Neighborhood Spotlight Green Acres of Palo Alto

 

Neighborhood

Not to be confused with the Green Gables neighborhood located in North Palo Alto, Green Acres is an incredibly family-friendly neighborhood located on the southwestern border of Palo Alto and the city of Los Altos. This community lies just south of Barron Park, west of El Camino Road, and east of Foothill Expressway.

Resting on the sleepier, quieter side of Palo Alto, Green Acres is the best neighborhood in Palo Alto for families looking to put their children within strolling distance of some of the best schools in the state. The neighborhood encompasses Juana Briones Elementary (#7 Public Elementary School in California), Terman Middle School (#1 Public Middle School in California), and Gunn High School (#1 Public High School in California) (all rankings per Niche.com). There might not be a better neighborhood in the country to prepare children for nearby Stanford University, or for other top universities across the country.

Also within walking distance is the 4.1-acre neighborhood park, showcasing open spaces where children can throw a football around or shoot hoops at the basketball court with neighborhood kids. For younger children, there are two playgrounds: a “train station” and a climbing rock. From nice walking paths to tables for picnics, the beautiful park offers a lot to parents looking for more outdoor distractions for themselves and their children. During the summers, nearby schools are also great places for outdoor activities.

This setting is also conveniently located for runners and hikers. The Dish, named after the radio telescope that adorns the local hilltops, is a popular recreational trail running about 3.5 miles up and down Stanford’s rolling foothills. This area is popular with many Palo Alto residents who are looking for a challenging paved trail and stunning views.

On school days, the school-zone traffic can slow down morning and afternoon commutes; however, a major road is never far away. Green Acres is centrally located for access to every major artery out of Palo Alto—Foothill Expressway to Los Altos, El Camino and Alma to downtown, Central Expressway to Mountain View, and major roads to either US 101 or Interstate 280. Despite the school-zone traffic, for those driving up and down the Peninsula for work, Green Acres might be among Palo Alto’s most ideal neighborhoods for your daily commute.

Architecturally, the neighborhood consists of a mix of new constructions, traditional bungalows, and Ranch-style homes. There is some reluctance in this community about replacing older homes with new constructions in fear of losing Green Acres’ unique character. As a result, most homes that come on the market are older and modest in size, ranging between 1,600 and 1,800 square feet. This in part contributes to why (according to the data available on the MLS for 2017 at the time of this writing) the median sales price for single-family residences in Green Acres is $2,716,000, with an average price per square foot of $1,481, which is still generally just below that of Palo Alto.

Notwithstanding, savvy buyers should know that steady appreciation is anticipated. This neighborhood sits outside of the flood zone, and it is not within a single-story overlay like many nearby neighborhoods in South Palo Alto. These characteristics make Green Acres very attractive from a development standpoint. Homes with basements are not quite the norm, but the area will likely follow the mentality of Old Palo Alto, Midtown, and Barron Park concerning basements once property values climb high enough to support them.

If there is one drawback outside of school-zone traffic, it is that limited walkability is available to commerce and public transportation. However, the neighborhood allows relatively easy navigation to California Avenue, vibrant University Avenue, and some of the restaurants and shops that line El Camino Real.

If you are interested in buying a home in this wonderful Palo Alto neighborhood, reach out to the agents here at DeLeon Realty. We’ll be happy to answer your questions about the area!