Question about places in San Jose around downtwon (trying to make decision between San Jose and San Francisco) (Gilroy: apartment complex, rent)

[inrila]

The plan is to move to San Jose or San Francisco for me and my wife, with our 2+ year old son. We both (my wife and I) were raised in the cities, spent almost all our life (in our late 20s now) there, but for the past two-three years were stuck in the suburb life in So Cal. Which drives us insane, and the next target is to have something on budget but still very close and in the city.

So, here are a lot of questions about San Jose.

Don't know which area to consider. What we want is 2 bedroom as much as possibly close to downtown, which we really liked. Nice parks there, and beautiful looking shopping on Santana Row :-) And downtown gives you the "city feel", which we really want.

So:
1) Which part of San Jose should we consider? Where is it really unsafe and what should we ignore? Need to be closer to dowtown, as mentioned before, so what can be an option for us?
2) What should be our price expectations? We would like to stay within $1400-1600 price range for 2 bedroom. How possible is it?
3) There should be plenty of child care places in S.J., right?
4) How hot is it in San Jose? We want anything cooler than L.A.. Much. :-)

Thanks!!

[mrzod]

Originally Posted by inrila

The plan is to move to San Jose or San Francisco for me and my wife, with our 2+ year old son. We both (my wife and I) were raised in the cities, spent almost all our life (in our late 20s now) there, but for the past two-three years were stuck in the suburb life in So Cal. Which drives us insane, and the next target is to have something on budget but still very close and in the city.

So, here are a lot of questions about San Jose.

Don't know which area to consider. What we want is 2 bedroom as much as possibly close to downtown, which we really liked. Nice parks there, and beautiful looking shopping on Santana Row :-) And downtown gives you the "city feel", which we really want.

So:
1) Which part of San Jose should we consider? Where is it really unsafe and what should we ignore? Need to be closer to dowtown, as mentioned before, so what can be an option for us?
2) What should be our price expectations? We would like to stay within $1400-1600 price range for 2 bedroom. How possible is it?
3) There should be plenty of child care places in S.J., right?
4) How hot is it in San Jose? We want anything cooler than L.A.. Much. :-)

Thanks!!

1) SJ is really safe. I've never been shot or stabbed and I've been here for months.
2) I rent a two bedroom and pay $800, and I live 10 mins away from downtown
3) Sure. If you have money, can you do anything.
4) Weather is great here. No rain in over 50 days... from a guy who gets rain almost weekly.

[inrila]

Originally Posted by mrzod

1) SJ is really safe. I've never been shot or stabbed and I've been here for months.

That's a kind of success
Frankly speaking, I've never been shot or stabbed at all, so it's kind of a hard measure for me ;-)

Originally Posted by mrzod

2) I rent a two bedroom and pay $800, and I live 10 mins away from downtown

Where exactly do you live? Can you share some apartment complex names, which are good and thaaaat cheap? Actually I didn't see anything less than $1400 for nice two bedroom, but that's okay... It's a good price anyway.

Originally Posted by mrzod

4) Weather is great here. No rain in over 50 days... from a guy who gets rain almost weekly.

How hot is it? I am from L.A., and actually HATE it. Every year we get steadily at least a week with 105 here, and usually we get more than a month with 95, which is insane... and I am not living in a valley, where it can get up to 110 w/o any problems... Trying to escape from that -- will I be able to do that with San Jose?

[krudmonk]

We get that week-long heat wave, but we never peak that high. It's quite often 70s and 80s. We're also not immune to the fires that cover the sky for a few days a year.

[mrzod]

sorry, I forgot to qualify my rent: I split the rent with a roommate, so about $1600 / month, which is on par with your $1400.

[treedonkey]

2) What should be our price expectations? We would like to stay within $1400-1600 price range for 2 bedroom. How possible is it? Definitely possible if you're not looking for one of those new hi-rise luxury units.

4) How hot is it in San Jose? We want anything cooler than L.A.
Less hot here than in LA for sure... Climatology Comparison for San Jose, CA (95110) - weather.com

You mentioned being in down town AND great shopping on Santana Row. You should know that Santana row is really not close to downtown San Jose at all. SR is locates about 3 miles west of downtown, via freeway or busy side streets, off of Stevens Creek Blvd. If shopping/strolling at Santana Row is very important to you, then you should look over in that area, but know that it will be more expensive over there, especially on the row itself. For great access to restaurants and shops, but still in a semi-affordable yet safer part of town, I recommend Campbell, near the Pruneyard. it does have a little more of a suburban feel there, but so does the area around Santana Row. if you really want to feel the fast-paced city life, then move to SF.

[Melody74]

San Jose offers the best of both. It is condusive to family life, since there are tons of things for children to do and see. It is also a good place for young twenty somethings who desire a night life. It's a city and suburb in one.

[sonarrat]

San Jose can get warm. I grew up in Morgan Hill, its neighbor to the south which can get stinking hot (literally) in the summer. The mushroom farms, not to mention the garlic processing plants in nearby Gilroy, have a smell you can never forget. The worst I ever experienced was five solid days of temps over 110, which felt like walking out into an oven.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by Melody74

It's a city and suburb in one.

It's also very rural at its northern and southern extremes.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

It's also very rural at its northern and southern extremes.

I assume you're talking about Alviso and the Alamaden valley area? I'm not sure I'd call either of those areas 'very rural', since there is still a freeway and many big box stored within a short drive. But they are definitely more sparsely populated than areas closer to downtown. Alviso in particular is quite unique for the area, it feels like a different part of the country altogether. That may be good or bad, depending on your preference.