Hi, our family of 4 plus 2 dogs is relocating to Silicon Valley husband will work in Cupertino. We are looking for a rent around $2,500 for a 3 bedroom house with a yard (do not care about the size, but we need 3BR and some yard space), could pay a little more if we can get our daughter in a TOP elementary school.
As far as I understand, Cupertino and Sunnyvale are expensive. San Jose is cheaper but I am concerned about the gang activities and crime, Fremont (south) seems to have a good school district but I understand the commute in rush hour is very bad.
We live in Beaverton, OR my husband commute is 10 minutes, we enjoy an excellent recreation district, my daughter can enjoy swimming, ballet, gymnastics classes at very low cost, and there is also a p/t preschool that is very inexpensive. We have a great library system, lots of parks and hiking places. Very, very low crime, no gangs, very few vandalism, car theft. I am sad to give up all of that and I am looking to find a place where we can get some of the nice things Beaverton has, our main priority are top schools (Great schools ranked 10 or 9), safety and then commute time. I want very good schools but I don't want my husband driving for 2 hours (back and forth), our baby and daughter will miss him a lot.
Please let me know your opinions of good places to live around Cupertino.
Thank you,
Willow Glen in San Jose is great! The schools are great and it is definitely a small town feel with a great community and a rob if activities for kids.
Best of luck!
Cupertino is a large school district and overlaps in many of the nearby cities. Parts of West San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Los Altos and Saratoga are in the Cupertino school district, and some of these areas are cheaper than Cupertino. West San Jose is also part of the Moreland School district which is good and cheaper than Cupertino. The rental market is very tight though, you may want to consider upping your max rent to $3000.
Cupertino has great schools, you should try for a rental there, you may be surprised what you can find. Great hiking etc there as well. San Jose does have nice areas, Almaden is one or the Union School District is good, Cambrian School District is good too. San Jose is large so depends where you are that might make the commute long. Some areas have high crime, others less. The traffic from Fremont is killer... I don't think worth the commute. Before looking in San Jose, check out http://www.sjpd.org/CrimeStats/. We bought in San Jose because it is cheaper but you do need to be careful. Good luck and welcome to sunny California!
Hi there,
Welcome to Northern Cali! I just wanted to caution you on your expectations for TOP schools here in the Bay Area. The Cupertino area is insanely competitive even at the elementary level, as in after-school tutoring to keep up with the class. In S'vale I would recommend the feeder neighborhoods for Cherry Chase and Cumberland. S'vale has a wonderful library and great city programs for gymnastics, dance, etc. The Mtn. View YMCA is also a great resource.
Do watch out for traffic patterns. A friend of mine works off the Shoreline exit, which is a short commute in distance, but the last 3 miles take 20 min. I work in San Mateo, and the total commute time is 20 miles in 30 min mornings, 40 min evenings. 85 is a slough from Campbell/SJ. "Rush hour" runs from 8am-9:30am and 5pm-7pm.
Work-life balance is measured here in years, not in weeks or months, so be prepared. Because the typical workday is 9 hours, you may find yourself more of a single parent, even if his job is 10min away. I hope I'm not scaring you, I'm just hoping to inform so that you can put on your best face for the kids.
Best luck in your transition!!
Since he is working in Cupertino, you should look for house there or in Santa Clara. They both have good school districts. If you moved to Fremont, he would have a long commute. San Jose has it's good parts and bad parts like almost all big cities. Just keep in mind even living in San Jose he will have a bit of a commute. Campbell is another little town that is not too far from Cupertino. Not sure how the schools are, but the community and town itself are nice with family activities. Maybe you should talk to a rental agency in the Bay Area and they can give you the info on School scores, crime rates, and commute times.
Almaden Valley in San Jose has great schools and nice neighborhood. It may take a few minutes before you can get to the freeway though. Areas near Hwy 85 and Camden exit fall under Union school district and it also has excellent schools. Being close to the freeway will save your husband some commute time to Cupertino from this part of San Jose.
Don't move to Fremont...
I agree with what others have said.
Also check out Almaden Valley in SJ little far from Cupertino but has good schools & very nice community lots of parks & activities for kids
Don't forget to check out Saratoga for rentals. It neighbors Cupertino. Depending on where you live in Saratoga you'll be part of the Saratoga School District or Moreland School District which are both rated very well. The Saratoga Woods neighborhood is great and they also have a cabana club you could join (it's a great way to meet your neighbors and make new friends).
Welcome to CA,
Ex-Eugeners
Hi! Silicon valley is a great but busy place to live!! I would look for houses in the city of Santa Clara or mountain view! Both are close to cupertino with a close commute. Parts of San Jose are fine as well. If youre looking in San Jose check out the willow glen area. Feel free to message me about specific locations and I can let you know! :). Good luck!
