Looking for areas to live? Commuting to Palo Alto
 

I'm looking for advice about where to live if working at Stanford? I've looked at several areas and open to commuting. I'm looking for a good school district for kids but also beachy vibe, downtown area or open to suburban but interesting with things to do. I've looked at SF and commuting by Caltrain or in areas like Los Gatos or half moon bay, Pacifica etc? Even San Mateo? Please help! Open to spending More if necessary... I can't afford anything very ridiculous but rent 3-4K for 3 bdrm (give or take?) thanks!!!!

There is no beach near Stanford; the closest would be over the Santa Cruz mountains. Not a good commute.

Los Gatos is lovely but very expensive; Half Moon Bay would give you the beach, but the commute could be nasty. Ditto for Pacifica, and there you need to consider what's going on with the coastline. (It's falling away in some places.) San Mateo/Redwood City might work, but again the housing prices throughout the entire Bay Area are quite high.

We live in San Mateo, but we bought into Bay Area real estate in 1975. Our house is now worth about 2 1/2 to 3 million. I just read Wednesday that San Mateo has the highest rental costs in the entire US. That's a surprise for us!!

Palo Alto to Half Moon Bay is a 40 min commute - but it's perhaps the most scenic commute on the Peninsula. However, expect HMB to be chilly & foggy most of the time from June through early Sep. HMB is very charming.

Forget Pacifica and San Francisco (unless you are very rich). Los Gatos is expensive & can get very hot - by Bay Area standards.

Stu Dudley

Daly City might have somewhat more affordable housing.

Of all the places mentioned, I'd look at Palo Alto first. It's a great town - pretty, excellent downtown, Stanford, the hills. I would have moved there in 1985 when I worked in Menlo Park but my DH worked in the city so we moved to Burlingame instead.

Are you looking for more "urban" (near the downtown area) or more rural? Los Altos Hills is beautiful, but not as near any downtown area as the other suburbs up and down the peninsula. Many of the towns are nice, but they are, after all, suburbs.

For rental price comparisons:

https://www.rentjungle.com/average-r...o-rent-trends/

https://www.rentjungle.com/average-r...o-rent-trends/

https://www.rentjungle.com/average-r...y-rent-trends/

Good luck on your search.

Yes, like most of us in this area, we live where we can afford to. PA, LG, etc are great, but $3-4k doesn't go as far as you might think.

Mountain view has a wonderful downtown with lots of restaurants and community events like festivals and a performing arts center. Not a beach close by but about a 25 minute commute to Stanford and has a Caltrain station to easily get up to SF for fun. Rent is awful. 2 bedrooms usually go over 5 k a month.

Redwood City is a nice area, with a cute downtown. Less expensive (to buy) than Palo Alto.

All I can say is good luck. Maybe a small house or condo in Sunnyvale if you can handle suburbia.

Sunnyvale is pretty suburban as I recall when I lived there in the early 70's.

By LG do you mean Los Gatos november moon?

That is a great small town (reminds me a little of Santa Barbara). We have a friend who lives there and loves the area.

I think Los Gatos would be a perfect place to at least check out.

Sunnyvale is not just "pretty" suburban, it's suburban period. Complete with strip centers and every fast food known to man. It does have a decent downtown area.

I'd add Saratoga to the list, both it and Los Gatos are lovely. I know you said you'd be willing to commute to Stanford, but whether it's a decent commute depends on your work hours. If you go at 7:30, according to Google Maps the drive to Palo Alto can take over an hour. Change that to 10 a.m. and its 30-40 minutes.

Yes, LG = Los Gatos. It is a pricey area though - as is Saratoga.

As a comparison, I live in south San Jose, which is cheap for Silicon Valley. My 45 year old, 3 bedroom townhouse would rent for $3500/month.

Maybe the OP's job fell through (or s/he had a heart attack after seeing what rents are running)

Registered/posted/never returned.

I’m back!
 

Hi! Been busy but I’m back... I’ve started work at Stanford and living temporarily in Menlo Park. It’s nice but everything closes early. City of Palo Alto is also nice but I think I would prefer something like Mountain View (although pricing is also high). Still haven’t found something I love. I need to check out Daly City, Pacifica, Los Gatos/Saratoga and Sunnyvale. I was also contemplating living in SF in Potrero or Mission Bay and commuting via Caltrain?? So indecisive!!!

Daly City????? That would be the last place I would want to live.

Actually, we live in San Mateo on the San Mateo/Burlingame border. It is a 15 min walk to all the shops, restaurants, cafes, grocery stores on/near Burlingame ave, and a 5 min drive to the same around 3rd St in San Mateo. Visit Draegers Grocery in San Mateo (you may have visited the one in Palo Alto - but the San Mateo one is better). It takes us 20 mins to drive into San Francisco. I prefer our location to anyplace on the Peninsula (not counting SF itself). But my second choice would be Menlo Park or Palo Alto. We've lived on the Peninsula since 1975.

It's a nice day today. Drive north to Burlingame ave & visit the shops & stuff east of El Camino Real. Then drive around the residential area west of El Camino. There are many apts north & south of Burlingame ave, & also around 3rd & 4th streets in San Mateo.

Stu Dudley

Stu, we had dinner at Mingalaba last night. Still so good.

Yep - we do carry out from there & also Rangoon Ruby (wasn't there when you were here). We had dinner at John Bentley last night - near where the OP is currently living.

Stu Dudley

Thx for the info
 

Stu, thanks for all the info! I will take a trip to your neck of the woods. I was in San Mateo for an afternoon by the Hillsdale shopping center. Is that the area you’re referring to?? I’m also looking for good school districts. When I searched Pacifica I found good schools plus I like the idea of living by the beach. However, I do not like gloomy and I know it gets foggy and not the best weather. I am also looking for diversity, and would live in Oakland if I could. I know commute would be horrid! I was driving through SF and saw an area called Westwood? It looked nice.