Is living in Scotts Valley worth the commute to Cupertino (San Jose: apartment, rent)

[LMCR]

Hello,
Were a family of four relocating in January and looking for a family friendly neighbourhood. Good schools for the kids, in elementary now, is the priority and being close to nature is next. We have looked at Los Gatos, Saratoga but there is no way we can afford to live there. So we've settled on Scotts Valley but just looking for advise on the commute to Cupertino.
Is anyone living in Scotts Valley that does the commute? Is it worth it? My husband has an hour commute right now and doesn't mind doing the same over in CA.
From what I can see online SV looks like a good place to bring up kids with lots of activities for them, sports etc. Is this right? Good community? Welcoming to newbies?
Thanks

[Standingroom0nly]

There are quite a few threads on the commute on 17 from Santa Cruz/Scott's Valley towards San Jose (and further). The general consensus seems to be it is quite a bit more stressful than your average commute (i.e. the same distance commute from other cities in SV). You are dealing with windy roads, wet conditions during the winter (often accidents), trees down, etc...and heavy traffic in both directions if your commute times are typical. Where are you moving from? Flat open country? Is your husband used to mountain driving?

There are those who do make the commute all the time and make it work. Maybe some could chime in on the commuter bus options, and I believe there are some threads on that too if you search around. I think your quality of life would be better the closer to work you are. I know the forest, the beach being close (and more house for your money)...all looks so attractive, but you would be giving up time together as a family added with much more stress for your husband with the commute IMO.

[vadaseri]

Where are you relocating from?
I wouldn't recommend Scotts Valley to Cupertino commute. I wouldn't do it. I hate driving on highway 17 during weekends, I can only imagine the drive on weekdays. The 4 lane winding highway will make your commute miserable, traffic from 85/17 to Cupertino is very slow. If possible avoid Scotts Valley and move closer to work. If you are renting, you can find some place in Santa Clara / San Jose bordering Cupertino.

[dogandcat]

Originally Posted by LMCR

Good schools for the kids, in elementary now, is the priority and being close to nature is next. We have looked at Los Gatos, Saratoga but there is no way we can afford to live there. So we've settled on Scotts Valley but just looking for advise on the commute to Cupertino.

I would never do it because of very difficult and even dangerous commute, especially in winter time. Only one plus I see in living in Scotts Valey is that it close to the ocean...

If you like the nature and tranquillity, you can find something nice and relatively affordable (not extremely expensive) in South San Jose. I personally own a house in Blossom Valley area near Santa Teresa foothills (google for example, "Santa Teresa blvd and Cottle road"). A lot of trees, parks, trails, good schools, very family oriented. You can rent a house here for about $3500 depends on size and condition, and 2bdr apartment starting from about $2200. Commute from hear to Cupertino is not nice in rash hours, but it is much less stressful compare to 17 highway, believe me... You can also try to search for Cambrian area because it is closer to Cupertino, but prices will be higher compare to prices in the area I live (but still cheaper compare to living in Cupertino itself).

[blauskies]

Brutal commute, but I had a few chats with people that lived in Santa Cruz and drove to South San Jose for work on a daily basis. Not sure how they do it, but I wouldn't attempt it.

[Hawk J]

There will be much traffic wherever your husband drives from. Winter traffic/driving conditions will probably be better if you lived somewhere around Gilroy/Morgan Hill. You will have the Coyote Lake area to explore. Also explore Uvas Meadows & Mount Madonna.

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=coyote+lake%2C+CA

Enjoy a delicious meal out in the patio at Jardines, in San Juan Bautista.

Jardines de San Juan - 133 Photos - Mexican - 115 3rd St - San Juan Bautista, CA - Reviews - Menu - Yelp

ENjoy.....

[blueskywalker]

I wouldn't want to commute on 17 on a daily basis but many, many people do.
Scotts Valley is a good location if you want to live in Santa Cruz county as the brutal commute on hwy 1 from south to north and then onto 17 will not be an issue. Your husband will at least be relatively close to the summit on 17.
He just needs to drive slowly, be patient, stay to the right and hang a St. Christophers medalion on his rear view mirror.
Hawk J recommended Mt. Madonna or Gilroy, etc. but 152 is, in my opinion, worse than 17. And 101 has accidents all the time as well.
It's all about driving defensively and slowly.
Scotts Valley is a good choice if you want to live in Santa Cruz county as your husband will be closer to his work place (as opposed to other communities in the county) and you'll be very close to the ocean and all of the activities that the county offers.
You'll be one of many new folks living in the county so i wouldn't worry about feeling welcome. It's a dynamic area and one with many students coming and going and many people moving here and working over the hill.
The mountain communities beyond Scotts Valley may feel strange to you and many of the properties are in the Red Woods which are wonderful but are dark and damp and dreary in the winter months.
Scotts Valley has a nice feel. It's nicely situated and has an elevated and open feel about it. I like it.
I'm surprised that you have found it affordable as renting and buying in S.C. county is a very expensive thing to do.

[LMCR]

Wow, thank you so much for all the advise. I will do some research on the areas you have mentioned. We're relocating from Europe and I've never been over to California before so it's all new and trying to get the feel for where to live through blogs etc online is hard.
Were a very down to earth family, no bells n whistles, not into the bling. We did look at a cheap place in Los Gatos but we've been advised against by colleagues as they say the kids in the schools are very wealthy, materialistic etc and were not too keen on this environment for the kids to grow up in. Any advise on good areas that are on the edges of the trees and parks and down to earth? Dogandcat you mentioned the cambrian area, that has come up before. Any particular part or is it all nice?
Thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it.

[LMCR]

To give you an idea, our housing budget is 3,500ish for a three bed. Could push it to 4 if we had to. Thanks.

[thetrb]

If this is your first time living in California I'd first try out something closer to your husbands work. If after a couple of years you decide that you'd prefer the more tranquil style of living in Scotts Valley you can still move there.

As for your location I'd agree that Cambrian would be a good fit and 3500 is a very reasonable number for that area. The commute to Cupertino also wouldn't be too bad, probably about half an hour. For me personally Cambrian and South San Jose is a bit too far away from some of the more interesting stuff and you would be very car-dependent, personally I'd prefer something like Campbell or Willow Glen, but that's up to your own preferences.