The Alta Vista area of east Los Gatos straddles the border with the Cambrian Park district of San Jose. Usually the neighborhood is defined as being between Los Gatos-Almaden Road to the north, Blossom Hill Road to the south, Union Avenue to the east, and Lu Ray Drive to the west. Some people will be thinking of the attendance area of Alta Vista Elementary School, though, and that is quite a bit larger of a territory.
This neighborhood is very popular for those who prefer to get to schools and shops without using a car – it’s possible to get to Alta Vista Elementary School, Union Middle School, and the Downing Shopping Center (with Safeway, Starbucks, a dry cleaner, Mooya Burger, Sweet Retreat ice cream, and many other shops) without crossing any major streets and everything is within a half mile or a mile at most. Additionally, it’s just a mile or couple of miles to the Los Gatos shopping areas and there’s easy, fast access to Highway 85 too. Nestled close to Blossom Hill (the road is named after the hill), it is a very scenic neighborhood too.
Alta Vista homes for sale and real estate values
Homes in this area typically sell very fast because of the scenic beauty, good public schools, convenience, and also the tidy nature of the streets – many of which are tree lined. They are not inexpensive, even if small and in need of work. Don’t be fooled into thinking that if the address is San Jose 95124 the pricing will be like the rest of Cambrian – that’s just not true. This is one of the most expensive areas in Cambrian, maybe the most pricey. The homes here in Los Gatos 95032 will sell for a bit more, but usually a couple of percent (depending on market conditions, inventory availability, etc. 2-5% for homes that are extremely similar but different zip codes. The location is really hard to beat, and that’s what will really hold its value.
There are high voltage power lines that run through the middle of the neighborhood (between Blossom Valley Drive and Coronet), and being too close to them may dampen buyer interest and pricing. Also being too close to Blossom Hill Road (slope and noise), Union Avenue, or Los Gatos-Almaden may negatively impact selling. In a strong seller’s market, it is not hard to sell directly next to a school or shopping center, but if it becomes a buyer’s market, that can change. Most home buyers want to be surrounded by other homes.
The area consists mostly of single family homes, but there are some duplexes, fourplexes, and other types of housing in the neighborhood.
I have written about it very extensively on two of my other sites / blogs:
http://liveinlosgatosblog.com/alta-vista-neighborhood/
http://sanjoserealestatelosgatoshomes.com/alta-vista-neighborhood-of-los-gatos-san-jose-cambrian-park/
