Pleasanton or Saratoga? (San Jose, Fremont, Sunnyvale: broker, houses, neighborhood)

[aslowdodge]

why is everyone talking about traffic? The OP said commuting is not an issue since the husband can go into the office at any time he wishes in the first post?

[cardinal2007]

Originally Posted by nagleepark

Yes, 85 northbound can be bumper-to-bumper, even as late as 10 AM. It isn't always, though. I see it everyday as I take 280 northbound and get off on 85 southbound. I see the ramp backed up onto 280 freeway and I can see the opposite side stuck in bumper-to-bumper.

The 680 southbound turns into the 280 northbound which I take every workday. At 10 AM, the 280 is usually clear but occasionally an accident will cause a big backup.

The 85 northbound is definitely a lot worse than 680 southbound but it is also a lot shorter. If I were going to Sunnyvale, I'd just take surface streets and not bother with 85 northbound. I'd only bother with the 85 northbound if I was going to Mountain View or Palo Alto.

Going home on the 280 southbound/680 northbound is a totally different story, though, unless you wait until way after rush hour. I breeze to work in the morning but it's a total mess going home with backups from nearly one accident per day. Sometimes, it's jammed up until 7 PM with accidents, emergency vehicles and traffic jams.

Most people I know that come from Pleasanton, Tri-Valley, San Ramon and that area end up either switching from 680 to 880 by Mission Blvd then take 237 to Sunnyvale, or take 680 to 237. Granted this was the northern end of Sunnyvale, so it might be more prudent to take 280 for the southern end. But with that regard the 680 area that they claim is bad is not around San Jose, but around Fremont, or the Sunol Grade. I also think 237 is no picnic, and 880 doesn't seem fast either south of Mission, so I'm guessing they mean 680 is worse than those, not that the rest of the commute is easy.

I'm not sure if we are past the whole scrum phase in team management in tech, but besides that the whole Yahoo! anti telecommute thing seems to indicate a growing feeling my management in tech to have people in the office, so I think we can't just discount the idea that the husband will have to commute at some point in the future. Also changing jobs to move up is kind of common around here.

I would recommend renting first, since the OP doesn't seem familiar with the area though, but if you're set on buying I would say go for a short commute, better safe than sorry in that regard, if you rent out in Pleasanton and the commute gets to be too much you can move, but if you buy, well you're kind of stuck, selling will require to forgo closing costs and realtor fees, which for over $1M will be around $100k lost.

[cardinal2007]

Originally Posted by aslowdodge

why is everyone talking about traffic? The OP said commuting is not an issue since the husband can go into the office at any time he wishes in the first post?

Can we stop these posts somehow, if you read the thread the OP said:

"I was unaware of the commute problem on 85 northbound in the morning Anybody with experience, would you say that is still better than commuting on 680 from Pleasanton to Sunnyvale?
**My husband just mentioned that he might need to go to the office more often than he originally thought due to team meetings "

So commuting is an issue for the OP, or her husband, which presumably is makes it an issue for her too, since she would like to see her husband?

And let's not pretend people in Silicon Valley don't change jobs to get ahead, one job could require little time in the office, and if an opportunity to go to management appears it would mean a lot more time in the new office. Jobs can also take away telecommuting perks, see Yahoo!.

[hollykick]

For the original poster ... i am not sure what "diversity" means. When Palo Alto is considered "Diverse" it is 80% caucasian ... wheras Cupertino is 80% asian... so basically both of them are not diverse. Do dont go about saying other schools are diverse. If you want diversity go to san jose downtown area .. or alum rock or campbell (mostly latinos) .

[aslowdodge]

Originally Posted by cardinal2007

Can we stop these posts somehow, if you read the thread the OP said:

"I was unaware of the commute problem on 85 northbound in the morning Anybody with experience, would you say that is still better than commuting on 680 from Pleasanton to Sunnyvale?
**My husband just mentioned that he might need to go to the office more often than he originally thought due to team meetings "

So commuting is an issue for the OP, or her husband, which presumably is makes it an issue for her too, since she would like to see her husband?

And let's not pretend people in Silicon Valley don't change jobs to get ahead, one job could require little time in the office, and if an opportunity to go to management appears it would mean a lot more time in the new office. Jobs can also take away telecommuting perks, see Yahoo!.

Okay , so the OP did not tell the situation truthfully the first time around. She said traffic was not an issue but has now decided it is. Got it.

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by hollykick

For the original poster ... i am not sure what "diversity" means. When Palo Alto is considered "Diverse" it is 80% caucasian ... wheras Cupertino is 80% asian... so basically both of them are not diverse. Do dont go about saying other schools are diverse. If you want diversity go to san jose downtown area .. or alum rock or campbell (mostly latinos) .

Neither of the ethnic population figures you mentioned are accurate.

Palo Alto is 60% non-Hispanic white, 27% Asian, 6.2% Latino, 2% African American (2010 Census)

Cupertino is 63% Asian, 29.3% non-Hispanic White, 3.6% Latino, 0.6% African American (2010 Census)

These are for the total population.

[Generaltao]

Originally Posted by silverkris

Neither of the ethnic population figures you mentioned are accurate.

Palo Alto is 60% non-Hispanic white, 27% Asian, 6.2% Latino, 2% African American (2010 Census)

Cupertino is 63% Asian, 29.3% non-Hispanic White, 3.6% Latino, 0.6% African American (2010 Census)

These are for the total population.

silverkris, where are you getting those stats?

[never-more]

Originally Posted by hollykick

For the original poster ... i am not sure what "diversity" means. When Palo Alto is considered "Diverse" it is 80% caucasian ... wheras Cupertino is 80% asian... so basically both of them are not diverse. Do dont go about saying other schools are diverse. If you want diversity go to san jose downtown area .. or alum rock or campbell (mostly latinos) .

I'm disagreeing with alum rock though. What do people think of West San Jose though?

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by never-more

I'm disagreeing with alum rock though. What do people think of West San Jose though?

West San Jose is extremely uneven.. rundown Section 8 rentals flanking nice single-family neighborhoods, some Eichlers in various states of disrepair, choking-thick expressway and surface street traffic, and outrageously expensive housing even in areas that are fairly marginal.

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by Generaltao

silverkris, where are you getting those stats?

US Census Bureau, google them to the individual cities involved.