Commute to Menlo Park - Advice? (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara: apartments, rentals, house)

[mparker23]

Relocating to penninsula for job in Menlo Park.

Renter, not buyer.

Saving for home, so need cheap rent. But have two kids that I want in good elementary schools, meaning great teachers, quality parents/peers (not worried about higher grades, will be sending private if job works out).
Also want a safe neighborhood.

Currently looking at apartments (3 bedrooms) on craigslist and googling to locate some of the larger corporate run complexes that don't post there. Areas we are looking in are Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Los Altos and maybe as far as Santa Clara. I'd prefer to stay south (not north like San Mateo) since there is a private school in Los Altos that I will send my kids to once our finances turn for the better.

Can anyone speak to this plan, am i missing anything? Any gems within my criteria? We've never lived in the area and have no family/friends there so your help is very very much appreciated.

[hsw]

Palo Alto; would rent a house (not apt) in a decent part of PA (e.g., btwn Embarcadero and CA and Alma and Middlefield); realize that many wealthy people in PA and SF region opt to chronically rent, as many dislike housing as an "investment" and prefer liquidity of renting, esp in a major quake zone

PA has by far best socio-economics in region for a middle-income family, with many cash-poor Stanford junior faculty who choose to reside in PA rentals but who tend to be education-oriented as they raise kids...and public elem schools reflect this ethos

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Good plan.