Soquel, Scotts Valley (San Jose, Santa Cruz, Monterey: for sale, house, neighborhood)

[mkcking]

Anyone know anything about these towns? I've heard they both have good schools.

[rubyskye]

Soquel is a family friendly town with good schools and is the most mellow of the towns in Santa Cruz county. I bet it's the safest too. I feel safe there as a single woman. You can find places to live in neighborhoody areas and in more rural areas. It's one town in from the coast but it's easily accessible to great beaches and all that Santa Cruz has to offer. It's less foggy than Aptos, Capitola, and Santa Cruz although there is summer fog for sure. And actually, if you really don't want any fog, there are some rural places in Soquel where the fog isn't an issue. The closer to the coast, the more fog.
The bus system in the entire county is excellent and it's very bike friendly. 41st ave. runs right into Soquel and has all the shopping options one needs. There's even a home depot there now.
From Soquel you can get to Monterey in less about 40 minutes (or less) when it's not rush hour and S.F. is about 11/2 - 2 hrs north. I love Santa Cruz and have lived in quite a few different places in the county and feel most at home in Soquel and Aptos. I have a sense that the schools are better in Soquel than Aptos but i'm not sure about that.
Scotts Valley is up HW17 a bit. You won't get the fog up there and it's much hotter and drier in the summer but you'll have to deal with the brutal 17 traffic during rush hour. I much prefer Soquel because i like to be closer to the bay and closer to Santa Cruz. I imagine the schools are good there but i don't know.
If you work in San Jose however you'll spend a bit less time on the road.

[mkcking]

Thanks Rubyskye. I tried to visit Soquel a week ago but my kids were going nuts in the car so we had to head home. I only got to see parts of Santa Cruz that I've already seen. There was a house for sale for 700k across the street from a school that the agent said is a charter school and really hard to get into.

My husband and I love Santa Cruz but I'm not sure about the schools, I don't know much about them. I'll check out Soquel, the schools got a good rating on GreatSchools but the comments about the high school weren't that good.

Thanks for the info!

[rubyskye]

i love soquel but i don't have children so i don't have to deal with the school issue.
all the best.

[thomasw98]

Originally Posted by mkcking

Thanks Rubyskye. I tried to visit Soquel a week ago but my kids were going nuts in the car so we had to head home. I only got to see parts of Santa Cruz that I've already seen. There was a house for sale for 700k across the street from a school that the agent said is a charter school and really hard to get into.

My husband and I love Santa Cruz but I'm not sure about the schools, I don't know much about them. I'll check out Soquel, the schools got a good rating on GreatSchools but the comments about the high school weren't that good.

Thanks for the info!

To get a quick overview and easy comparison of school test results, check out this excellent site...I really like it!: California School Performance Maps

From what it shows, the schools in Scotts Valley are quite good. Slightly better than those in Soquel.

[Wisteria]

mkcking: Soquel/Scotts Valley. Anyone know anything about these towns? I've heard they both have good schools.

I live about a couple of miles from Scotts Valley -- I'm in Felton, which also has great schools -- in fact, Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley schools are some of the best in Santa Cruz County.

Soquel and Scotts Valley are pretty different, though. Soquel is quiet, closer to the beach, but does have that fog. I know of people who have actually moved from Soquel because they could not bear so much fog. Scotts Valley is in the San Lorenzo Valley (Santa Cruz Mountains) north of Santa Cruz, and in the summer there is no fog. Where we are up in the "Valley," it is warm and sunny all summer, but we get more winter rain.

Of course, as a parent, the reality is that you will probably have to supplement your child's education, because no matter how highly rated the schools, it seems they just don't teach as much or as well as many decades ago.

The charter school in Santa Cruz that IS really good that you probably saw is Pacific Collegiate -- it's hard to get into because it's a lottery system -- we didn't win the lottery!

As long as you stay in North County, you'll find plenty of charming towns and decent schools. Good luck to you!

P.S. Ooops, just noticed this is an old thread....might not be relevant now.

[thomasw98]

Originally Posted by Wisteria

P.S. Ooops, just noticed this is an old thread....might not be relevant now.

No problem. I don't think the "Soquel thread" can be considered as a hot thread with daily posts. (Actually, I always figure that dead thread or not, somebody could get some value out of your comments months or even years from now, so go ahead and post if you have something useful to say).

Anyways, the link to the schools map (I posted above) also shows the schools in Felton to be performing well...the more I use this school map, the more I realize it is a good way to determine which areas to live/move even if you do not have kids (mine are both in college now).

Maybe it's an obvious point, but good schools => good kids => good parents => good neighbors => a nice place to live.

[Wisteria]

Thomasw98: Maybe it's an obvious point, but good schools => good kids => good parents => good neighbors => a nice place to live.

Thanks, Thomas. You are right about the above. One thing I love about my neighborhood is that I have great neighbors! We all know each other by name, we help each other out, we know the names of our kids and pets, and it's just so comforting to realize they are good people. Sometimes people think we're nuts for living up in the redwoods, however, where I am it is filled with good, down-to-earth people who respect nature, and their neighbors.

Thanks, again!

[Petrala]

Originally Posted by mkcking

Anyone know anything about these towns? I've heard they both have good schools.

The one thing I'd say to consider about these areas is how rural or rough you want to be. Soquel has both flatlands and then it extends up into the hills. Scotts Valley is suburban and also has some rugged areas.

The rugged areas are GORGEOUS with huge trees and forests, but you have to be prepared for dealing with potential flooding, landslides during winter, and then fires during the summer. If you're not interested in considering dealing with possibilities, stick to the flatlands/towns of these areas.

[thomasw98]

Originally Posted by Petrala

The one thing I'd say to consider about these areas is how rural or rough you want to be. Soquel has both flatlands and then it extends up into the hills. Scotts Valley is suburban and also has some rugged areas.

The rugged areas are GORGEOUS with huge trees and forests, but you have to be prepared for dealing with potential flooding, landslides during winter, and then fires during the summer. If you're not interested in considering dealing with possibilities, stick to the flatlands/towns of these areas.

Interesting to know. I had already scratched them off my list. Soquel mainly for being too expensive for my budget. But Scotts Valley for being too rugged (landslides, floods, fires, famines, etc.). Maybe I will give Scotts Valley some more thought in terms of the suburban areas you mention.