"California! Here I come" (San Jose, Fremont: real estate, rentals, crime)

[momwithadot]

I keep repeating this McQueen dialogue in my head hoping it might come true some day

We've lived in Texas for 6 years now, but am eager to move to CA.
Why do I want to move to CA, more specifically The Bay Area :

1. Moderate weather - 50 to 80's?
2. Fertile soil - Pop in a seed to get started with gardening. Hoping I wouldn't need to pull out sod, did out the clay, buy fertile soil, treat it and then plant.
3. Diverse neighborhoods - Not pockets of different ethnicity's but truly integrated communities.
4. "Greener" Lifestyle - Not merely more choices in products that are available but also a society where I would easily find people that make similar choices.

Am I at least close to facts on the above if not spot on? Pleeeeeeease suggest neighborhoods you've experienced or are positively aware of, on point 3. My husband & I have traveled a good part of the globe and have never found neighbors that share a global perspective. Except one darling couple who were almost double our age. We loved each other, but there were only few things we could do together.

So what am I looking for?
1. Young families of couples that think 'global'.
2. Good schools - okay! who am I kidding?! LOL! - please make that Excellent Schools !! I've heard they teach foreign languages in some public schools in CA. That excites me much. Any pointers to related info is greatly appreciated.

Please feel free to share any suggestions and advice you think is pertinent. Must be obvious by now that I really HAVE to get it right this time. We've moved twice in Texas already and have been unlucky in our choice of neighborhoods. We have friends in CA that suggest Evergreen in San Jose and Ardenwood area in Fremont. San Ramon has come up often too. But none of our friends actually live in any of these places. So, looking for first-hand advice here.
I haven't brought up cost of living which would be a huge ticket item in itself. That's because understanding prospective neighborhoods is priority now, compared to finances. Also, we'll be renting for a year or two and are not looking at buying property now.

[easybay]

Specifically....

How old are your children? When do you plan to move here? What is your income now, and proposed income after moving here?

I'm not too sure what you mean by thinking "global". Green, you will find many like minded - be sure you sell your Mom SUV when you leave Texas and get a Prius for commuting here.

I'm not too sure about truly integrated neighborhoods either. We were looking to rent in Evergreen when we first moved here, and found it to be a beautiful community plunked down in a highly Vietnamese area (just going by the stores and all the Pho shops). I didn't want to commute to go grocery shopping, so we ended up in the Westgate area of San Jose. Cupertino is primarily Asian. We are in the Rose Garden area of San Jose, and I don't find that particularly integrated either, generally white/hispanic/homeless. Maybe Sunnyvale/Mountain View would be good choices for a more ethnically diverse area.

[StandingRoomOnly]

Momwithadot...your income/housing budget and lifestyle expectations--can you please elaborate on both

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by momwithadot

That's because understanding prospective neighborhoods is priority now, compared to finances.

...Until you encounter just what it costs to rent in a nice neighborhood with excellent schools here.

[momwithadot]

Well, I've been following rates on Trulia. We are scoping for a monthly rent between 2.5 K to 3K (all inclusive). On that note, do you have a favorite real estate website you'd like to suggest ?

[momwithadot]

Originally Posted by easybay

Specifically....

How old are your children? When do you plan to move here? What is your income now, and proposed income after moving here?

My kids are 7 & 4. Both have summer b'days, so they'd be 8 & 5 when we get there, which brings me to your next question. We plan to move there before July this year. Pre-tax Income is and would remain in the 90 - 120 K range. Our budget can accommodate 2.5K to 3K rent (including appliances, water, yard, etc.)

I'm not too sure what you mean by thinking "global". Green, you will find many like minded - be sure you sell your Mom SUV when you leave Texas and get a Prius for commuting here.

About the SUV, yes - I've been told that Please ignore the 'global' if it's abstract. Integrated neighborhoods should take care of it.

I'm not too sure about truly integrated neighborhoods either. We were looking to rent in Evergreen when we first moved here, and found it to be a beautiful community plunked down in a highly Vietnamese area (just going by the stores and all the Pho shops). I didn't want to commute to go grocery shopping, so we ended up in the Westgate area of San Jose. Cupertino is primarily Asian. We are in the Rose Garden area of San Jose, and I don't find that particularly integrated either, generally white/hispanic/homeless. Maybe Sunnyvale/Mountain View would be good choices for a more ethnically diverse area.

That's what I was wondering about. If I end up having to live surrounded by SE Asians / Asians, I can do that right here in Texas. Of course there are huge geographic benefits in CA that I would still attract me there.

[momwithadot]

Originally Posted by StandingRoomOnly

Momwithadot...your income/housing budget and lifestyle expectations--can you please elaborate on both

Housing budget is between 2.5K to 3K rental per month. Lifestyle expectations can be summed into three broad categories - 1) Green Living preferably in an area that requires low soil maintenance. 2) Good schools with a friendly & active PTA. 3) Close knit neighborhoods where people try to keep it a village. "It takes a village to bring up a child" sorts.

Can you think of neighborhoods to suggest ? If not, why? So I know what part of my expectations need tweaking. Thank you.

[easybay]

Well, I've been following rates on Trulia. We are scoping for a monthly rent between 2.5 K to 3K (all inclusive). On that note, do you have a favorite real estate website you'd like to suggest ?

I don't know of any other favorite website for rentals other than Craigslist. Seriously. As I've said many times before - be prepared to discover new definitions for "new", "updated", "renovated", and of course - "great area." The rental market here sucks. Landlords ask ridiculous prices for substandard rentals - because they can get away with it. People are desperate for rentals - and when you come here to rent - come with a check book, and be prepared to rent for immediate occupancy - do your research. Hope you don't have a dog.......

[spicydreamt]

I reside in the SW of Santa Clara (public school, kindergarten) and my kid's 13 classmates parents include (all born here): a Japanese, a Romanian, a French, a Filipino, a couple of Chinese, a Canadian, a few Indians and Pakistani, a Russian and a couple of white Americans actually born and raised in Santa Clara. My immediate neighbors (9 houses surrounding) include a Portugese couple, a couple of Santa Clara white natives, a Russian couple, a French-speaking Canadian family, a Japanese family with teenagers, a mixed Norway-American family, a few Indians, Pakistani and Chinese families. This is a generic and low-key neighborhood, where you can rent a house for $3k. That's for ethnicity.
Everybody's friendly, and crime is astoundingly non-existent. However almost nobody seems to have time to visit each other and build friendships. These must be found through common hobbies, activities, interests & meetups instead - or chance occasions such as a looking for your lost pet or locking yourself out.

[bobby_guz_man]

90-120k, single income, is going to be tough. We are dual income with no kids hitting $190k pre-tax, and it's a toughie.

Nobody really have time to visit each other here, spicydreamt is correct. Mainly because life here is hectic, everyone works too damn hard and too damn long. Visit with the neighbors are replaced with 5pm happy hours and weekend jaunts to the lounges.

The days of old where you and the neighbors congregate still exist in a few pockets here and there, but they are mostly long gone. And that's OK, time changes, people changes, and we all move on.

If I end up having to live surrounded by SE Asians / Asians, I can do that right here in Texas.

Whoa..I didn't know my kind of people instill so much fear in you :P

And is there a difference between SE Asians and Asians in general? Maybe in Texas there is a difference? Yes, we all tend to have black hair...but maybe you know something we don't?