Almaden Valley in San Jose is comprised of many neighborhoods and subdivisions. One of them, close to the border with Los Gatos and Cambrian Park, is particularly popular: Oak Canyon.
There are many reasons for its draw among Silicon Valley homebuyers: the houses were well built by Shea Homes in about 1980, so they are relatively newer by Silicon Valley standards. They’re larger homes on comfortable lots, often 8000 sf or so but some as small as 6500 sf and others larger than a quarter acre. Most of the homes boast a 3 car garage, which is a big help with storage of stuff, if not storage of cars. The roads gently turn, which makes a more pleasing look. It’s a very “conforming” neighborhood where everyone keeps up the homes and yards. Much of Almaden is viewed by consumers as somewhat remote, but this section, near the mouth of Almaden, is not too deep into the valley and is a better commute location for most. One of the largest pulls for the area, though, is the nearby elementary school, Guadalupe School, which has API scores in the 900s.
Where is the Oak Canyon neighborhood in Almaden Valley, San Jose?
Oak Canyon is found near the intersection of Camden Avenue and Coleman Road in San Jose but is bordered by Coleman on one side and the Guadalue Creek on the other sides. (The far side of the Guadalupe Creek at this point is Cambrian Park.)
And to provide some bearings, here’s a map of the Almaden Valley district of San Jose generally:
What Are Homes Like in the Oak Canyon Neighborhood of Almaden?
Most of the homes in the Oak Canyon neighborhood range between 2000 and 3000 square feet, though a few may be as small as 1700 or 1800 and if someone’s added on, it could be larger than 3200 - but those are the extremes.
The floorplans are unusually well planned and open, particularly for homes built around 1980. They tend to have good, practical laoyouts that most buyers appreciate. Kitchens often face the back yard and are open to the family room (some with wet bar). A formal dining area normally sits adjacent to the living room. Ceilings are high and ordinarily there’s a good amount of built-in storage in Oak Canyon homes. One floorplan offers the master bedroom, which is upstairs, a private balcony overlooking the front yard. For many, that means a lovely view of Mt Umunhum.
Shea built a variety of elevations for different looks, with ranges from Spanish or mediterranean to contemporary or ranch. Some homeowners have renovated and made their homes appear to be Craftsman style too. This is definitely an upscale neighborhood, but still tract housing. It’s not hard to recognize the few floorplans as one walks or drives through the area. Something unusual is that the sidewalks are built directly against the street. The plus is that front yards appear larger. The minus is that there is no uniform “tree lined street” feel since there’s no strip of land between the sidewalk and street where trees have been planted.
Special Concerns with Oak Canyon Homes
Every neighborhood has some issues. This one has very, very few!
Because of the proximity of Guadalupe Creek, and the closeness of the hills, wildlife can be a concern. For years there was an issue with large numbers of pigeons. More recently, hawks have become abundant and the pigeon population is down. It is possible that mountain lions, coyotes, skunks, possum and other wildlife will make their way into Oak Canyon as it’s an area close to the hills and close to a water source. However, I’ve never read of sightings of anything scary in Oak Canyon.
Folks interested in Oak Canyon should view the natural hazards map to understand the proximity of the Shannon Earthquake Fault.
Water in the Guadalupe Creek should not be drunk or played with as it runs through areas with naturally-occuring mercury (there were mines for mercury up Guadalupe Road not far from this area).
Part of Oak Canyon is really close to high voltage power lines, which is a negative. Others back up to Coleman, so there’s a noise issue. Most, though, have no negatives in terms of location within the community.
What Does it Cost to Live in Oak Canyon?
Oak Canyon homes may be as inexpensive as the 900k range or run into well past a million dollars, depending on location, size of home, lot size, and condition. Large homes on large, interior lots with no “issues” will run 50% more than homes backing to Coleman or high voltage lines in need of updating.
If you’d like more information on buying or selling a home in Oak Canyon or anywhere in the San Jose and Silicon Valley area, please contact me today!
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