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Thanks for the reply. Forgot to mention, it's just me and the wife (and the dogs). No kids, so quality of schools isn't a major concern (recognizing impact on

• grellas 17y ago
  The Los Gatos/Saratoga area is one of the nicest upscale areas in the Valley. It has very high priced homes in the foothills and more reasonably priced (but still nice) suburban homes below - still not cheap, though, with many above $1M. It gets hotter in Los Gatos than elsewhere, with many days more likely to be in the 80s and 90s than you might get elsewhere (if you like this, great! many people do). Los Gatos also is deemed a "prestige" area, more so than San Jose, Santa Clara, and many of the other nearby suburban towns. You will also be fighting traffic in your daily commute to Cupertino. Many people tolerate this, of course. But, for an example to the contrary, my office manager lives in Almaden, which is a very nice San Jose neighborhood just south of Los Gatos. When she had to commute every day up Highway 85 (the direct freeway link to Cupertino) for 8-to-5-type hours, she found it very difficult. I switched her schedule to start at 7:00 a.m. and that worked. At the peak hours, between the metering lights (which considerably slow your ability to get on the freeway) and the delays incurred by those unable to use the car-pool lane, it is a real drag. Traffic isn't everything, though, and Los Gatos is a highly desirable place to live for many reasons - population tends to be a mix of successful business people (often younger, with growing families) and many somewhat older (50s and 60s, with a good number retired). The feel of the town is relaxed and "upscale" with many quaint shops, coffee houses, etc. By the way, one angle to consider: check out Laurie Avenue (I pick this in particular because I have an aunt that lives there and I frequently go there) in San Jose - this is in the heart of Willow Glen, a small but absolutely delightful neighborhood right in the middle of the Valley. Willow Glen (or at least neighborhoods like Laurie Avenue, just off Lincoln, the main street) is an "upscale" neighborhood that still accommodates younger couples starting out. For example, Laurie Avenue used to consist almost exclusively of comparatively old (1930s and earlier, into the early 1900s), small homes on very quiet streets lined with very large and beautiful oak trees. During the past decade or so, virtually every home that has sold on that street has been torn down and replaced by large-scale homes that are often quite nice (some maybe overdone, "all home and no lot"). In any case, it is a very "up-and-coming" neighborhood and, if you check the Zillow pricing, you will find that the older homes remaining there are going in the 600s to 700s. The strategy here (if it should fit with your plans) would be to buy one of these with the hope of re-building the home down the road and winding up in a very nice neighborhood all the while. The neighborhood is very "consistent" and an extremely pleasant place to live. I would say, about 15-25 minutes door-to-door from Cupertino, even with traffic.
  • percept 17y ago
    Laurie Ave (gotta love Street view): http://bit.ly/6fTEo http://bit.ly/6fTEo