Silicon Valley California Living and Real Estate
The Silicon Valley Landscape
Is it, as Steve Case, entrepreneur and co-founder of AOL claims, impossible to build world-class technology outside of Silicon Valley?
Apparently, about 4 million people agree with him and hightailed it to this hotbed of tech. They work for Apple, Adobe Systems, Facebook (now Meta), Intel, Google, Cisco Systems, eBay, and others.
They own multi-million-dollar estates and über-pricey condos.
Sadly, those are the folks the media focuses on
In reality, Silicon Valley isn’t just home to technology and those who’ve made their fortunes here. In fact, only 7.8 percent of San Jose Bay Area residents have “more than $1 million in investable assets,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
The rest?
Everyday people, like you and me.
Where is Silicon Valley Anyway?
Boundaries for Silicon Valley seem to be a moving target. The consensus, however, centers it in Santa Clara County and includes the following cities:
Considered part of the San Francisco Bay Area, the valley is located one hour south of San Francisco and a bit under an hour southeast of Oakland.
Silicon Valley’s Schools
Most homebuyers with school-aged children want to live within close proximity to quality schools. What they fail to understand, however, is that these homes are more expensive than similar homes in other areas.
If you have the budget, however, you’ll find that Silicon Valley schools are some of the highest-rated in the state and, in the nation.
Highest rated school districts in the valley include:
California did away with the Accountability Performance Index (API) after 2013.
Instead of being based on test scores alone, public school ratings are now based on a combination of several measures and “assigned one of five performance levels,” according to the California Department of Education. The categories are, from lowest to highest:
You can find the ratings online at California School Dashboard.
Since many parents feel that academic performance is the most important rubric and that under the new system a school can rank highly despite poor academics, they aren’t on board with this change.
If you are among them, you can find a school’s ranking based on test scores at SchoolDigger.com.
Additionally, you can find a well-rounded picture of how effectively each school serves their students using a variety of indicators at GreatSchools.org.
Dining, shopping and entertainment in Silicon Valley
We could fill a book with the overabundance of dining, shopping and entertainment opportunities in Silicon Valley.
From dining on Mountain View’s Castro Street and the vibrant nightlife in downtown San Jose to shopping-‘til-you-drop at Stanford Shopping Center (Palo Alto), the Great Mall of the Bay Area (Milpitas) and the trendy Santana Row in San Jose (Best Experience), your shopping trips will only be limited by your imagination.
Then, there are the quaint downtown districts that offer locally-owned businesses. These include (but aren’t limited to) the uber-walkable downtown Campbell, Los Gatos and Willow Glen.
You’ll also find flea markets, farmers markets, antique stores and thrift stores.
Looking for the ingredients to create a meal from back home? Ethnic grocery stores abound, catering to the makings of cuisine from Japan, Latin America, India, Viet Nam, China, Korea, the Philippines, Ethiopia and the Middle East.
Getting outdoors in Silicon Valley
Travel Advisor’s number one outdoor activity in Silicon Valley is a visit to Happy Hollow Park & Zoo in San Jose. But, it’s not just for tourists – locals love it as well. With rides, puppet shows and, of course, the more than 140 animals in the zoo, there’s lots to do at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo.
The Los Gatos Creek Trail is a favorite of hikers, bikers, skaters, joggers and nature lovers. Running from downtown San Jose to the hills above Los Gatos, the Los Gatos Creek Trail passes through San Jose, Campbell and Los Gatos.
You’ll find a vast number of other trails and enough parks to explore for years – from neighborhood parks to city, county and state parks.
If a weekend is lost without a day on the links, you will love living in Silicon Valley. From private country clubs to muni courses, there’s something for every golfer. Some of the area’s more popular golf courses include:
See our individual community pages for a more hyper-local look at outdoor amenities in Silicon Valley, or view the website on visiting Silicon Valley, California.
Homes in Silicon Valley
Oh, the possibilities when searching for a home for sale in Silicon Valley! Your best bet is to nail down your preferred location first. Choose from among Silicon Valley’s most popular cities, towns and neighborhoods:
Once you’ve narrowed your move to a certain location, make sure the home prices there fit your budget. Look for more reasonably priced homes in Gilroy and certain neighborhoods in San Jose (Berryessa, Cambrian, Evergreen, and Santa Teresa).
Some of Silicon Valley’s priciest areas include the Almaden Valley, Rose Garden, the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Gatos and Monte Sereno.
We’re happy to supply you with the latest home prices in any of these areas.
Silicon Valley Homes for Sale
Silicon Valley Single Family Homes by Price
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Looking to Buy or Sell a Silicon Valley Home or Investment Property?
Whether you are looking to buy or sell, working with an experienced, knowledgeable, and qualified real estate agent or broker will make the home buying or selling process easier. Make sure your agent or broker understands your needs, the market, and has local expertise.
