San Jose

About San Jose

San Jose’s location within the booming high tech industry, as a cultural, political, and economic center has earned the city the nickname “Capital of Silicon Valley”. With a location in the center of the Santa Clara Valley, on the southern shore of San Francisco Bay, San Jose covers almost 180 square miles and is the largest city in Northern California and the third-most populous city within the state. San Jose offers abundant choice when it comes to residential settings from vibrant urban villages around Central San Jose, to commuter-friendly suburban neighborhoods, and for those searching for an even a slower pace, numerous bucolic country communities comprise the edges of this vast metropolis.

The people of San Jose enjoy a rich and diverse history as the city was originally founded as early as 1777 as California’s first civilian settlement under Spanish rule. By 1850, following the Mexican secession of California to the United States, San Jose became the state’s first capital. Following WWII, San Jose experienced a major economic boom, and rapid population growth, as midcentury suburban sprawl quickly grew from the City’s aggressive annexation of nearby cities and communities in the 1950s and 1960s. The rapid growth of the high-technology and electronics industries further accelerated the transition from an agricultural center to an urbanized metropolitan area.

Life in San Jose

Today, the expansive City of San Jose is comprised of twelve main communities offering its residents an abundance of choice when it comes to residential housing. From Alviso and Berryessa in North San Jose to the scenic Almaden Valley and Santa Teresa neighborhoods to the south, most communities are centered around the small towns annexed by the city during its rapid expansion post-WWII. Commuting throughout the city is convenient as its communities are connected by a series of freeways, expressways and the public Lightrail system. Traveling to the area is easy as San Jose boasts the second busiest airport in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Norman Y. Mineta International Airport.

Over the last decade, the city of San Jose has focused its resources on redeveloping its urban core as city planning has pushed high-density housing along public transportation attracting a mixture of housing, jobs, and entertainment destinations that make it not only an interesting place to live but a sound financial investment. Within a 12 block area, there are over 100 restaurants and bars ranging from sushi to American steak houses to salsa bars, plus a dozen major venues including the San Jose Convention Center, HP Pavilion (home of the NHL San Jose Sharks), Center for the Performing Arts, and The Tech Museum. And, whether you are looking for a loft with soaring ceilings, a high-rise penthouse with sweeping views of the city, a historical bungalow from the early 1920s, or a more contemporary traditional townhouse for a growing family – there is a floor plan that will meet your needs.

San Jose State University, one of the City’s local colleges, anchors the downtown area bringing with it a diversity of students, faculty and a world-class library open to the public. For little ones and the young at heart, the Tech Museum of Innovation and the Children’s Discovery Museum are nationally recognized gems within downtown’s urban center. And, Cesar Chavez Plaza is a favorite spot for community celebrations, and the city’s calendar is filled with special events including the Jazz Festival, Music in the Park, Tapestry Arts Festival, and the San Jose Grand Prix.