Bay Area towns that fit our lifestyle - help please! (San Jose: real estate, rental)

[Shaun3]

Hello,

We are a family of five (2 adults, three children - ages 14, 11, and 3) currently living in Mountain View and looking for something different. My husband's work is in Los Altos. We are looking for:

* family friendly - parks and things to do for kids
* community feel
* fun downtown would be a plus
* easy commute to Los Altos
* reasonable rental rates (not ready to buy)

Mountain View is too expensive and too big - not feeling a community vibe here. I have heard good things about San Carlos and Belmont and would like your thoughts. I have lived in Alameda in the East Bay and really liked it. The commute would be too difficult - or would it?

Thanks for your help!

Shaun

[ccm123]

Almost any nice community on the SF Peninsula will be expensive and everywhere else, there will be some tradeoffs (such as a longer commute). Alameda is very nice, as is Pleasanton, but your commute will suffer.

[Azmordean]

"Reasonable rental rates" are in the eye of the beholder of course.

Outside of cost, I'm surprised you don't like Mountain View. It has a great down town, and a decent community feel in my view. Nowhere in the Bay Area is going to feel like "small town community" because all the cities are part of the larger region, with people living and working across the region.

You might try parts of San Jose or Campbell to save a little bit of money, but I don't think the other factors are going to improve much from Mountain View.

[butercup]

Belmont and San Carlos are both excellent options -they both have a small-town feel (Belmont is quite a bit smaller). San Carlos is the only one with a downtown, but depending on where you live in each town, it can be easier/quicker/closer to get to Laurel St from Belmont than many parts of San Carlos. Although San Carlos is closer to Los Altos, if you are commuting via 280, it can be quicker from Belmont due to its proximity to the 92/280 interchange via Ralston. As far as status, San Carlos is definitely more desirable with the downtown, their Friday night summer concert series, festivals etc. But as far as cost goes, you pay for it - San Carlos real estate fetches a premium. Both school districs are strong.

If you don't mind a cookie-cutter vibe and the downtown isn't that important, Redwood Shores and Foster City would be ok, too.

[butercup]

Ooh, just saw you have a 14-year-old. Are you considering public school? If so, take a close look at the high schools - different people have different desires there. A lot of San Carlos is zoned for Sequoia, which has a strong IB program but otherwise mixed reviews. Carlmont High serves all of Belmont and the north (but ever-shrinking) side of San Carlos.

[Wintermomma]

With your husband working at the school in Los Altos...how about Redwood City? I think it is less than Belmont and San Carlos, as well, plus a reverse commute. Otherwise you are going to have to go well into San Jose to get to be significantly less. Other areas with a downtown and more community feel are Campbell, Willow Glen (SJ) and Rose Garden (SJ - but not sure which "downtown" would closest/nicest, not SJ).

Stay away from East Palo Alto to the north.

ETA: Wait I think I mixed you guys up. Your husband works in Los Altos, but you work at the school in South Bay? In that case forget my suggestion of Redwood City! Check out Campbell and the surrounding San Jose area. Schools are not good, so prices are lower...it is reasonably safe, but use www.crimereports.com to check out individual areas b/c it can be patchy. I'd also check out Santa Clara, though you won't get the downtown and community feel - I think.

[Maceart]

Geographically speaking Mountain View is your best bet right now. Stay right where you are.

Anywhere in the East Bay with warmer weather will suck balls for the Los Altos commute. Not sure what you're looking for in a "community" feel. Just join the PTA and get yourself known.