3 ms·

With all due respect, you were there for what, three hours?

tptacek 10y ago
I was there for a couple years, and I have spent months there since. I will ruefully concede that reasonable people can disagree about San Francisco. But I do not understand Palo Alto.
- jedberg 10y ago
  Schools and commute time. If you work at Google of Facebook (or near them) PA is the only reasonable commute, and if you want your kids to go to great schools, it's the only option.
  - RestlessMind 10y ago
    I just posted this elsewhere in this thread: Median home prices in Palo Alto are 2.48M compared to 1.43M in Mountain View or 1.39M in Sunnyvale[1]. While public schools in Palo Alto are btter, you have the option of private schools in MV/Sunnyvale (which are better than public schools in PA) for 20-25K/year, which still comes out to ~300K per child. And commute time to {Google, Facebook, Apple, San Francisco, etc} is similar from these 3 suburbs - I don't think PA is any better, especially when you consider the possibility of moving around various companies in the bay area. [1] http://www.zillow.com/palo-alto-ca/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/palo-alto-ca/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/sunnyvale-ca/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/sunnyvale-ca/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/mountain-view-ca/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/mountain-view-ca/home-values/
mikestew 10y ago
Several days, actually. But your point is fair, it's hard to judge in such a short time. But you have to go on something, right? For instance, my asking locals where one might find a trail to go run on was a source of endless amusement amongst those I asked (IOW, "no, are you kidding me?"). More so, other than working at Apple, what did SV have to offer that I couldn't find where I'm at now? And I came up empty. The area more than likely does have much to offer, but it might just be that what's on offer doesn't appeal to me. I'm not saying, "don't move there, you'll hate it." I'm simply relaying an experience that many here might have: that being you get flown into a place you have never been or (in my case) haven't spent much time in, have an interview, then decide based on that little bit of information if you want to tear up roots and move. It's not a lot to go on, but from what I had to work with I concluded it wasn't for me. (Doesn't matter, Apple didn't extend an offer anyway.)

I was there for a couple years, and I have spent months there since. I will ruefully concede that reasonable people can disagree about San Francisco. But I do not understand Palo Alto.

jedberg 10y ago
Schools and commute time. If you work at Google of Facebook (or near them) PA is the only reasonable commute, and if you want your kids to go to great schools, it's the only option.
- RestlessMind 10y ago
  I just posted this elsewhere in this thread: Median home prices in Palo Alto are 2.48M compared to 1.43M in Mountain View or 1.39M in Sunnyvale[1]. While public schools in Palo Alto are btter, you have the option of private schools in MV/Sunnyvale (which are better than public schools in PA) for 20-25K/year, which still comes out to ~300K per child. And commute time to {Google, Facebook, Apple, San Francisco, etc} is similar from these 3 suburbs - I don't think PA is any better, especially when you consider the possibility of moving around various companies in the bay area. [1] http://www.zillow.com/palo-alto-ca/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/palo-alto-ca/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/sunnyvale-ca/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/sunnyvale-ca/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/mountain-view-ca/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/mountain-view-ca/home-values/

mikestew 10y ago

Several days, actually. But your point is fair, it's hard to judge in such a short time. But you have to go on something, right? For instance, my asking locals where one might find a trail to go run on was a source of endless amusement amongst those I asked (IOW, "no, are you kidding me?"). More so, other than working at Apple, what did SV have to offer that I couldn't find where I'm at now? And I came up empty. The area more than likely does have much to offer, but it might just be that what's on offer doesn't appeal to me. I'm not saying, "don't move there, you'll hate it." I'm simply relaying an experience that many here might have: that being you get flown into a place you have never been or (in my case) haven't spent much time in, have an interview, then decide based on that little bit of information if you want to tear up roots and move. It's not a lot to go on, but from what I had to work with I concluded it wasn't for me. (Doesn't matter, Apple didn't extend an offer anyway.)