Los Altos Real Estate Blog

I have many clients who are relocating from various parts of the country to live in Los Altos.  Their desire to move to Los Altos is driven by many things.  Some of the factors that inspire people to move here are the nice homes, pleasant neighborhoods, top-quality schools, and safety.  For relocation buyers unfamiliar with the Los Altos real estate market, buying a home can be a challenge.  The first consideration is knowing where to live in Los Altos.

There are 8 primary neighborhoods in Los Altos.  From north to south, they are North Los Altos, Old Los Altos, Central Los Altos, Rancho, Loyola Corners, Country Club, South Los Altos, and Woodland Acres/The Highlands.  Within each of these there are smaller neighborhoods and individual streets that have distinct appeal.  North Los Altos is often considered the most prestigious neighborhood due to large lots and newer, larger homes.  However, your decision to be in a particular neighborhood will depend on your preferences for the type of home you want, proximity to services, and schools.  Within each Los Altos neighborhood, there are specific streets that have more appeal than others.  For example, in Central Los Altos, Parma Way is considered to be one of the best streets because there has been significant new construction in recent years.  In Old Los Altos, University Avenue is considered a prime address for the same reasons.  There tend to be more ranch-style homes in Central and South Los Altos than in North Los Altos, although every neighborhood has a few.

Selecting Home Size To Determine Neighborhood - This really depends on your budget.  In general, if your budget is less than $1.5 million then you should focus on homes that are 2000 square feet or less in good condition.  The homes in that price range will generally have been updated in the recent past and not need major work moving in.  This changes dramatically as the price goes closer to $1.3 million or less.  At that price point and lower you're likely to get 1600 square feet or less and in need of work.  Most homes over 2000 square feet will tend to be newer construction or expanded from original floorplans as few builders of the original tract homes built that size 50 years ago.  The result is that a larger home will typically cost more.  The larger homes are also more likely to be in North Los Altos, the Country Club, or the Highlands because those neighborhoods tend to have more large lots.

Selecting Schools To Determine Neighborhood - All the schools in Los Altos are extremely good and there's little variation from school to school.  However, the top two schools are Oak Elementary School and Loyola Elementary School.  Having had a child in Oak Elementary School, I can say with conviction that that school is particularly strong with excellent parent participation and very involved teachers.  If you prefer a school that is relatively easy to walk to with fewer major streets to cross, the neighborhoods around Loyola offers easy access to that school and Blach Middle School.

Rental Considerations During Relocation - Many people consider the possibility of renting while they look for a home in the area.  While this seems like a great idea, it is difficult if not impossible to find a short-term rental in Los Altos.  Most apartment owners require a minimum one-year rental as do many of the single-family homes available to rent.  If you think it will take a year or more to find a home, then this could be a good option.  Most single-family homes cost $3000 - $5000 per month and typically include gardening service.  When looking for a rental, keep in mind that most homes are rented in their first 2 weeks on the market.

Other considerations when relocating to Los Altos include condos or townhouses (there are few or none in some neighborhoods), price threshold (very few homes priced under $1.3 million), ability to walk to services, and proximity to downtown.