Working in Menlo Park... where to live with kids?? (San Jose: to rent, mortgage)

[scottsdalemommy]

Ok, I just got a new job, I have two elementary school aged children and I do not know the area at all. I will be working in Menlo Park and my husband works from home. So I would like something within a 45 minute commute of menlo Park.
As I said I have two small children,I would love to have a great school district and a family neighborhood. Definitely safety is important. The thing is I am coming from Arizona and where we live everything is new. I am open to something a few years old, but I definitely prefer things with granite counters and updates kitchens and baths. I would also prefer to live in a gated community. We will end up buying as opposed to renting, so I know we are going to have to spend a good amount comparatively but if I am looking for at least 3500 square feet can I find that within about 1.5 to 2 million dollars??? That sounds like a fortune, but I have been looking online at homes and I am just amazed at the prices, and the lot sizes. Are their areas like this in the bay area??
Thanks so much for any info!

[sonarrat]

This should make you very happy:Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

[cardinal2007]

You might be able to find a several houses in the Mission San Jose area of Fremont. Top schools are in Cupertino and Palo Alto, but you're price range is too low to give you what in the peninsula would be considered a huge house of 3500+ sqft in those towns. You can ask an agent to bring up what they can in Cupertino, and Mission San Jose in Fremont, you'll likely find somewhat outdated houses in Cupertino like that, but they'll be a lot of fairly new construction in Mission San Jose in Fremont, as for Palo Alto I wouldn't be surprised if the agent just laughed at the suggestion that such a thing existed.

Your best bet in finding such a place is probably at Mission San Jose in Fremont. Though if you can find something in Cupertino that might be better. As long as your not too worried about how much equity you will end up with I think Fremont is not bad, personally I think it is best just to look at a house as a place to live and make a home. If you want to get good equity return I would suggest Palo Alto, very desirable easy to sell and you will be selling to a demographic that will have ever growing incomes, but you will likely have to settle for 1800sqft or so. I personally think too many people look at home buying as an investment which it really isn't, but to each his own. Good luck

[DMenscha]

I can't think of any gated communities in Palo Alto. I can't think of any gated communities with trophy houses except out between Sunol and Livermore. Obviously there are some others, I just can't think of them. The tract house I grew up in in Sunnyvale is worth 1.1 Million according to Zillow.

[sc101]

Menlo Park/Palo Alto is one of the most expensive areas in Bay Area as well as in the country. There are lots of Venture Capitalists and tech Exec. and lucky people from dot.com era live there, I have been to Arizona and there are not comparison for the price on the same kinda of house. For a few years old 3500 sq. feet home (IF you can find one) it would cost probably around $3 mill or above there. The lot would cost about 2.5m, the rest of 500K would be for the rebuilt value. The price hasn't come down at all despite current mortgage industry, in fact the high values homes in those areas continue to present shortage. Cupertino and Saratoga has great school districts and cost less, but again there are rarely new homes here unless you want to build one. For a 3500 sq. feet home in those areas you're looking at about 1.5 to 2 million, but not a new home within 5 years.

[xulu]

If you must live in Menlo Park try to live near Alameda de las Pulgas, their school districs are excellent, Las lomitas elementary school in one of the best in the area. Also there's beautiful outdoor activities for the whole family, very safe as well. Good Luck!