As one of the principal cities of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto is a vibrant University town (Stanford being one of the top Universities in the world), headquarters to a vast number of high-tech companies, and host of one of the top medical facilities in the US. The southern inland section though, located south of Interstate 280, is hilly, rural, and lightly populated. Palo Alto is one of the most popular destinations for shopping, entertainment, and fine international dining on the Peninsula. The City of Palo Alto has almost 4,000 acres of open space to explore, recreate, and relax in. The most popular are Arastradero Preserve, Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, the public botanical garden, Palo Alto Foothills Park, and Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve.

 

Cycling is a popular mode of transportation in Palo Alto. 9.5% of residents bicycle to work, the highest percentage of any city in the Bay Area, and third-highest in the United States.

 

Palo Alto, north of Oregon Expressway, is filled with older homes, including Craftsman and California Colonials, some of which date back to the 1890s but most of which were built in the first four decades of the 20th century. South of the Oregon Expressway, the homes, including many Joseph Eichler-designed or Eichler-style houses, were primarily built in the first 20 years after World War II.

 

Here’s a peak of Palo Alto’s Real Estate Market fluctuations. For a more in-depth analysis visit my Palo Alto Market Watch page.