Tate St, East Palo Alto

Yes, this street is in East Palo Alto. Yes, it is adjacent to the Ikea and Home Depot. However, this is one of the best deals you will find in Silicon Valley, if you don't mind living in a development. The streets are safe, the area is protected, and the neighbors look out for one another. Given that this is a diamond in the rough - a high-end development in an otherwise low-income area - there is a bit of a target on anyone living here, and burglar alarms are recommended.

Nearby downtown Palo Alto (one mile away) offers bars, restaurants, and coffee shops galore, and the Caltrain station is not far. The proximity to the 101 is a blessing and a curse - getting out is easy, but driving around the neighborhood comes with its fair share of traffic - probably just about the worst in the valley. But if you want development living at a reasonable price, with proximity to the best tech companies in Palo Alto, Mountain View, and San Jose, then Tate Street is not a bad spot.