Towns with good Schools in Bay Area

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

In order to get something under $1 mill, you'd have to stretch the definition of "Bay Area". You might be able to find something in Gilroy, a former agricultural community gradually morphing into a Silicon Valley exurb. It's in south Santa Clara County, south of the Bay. Honestly, it sounds like you already have an ideal situation for your money.

edit: I just checked RE listings in Gilroy, OP. The developers have already hit the place big time, catering to the techie crowd, tearing down old farmhouses or buying up empty farmland and building mansions. There are homes in the $800-$950K range, but that's twice your budget. You're about 10 years too late for Gilroy, it looks like.

You could look in Tracy, another ag community growing into an "affordable" Bay Area exurb, east of the Bay. Served by commuter train service to Bay Area cities. What kind of work do you do, or do you work from home? I don't know anything about the schools in Tracy, though.


I really think you're already in your sweet spot. You could look around outside of Sacramento (also served by train service to East Bay towns). That's all I've got for suggestions.

Sorry but too late for Tracy too. I remember looking at brand new homes there back in the 1980s in the $100k range, but the fertilizer smell was too much. I suppose all of that agriculture is gone now since they are now up to the $700s.

https://www.zillow.com/home-values/7453/tracy-ca/

[evening sun]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

. Wow. 2.5 hrs. drive each way? Have you looked at RE prices in Merced and Modesto? That would at least shave some time off your commute. IDK about the schools, though.

A couple of times a month, it is doable, imo.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

Sorry but too late for Tracy too. I remember looking at brand new homes there back in the 1980s in the $100k range, but the fertilizer smell was too much. I suppose all of that agriculture is gone now since they are now up to the $700s.

https://www.zillow.com/home-values/7453/tracy-ca/

Thanks for the reality check. I just looked up Modesto; the OP could definitely find something in his price range there. Most likely--Merced, too. Schools may be improving in Merced, since there's a Cal university there now, and the town is growing. IDK; OP will have to research schools in these places.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by evening sun

A couple of times a month, it is doable, imo.

Still sounds like quite a sacrifice, but may be worth it for those good schools he's got now.

[Dad01]

Originally Posted by evening sun

A couple of times a month, it is doable, imo.

Its not horrible
plus I can take amtrak too

[Dad01]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Thanks for the reality check. I just looked up Modesto; the OP could definitely find something in his price range there. Most likely--Merced, too. Schools may be improving in Merced, since there's a Cal university there now, and the town is growing. IDK; OP will have to research schools in these places.

public schools in all those places are lackluster

esp middle and high schools

[evening sun]

Originally Posted by Dad01

Its not horrible
plus I can take amtrak too

Good, so it seems like your best bet is to stay where you are. No point in spending so much extra money to save a few hours each month.

[mattja]

Originally Posted by Dad01

I was open to any area 1 hrs from Bay Area with good schools but apparently that’s unrealistic

Currently we are 2.5 hrs away

The southeast end of Antioch and parts of Brentwood feed into Heritage High School in Brentwood, which rates a 9. The middle school next door to the high school rates an 8.

You can get a home there for between $600k and $700k.

My BIL just bought one there. He got a really nice home (new) for $750k.

I don't think there's anywhere in the Bay Area where you can get into schools rated that high for under $1.2 million.

[mattja]

Originally Posted by Vision67

My daughter's family moved to Lafayette 4 years ago at the beginning of the pandemic. Her motivation was to find better schools because her second grade daughter was being bullied in their South San Francisco neighborhood elementary school because she was "too smart."

That has worked out wonderfully. The school in Lafayette is fantastic. It's just unfortunate that the houses nearby are so darned expensive.

But if the alternative is paying for private schools, perhaps it's worth it!

Lafayette has great schools. But not all homes located in Lafayette feed into Lafayette school. The homes located in the far northern end of the city feed into Martinez and Pleasant Hill schools. It would suck to pay $2 million for a home only to find your kid won't be going to Acalanes HS. Gotta do the homework.

[mattja]

Originally Posted by AnythingOutdoors

I find the "armpit of California" thing highly elitist and out of touch. Yes, a lot of Bay Area families are moving to the Central Valley where they can buy a reasonable house for $500k with decent to great schools. The Sacramento area in particular is booming. Close enough to the Bay Area for hybrid-remote work, with good restaurants and downtown. For those that like the mountains, Central Valley cities are also much closer to skiing/fishing/hiking in the Sierras without dealing with weekend traffic headaches on 80 or 580 getting to/from the Bay Area. Yet they are also close enough to the coast for day trips to the beach. The climate is not as mild as the coast, but believe it or not, lots of people prefer hot dry summers over cold damp and overcast (depending, of course, on the specific micro climate).

If my wife and I decide to stay to be close to our daughter, we are looking at Rockin. Nice area. Better shopping and eating than Contra Costa, closer to the mountains, still growing. Our current area is dead. Stagnant. It keeps the crowds down, but it also limits business. Who wants to open a new business in an area with no growth? Like you said, Sac is booming.