Plan my life, please. (San Jose, San Francisco: real estate, 2014, rentals)

[Kissum]

Kidding (mostly).

We are a family of 5 thinking about moving to the area. The job is in Mountain View. The kids are age 1 though 9, so schools will be a priority to us. I know everyone suggests renting first, but from what I'm seeing on Craigslist, it's going to be tough to find a rentals that we can both afford and will allow both of our pets, a cat and an over 40 lb dog. It also would be nice to settle into one school and not have to switch the older kid twice.

So here is what I am looking for:

1. Housing: Reasonable commute (30 mins or less if that's possible), rental that will accept pets or under 800k to buy. Schools have to be rated above a 5, and obviously I would prefer better. I'm comfortable with a 3 bedroom house, but if I'm being honest we're coming from 4 bedrooms plus an office plus a basement so we'd prefer 4. I know, I'm dreaming big!

We like being able to walk to things (restaurants, parks, farmers markets, etc) but we will survive if we can't. We need to be reasonably close to a Jewish synagogue (liberal/reform) as our oldest will be going to Sunday and Hebrew school twice a week.

2. Preschool: It's really expensive, right?? I was recently panicked at the idea of paying $800 next year to send two kids to PT morning preschool, but it looks like I will be lucky to get away with that cost for just one kid. I'd love preschool recommendations, but obviously that will depend on the area we end up. Is the area going to be a preschool waiting list situation or will we be okay to look/apply once we move?

3. Lifestyle: Is there anything I should know about? We're coming from Kansas City (suburbs) and have lived in the DC metro and Vail in the last 10 years. What's special about the area? Bonus points if you can compare it to other places we've lived.

Thanks for your help!

[vadaseri]

I would suggest Fremont or Union City. Try near Paseo Padre and Decoto junction in Fremont so that you can take Dumbarton to work. You should be able to find a house in range $800K - $900K. That area satisfies your requirements. I am not sure about Synagogue. Check Chabad of Fremont Jewish Center/Jewish

[dburbs1975]

Chabad is not exactly liberal reform.

I sent you a PM.

[jk88cal]

OP: you mentioned school is a priority, but then you are OK with schools rated higher than 5. Which rating systems are you using? Typical rating uses greatschool.org or API ranking. The scale is out of 10, with10 being best and 1 being worst. In these rating system, 5 is poor. Well, "poor" is relative.

This interactive map is very helpful to get an overview of the area and school scores.
California School Performance Maps

[Kissum]

The score was more about high schools- I was seeing a lot of great elementary schools that fed into high schools with 4 or similar rating. A 5 score is at least meeting national standards (or so I thought, I'll have to double check). I'm not comfortable moving into an area that feeds into a high school that falls below the middle. I may have just been looking in the wrong areas.

The school performance map is really helpful, thank you!

[Lanienguyen]

Here in Cali, parents are going with the API systems. The great school website is not update. For example, the school map from previous post was base on 2005, 2006. Where as the API system is released every year. If you look at most of schools that above 900, those are in Cupertino, Saratoga where the house >1M. The high schools in San Jose that above 800 are Piedmont High and Evergreen High. Milpitas may fit you the most where all Elementary, Middle, and High Schools are>800 mark. Also, pay attention on the street that in the schools borderline. Even at the same street, on the left side of the street, the schools are much better than the right side. Check with the school districts.. not from Zillow, great school.org or so on.
API 3 - Year Average(CA Dept. of Education)

[dburbs1975]

also be aware that even though your home may seem to feed into the best elementary in the district, if there is no space there, your kid will go where there is space. that, to me, is a huge problem, and it takes some cities with good and terrible schools off my list completely.

[jk88cal]

Just a comment about searching for house. This is how I do it. Just want to share my thoughts. Contrary to other poster, I disagree about not using real estate and greatschool.org websites. They are there for a purpose.

When I'm looking at Greater Bay Area, there are places that I'm not familiar with. I want to quickly narrow the area of interest; include and exclude certain cities and areas.

1. Use the interactive school performance map. Yes, this data is old, but demographics and school performances do not change overnight, or even years. I still use this to get quick idea of the city and area.

California School Performance Maps

2. Once I have certain area identified. I use redfin and greatschool.org's school boundary maps. The redfin is for real estate listings. The school boundary map tells me which neighborhood school are assigned to. I haven't found real estate website that has combined MLS listing with school boundary information. Even with having to use 2 maps, this is is still a huge time saver.

School and District Boundaries Map | GreatSchools

3. Then after open house and identified specific homes of interest, then I go to school district database. Although this info is most accurate, I just don't bother with this until last step. There are many issues with school district database, and it is just a huge time drain to get the right information:

• For cities that do not have unified school district, sometimes I cannot even tell which district the house is in. And I have to look at elementary vs middle vs high school districts. Sometimes I have to visit 2-6 different websites. This is the reason for step 2.
• Boundary maps: some school district have boundary maps in PDF; most do not. Even if they have maps, some are useful; others are scanned and next to impossible to read.
• School look-up database. You have to enter an exact address. Again, very time consuming. Only useful if you have only select address to search. And for non-unified school district, this means visiting multiple websites again.

4. Save the API scores into Excel. With the assigned schools in mind, look up the scores, ratings, demographics.

[jk88cal]

(Continued...)

OP. I have school API database, so I did a quick check. In Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, San Clara county, there are 115 high schools with more than 300 students. Top 50-percential have API score > 780, or statewide ranking of 7. So if you want above average, then there you go.

I included Contra Costa, even thought that is > 30 minute from MV. For $800k, good school, and large home, that is probably your best option.

Kind of hard to read, but this is the table (comma delimited, sorted by latest 2013 API score):

School,District,County,Number of Students,API 2013 (Growth),Statewide Rank
Monta Vista High,Fremont Union High,Santa Clara,1751,956,10
Mission San Jose High,Fremont Unified,Alameda,1626,951,10
Lynbrook High,Fremont Union High,Santa Clara,1361,942,10
Saratoga High,Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union,Santa Clara,1022,938,10
Miramonte High,Acalanes Union High,Contra Costa,821,932,10
Dougherty Valley High,San Ramon Valley Unified,Contra Costa,1688,928,10
Campolindo High,Acalanes Union High,Contra Costa,896,921,10
Henry M. Gunn High,Palo Alto Unified,Santa Clara,1365,917,10
Monte Vista High,San Ramon Valley Unified,Contra Costa,1623,913,10
Piedmont High,Piedmont City Unified,Alameda,535,908,10
Acalanes High,Acalanes Union High,Contra Costa,965,907,10
Cupertino High,Fremont Union High,Santa Clara,1427,906,10
Palo Alto High,Palo Alto Unified,Santa Clara,1405,905,10
Amador Valley High,Pleasanton Unified,Alameda,1902,897,10
Los Altos High,Mountain View-Los Altos Union,Santa Clara,1268,895,10
Leland High,San Jose Unified,Santa Clara,1301,895,10
California High,San Ramon Valley Unified,Contra Costa,1882,887,10
Irvington High,Fremont Unified,Alameda,1602,884,10
San Ramon Valley High,San Ramon Valley Unified,Contra Costa,1552,884,10
Los Gatos High,Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union,Santa Clara,1301,883,10
Carlmont High,Sequoia Union High,San Mateo,1538,878,10
Dublin High,Dublin Unified,Alameda,1302,877,10
Las Lomas High,Acalanes Union High,Contra Costa,1074,875,10
Homestead High,Fremont Union High,Santa Clara,1707,873,10
Foothill High,Pleasanton Unified,Alameda,1564,871,10
Mills High,San Mateo Union High,San Mateo,923,871,10
Burlingame High,San Mateo Union High,San Mateo,953,870,10
Evergreen Valley High,East Side Union High,Santa Clara,1976,866,9
Mountain View High,Mountain View-Los Altos Union,Santa Clara,1301,861,9
Albany High,Albany City Unified,Alameda,826,860,9
Aragon High,San Mateo Union High,San Mateo,1047,849,9
Northgate High,Mt. Diablo Unified,Contra Costa,1194,847,9
American High,Fremont Unified,Alameda,1389,842,9
Granada High,Livermore Valley Joint Unified,Alameda,1462,837,9
Heritage High,Liberty Union High,Contra Costa,1686,836,9
Leigh High,Campbell Union High,Santa Clara,1181,833,9
Piedmont Hills High,East Side Union High,Santa Clara,1621,831,9
Milpitas High,Milpitas Unified,Santa Clara,2147,830,8
Alhambra Senior High,Martinez Unified,Contra Costa,908,826,8
Pioneer High,San Jose Unified,Santa Clara,1205,822,8
Alameda High,Alameda Unified,Alameda,1184,819,8
Castro Valley High,Castro Valley Unified,Alameda,2092,819,8
Menlo-Atherton High,Sequoia Union High,San Mateo,1427,819,8
Hillsdale High,San Mateo Union High,San Mateo,955,818,8
College Park High,Mt. Diablo Unified,Contra Costa,1307,817,8
Oceana High,Jefferson Union High,San Mateo,500,817,8
Dozier-Libbey Medical High,Antioch Unified,Contra Costa,474,811,8
Branham High,Campbell Union High,Santa Clara,1016,810,8
Sequoia High,Sequoia Union High,San Mateo,1387,802,8
Christopher High,Gilroy Unified,Santa Clara,1270,801,7
San Mateo High,San Mateo Union High,San Mateo,1015,800,7
Livermore High,Livermore Valley Joint Unified,Alameda,1240,799,7
Encinal High,Alameda Unified,Alameda,698,797,7
Westmont High,Campbell Union High,Santa Clara,1130,796,7
Half Moon Bay High,Cabrillo Unified,San Mateo,726,794,7
Prospect High,Campbell Union High,Santa Clara,892,793,7
Silver Creek High,East Side Union High,Santa Clara,1635,793,7
Ann Sobrato High,Morgan Hill Unified,Santa Clara,1065,793,7
Washington High,Fremont Unified,Alameda,1323,792,7
Terra Nova High,Jefferson Union High,San Mateo,802,792,7
Capuchino High,San Mateo Union High,San Mateo,796,791,7
Arroyo High,San Lorenzo Unified,Alameda,1282,790,7
Freedom High,Liberty Union High,Contra Costa,1830,788,7
Liberty High,Liberty Union High,Contra Costa,1593,786,7
Westmoor High,Jefferson Union High,San Mateo,1223,783,7
El Camino High,South San Francisco Unified,San Mateo,1048,782,7
Santa Clara High,Santa Clara Unified,Santa Clara,1277,782,7

[twins4lynn]

Once you narrow down to an actual school, go to the Board of Educations dataquest website DataQuest (CA Dept of Education) - you can find api, number of kids per grade, ethnicity/race/gender stats, even the number of suspensions.