Silicon Valley?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
Long-time former Bay Area resident here, now living in DC area.
You know to stay away from East Palo Alto - that's important. Honestly, stay away from Oakland too. I love Oakland very much, and there are some very nice areas there. However, Oakland is having some horrible problems with police protection, and it's been going on for at least a year or two. The police don't respond to calls, or they respond very late, and crime is through the roof. A few years ago I would have said yes to Oakland, particularly if you can afford private school for the MS / HS years, but right now I'd stay far away. The commute from Oakland would be pretty terrible anyway. A reasonable option that would be a medium to longish commute would be Scotts Valley or Boulder Creek, in the mountains between San Jose and Santa Cruz. Right now google maps says the commute is 35 mins (at 7 am PST) - I would imagine it could get to 1 hour easily. I know someone who did this commute regularly, and she made it work. There are some nice homes (and fixer uppers too, if you prefer) under $1M in Scotts Valley and Boulder Creek. Schools are 7 - 9 on great schools. Los Gatos would be closer, and it's very nice with good schools. Right now most listings on redfin are over $1M, but check out this one: http://www.redfin.com/CA/Los-Gatos/12380-Indian-Rock-Way-95033/home/2394363 Good luck! |
Anonymous
|
10:11 again. Traffic in the Bay Area is very, very bad, it's true, but I think it's worse when there's a bridge involved. That's why I would check out the less expensive options in the hills above Santa Cruz.
If you look in Fremont, try to gauge your commute going through San Jose rather than over the Dumbarton Bridge. The bridge may reduce the miles driven, but the commute to San Jose may be faster. |
Anonymous
| Thank you so much, that's exactly the kind of information I'm looking for! |
Anonymous
| Another poster here who will be moving there in the next few months for one of the .coms for my dh. This info really helps. |
Anonymous
|
Home styles are different in CA, people don't frown upon one-story no-basement homes over there, like they do here. In fact, living in CA for over 10 years I didn't see any true basements in homes, it's mostly walkout lower levels on downsloping hilly lots, which is common there. So, don't have a negative perception that you would be dowgrading, because you will be living in a home laid out like an apartment. Honestly, I don't see how 1 mil 1200-1500 sq.ft or less small colonial/cape cod in Arlington, needing work, is any better than a 1 mil fixer upper 1 story CA home in Peninsula burbs.
|
Anonymous
True, but with Arlington you are guaranteed a short commute, walkability, and metro access. And those 1200-1500 small colonials for $1M are only in LV; there are lots of options in the rest of Arlington and Fairfax for $700-800k. In Cali, you $1M is going to get you very little in almost all the suburbs (not just exclusive pockets). And I curious how 'good' schools in Arlington/Fairfax compare to good schools in San Mateo/Mountain View?? Any insight? |
Anonymous
But you get awesome weather in California! Though I do hope it rains sooner than later... |
Anonymous
| yeah, sorry 00:46 here. I wasn't paying attention, that is east palo alto. |
Anonymous
I was the first one to mention Oakland. Just to be clear, I didn't mean as a commutable option to Silicon Valley! I just meant that I'd love to live there again. In the hills, though. Los Gatos is lovely. The Santa Cruz area is beautiful but would be a long, stressful commute. It might be worth it, though, for quality of life. |
Anonymous
i would be worried it would fall off the hill, is that ever a concern |
Anonymous
My in-laws lived in the Santa Cruz mountains and my FIL used to commute to the East Bay every day (even 20-30 years ago it was a hellish commute), but they loved where they lived. You really are in the mountains, with gorgeous views, lots of trees, privacy. Steve Jobs had a house down the street from my ILs. You have to go down though to get to any stores, etc - and some of the roads are narrow and very windy. Someone mentioned the house falling off the hill - the 1989 World Series quake's epicenter was about 2 miles from my IL's house. Their worst damage was a small foundation crack, but the house across the street did slide down the hill - the man inside survived. Los Gatos and Saratoga schools have always been good. It's a great place to live if you don't need an urban environment. |
Anonymous
I don't agree. Long term former Bay Area resident here, who still has friends/family there. OP is looking in the most expensive parts of Bay Area, which got crazy pricing because of proximity to jobs in Silicon Valley and the city and no bridge commute, plus good weather and good schools. However, prices are not all that bad all over Bay Area, even in SF. It really is equivalent to looking for a home in the most popular areas of DC metro, like Arlington near metro with good schools, Bethesda near metro with good schools, etc. You actually can get more for your money in SF than in let's say Palo Alto. It's not all about urban walkability in Bay Area prices and PT access is not as important there to decide people's housing options, as it sucks, most people commute by cars, because crazy amount of jobs are in the burbs. Silicon Valley is a burb. |
Anonymous
| Look into Pacifica. It's a small town near the Ocean and it's not all foggy, there is a part of it, that is mostly sunny. Schools are supposed to be good and prices are moderate. Because it's on the peninsula, commute will not be as bad as having to cross the bridge from East Bay. I would avoid bridge commute like a plague. |
Anonymous
| Pacifica schools aren't great OP. If I were you with your budget and your desires id go with Los gatos, hands down. My sister lives in redwood city though and raves about the downtown. Hope this helps! |
Anonymous
But end of day, schools in SF are really really bad. Many schools in San Jose/Santa Clara County are not good, and schools reflect that. School districts in the Peninusula seem to be very very small (like 1 high school), and house prices in that one good school district are really high compared to the nearby school district with underperforming schools. Can you identify the neighborhood with <45 minute commute to Mt View with good schools and prices comparable to say, Oakton/Vienna? I know of families of four living in two bedroom condos (built in the 60s) that go for $650k just to get decent schools and tolerable commutes. This is what keeps us from pursuing a move there, because unless you win the startup lottery, housing is forever out of reach. |