distinct rent ranges: what is the difference? (San Jose, Sunnyvale: apartment complex, rentals)

[buenos]

Hi

I have recently moved to the bay are from the UK. Now I live in south San Jose and have 30-60 minutes (each direction, depending on the traffic) commute to work in Sunnyvale.
I am planning on moving closer to work, probably to south Santa Clara or Sunnyvale.

So, in the craigslist advertisments I see two distinct price ranges for 1bed apartments. One range is around $1250 the other one is around $1600. I dont see many apartments between the twoo ranges, most of them are close to either of the two numbers above. Why is that? What is the difference? Checking the apartment photos and locations they all look similar quality.

The other thing that I am thinking on is moving to a gated community or to a single-building (multiple apartments, like a 4plex-8plex) in a residental street. In south SJ I live in a gated community where it seem to make sense, the sorrounding looks a littlebit rough, but what about Sunnyvale/SC ? Is there any advantage of a gated community? I dont use the shared swimming pool here (most people at the pool look the type I always avoided, aggressive and uneducated), nor the gym. I am planning to go to a big public pool for regular lap swimming, which would probably not be in an apartment complex but in a sports centre or something.

One more thing: windows. The place I am now has single-glazed windows, and in cold weather the cold air just comes through the edges of ot. This is a lot worse then the standard windows I am used to in europe. How common is it to have better insulating double glazed plastic/wood framed windows in rental apartments in the bay area?

[fashionguy]

The range difference can be either: Big corporation managed apartment complexes vs individual owners
or renovated (with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops) vs not
or size difference.

Either way 1600$ for a 1 bedroom sounds very inexpensive nowadays. Good findings.

Finding good insulated place in California is tough. That's why I only rent either well built mid-rises or town homes that don't have people above or below me. The good weather here gave them excuses to build on a crappy standard. It is not just the windows. The walls are crappy too.

Originally Posted by buenos

Hi

I have recently moved to the bay are from the UK. Now I live in south San Jose and have 30-60 minutes (each direction, depending on the traffic) commute to work in Sunnyvale.
I am planning on moving closer to work, probably to south Santa Clara or Sunnyvale.

So, in the craigslist advertisments I see two distinct price ranges for 1bed apartments. One range is around $1250 the other one is around $1600. I dont see many apartments between the twoo ranges, most of them are close to either of the two numbers above. Why is that? What is the difference? Checking the apartment photos and locations they all look similar quality.

The other thing that I am thinking on is moving to a gated community or to a single-building (multiple apartments, like a 4plex-8plex) in a residental street. In south SJ I live in a gated community where it seem to make sense, the sorrounding looks a littlebit rough, but what about Sunnyvale/SC ? Is there any advantage of a gated community? I dont use the shared swimming pool here (most people at the pool look the type I always avoided, aggressive and uneducated), nor the gym. I am planning to go to a big public pool for regular lap swimming, which would probably not be in an apartment complex but in a sports centre or something.

One more thing: windows. The place I am now has single-glazed windows, and in cold weather the cold air just comes through the edges of ot. This is a lot worse then the standard windows I am used to in europe. How common is it to have better insulating double glazed plastic/wood framed windows in rental apartments in the bay area?

[vrhunski]

If you show us URL for both 1200$ and 1600$ apartments we can see more detail about those rentals.

[buenos]

Ok, here are 2 examples:
1200~
Lawrence and El Camino
1600~
Spacious Upstairs Home w/ Private Balcony In Quiet Landscape Community

Is it worth renting in a gated community vs in a residental street? (if not using shared amenities like pool/gym) In a gated community they employ a lot of people, and maintain big shared resources which muct cost money.

[fashionguy]

Neither of these specified size so difficult to compare. Square footage matters a lot in determining price. A 1 bedroom in the bay area can range from 400 sq ft to 900 sq ft.

Originally Posted by buenos

Ok, here are 2 examples:
1200~
Lawrence and El Camino
1600~
Spacious Upstairs Home w/ Private Balcony In Quiet Landscape Community

Is it worth renting in a gated community vs in a residental street? (if not using shared amenities like pool/gym) In a gated community they employ a lot of people, and maintain big shared resources which muct cost money.

[5thgenSF]

Originally Posted by buenos

Ok, here are 2 examples:
1200~
Lawrence and El Camino
1600~
Spacious Upstairs Home w/ Private Balcony In Quiet Landscape Community

Is it worth renting in a gated community vs in a residental street? (if not using shared amenities like pool/gym) In a gated community they employ a lot of people, and maintain big shared resources which muct cost money.

i'm not sure why you keep using the term "gated community". that refers to a housing development with a central gate for entrance and exit.

the second one looks nicer with more amenities and sunnyvale is probably considered a more central location than santa clara.

wiki:

In its modern form, a gated community is a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly-controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and often characterized by a closed perimeter of walls and fences. Gated communities usually consist of small residential streets and include various shared amenities. For smaller communities this may be only a park or other common area. For larger communities, it may be possible for residents to stay within the community for most day-to-day activities. Gated communities are a type of common interest development, but are distinct from intentional communities.
Given that gated communities are spatially a type of enclave, Setha M. Low, among other anthropologists, has argued that they have a negative effect on the overall social capital of the broader community outside the gated community.[1]
Some gated communities, usually called guard-gated communities, are staffed by private security guards and are often home to high-value properties, and/or are set up as retirement villages. Some gated communities are secure enough to resemble fortresses and are intended as such.

[buenos]

I referred to "gated community", becouse its my impression that here in the bay area most rental housing is in a fenced area. I live in "the woods" ( www.woodsapartments.com/ ) which is like that. My view might be distorted by the fact that probably the bigger housing companies (owning a gated area with 500 apartments) advertise on the internet more often than small building owners (4-20 flats). How do i find these smaller housing options, just drive around and watch for signs?

[5thgenSF]

Originally Posted by buenos

I referred to "gated community", becouse its my impression that here in the bay area most rental housing is in a fenced area. I live in "the woods" ( www.woodsapartments.com/ ) which is like that. My view might be distorted by the fact that probably the bigger housing companies (owning a gated area with 500 apartments) advertise on the internet more often than small building owners (4-20 flats). How do i find these smaller housing options, just drive around and watch for signs?

i've just never heard of an apartment complex being referred to as a gated community. both links you posted are in residential areas and both are what i would call apartment complexes. one is just bigger than the other. gated communities are single family homes with streets that are completely enclosed around the entire perimeter.

smaller complexes may be listed on craigslist, they may be listed in the newspaper, or yes, you could drive around and look. i haven't rented in 20 years but that was how i find my last apartment in mountain view. i drove around to the street i'd lived on before. i ended up living five and a half years in one apartment and six and a half years living in another, all on the same street. they were both owned by large corporations though.

[sonarrat]

Age, size and amenities are the biggest determinants in apartment values around here. The location can matter if it's super convenient, but otherwise, there's actually very little variation between similar apartments in good and bad areas.

[fashionguy]

Your understanding of gated community is actually quite off. Many big apartment complexes now advertise their community as gated to give prospective tenants a sense of security.

Originally Posted by 5thgenSF

i've just never heard of an apartment complex being referred to as a gated community. both links you posted are in residential areas and both are what i would call apartment complexes. one is just bigger than the other. gated communities are single family homes with streets that are completely enclosed around the entire perimeter.

smaller complexes may be listed on craigslist, they may be listed in the newspaper, or yes, you could drive around and look. i haven't rented in 20 years but that was how i find my last apartment in mountain view. i drove around to the street i'd lived on before. i ended up living five and a half years in one apartment and six and a half years living in another, all on the same street. they were both owned by large corporations though.