good apartment complexes in Silicon Valley?

[thomsbrain]

My gf and I have been looking for some time now for a decent apartment. It seems like anything and everything to do with apartments in San Jose and the surrounding cities are either ghetto-tastic or they cost so much that you could mortgage your own townhouse for the price of rent. the only places we found that seemed ok were like 200 square feet and just not possible for two people.

Anyone live in Silicon Valley and actually LIKE it where they live?

edit: i'm looking to spend $1300 for a 1 bedroom, hopefully more than 500 square feet. i have a cat.

 

[miri]

whats your price range and how much square footage do you want?

 

[thomsbrain]

$1300/month, hopefully 500 square feet or more.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I like living in the silicon valley. It's a huge area if you're asking for housing. Cheaper areas include East SJ, South SJ and Campbell. Milpitas, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale may come next. Cupertino, Saratoga are out of the question =P

 

[poopygood]

housingmaps.com

 

[senseamp]

Avalons are pretty popular. I personally am a fan of smaller buildings. I am renting a big 1br apartment in a triplex now for $1000, and it has real garage.
It is an old building, so it's not very energy efficient, but it's quiet, and I like it.

PS
http://www.apartmentratings.com/

 

[ajayjuneja]

I pay 1475 for a 2bdrm place in mt. view

 

[thomsbrain]

we've been considering the Avalons, but the reviews on apartment ratings seem to indicate they fall prey to the same old crap with crooked/incompetent management, disappearing deposits, crime, poor groundskeeping, etc. i went through that scene at my last apartment complex in san jose, which seemed mid-grade at the time, and i wish there was a way to avoid it.

i think at some point it just comes down to the market, and if you want a decent place where you don't worry about your car getting jacked or your GF getting harrassed, you need at least $1500/month or more to live here. i'm starting to see why people relocate elsewhere unless they're working in high-tech. the economy is creating a steep divide between the super-rich who can afford to live in safe neighborhoods and the broke-ass ghetto poor people who operate the service industries. the normal middle-class people with middle-class paychecks have nowhere to live.

 

[TruePaige]

Damn and I thought the 435 for our 1 BR here in Bangor was bad compared to what that got me back in the valley in VA. Thanks for making me feel a little lucky. =)

In VA, if you don't mind a 1 hr commute to the tech sectors, you can get a decent 2 BR for 400~

Though I envy you valley livers, except for the ball sweating heat =D

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

Originally posted by: TruePaige
Damn and I thought the 435 for our 1 BR here in Bangor was bad compared to what that got me back in the valley in VA. Thanks for making me feel a little lucky. =)

In VA, if you don't mind a 1 hr commute to the tech sectors, you can get a decent 2 BR for 400~

Though I envy you valley livers, except for the ball sweating heat =D

It rarely gets hot in Silicon Valley... it's quite pleasant actually. Average summer temp ~75 - 80 in San Jose...

 

[miri]

Originally posted by: TruePaige
Damn and I thought the 435 for our 1 BR here in Bangor was bad compared to what that got me back in the valley in VA. Thanks for making me feel a little lucky. =)

In VA, if you don't mind a 1 hr commute to the tech sectors, you can get a decent 2 BR for 400~

Though I envy you valley livers, except for the ball sweating heat =D

thats cheap, i was paying $1100 a month last year for a 900 square foot 2 bedroom apartment in richmond, va last year

 

[beer]

Dude, get roommates. a $1300 a month 1br is going to suck.

 

[miri]

Originally posted by: beer
Dude, get roommates. a $1300 a month 1br is going to suck.

i wish the 1 bedrooms were that cheap in newport beach.

 

[Plasdom]

Originally posted by: beer
Dude, get roommates. a $1300 a month 1br is going to suck.

Wise words. You can easily get a decent 2br in the $1500-$1600 range. However, 1br are expensive. Even studios. after a while it is just not worth it.