Best SJ areas to buy small house (San Jose, Alum Rock: real estate, apartment)

[johnmarg]

We are retiring and looking at SJ. Want a small house, up to 1500 or so Sq Ft.
Pay up to 800K.
What are the nicest areas to look, names or zip codes?

[mstnghu2]

I'd probably look into the Shasta-Hanchett/Rose Garden area and also Naglee Park. These areas are probably your best bet for finding a smaller house that's in a safe, well-kept area. Both of these areas pop into mind since they are older, historic neighborhoods that have lots of nice homes that have been restored.

The zip code for the Rose Garden area is 95126 and Naglee Park is 95112 (although there are plenty of sketchy areas in the 95112 zip code). The Rose Garden area is roughly centered around the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden and is in a great location for freeway access and access to downtown. Naglee Park, which is a few blocks southeast of SJSU, covers a smaller area and is mostly surrounded by dumpier areas of town. The neighborhood itself is mostly gentrified and somewhat upscale but is sort of an oasis in a gritty part of town. Real estate prices are mostly lower here than the Rose Garden area.

Willow Glen also comes to mind (zip code 95125). You can still find many smaller homes that haven't been bull-dozed for mini-mansions here, but real estate prices in WG are typically higher than the above mentioned areas. The Palm Haven neighborhood at the northern boundary of WG is one of my favorites, with tall palm-tree lined streets and ornate street entrance markers. The homes in that neighborhood are smaller, but very nice and tend to not come on the market very often.

The neighborhoods in the East Foothills near Alum Rock Park/San Jose Country Club (zip code 95116/95127; although 95116 is also shared with some pretty bad parts of town and 95127 can be sketchy in parts also) also have some older, well-kept neighborhoods with smaller homes. The flatland area below these neighborhoods isn't very nice and you'd have to go through it to get to and from home. The views are great though and it feels somewhat woodsy and secluded from the rest of SJ.

Most newer neighborhoods in SJ tend to have bigger homes on smaller lots. The older neighborhoods I've mentioned are some of my favorites. Many of the homes have smaller square footage but lots of character.

Try using Google Street View for the following random streets: Palm Haven Ave. (95125), Martin Ave. @ Sequoia Ave. (95126), W. Hedding St. (95126- a couple of blocks from one of the nicest streets in the entire city, University Ave.), S. 15th/16th streets (95112),

[sonarrat]

The SJ Country Club area is in 95127. I looked at a rental house there, the area was very pretty and you would come in way underbudget there.

Personally, I would look for a newer house in a quiet suburban-type area. I would be looking into Evergreen 95135, Almaden Valley 95120, Willow Glen 95125, Blossom Valley 95136, or the Westgate area 95130.

[mstnghu2]

Sorry, I have to disagree with Sonarrat. Most houses in the 95135 part of Evergreen are big (three car garages, etc.), 95123 (Blossom Valley) is completely underwhelming, same with 95130 (although 95130 has better schools which is probably irrelevant to the OP), and $800k is close to the entry price to buying in Almaden Valley. My grandparents' Almaden Valley home appraises close to $900k and is a one-story rancher that needs a complete renovation! Almaden Valley can be very nice if you increase your price range, but otherwise you'll be throwing down a ton of money for mediocrity.

I'm actually somewhat surprised by your recommendations, Sonarrat since you also have a ton of knowledge about SJ. My choices were based on the fact that schools wouldn't be an issue for the OP (since many of the areas I recommended don't really have great schools). I also recommended the areas based on the fact that you can get a lot more for your money in some of the neighborhoods with smaller homes and they'd be buying into an interesting neighborhood with character- rather than the stereotypical bland cookie-cutter home that you'll find all over areas like Berryessa, Blossom Valley, etc.

Also the SJCC is roughly around the boundary line for 95116/95127. I don't know exactly where it starts, but you're probably right.

To the OP, since you're moving here for retirement, I see no reason why you'd want to end up in a bland cookie-cutter tract home neighborhood. I've lived in plenty of these types of neighborhoods throughout my life growing up in the South Bay and if you have $800k to spend and don't need a big house or top-rated schools, there's no reason to settle for such blandness.

[sonarrat]

I'm operating on the principle that regardless of your need for schools or not, it's usually better for resale value to live in an area with good schools. Then since they are retired, I think a newer property would be better due to lower maintenance costs.

By the by, I looked at a townhouse in Rose Garden recently on Park Ave near Hedding, and I was not at all impressed by the neighborhood. I eventually settled on a nicely built in-law apartment in Blossom Valley 95136, and many of my neighbors are happy retirees.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

By the by, I looked at a townhouse in Rose Garden recently on Park Ave near Hedding, and I was not at all impressed by the neighborhood.

Park Ave. has some odd spots in an otherwise very nice, upscale neighborhood, whose character is featured with craftsman houses and larger homes/mansions (University, for example). Not bad having Zanotto's, The Rose Garden, Rosegarden Library, and the Rosicrucian Museum within close walking distance.

[sjnative]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

Personally, I would look for a newer house in a quiet suburban-type area. I would be looking into Evergreen 95135, Almaden Valley 95120, Willow Glen 95125, Blossom Valley 95136, or the Westgate area 95130.

Those "newer houses" are the very bland and mass-produced housing that I grew up in. They have no character, soul or the like.

I will concede that they're younger, have better electrical and plumbing systems, probably all have 2 bathrooms and 2-car garages, though. They'd be better for raising children.

For retirees, I don't see how any of that would be necessary or appealing, esp since the OP wants a 1500sf house in a nice area.

Post #2 in this thread has my vote.

[johnmarg]

Thank you all for your replies. An older house would be OK , we just dont want a fixer. WE will look at all the zip codes recommended here.