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

The Almond Grove District is one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Los Gatos.

The subdivision was created in 1887 by town fathers John Bean, Alphonse Wilder, Augustine Nicholson, Fen Massol and Captain Magnus Tait. The borders were from Bean Avenue to Saratoga-Los Gatos Road and North Santa Cruz and Glen Ridge Avenue. (Streets in this district include Beat Ave., Wilder Ave., Nicholson Ave., Massol Ave. and Tait Ave.)

What is really amazing about this neighborhood is the way it was originally sold, the incredibly enthusiastic response it had right from the very beginning. In September of that year, 1887, an orchardist named Harvey Wilcox had a land auction of the subdivision.  He sold 121 out of 170 lots for sale - all in one day!! 

(That same orchardist also sold the Jesuits 40 acres that would become the Novitiate up on the hill.)

The popularity of the Almond Grove District continues to this day, more than a century later.
Today the area is known for being very, very highly decorated at Halloween and Christmas. In fact, on October 31st, many children are brought in from other areas to "Trick or Treat" in this historical area with tons of (spooky) ambiance on Halloween.

Almendra is a street whose name in Spanish means "almond" and this road was the home of many mayors and important personages in Los Gatos history. It also boasts a six-sided house (which was recently home to a law office and is currently a pending sale, listed just a bit under 1.5 mil) that was built in 1895.

What folks love about the Almond Grove is that it's "walk to town" (or "close to town"), it's full of old-style charm (in a valley full to the brim with tract housing), there are wide, tree-lined streets, and of course great Los Gatos schools. But even more, it seems that the Almond Grove district exudes an immense pride in keeping the flavor of the area alive. And there seems to be a lot of community spirit too. There's no other neighborhood like this one for holiday decorating.

Are there challenges living in the Almond Grove area? Sure. Parking can be a problem - many of these homes were built before garages were a consideration!  Older construction can impact remodeling (historical preservation rules) too.

Being able to stroll to world-class restaurants, enjoy fantastic shopping or stop in at a spa for the royal treatment just blocks away is a huge plus. Living in a neighborhood full of character and history, and getting neighbors who all care about taking care of their homes is a big plus too.

I'd live there in a heartbeat.