Top Reasons to Move to San Jose
By Sean Creamer on March 03, 2025
After saving for months, it is finally time to start looking for that dream Bay Area home. But where do you start?
There are multiple towns and cities to choose from in the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area, but none hold a candle to the beauty of San Jose. Situated at the southernmost end of the Bay, this diverse city contains numerous start-ups, fantastic food, great shopping, and is just minutes away from some of the most captivating nature found in California.
San Jose is the largest city of Silicon Valley, dwarfing the population of nearby Mountain View. It is also the first civic settlement of California, founded by the Spanish in 1777 as a farming community.
To help buyers discover why they should include San Jose in their home search, our team at Prevu Real Estate put together a list of why we love the Capital of Silicon Valley.
Reasons to move to San Jose
- In the heart of Silicon Valley
- Variety of home styles
- Sports-centric city
- Near the great outdoors
- Attractive climate
- Dog-friendly city
- Easy to get around town
In the heart of Silicon Valley
Part of the allure of San Jose is being centrally located in Silicon Valley. This South Bay city is brimming with tech savants and innovative entrepreneurs, making it the de-facto capital of Silicon Valley.
And the benefit of having so many tech companies in the city is apparent, beyond the ample job opportunities. The San Jose government invests heavily in smart city technology, measuring traffic levels, sustainability, and creating a safer city.
Firms like Adobe, eBay, and Cisco have deep roots in the area, and some firms like Calyx Software have called San Jose home since the early 90s. But there are quite a few start-ups in the area too. Cloud security, digital fraud detection, and MedTech start-ups are strewn about San Jose.
While many people come to San Jose to work in tech, they end up falling in love with the home styles in the area.
Variety of home styles
South Bay is a magnet for diverse home styles.
Ranches are a staple in the area, yet buyers can find the home style of their dreams in San Jose. Plenty of newly-built Spanish, Victorian, and Mid-Century modern homes line the suburban streets of the city.
There is a rich housing history in San Jose. During Spanish occupation in the 1700s, the village was a Spanish Pueblo. As more Americans went west and settled in the Bay Area, a centralized town began to form. The development came to a head in the 1850s when California achieved statehood and was the capital of the 31st state.
Once California became a state, thousands of Americans took trains west to build a new life, and developers acted fast to develop cities like San Jose. Spanish-styled homes dominated the landscape and this evolved over time.
Terracotta-roofed homes fell out of vogue in favor of rugged American Craftsman-style homes throughout the early 1900s. The population of San Jose took off in the 1960s and '70s, creating a glut of single-family ranches that sell for millions today.
Of course, there are condos for buyers too. Downtown San Jose has plenty of new construction and renovated units for buyers to check out.
Sports-centric city
Sports are a way of life in San Jose, attracting fans from all over the state.
The city is home to the Sharks hockey team, Earthquakes soccer club, and the Giants minor league baseball team. Avaya Stadium is the home of the Earthquakes, and it is also where the Team USA soccer club hosts international matches.
Hockey grew into a favored pastime in San Jose when the Sharks moved into town in the early 1990s. It is common to see locals and out-of-town fans packing into the seats at the SAP Center in San Jose when the Sharks have a home game. Despite being a minor league team, the Giants have their own baseball field, the Excite Ballpark. Amateurs play here, hoping for a chance to make it big and play for the San Francisco Giants.
Locals don't have to make it to the big leagues to get out and play sports though. There are plenty of baseball fields, soccer pitches, and basketball courts in San Jose. But big-ticket sports are not the only leagues in town.
Women's roller derby is also popular, and locals love to watch the Silicon Valley Roller Girls destroy the competition.
Near the great outdoors
It is easy to get lost in the sights and sounds of downtown San Jose, but many locals unwind in nature.
Surrounded by rolling hills to the east and west, the city resides at the southern terminus of the San Francisco Bay. San Jose is squarely located in the Santa Clara Valley, flanked by the Diablo Mountain Range to the east, while the Santa Cruz Mountains reside on the city's western side.
This location provides perfect Mediterranean weather year-round, and the surrounding hillsides contain plenty of hikes. Black Mountain is a popular haunt for hikers, as they can get sweeping views of San Jose from the peak. Mountain bikers and trail runners are particularly taken with the trails crisscrossing Mount Umunhum. One of the most popular, and oldest hikes in San Jose is Alum Park Rock. Established in 1872, this park has been in existence since 1777, during the Spanish occupation of California.
But locals don't have to traverse to the outskirts of town to experience the beauty of San Jose. Baylands Park and Alviso Marina County Park provide easy access to lounge out by the Bay. To the south is Santa Teresa County Park, which is filled with rolling hills.
Attractive climate
The geography of the Santa Clara Valley, coupled with the cooler temperatures of the Pacific Ocean, creates an idyllic environment in the San Jose area.
The city's climate is temperate year-round, making it perfect for outdoor adventures or hanging out with friends in the backyard. Locals take advantage of the weather by going downtown to Market Street, where many restaurants offer open-air dining in an already eclectic food scene. Many people use the great weather to stroll about the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden. But on those rare rainy days, it is common to find locals exploring the family-friendly halls of the San Jose Museum of Art.
But locals don't always have to hit downtown to have a good time, as many homeowners customize their homes to take advantage of the weather. It is common to see homes with elaborate indoor-outdoor rooms and accessory dwelling units near the pool for guests to relax in.
Dog-friendly city
The confluence of great weather and plenty of parks makes San Jose perfect for dog lovers.
There are plenty of places to take your pets as you explore the city, from wide residential streets to expansive parks near the water or the surrounding hills. But there are also dedicated parks for dogs strewn throughout San Jose. Saratoga Creek Dog Park and Butcher Dog Park are two favored haunts for dog walkers, but downtown is popular with dog-lovers.
It is common to see gaggles of puppies and other dogs romping about Ceasar Chavez Park in the center of the city, where friends gather to let their pets play after dining out at one of the restaurants in the area.
But for hiking-minded dog owners, one of the best trails in the area is the Los Gatos Creek Trail. The five-mile trail is southwest of downtown, near the 17 highway.
Easy to get around town
Many metropolises are challenging to navigate, but San Jose seems to be an exception from the norm. Many California cities boast long commute times, but the crisscrossing highways of San Jose make it easy to get around the city.
The famous 101 runs north through the Santa Clara Valley, passing directly through San Jose, connecting the city to the rest of the western San Francisco Bay Area cities. The 680 and 880 also run through the region, connecting commuters to Oakland and other eastern San Francisco Bay Area cities. For frequent fliers, the Norman Y. Mineta International Airport is nestled next to the 101 and the 880. However, driving is not the only way to get around.
Biking is a huge pastime for many residents, but it is also a great way to travel in San Jose. There are over 250 miles of bike lanes in the city, and there are plans to increase that number to 400. But of course, there is always the trusty Santa Clara Valley Transportation System, which runs buses throughout the region.
Homes for sale in San Jose, CA
Interested in buying a home in San Jose? Learn how much you can save with Prevu’s Smart Buyer Rebate.
Prevu Real Estate, Inc. is a licensed real estate broker in California, license number 02134758.
