Google and San Jose 2017 (Fresno, Los Banos: mortgages, credit, house)

[the topper]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

I drove downtown just tonight. I live in west San Jose, and I wanted to go to a CVS store, and love driving on The Alameda. It's pretty and tree-lined (no a/c in my little truck) and even though the CVS at Stevens Creek and Winchester is closer, I hate the traffic there, and the parking in that lot, because it's next to the mall, is hell. So, I went to the CVS website to find other options. I just recently moved to this area. Used to live in Santa Clara for many years, moved away, and just came back to SJ. So, I went to the CVS store on The Alameda, close to the Whole Foods store downtown.

So, just saying, I live here and know how SJ downtown used to be and am learning how it is now (was only away 3 1/2 years).

Once you get past the curve from The Alameda to West San Carlos, or even venturing just a little off the Alameda, you're dealing with a lot of industrial buildings/businesses mixed in with residences and retail businesses. It's not cohesive or walkable.

Someone recently was describing how great downtown SJ was here, saying how you can walk to the SAP auditorium. Please. Walking from The Alameda to the SAP auditorium involves walking in an industrial type area.

When people think of "walkable" they think of areas like downtown Willow Glen, or the section on The Alameda with shops, or Santana Row, where it's one retail establishment after another in a cohesive development. Not walking under a freeway as part of your "walk."

When improvements are made to any area, prices will go up. Fortunately, in CA, normally affordable housing must be incorporated into any development. So, some affordable housing will be included. But, you can't improve an area and not expect prices to go up in that area.

What people forget, is that the higher prices in an area, usually also translate into an increase in tax revenue - which actually helps fund the needs of the area, too.

Go to San Pedro Sq., SoFA, Paseo De San Antonio and First st areas: very walkable and urban with offices/hotels and housing. It's east of 87!!!!!! Hang around the Fairmont, Plaza park and Tech Museum/Museum of Art.

[Moddedintegra56]

i bought several investment apartments/townhomes in the downtown Fresno area. I have been getting positive income and as is Im ok.

The HSR is scheduled to have an operational line from downtown Fresno to downtown SJ by 2025 and less than an hour commute. (supposedly 45 mins)

from the 3rd biggest city to the 5th biggest city in CA.

I'm certainly excited for the google campus in san jose. Personally I hope it raises all property value and rent in San Jose downtown.

[bobby_guz_man]

I think it's hilarious that the two cities generally most forgotten in California (certainly San Jose and Fresno gets less press than SF, LA, SD, and even Sac or Long Beach or Oakland) will be the first two cities in the entire freakin Western Hemisphere (North, Central, South America) to get high speed rail.

Life works in funny way.

[phantompilot]

Originally Posted by Moddedintegra56

i bought several investment apartments/townhomes in the downtown Fresno area. I have been getting positive income and as is Im ok.

The HSR is scheduled to have an operational line from downtown Fresno to downtown SJ by 2025 and less than an hour commute. (supposedly 45 mins)

from the 3rd biggest city to the 5th biggest city in CA.

I'm certainly excited for the google campus in san jose. Personally I hope it raises all property value and rent in San Jose downtown.

Nobody wants to go to Fresno. And I assure you that having a train that goes there won't change that fact.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by phantompilot

Nobody wants to go to Fresno. And I assure you that having a train that goes there won't change that fact.

Time will tell. If there are jobs, or affordable housing and easy commute to jobs, well, if you build it they will come.

Plus, Fresno actually has a really cool old town downtown area. Haven't been there for years, but I was surprised at how cool it was with antique stores, etc., and old architecture downtown. I really liked it.

[bobby_guz_man]

Originally Posted by phantompilot

Nobody wants to go to Fresno. And I assure you that having a train that goes there won't change that fact.

LOL. Of course nobody wants to go to the Fresno. But that's not the point of HSR.

The point is that people from Fresno want to go HERE. THAT's the point. Man, I'm sorry, but some of you folks are so dense it's hilarious

[bobby_guz_man]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

Time will tell. If there are jobs, or affordable housing and easy commute to jobs, well, if you build it they will come.

Plus, Fresno actually has a really cool old town downtown area. Haven't been there for years, but I was surprised at how cool it was with antique stores, etc., and old architecture downtown. I really liked it.

Don't forget the underground garden!!!!

I think maybe in 2050, once HSR has been in use for over 25 years and people flow back and forth quickly between the two cities, maybe San Jose should annex Fresno

[calicoastal]

Fresno is not far from some great places, like Three Rivers, Sequoia Nat'l Park, Kings Canyon, etc.

[Flovis]

Originally Posted by phantompilot

Nobody wants to go to Fresno. And I assure you that having a train that goes there won't change that fact.

Nobody wants to go to phoenix, Kansas city, omaha, OK city, etc, but people will move to less desirable spots if there are jobs and cheap living.

Morro bay is there if you want a quick day out on the beach(stress free two hour drive. No bumper to bumper like in socal/bay) ). There are worse places than Fresno in the states.

[Moddedintegra56]

Originally Posted by phantompilot

Nobody wants to go to Fresno. And I assure you that having a train that goes there won't change that fact.

so right people rather go to wonderful places like Patterson, Los Banos, Mountain House, Tracy, Stockton, Lathrop, etc I can go on.

Several of those places put together don't even total the amount and how big Fresno (not even talking fresno county, but just Fresno the city alone, not even including Clovis--It's the 5th biggest city in CA next to SF.) is as a whole and those cities above have little to nothing to offer except the bait that "we are only 1 to 1 and half hour from the bay" But ask anyone who commutes from there will tell you the commute is realistically 2 to 3 hours EACH WAY of hell bumper to bumper stress. So even longer then the average 2hr drive from Sj to Fresno. People I know from those places have to be on the road before 6 to help commute and head home after 7PM if they want to avoid being stuck.

A lot of those places have just as bad heat and weather in the summer like Fresno. worse crime:
Most Dangerous Cities in California - Law Offices of Graham D. Donath, APC
The only reason those small bedroom communities have worked thus far is because of the highlight of the doable commute to work in the bay area while owning a nice house or cheaper rent whatever the case. On the weekends well there isn't crap to do in those places they have to commute yet again.

Fresno has a lot more to offer as mentioned. National parks, lakes, higher education in actual big college Fresno State, Fresno pacific, UCSF Fresno Campus, etc. More selection in schools for kids, neighborhoods shopping, food, etc. A downtown revitalization project on the way. Amazon has broke ground in their distribution facility recently. Ulta one of the largest makeup distributors also is settiing up distribution warehouse there.Fresno doesn't seem like much driving down the 99 because thats the edge/end of town. It doesnt have the benefit of the main highway/freeway going straight down the middle of it until you go on 41/168 to see how huge the city is which most passer bys wont even go to unless they have reason to. Sac and even bakersfield have their freeways go straight down the middle of the city that you can tell how big those cities are but yet both are actually smaller than fresno.

I assure you the high speed rail will change things for Fresno, especially now with the google campus being set to be built around the downtown san jose area.