How does Willow Glen compare to Noe Valley in SF?

Willow Glen is pretty nice. It is definitely not Noe Valley--pretty different feel, just as San Jose itself has a fairly different feel from SF. Crime is lower in Willow Glen. You still get some pretty steep rents and buying is pretty expensive, but you right smack in the middle of the action in Silicon Valley. You are a good hour away from SF, so if you want to spend time up there it will be a pretty good trek.

I've recently moved to the East Bay and find it pretty nice. Lower rents and you can find places where you are 15 minutes from the nice nightspots in SF. The Berkeley Hills and Piedmont are pretty nice. Lots of intellectuals because of UC Berkeley and the Gourmet Ghetto with all its nice restaurants. You can find a pretty nice home to rent up there for way less than $4K.

I think that it might be nicer than a comparably priced apartment in that part of San Jose which is also pretty expensive. You also might try somewhere on the Northern Peninsula where prices are more moderate. South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae, Daly City.

Once you start to consider places outside SF there are really a ton of choices. A lot depends on how much of a commute you guys are willing to endure and how close you want to be to nice restaurants and nightlife. (And, of course, how much you can afford.)