moving to Silicon Valley; family friendly areas? (elementary school, living in)

[TheGreatCurve]

Originally Posted by alex_alex_2007

Chuck5000 you're right, most of them have outside laundry machines, hahaha. Total surprise, I thought inside the unit machines are standard in the famous Silicon Valley.

You'd be surprised at the outdated and primitive living conditions of most of the housing in what is supposed to be the "tech capital of the world". Many places couldn't even get broadband until recently due to the old copper wiring. Although its companies produce high-tech products, there's really nothing "high tech" about Silicon Valley itself.

For example, much of the single family housing stock is more than 50 years old or older and most only have 1 bathroom, and many of the apartments are also old and have no in-unit laundry. In fact, most people from other parts of the country are shocked by the old, shoddy, wood shacks that cost 4 times more on 1/8th of the land than where they came from.

[Perma Bear]

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

You'd be surprised at the outdated and primitive living conditions of most of the housing in what is supposed to be the "tech capital of the world". Many places couldn't even get broadband until recently due to the old copper wiring. Although its companies produce high-tech products, there's really nothing "high tech" about Silicon Valley itself.

For example, much of the single family housing stock is more than 50 years old or older and most only have 1 bathroom, and many of the apartments are also old and have no in-unit laundry. In fact, most people from other parts of the country are shocked by the old, shoddy, wood shacks that cost 4 times more on 1/8th of the land than where they came from.

5 or 6x more you mean

[TheGreatCurve]

Originally Posted by Perma Bear

5 or 6x more you mean

Depends on where you're coming from. Prices vary.

Also, in many parts of the country, an acre of land is typical for a single family home. In SV, 5,000 sq. ft. is considered a decent sized lot.

[Wintermomma]

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

You'd be surprised at the outdated and primitive living conditions of most of the housing in what is supposed to be the "tech capital of the world". Many places couldn't even get broadband until recently due to the old copper wiring. Although its companies produce high-tech products, there's really nothing "high tech" about Silicon Valley itself.

For example, much of the single family housing stock is more than 50 years old or older and most only have 1 bathroom, and many of the apartments are also old and have no in-unit laundry. In fact, most people from other parts of the country are shocked by the old, shoddy, wood shacks that cost 4 times more on 1/8th of the land than where they came from.

Seriously! Our first rental, just over 5 years ago, was down the street from Apple HQ - NO broadband internet. I was so shocked. In the podunk SoCal city we came from we'd had it for over a decade. So we had to get cable internet. Also the data and cell single was horrific not just in our house but all over Cupertino (and still was last I checked...No Verizon, I cannot "hear you now" in the tech capital). Not to mention a variety of other terrible house problems with the $$$ dump we were renting that I didn't even think of looking into (ancient ineffective high-cost furnace, ancient leaky windows, etc...newbie mistake).

[Perma Bear]

Originally Posted by Wintermomma

Seriously! Our first rental, just over 5 years ago, was down the street from Apple HQ - NO broadband internet. I was so shocked. In the podunk SoCal city we came from we'd had it for over a decade. So we had to get cable internet. Also the data and cell single was horrific not just in our house but all over Cupertino (and still was last I checked...No Verizon, I cannot "hear you now" in the tech capital). Not to mention a variety of other terrible house problems with the $$$ dump we were renting that I didn't even think of looking into (ancient ineffective high-cost furnace, ancient leaky windows, etc...newbie mistake).

You can always leave the Bay Area if it makes you unhappy, bring about 5 million people with you

[TheGreatCurve]

Originally Posted by Wintermomma

Seriously! Our first rental, just over 5 years ago, was down the street from Apple HQ - NO broadband internet. I was so shocked. In the podunk SoCal city we came from we'd had it for over a decade. So we had to get cable internet. Also the data and cell single was horrific not just in our house but all over Cupertino (and still was last I checked...No Verizon, I cannot "hear you now" in the tech capital). Not to mention a variety of other terrible house problems with the $$$ dump we were renting that I didn't even think of looking into (ancient ineffective high-cost furnace, ancient leaky windows, etc...newbie mistake).

There are lots of parts of the Bay Area that have spotty cell phone coverage. Yes, this where the iPhone and so many mobile apps are created.

[dogandcat]

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

There are lots of parts of the Bay Area that have spotty cell phone coverage. Yes, this where the iPhone and so many mobile apps are created.

Do you actually know the reason of it? It is because rich people lobby not to have huge antennas, retransmitters, etc near their houses. It is not good for health they say.

[Wintermomma]

Originally Posted by Perma Bear

You can always leave the Bay Area if it makes you unhappy, bring about 5 million people with you

Oh please, just reinforcing what a previous poster said. It was shocking to move here and discover it was so behind and yet ahead at the same time.

[TheGreatCurve]

Originally Posted by dogandcat

Do you actually know the reason of it? It is because rich people lobby not to have huge antennas, retransmitters, etc near their houses. It is not good for health they say.

I'm not sure. All I know is that I can barely get a cell signal (most of the time none at all) where I live and I'm in a densely populated area in a central residential neighborhood, not out in the boonies.

[dogandcat]

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

I'm not sure. All I know is that I can barely get a cell signal (most of the time none at all) where I live and I'm in a densely populated area in a central residential neighborhood, not out in the boonies.

Yep it's pretty much because of zoning restrictions ("rich lobby")... Some people afraid that building new towers can negatively influence their health (radiation and other staff) and also reduce value of their homes, and break down the view of the neighbourhood. It is very difficult to get a permission from local authorities (especially in several towns) to improve the current situation with poor signal and increase bandwidth capacity.