Ted ... for questions about properties at Cupertino, Saratoga, and Los Gatos, please call my friend and qualified Realtor Brian Chew, who is also a lawyer. Otherwise, let me know, and I will get you in touch with him.

Harrison K. Long
Realtor & broker
Explore Group Properties, Coldwell Banker Previews
Irvine, California
949-854-7747 http://www.BuyersExploreHomes.com (The Best Web Site For Property Searching) http://www.ExploreOCHomes.com

Hi Ted,

All three of these areas have good schools, low crime, and many other amenities that buyers value such as parks, senior services, and so on.

Housing prices will be steeper in the best school districts in all three of these areas, or in homes that are completely remodeled or new.

Here's some area info you might find helpful:

(1) On Saratoga:
http://www.popehandy.com/neighborhoods/saratoga_real_estate_…

(2) On Los Gatos:
http://www.realtown.com/liveinlosgatos/blog (a blog of mine called Live in Los Gatos)

(3) Also on Los Gatos:
http://www.popehandy.com/buying/buy_los_gatos_real_estate_ho… (Los Gatos homebuying kit)

(4) On Cupertino and all over the Silicon Valley:
http://www.popehandy.com/neighborhoods/index.cfm

Another area you might consider for good schools and low crime, also near the foothills, is Almaden Valley. You can read up on it and the other "west valley" areas on my Valley of Hearts Delight blog,
(5) http://www.ValleyOfHeartsDelight.com.

Lastly, a word or two on the schools:
The schools in each of these areas are varied, and the school districts do not line up exactly with the city or town boundaries. So, if you live in Saratoga, you could have the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District, The Fremont High School District (Cupertino) or the Campbell Union High School District. The schools run from good to great in terms of API scores. That said, I do not think it's wise to be API obscessed. In my opinion, you need to evaluate the whole school experience for your child or children. Some very high scoring schools are true "pressure cookers", for instance. Some schools provide fantastic facilities and others are just so-so. There's a world of difference between Cupertino High and Monte Vista High, for instance, regarding facilities.

My suggestion on the schools is to do a lot of research if this is important to you and NOT rely on API scores alone.

I'd be happy to chat with you more by email or over the phone if you like.

Best regards,

Mary

408 204-7673 (Cell)

All of the above mentiones areas are wonderful and offer great neighborhoods, schools, recreartion and a lot more. I live in Saratoga and work in cupertino and they are bith great communities. Please feel free o visit my website at http://www.shirinzartoshty.com or call me at (408) 777-3803 for further information. Thanks

Ted,

My short answer:

Cupertino - schools... period! (see helpful link below for school performance comparison)
Los Gatos - shopping and restaurants!
Saratoga - bigger homes and lots!

Welcome to Silicon Valley Ted!

Like this post? See more insight at http://www.marketmovements.typepad.com
Follow me on Twitter @mtgR8upD8s and @seanrafferty

Hi Ted,
My name is Allyson. Its kind of hard to give you a "feel" for these areas I think Bill is correct in his recommendations. The 3 areas you have mentioned have very good schools, but they are also expensive and you don't get very much of a home for under 2 million. The only thing I would add is if you are looking at schools and a good location might I suggest Almaden Valley. It has excellent schools and you could get a very nice home in your price range. I have recently helped an "out of town" home buyer with a simliar price range to yours and found exactly what he wanted. I believe I can do the same for you.
What we would do is set up 4 different searchs for each one of these areas. You would be able to see exactly what type of home was in each area, then with a few emails between us I could tell you about the relative environments. When you come out to visit we could look at a couple of homes in each area and give you the 'feel' you are looking for. If this makes sense to you email me or call me and I will set up the searches for you.
Sincerely,
Allyson Alessandrini
allyson@homesbyallyson.com
(408) 705-6578

Hi Ted,
First of all, welcome to Silicon Valley. I am an Erie PA transplant from many years ago. You will love it here.
Second, without knowing what your areas of interest are, your "hot buttons" such as schools, shopping, etc, it is difficult to to describe the differences between LG, Saratoga, & Cupertino. There are strong similarities, such as great schools, close to the foothills, and easy access to freeways. LG & Saratoga have historically been the high end areas of the South Bay, following the pricing trends from further up the peninsula. LG has more eclectic neighborhoods, and not many track homes. Saratoga has a similar feeling, but different. Cupertino has been the young upstart in the rising housing market, driven by very strong schools, and the proximity to employers such as Apple.
Comparing the first 6 months of this year to last year, Cupertino & LG have had a small increase in average sales price. Saratoga decreased a bit.
But in the end, you need to feel the difference. Go out to dinner, walk the downtown areas, see what community feels like. There is not one that is better than another. But everyone has a personal preference based on the own style, etc.
I love the entire area. I love the parks, great restaurants, and the general "feel" of the area. The good news is that you won't go wrong with any of these towns. Look at the houses, schools, neighborhoods, and then you will be able to make an informed decision on which has the best fit for you.
If you would like to schedule a buyers tour and look at selected properties in these areas, let me know. I have worked in the Los Gatos area since 1983, and I would be happy to show you around. One of the added benefits of working with me is that APR is the #1 broker in these neighborhoods, and we often hear about homes coming on the market before everyone else. It is always nice to have a leg up on the competition.

Happy House Hunting,
Linda Baker
Alain Pinel Realtors
408.712.3432

Ted,
Best advice I can give is to go on-line to http://www.mccormacks.com/books/s_clara.html and you will see all relevant info presented objectively for each City. You might talk to a thousand agents and get multiple slants based on our individual experience. Better I think to have the facts to hand 1st.
Bill