differ between organizations, these are the general phases)
Your charity will conduct a preliminary assessment of your property's market value and suitability for donation.
Their experts handle title searches, environmental checks, and prepare all necessary transfer paperwork.
The property is officially transferred to the charity. You receive IRS Form 8283 for tax deduction purposes.
The property is sold and proceeds are distributed to your chosen charity to fund their mission.
Straight answers on donating real estate, the tax treatment, and what to expect.
Yes, it is a good idea. The information here is general, and a tax professional can confirm how a property gift affects your specific deduction, income, and filing situation. The receiving charity handles the transaction, but the tax planning is yours.
Yes. A gift of real property to a qualified 501(c)(3) is generally deductible at fair market value if you itemize and have held the property more than a year. A qualified appraisal and IRS Form 8283 document the deduction.
Largely, yes. A donation avoids the public listing and price history a sale creates. The deed transfer itself becomes a public record, as all property transfers do, but the gift draws far less attention than an open-market sale.
No. Charities that accept real estate routinely take properties that need repairs, including distressed or uninhabitable buildings. Condition is reflected in the appraised value rather than ruling a property out.
Absolutely. Second homes and vacation properties are common donations — they often carry significant appreciation and ongoing costs that a gift resolves at once.
Browse charities that accept real estate donations elsewhere in the state.