Discovering San Jose Neighborhoods and Finding your Target Area with a Realtor

San Jose CA is located in Northern CA, specifically, the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area.  San Jose is in the heart of Silicon Valley which is headquarters to many international companies such as Apple Inc, Google, EBay, Linkedin, Cisco System, Adobe, PayPal, Zoom and many more.

San Jose covers 180 square miles and is home to over 1 million people. San Jose has a wide variety of neighborhoods from foothills, to valley floor to downtown or off the beaten path in the country of Almaden or hills of Alum Rock. If you are considering a move to or around this area, where do you begin your home search?

San Jose Neighborhoods

San Jose consists of several zones and within each zone are pocket neighborhoods. The major areas of San Jose are labeled on the map, starting on the left and moving clockwise. West San Jose, Alviso, North San Jose, Alum Rock, East San Jose, Evergreen, Edenvale, Almaden Valley, Cambrian Park, Willow Glen, Central San Jose and South San Jose.

Each area of San Jose CA real estate has a unique feel, price point and reasons why people live there.  For more information on the areas of San jose, watch my videos on San Jose Neighborhoods.

Narrow your Home Search by Preferences  & Budget

There are many factors to consider when choosing the right neighborhood for you. What characteristics are most important to you? Some factors to consider and rank in order of personal importance are:

1. Commute distance to work
2. Public school ratings
3. Distance to local stores or restaurants
4. Neighborhood feel, do you prefer a downtown, suburbia or more country feel?
5. Lot size and home size
6. What is your budget? Do you prefer a condo, townhome, or single-family house with yard?

To start your home search, identify and prioritize your preferences. Download my Home Checklist Worksheet as a tool to help you think about all criteria important to you or read up on getting started tips with my Home Buyer Guide.

Also critical to the beginning stages of your home search is setting your budget. Get Pre-Qualified with a local San Jose area lender or start with an estimate your home purchase range using an online mortgage calculator.

Focus your Target Area with a Realtor

Once you have identified what you want in your next home and set a budget, reach out to a San Jose realtor who specializes in your area of focus.  A local realtor can guide you to the best neighborhood in your search area that meets your parameters.  If you are looking to make a move to San Jose CA, reach out to me for more information or to setup a buyer consultation.

Download the guide Home Buyer's Step and Tips. It's 100% FREE!