Work in Cupertino, live in ...? (San Jose, Sunnyvale: sale, real estate, renting)

[spacemom3]

well, since my other post got completely ignored, I thought I would try again.

Where should we live in order to not commute too much to Cupertino. Is Cupertino really expensive to live in? We have a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old, and one on the way. What's a good place for young children?

Thanks all!

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Cupertino is quite expensive, relatively speaking, even with the "real estate melt down."

What most people do, who work there, and do not want to pay the price to be close to work, is commute from some place in the East Bay or perhaps, the more distant parts of the South Bay (e.g. South San Jose, for example). It's not fun, but, not as bad as say, what people go through in Southern Cal or even some places Back East.

Welcome to the realities of California's development patterns and inflated real estate costs.

[aklein]

Cupertino has one of the best school districts in the state, thus the high real estate. What is your budget? Can't really help when i don't know what expensive is to you.

[spacemom3]

Originally Posted by aklein

Cupertino has one of the best school districts in the state, thus the high real estate. What is your budget? Can't really help when i don't know what expensive is to you.

Thanks, aklein. I put all the details into my other post and nobody answered, so I figured there was too much and didn't put any in this one.

We're not sure what our salaries will be - it's still under negotiation. Both my husband and I have an offer and together it should be at least $160K. We'll be bringing over about $400K from the sale of our house here, but we don't want to buy right away. We'll have some help with relocation expenses (something like a month's salary each and temporary lodging for a month), but we'll still have to buy 2 cars right away.

Also, I may opt to decline my offer and take the lay-off package here which should be around 30 months' salary. But that would mean that I would need to look for a job there in a few months and in the meantime, we would live off of my husband's salary of around $100K. I've been reading about the long-term unemployment numbers rising and it's rather scary. I've been a software developer for the last 15 years, but it still looks scary.

[spacemom3]

I took a look at a map and geographically, it looks like anywhere in Santa Clara, San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Los Gatos would be good. How are those towns?

[aklein]

I love Los Gatos, very pricey though, probably $1.6M and up for a decent house. Los Altos, Palo Alto are very nice as well, but maybe too far a stretch. Sunnyvale might be good for you and maybe Menlo Park. What sort of price range for mortgage and house and looking to take on? You will probably be close to $1M in any of these areas and with your $400K from your house you will need to mortgage $600K. Not sure if you feel comfortable with these numbers, but maybe doable?

[sonarrat]

There are extensive parts of San Jose, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale that are in Cupertino's school district. They can be just as expensive as Cupertino to buy in, but renting should be fairly easy.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Los Gatos is very expensive. The parts of San Jose and Sunnyvale that you'd likely find acceptable are expensive. Santa Clara is a tad less expensive. Again, most people in your shoes commute a greater distance. Welcome to California.