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
My family and I live in the east Los Gatos neighborhood called Belwood of Los Gatos, and the nearby park is Belgatos Park. We tend to visit it several times a week and spend a lot of time there. I confess, this isn't my first post about the park, but it is my first using video. (Recently I got a flip video so am learning how to work this new medium.)
This park is unique for a Town of Los Gatos park in many regards. First, it is one of the only parks in town which can accomodate horses, joggers and mountain bikers. (Joggers and mountain bikers, don't zone out! Horses may have gone before you.) Second, in addition to the niceties of a larger park, which include several grassy meadows, a playground, and a restroom, there are a myriad of trails that interconnect with Belgatos. If you are so inclined, you can spend hours chasing down the paths that wind through the Sierra Azule foothills. Finally, it is one of the only town parks which, with a little effort on the visitor's part, can provide stunning valley views.
With that introduction, I'll share with you some video clips I took recently. It's now the end of summer and Silicon Valley is dry and so are our parks. Below the video clip I will include other pics, from other seasons, of our beautiful Belgatos Park in Los Gatos.
And here's a slideshow of Belgatos Park done through Real Estate Shows. I took the photos of Belgatos Park in spring, so it's all very, very green and lush.
On the eastern edge of the town of Los Gatos, there sits a neighborhood of about 500 homes that most people refer to as simply "Belwood" but in fact is comprised of three different neighborhoods: Belwood of Los Gatos, the Belgatos area and the Surmont subdivision. Collectively, they enjoy close access to fabulous Belgatos Park and the use of a great neighborhood pool and cabaña.
Being partial to this region of town since my family and I reside there, I provide a small website, BelwoodOfLosGatos.com (also Belwood-Belgatos.com points to it), which includes hyper local information about that neighborhood's homes and real estate, Belgatos Park, the cabaña and also an area-specific blog to which I occassionally post. Today I blogged about the three parts of the area and homes for sale there - what is currently on the market and a hint about an upcoming listing (not mine, but one I'm aware of). Additionally, there's a link to the "home info" section, which includes sales prices of homes in Belwood, Belgatos and Surmont in recent years.
Interested in the Los Gatos real estate market? It's not "one market", but many micro-markets. What applies in one region or price point (or even school district, at times) may not be true in another. The Belwood area homes in east Los Gatos is one of those many markets. Pop by my blog and site there and get to know the neighborhood! A photo slideshow is available too.
Belwood of Los Gatos, Belgatos and Surmont areas of Los Gatos
On the far eastern end of Los Gatos lies a friendly and active neighborhood of about 500 homes: Belwood of Los Gatos, and also the Belgatos and Surmont neighborhoods - all of whom now share a cabaña and the town's huge neighborhood park. At the heart of the community is Belgatos Park, an expanse of open space with places for barbequing, swinging, tossing a frisbee, hiking, walking, running, and riding horses. A second anchor for Belwood is the cabaña, with a pool, basketball courts, lawn area and indoor party space.
The homes in the Belwood, Belgatos and Surmont neighborhoods are generally unpretentious. Mostly ranch style homes, some two-story, they vary from 1800 - 3000 sf (mostly - some are larger), they sit on 8000 - 10,000 sf lots and range from about 25 - 40 years old. They are not
McMansions and they don't scream "I am made of money", though they cost about $1.1 million to $1,600,000 in an interior location - so they aren't cheap. Most of the streets meander and are tree-lined. People of all ages are seen walking, pushing strollers, running - anything just to be out and about in the neighborhood.
This is where my family and I live and make our home and we love it. Turnover here is low, because people who move here decide to stay here.
If you would like more information on the Belgatos and Belwood and Surmont neighborhoods of east Los Gatos, please see my website dedicated to this very pretty corner of town:
www.BelwoodOfLosGatos.com
or www.Belwood-Belgatos.com The site includes information on homes for sale in these Los Gatos neighborhoods, some sales history for the area, information on the park and cabaña, photos and slideshows of the 3 east Los Gatos communities and more.
If you want to live in Los Gatos, this is a great place to make your home!
My husband, Jim Handy, likes to joke that just like there’s an “East Palo Alto”, there’s also an “East Los Gatos” – and that is where we live. It’s not a jurisdictional boundary, just a descriptive one with no real function except to give a sense of place.
What is east Los Gatos? What is west Los Gatos?
Highway 17 pretty much splits the town east-west and is the unofficial boundary for each side of town, though I have known others to think of Los Gatos Boulevard as the line. Another freeway, Highway 85 (The West Valley Freeway) is the approximate northern boundary of town, though the exact boundary zigs and zags enthusiastically.
There are many distinct neighborhoods in Los Gatos beyond the general “east Los Gatos” or “downtown” areas, and in future blogs I’ll discuss each one, but here are a few of the areas: Fairview Plaza, The Almond Grove, Blossom Hill Manor (Blossom Manor), The Edelyn District, St. Joseph’s Hill, Belgatos and Belwood of Los Gatos, Surrey Farms, The Alta Vista area and more.
And there are several school districts in Los Gatos too. This really confounds people who move to the Santa ClaraValley from other places. “What do you mean I can buy a home in Los Gatos and not have Los Gatos Schools?”The reason is simple: the school district boundaries predate the current boundaries of many of our cities and towns. So what used to be “out in the country”, a county pocket, now belongs to Los Gatos, or Saratoga, or any other municipality. UnionMiddle School, for example, is on the boundary of (east) Los Gatos and San Jose (the Cambrian district). So it serves kids who live in San Jose, Los Gatos, and also the county pockets in that area.
Of course, Los Gatos is not a young town and so it also has officially designated historical districts and places.
And then there are the mountain communities.Just up “the hill” off highway 17 there are many neighborhood hamlets that have a Los Gatos mailing address but are actually county lands and not part of the town per se. Redwood Estates, Chemeketa Park, Aldercroft Heights and others are not really “in town” officially or juriddictionally, but they share the mailing address and are, in effect, a social part of the town if not a voting component.
If you’d like to get to know Los Gatos better, the best way is to start downtown and take a walking (or slow driving) tour. The Chamber of Commerce has a fine little introductory tour available on their website here: http://www.losgatosweb.com/lgwalkingtour.html
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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..jpg)
On the eastern edge of the town of Los Gatos, there sits a neighborhood of about 500 homes that most people refer to as simply "Belwood" but in fact is comprised of three different neighborhoods: Belwood of Los Gatos, the Belgatos area and the Surmont subdivision. Collectively, they enjoy close access to fabulous Belgatos Park and the use of a great neighborhood pool and cabaña. 
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