Advice on Palo Alto (Santa Clara, San Mateo: relocating, gated, budget)

[mdwstrnkid]

Originally Posted by Baron von Costume

With the exception of some low-rent apartments south of the Oregon Expressway and East of Alma St, it's very safe, and without any areas "you should avoid." There is some crime, so you have to use your head (e.g., don't leave your car unlocked on the street with valuables visible), but it's a safe community. Housing prices of easily 1.5 MM do that for you.

One additional note: A number of people that I know have had their laptops stolen from their locked cars in downtown Palo Alto. Even if you lock your car, make sure that you hide any valuables in your car.

Originally Posted by Baron von Costume

There are some clubs in the immediate downtown that get noisy (on or a block off of University). Generally, the students cannot afford the town, so these are mostly young professionals from the area.

My fiancee and her brother both went to Stanford, and neither they nor their friends spent a lot of time in downtown PA. As mentioned above, the area is, in general, too expensive for most students.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by Baron von Costume

Bus? Train? Fuhggedaboutit. The traffic is a reverse commute, so the bulk is from the East Bay (where the affordable housing is) to the Peninsula (where the jobs are). If he works in Hayward, he can take the Dumbarton and then 880 North to Hayward in 30 minutes or less.

Actually in this case it makes no difference. The bus service does the reverse commute just as often as the commute direction. It also makes stops along Willow in Menlo Park - there are some relatively affordable apartments west of 101 around Coleman Ave.

[Baron von Costume]

Originally Posted by mdwstrnkid

One additional note: A number of people that I know have had their laptops stolen from their locked cars in downtown Palo Alto. Even if you lock your car, make sure that you hide any valuables in your car.


My fiancee and her brother both went to Stanford, and neither they nor their friends spent a lot of time in downtown PA. As mentioned above, the area is, in general, too expensive for most students.

Yep; I was a Stanford student several years ago. Let's just say, I ate a lot of Kraft dinner or take out from Golden Wok.

[moving??]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

Actually in this case it makes no difference. The bus service does the reverse commute just as often as the commute direction. It also makes stops along Willow in Menlo Park - there are some relatively affordable apartments west of 101 around Coleman Ave.

Can you tell me what is the name of the area West of 101 around Coleman Ave (as I'm not from the area I have no idea)...or if you know some of the names of the apartments that would be grand!

Thanks so much for everyone that replied to my post. All information is taken into consideration..I would like to live in Palo Alto but as you all said I may not be able to afford it....I did see some apartments for 1500 which would be a tight budget but at least I could walk to work....Secondly, I'm looking into Mountain View--everyone else has pointed me into that direction, and maybe even San Jose because it has some cheap places to stay..I will visit in August, but just need to have exact places I'm going to so that way it's not a wasted trip...

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by moving??

Can you tell me what is the name of the area West of 101 around Coleman Ave (as I'm not from the area I have no idea)...or if you know some of the names of the apartments that would be grand!

I think that area is called Willow Oaks.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

Recently someone came up with a term for the kind of person who tends to live in the area - YAWNs. Young and Wealthy but Normal.

I like that!! Describes most of my old classmates to the tee, LOL.

To the original poster, I think Mountain View is a good idea, as you could find some nice & safe housing for less there. You might also consider Menlo Park, which has "affordable" apartments most people don't even know about. It's thought of as a wealthy-only town, but there's a whole slew of mid-range apartment complexes in one neighborhood... just west of El Camino Real near Menlo Ave. My friend rented a place on Roble for a while, which was very small but cheap!

[Happy Cells]

Just be careful out there people!
Just the other day a man was murdered on the steps of the Palo Alto City Hall, the same building has the main Police Station in the Basement.
Sure, Palo Alto is a nice place (really) but be VERY careful just the same!

[maaci]

Originally Posted by Baron von Costume

Of course, these are all factors as to why you practically have to be a CEO to afford to live there.

Just curious how much would you think a single mother of one child would have to make to be comfortable (not getting by) to live in Palo Alto or the nice surrounding areas? I am planning to rent a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment. The position I am looking at pays a lot as far as I am concerned but I am coming from Ohio. So my thinking is probably off.....

[hsw]

Would guess a single person would need at least $200K/yr to live in a safe, decent part of PA....assuming one rents a newer condo....

Don't know what a child adds in terms of childcare costs, need to be in a competent school dt, etc

And would consider that SF Peninsula along 101 corridor is a fairly old, congested, high crime region (despite some of US' highest housing costs)...which isn't classic high-end suburbia like Chicago's NorthShore suburbs or Hinsdale or Detroit's BloomfieldHills.....

An alternative to PA to consider is LosAltos....IIRC, has a few newer condos/houses avail for rent; cleaner downtown; poss decent schools...

Need to spend some 50% more than Chic's NS for equiv houses (and not many rentals avail) in Peninsula's more bucolic suburbs along 280 corridor (e.g., Atherton, Woodside, PortolaVy, LosAltosHills)...and many of these places lack safe/competent public schools, so need to budget pvt school costs....

[maaci]

Originally Posted by hsw

Would guess a single person would need at least $200K/yr to live in a safe, decent part of PA....assuming one rents a newer condo....

Don't know what a child adds in terms of childcare costs, need to be in a competent school dt, etc

And would consider that SF Peninsula along 101 corridor is a fairly old, congested, high crime region (despite some of US' highest housing costs)...which isn't classic high-end suburbia like Chicago's NorthShore suburbs or Hinsdale or Detroit's BloomfieldHills.....

An alternative to PA to consider is LosAltos....IIRC, has a few newer condos/houses avail for rent; cleaner downtown; poss decent schools...

Need to spend some 50% more than Chic's NS for equiv houses (and not many rentals avail) in Peninsula's more bucolic suburbs along 280 corridor (e.g., Atherton, Woodside, PortolaVy, LosAltosHills)...and many of these places lack safe/competent public schools, so need to budget pvt school costs....

Sorry, moving??? not trying to steal you thread. I was also wondering about the cost in Palo Alto as that is where I would be working.


hsw....Thanks for putting it into perspective for me. The position pays around $200,000. That sounds scary that I would need that much to live there, that means I'm not going to have much left. I would have daycare costs, my son will be going to the 5th grade but I would want him to go to an afterschool program. I do plan to send him to public schools, I am sending him to private now and I can do without that bill.

I am going to have to really think about this. Thanks