If you are relocating to Silicon Valley and wish to choose an upscale or luxury neighborhood, where should you begin looking? Where are the very best areas in or near San Jose?
Here are some quick lists of areas in Silicon Valley areas which enjoy beautiful estate properties:
Luxury Home Neighborhoods in Silicon Valley’s west side
Most of the more expensive parts of Silicon Valley are along the “west valley” areas, and these all enjoy excellent public schools. If you were to look at a topographical map, they would be the cities, towns and neighborhoods close to the coastal foothills (also known as the Santa Cruz Mountains). Or if you looked at a road map, most of them would be on the west side of Highway 85. Unless otherwise noted, the districts, cities or towns are all in Santa Clara County.
These “west valley communities” are listed from southernmost to northernmost, extending from southwestern San Jose up into the San Francisco Peninsula.
- Almaden Valley (part of San Jose)
- Los Gatos
- Monte Sereno
- Saratoga
- Cupertino (foothills area in particular)
- Los Altos
- Los Altos Hills
- Palo Alto
- Portola Valley (San Mateo County)
- Woodside (San Mateo County)
- Hillsborough (San Mateo County)
These are not the only places to find high end real estate in the South Bay area, though – it’s just that most of them are located along the west valley corridor.
More Luxury Home Neighborhoods in Silicon Valley
More communities which are “exclusive” can be found:
- The Silver Creek area of San Jose (eastside, within the Evergreen district)
- Part of the Alum Rock neighborhood near the old San Jose Country Club (also on the east side).
- The Rosegarden area of central San Jose
- The Naglee Park neighborhood near downtown San Jose
- Willow Glen enjoys some beautiful old mansions (between downtown SJ and the west side)
- Part of the Mission District of Fremont (Alameda County)
- Eagle’s Ridge community in Gilroy (south part of Santa Clara County)
Something to be aware of is that many of these areas are served by more than one school district. In some cases, the different school districts can be very different in terms of school performance scores. In Saratoga, for instance, there are 3 different districts. Two have excellent scores and the third has good scores – but very different numbers! This can be a surprise to people who relocate to Silicon Valley: so be aware of this quirk if you move here! (Even if you are not interested in utilizing the schools, know that they are a prime driver in home values and pricing.)
Would you like to learn more about luxury real estate & homes in Silicon Valley? I have some other blogs with posts that you might find helpful
Related posts on the Valley of Heart’s Delight blog:
Luxury Real Estate in Silicon Valley
The Silicon Valley Luxury Home Market (browse listings over $2 million in a few areas)
The Luxury Real Estate Market in Almaden, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga
Monte Sereno Real Estate and Homes for Sale
Saratoga, CA, Real Estate Market Update
What Type of Home Can You Get for $1,000,000 in Silicon Valley?
Almaden Valley Housing Market by Price Point in June 2010
Related posts on the Live in Los Gatos blog:
Fewer Sales, but Higher Prices, in Los Gatos & Monte Sereno
What’s Selling in Los Gatos Now? How’s the Market?
A Five Year View of the Los Gatos Real Estate Market (Jan 2005 to June 2010)
