The Alta Vista neighborhood, which sits along the border of Los Gatos and the Cambrian Park district of San Jose, is very highly sought after and valued for many, many reasons. Real estate prices vary depending upon the precise location within the neighborhood as well as the size and condition of the home.
Why is this area so popular? Most of the streets close to Alta Vista School are beautifully tree-lined, and from virtually everywhere in the neighborhood, you are close to Blossom Hill (that’s the name of the hill, not just the name of the road!). Homes are well kept, streets are wide enough, and except when there’s a school function, there really aren’t too many cars on the street. It is very scenic, pleasant and uncrowded feeling. Although you’re in the city or town, you feel close to the country there.
To view map of Alta Vista boundaries, see slideshow, and read about neighborhood benefits and conditions, please continue reading at my Valley of Hearts Delight blog,
An old apricot orchard used to line Blossom Hill Road between Union and Leigh Avenues until the 1990s. The former owners, Ralph and Sophie Heintz, lived there in their farmhouse until their deaths, at which time the property was willed to UC Berkeley for eye research.
Sophie and Ralph were interesting people. He ran a small train on their property and was an inventor. She was a ham radio operator.
In 1998, the Heintz land (and house etc.) was sold to Summerhill Homes and a portion developed as housing. That Los Gatos neighborhood is now called Heritage Grove A strip of trees was planted along Blossom Hill Road, reminiscent of the history of the area. A large section of land was made a permanent open space, now known as the Heintz Open Space Preserve. This open space connects directly with Belgatos Park, which also connects with the Santa Rosa Open Space Preserve. So the network of trails is quite extensive. (Link to Town of Los Gatos page with pdf files of these three trail maps. Link to Google Maps map of Blossom Hill Trails, drawn by Jim Handy.)
The Heintz's big, old farmhouse has been renovated and is being lived in. Ralph Heintz's old workshop, the Ramohs Laboratory, is preserved with signs explaining the history of the place nearby.
Summerhill Homes did a nice job of developing the land to keep some of the historic character. Please enjoy the slideshow below to get a feel for the area.... This scenic spot is well worth a visit: enjoy!
There are only five streets that make up Heritage Grove: Regent Drive, Regent Court,Ayala Court,Ramohs Way, and Heintz Court. Regent Drive is a long loop road while the rest of the streets are quite short, so the vast majority of Heritage Grove homes are on Regent Drive.
How big are Heritage Grove homes and lots?
The size of houses and lots within Heritage Grove varies a bit, as you might expect in any subdivision, but additionally there's the historic Heintz farmhouse.
The farmhouse is appx 4100 square feet and sits on 3/4 of an acre (31,000 sf lot).
The rest of the neighborhood consists of newer homes on smaller lots. The houses range from about 2850 square feet to about 3750 square feet. Parcels of land may be as small as 10,000 SF (appx 1/4 acre) to as large as 25,000 SF (a little more than a half acre).
What does it cost to buy a home in Heritage Grove?
There are a lot of variables here!
Potential ingredients to make a home more affordable would be smaller home, smaller lot, proximity to Blossom Hill Road, a backyard or home with another higher up (and "looking in" - a lack of privacy).
Raising the value of the home would be things like a view, having open space or a large lot adjacent (less crowded feeling), being further into the development, having a larger home, larger lot, three car garage.
Historically, prices have gone from over $1,000,000 to under $2,500,000. The most recent solds in Heritage Grove have been for about $1.7 million for homes on the smaller side that sold in 2007 or 2008.
Other items of note:
Regent Drive rises as it gets away from Blossom Hill Road; many of the homes nearest to the Heintz Open Space Preserve enjoy nice views of Santa Clara County and downtown San Jose in the distance.
Heritage Grove is a great commute location as it's close to Union Avenue, which provides fast access to highway 85.
It's also close to shopping - the Downing Oaks Center, which includes a Safeway, a local (non chain) coffee house, a restaurant, and other services, is less than a mile away.
Heritage Grove is served by the Union School District and the Campbell Union High School District. Schools are Alta Vista or Noddin Elementary, Union Middle School, and Leigh High School.
Sitting close to the Los Gatos foothills and enjoying lovely views, Strathmore is a small community in east Los Gatos which enjoys beautiful tree-lined streets and a community pool.
Where is the Strathmore Neighborhood of Los Gatos?
Strathmore is an east Los Gatos neighborhood found within the boundaries of Union Avenue, Anne Way, Blossom Hill Road, and Meadowbrook Road, approximately. It belongs to the Union School District and the Campbell Union High School District.
It is not clear if all of these streets may have been in Strathmore originally, but now they are considered the same neighborhood.
There is still some open land in the neighborhood. At the end of Panorama Way, there's a large lot that appears roomy enough for perhaps three homes. New homes were build in recent years near the bend in Briarwood Way (and Cambrian View Way, which is not named on the map). They are spacious and very tastefully done and enhance the neighborhood.
What Are The Homes Like in Strathmore?
This is a very tidy area and the homes are well built and nicely maintained overall. You'll be hard-pressed to find a neglected home in Strathmore! Most were built between 1965 and 1975, though there are a few new or totally rebuilt homes there too. Most homes are between 1500 and 2500 square feet.
There do appear to be a few different builders in the Strathmore subdivision. Several seem to have been built by Garcia, who is responsible for many of the neighborhoods in Los Gatos and Cambrian Park (the "King" streets off Carlton Ave., the "Blossom" streets such as Blossom Valley Drive and the area close to Alta Vista School). Some look similar to homes found on nearby Pinehurst, Danville, Taft, and the streets which are just on the other side of Union Avenue.
Many of the Strathmore homes, though, have a characteristic layout in which the living room is adjacent to the garage and is a "step down" room with the fireplace facing the sidewalk and the kitchen faces the back yard. Another typical floorplan here is a two story model in which the second story does not cover all of the first. Again, the kitchen is in the back of the home. As with other homes of this vintage, bathrooms tend to be on the small side. Master bedrooms are usually facing the backyard.
Because of the neighborhood's popularity, many homeowners remain for long periods, and rather than leave, remodel or add on. Many have added on or altered the original footprint of the home to make it more contemporary. Often we see homes for sale in this subdivision in which ceilings are raised, skylights are added, and all kinds of improvements are made to better the flow to make the property more modern.
What Do Strathmore Homes Generally Cost?
Depending on the size of the home, the amount of updating or remodeling done, and the proximity to either busier streets or the high voltage lines, prices vary considerably. A smaller home in all original condition up against a busy road or with high voltage lines or some other issue could go as low as in the $800,000 to $900,000 range. A larger home that's new or completely remodeled could go for more than $1,200,000.
Are There Any Issues in the Strathmore Neighborhood of Los Gatos?
There are two or three issues to be aware of when looking at homes near Anne Way in Los Gatos. First, there are high voltage power lines that run just behind Anne Way (between Anne and Howes in the map above). Whether or not it's a health hazard, it is a resale issue. On the plus side, though, homes backing to the high voltage lines often have extra large lots. The community pool is directly under the lines.
Another concern is water coming off the hills. This is a major challenge for many who live in Los Gatos. It is imperative that water not pool at or near the foundation. When water runs up against the house and seeps into the crawlspace, our clay soil expands, to the ruin of of concrete. Foundations may crack, floors go out of level, moisture may cause mold and encourage the growth of fungus, and so on. This is something to be aware of if you are buying a home anywhere along the foothills, whether Morgan Hill, Almaden Valley, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Cupertino. Los Altos, etc.
Finally, some of the Strathmore area homes are close to busier roads (Union and Blossom Hill), and that's another negative to avoid.
For more information on this area, or any area in or near Los Gatos, please contact me today!
Mary Pope-Handy
408 204-7673
Mary (at) PopeHandy.com
Blossom Manor is a highly popular residential area in Los Gatos which is close to shops, parks and the highly acclaimed Los Gatos schools. There are many gently winding roads, a few very minor hills and some perfectly tree lined streets. It's a tidy area where homes old and new all tend to be well kept.
Where is the Blossom Manor Neighborhood?
Located in east Los Gatos, Blossom Manor is bordered by Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos Boulevard, Los Gatos Almaden Road, and Longwood Drive. Below, please find an enhanced map of the area. I added the location of the shopping centers (3 grocery stores between them, many restaurants, coffee places, video rental, Noah's Bagels, drug store, banks, etc.) and I added the two nearby public schools for this neighborhood of town. (Google can add schools but adds all of them as dots - but no names.) To see the live Google map and be able to zoom in and out and pan the area generally, use this link.)
There are many shops, stores, and restaurants along Los Gatos Boulevard, and especially at the intersection of Los Gatos Boulevard and Blossom Hill Road, but also at Los Gatos Blvd. For instance, there are three grocery stores all within a few blocks: Nob Hill, Lunardi's and Whole Foods are all along the border of The Manor.. Restaurants run from upscale (Viva) to grab & go (Chinese take out) with everything in between (new Los Gatos Cafe, Jamba Juice, High Tech Burrito, Japanese food, a chocolate shop)..
A Little History of The Manor
Before the Manor was developed, it was a fruit orchard (I believe apricot and prune). The lots were generous, about a quarter acre or so in most cases. It was a county area, not part of the town of Los Gatos but having a Los Gatos mailing address, which is still the case today for some of it. The homes that were in this county area have 5 digit addresses.
Because the area was somewhat rural and was in the county, it was not on the sewer system. Yards had septic tanks to handle sewage. (When buying in the area, it's good to find out if there is a buried septic tank still in the yard.)
Newer streets in Blossom Manor are Cherrystone Drive, Cherrystone Court, Lilac Way and a ittle of Cherry Blossom Lane, which are part of the Stonehedge development. These streets look and feel a little different then the rest of the neighborhood and were built being part of the town of Los Gatos, so have sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and uniform looking trees linking the streets. Also they have a private cabana club - a pool for the folks whose homes are part of Stonehedge. Many of these lots are closer to 8000 SF than a quarter acre. These homes have 3 digit addresses (e.g., 123 Street Name Drive).
What Are Homes Like in Blossom Manor?
What Does It Cost to Live in Blossom Hill Manor?
The original homes in the older part of the Manor offered 3 to 4 bedrooms, a living room with brick fireplace, sometimes a small family room or formal dining room area that had the backside of the fireplace used as an indoors barbeque, 2 tiled bathrooms and an attached two car garage.
Today, most homes average around 1800 to 3000 square feet and sell between the low 1 million range to about $2 million range or $650 per square foot to $750 per square foot on average. Homes do go higher or lower but they are the exception. It is possible to find a home in the neighborhood but which borders a busy road selling for around $1 million to $1.1 million, or a tear-down (or big fixer upper project) in that price range, and it's also possible to find a completely new, super sharp, very large home with all high end amenities offered at $2.2 mil but those are the extremes.
Also, there are a few duplexes around the edge of Blossom Manor. They can be found on Blossom Hill Road, Camilia Terrace, and Los Gatos - Almaden Road. These are not often on the market, but they make good investment properties for all the same reasons why homes in the Manor are ever desireable.
Have a look at some photos taken the last week in October, 2008:
It's Often About the Great Los Gatos Schools
The schools are a major reason why this neighborhood has enduring popularity: Blossm Hill Elementary, Fisher Middle School, and Los Gatos High School all serve Blossom Manor students. Fisher is about a mile away and Blossom Hill is just a few blocks. The schools for the younger kids are close enough to walk or ride a bike so the convenience factor is very high. Combine that with outstanding API scores and a huge amount of parental involvement and the appeal is clear!
Other Things to Know About the Manor
Downtown Los Gatos has lots of charm and fantastic shops. This area of east Los Gatos though, where Los Gatos Blvd meets Blossom Hill Road and also Los Gatos-Almaden Road, is where a lot of the "practical living" stuff takes place in town. This is the area where you'll find Trader Joes, fast food (mom and pop varieties as well as chains), Affordable Treasures, car part shops, pet supply stores, and the everyday things that families need from grocery stores and banks to Peets and Starbucks.
From Blossom Manor to Vasona Park it's about a mile. From the Manor to a freeway entrance (85 or 17) it's about a mile. To downtown Los Gatos, it's about two miles. Everything is close.
The issue of county vs town areas has been hotly contested in recent years. Some neighbors who are in the county want to be made part of the town. Others feel the opposite. Feelings are strong because of a number of factors. One is the less restrictive nature of improvements, remodeling and rebuilding homes in the county (the town tends to be pickier). Folks who want to tear down and rebuild would often prefer to work with the county so they have more leeway in what they want to do. On the opposite side, some folks prefer more conformity - and perhaps less of the "monster house" effect that can happen.
Another factor may be policing. The town of Los Gatos and city of Monte Sereno are served by the Los Gatos - Monte Sereno Police Department. But the county pockets in Los Gatos and elsewhere in the county are usually serviced by sheriffs, not police, and their turf may be so large as to make response times slow and coverage difficult.
Voting may be a reason why some want to become part of the town of Los Gatos. Living in the Manor but not being able to vote on local polical representatives may be very frustrating for some.
In terms of natural hazards, there may be a little of the Shannon Fault running through one corner of the Manor, according to the Barclay's Locaide. The locaide is not always correct and at least a couple of times I've sold homes that appeared to be on fault zones when in fact they were not. The JPC company, which provides geologic and natural hazard reports, has geologists on staff and can tell you, when you buy their report for a particular property, if the home is truly on a fault (or has other natural hazard issues)or not and can explain the ramifications of it. Do not simply rely on the maps in the locaide. Whether buying or selling in Blossom Manor, this is an important thing to understand.
If you would like to discuss or plan buying or selling a home in the Blossom Manor neighborhood of Los Gatos, or anywhere in or near Los Gatos, please contact me today!
The San Jose Mercury News reports that a group home for developmentally disabled adults is coming to Los Gatos. Since Agnews Developmental Center in Santa Clara is closing, those residents must all be placed elsewhere. Five of them will be housed in Los Gatos in a home being built on Mulberry Drive (which is off Wedgewood Dr, between Lora Drive and La Rinconada Drive) near the golf course.
For neighbors, this is a concern due to lack of parking already; the five residents plus caregivers and visitors will make the area more congested still.
Recently I was suprised to learn that there is a quarantine map (click on the image to enlarge it) for most of Santa Clara County, and it includes most of Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno and Almaden Valley too, for the Light Brown Apple Moth treatment plan.
What does the quarantine mean?
For most of us, it means that produce (your homegrown fruits and vegetables) can't move around within the zone. In Los Gatos, if you are northeast of Saratoga Los Gatos Road (Highway 9) or Kennedy Road, it means that you cannot share produce from your garden with your neighbors. (Please see the link above for the exact map boundaries.) That is, unless you've cooked or canned it or otherwise rendered it no-longer-fresh. In many neighborhoods, it's the norm for neighbors to share some of their excess fruits and vegetables with friends and neighbors, so this is counter-intuitive.
So don't share your garden fresh produce beyond your property boundaries this year if you're "in the zone". A recent article by the San Jose Mercury explains why this is so risky, so if this is news to you, as it was to me, have a look.
The San Jose Mercury News ran a piece today, alerting Los Gatos residents of dangerous coyotes seen near downtown Los Gatos recently: Los Gatos Pets Being Killed by Coyotes. Sadly, a cat and a dog were killed by these marauders. Traps have been set by vector control.
A blog about Los Gatos real estate, homes, houses, condos, townhomes, housing market, neightborhoods, history, events, businesses, parks, schools, photos, issues, and lifestyle.
Mary Pope-Handy
Realtor, CRS, ABR, SRES, E-PRO
Luxor Real Estate Group
Mailing Address for Mary: PO Box 440 Los Gatos, CA 95031-0440
877 397-5391 (office/toll-free)
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The Alta Vista neighborhood, which sits along the border of Los Gatos and the Cambrian Park district of San Jose, is very highly sought after and valued for many, many reasons. Real estate prices vary depending upon the precise location within the neighborhood as well as the size and condition of the home.
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Strathmore is an east Los Gatos neighborhood found within the boundaries of Union Avenue, Anne Way, Blossom Hill Road, and Meadowbrook Road, approximately. It belongs to the Union School District and the Campbell Union High School District.
There are two or three issues to be aware of when looking at homes near Anne Way in Los Gatos. First, there are high voltage power lines that run just behind Anne Way (between Anne and Howes in the map above). Whether or not it's a health hazard, it is a resale issue. On the plus side, though, homes backing to the high voltage lines often have extra large lots. The community pool is directly under the lines.
Blossom Manor is a highly popular residential area in Los Gatos which is close to shops, parks and the highly acclaimed Los Gatos schools. There are many gently winding roads, a few very minor hills and some perfectly tree lined streets. It's a tidy area where homes old and new all tend to be well kept.
The issue of county vs town areas has been hotly contested in recent years. Some neighbors who are in the county want to be made part of the town. Others feel the opposite. Feelings are strong because of a number of factors. One is the less restrictive nature of improvements, remodeling and rebuilding homes in the county (the town tends to be pickier). Folks who want to tear down and rebuild would often prefer to work with the county so they have more leeway in what they want to do. On the opposite side, some folks prefer more conformity - and perhaps less of the "monster house" effect that can happen.
Recently I was suprised to learn that there is a 
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