by Clair Handy, Mary Pope-Handy | Oct 5, 2026 | Los Gatos Neighborhoods, East Los Gatos
The Magneson Loop area is charming neighborhood with tree lined streets and luxury homes ranging from attractive historic designs to more contemporary styles. This is a close in neighborhood with great proximity to public schools, which are in the highly regarded Los Gatos Union School District, as well as many coffee shops, stores, and eateries. It’s one of the most accessible areas in town and enjoys a Walk Score of 78 out of 100 (WalkScore.com). And the area has some fascinating history as well!
Where is Magneson Loop?
The Magneson Loop neighborhood is a smaller community of homes in the 95032 zip code centered around its namesake street.
Magneson Loop is an L shaped road that begins and Los Gatos Boulevard near King’s Court Shopping Center and ends at Shannon Road. The original subdivision included homes the length of Magneson Loop, along the east side of Los Gatos Blvd (and later office buildings on that stretch), and the north side of Shannon, ending at the Presbyterian Church of Los Gatos. Magneson Terrace is a cul de sac that branches off from the turn in Magneson Loop and is also included in this neighborhood.
The older part of the street is a little narrow so in the image above you’ll note that a few cars are parked stradling the soft curb. Around the corner, as the road turns toward Shannon Road, it’s wider and this doesn’t happen, nor is this typical on Magneson Terrace, a younger tract. The Shannon intersection is one-way, though – vehicles are not permitted to turn into the Loop from Shannon, it’s exit-only. This protects the neighborhood from cut through traffic.
This area includes 2 primary subdivisions: Coombs (sometimes misspelled Coombes or Cooms) which is the light lavendar color in the map, and El Gato Rancho (Tract 1691 in the Magneson Terrace area). While both highly sought-after, these tracts are quite different from each other, which we’ll get into in the next part.
What are Homes Like in the Magneson Loop area?
There are 2 major developments on Magneson with distinctly different characteristics. If you walk the length of it, you’ll see everything from fairy tale cottages to Eichler-esque MCM to contemporary styles. But the type of home and lot can differ significantly depending on if it’s in the older Coombs subdivision or the younger El Gato Rancho tract.
(more…)
by Mary Pope-Handy, Clair Handy | Feb 16, 2026 | Los Gatos Neighborhoods, LG Lifestyle, West Los Gatos
Villa Capri is one of very few senior condos in or near Los Gatos. Most senior living places in the area are rentals, not homes to purchase, in our area. The only other 55+ condo in town at the moment is The Los Gatos Commons. More will be added at the North 40 (whenever it is completed).
Where is Villa Capri?
Villa Capri is located at 576 W Parr Avenue, Los Gatos 95032. It’s on the Campbell border in the northwestern side of Los Gatos, and it is not far from Vasona Station or El Camino Hospital of Los Gatos, among other nearby draws. Vasona Station includes some nice eateries, such as Aldo’s and Purple Onion – a great reason to take a stroll! There are gas stations along Winchester and it’s a straight shot up Winchester to downtown Los Gatos.
In other words, this is a great location.
It’s a quick ride to San Tomas Expressway and Campbell Avenue to get onto Highway 17. Even easier is the interchange from here onto Highway 85 northbound (and coming back, there is an exit on 85 southbound). Please note that this is not a full intersection at Winchester. Going south from here requires a little jaunt around Lark Avenue to Los Gatos Blvd, or getting there from 17. It’s a pretty good commute location!
Things to know about Villa Capri condos for seniors
(more…)
by Mary Pope-Handy | Jun 10, 2025 | Los Gatos Neighborhoods, Downtown or Central Los Gatos
The smallest cluster of homes along Alberto Way is Las Casitas, a pretty townhome community with 18 units and abundant open space near downtown Los Gatos. Here are some quick facts about this attractive community:
- The legal name of the complex is “Las Casitas IV of Los Gatos”.
- Built in 1979.
- This is a condo complex. Units are shaped like 2 story townhouses, but the ownership type is condominium. (Some townhomes are PUDs, Planned Unit Developments.)
- The 18 units all appear to have the same floor plan: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 1448 SF, laundry closet in kitchen, patio & storage closet off of living room, multiple skylights, some vaulted ceilings on the 2nd floor.
- There is a little variation in the lot sizes, but only by the tiniest of fractions. All units overlook the greenbelt from the back.
- Each unit is assigned a carport and storage closet at the rear of the property (near the freeway)
- Las Casitas is within the Los Gatos Union School District – a big draw for home buyers. The schools appear to be Van Meter Elementary, Fisher Middle, and Los Gatos High. All are within 1 mile as the bird flies.
- As of June 2025, the monthly dues are $721 (this is a bit higher than what we typically see)
The units are slightly staggered, which makes for a pleasant look, but also more privacy on the back patio.
Map data: Google. Satelite Imagery: Airbus, Maxar Technologies. Editing and overlay: Mary Pope-Handy.
(more…)
by Mary Pope-Handy, Clair Handy | May 23, 2025 | Historic Districts, Los Gatos Neighborhoods, Videos of Los Gatos
The Town of Los Gatos is home to many lovely neighborhoods with historic homes (Broadway Area Historic District, Fairview Plaza and others), but perhaps none is so quaint or popular as the Almond Grove neighborhood. (See video drive through this neighborhood near the bottom of this article.)
Map ©Google, overlay by Mary Pope-Handy using Google My Maps
Location, location, location: the Almond Grove’s got it
The location itself could be very compelling alone as the Almond Grove neighborhood is as much “in town” as “walk to town” with so many activities and opportunities happening along North Santa Cruz Avenue, Main Street and University Avenue – all a stone’s throw away. Quite vibrant, downtown Los Gatos enjoys an inordinate amount of restaurants, shops, coffee houses, bars, places to dine , taste wine, stroll or take in a film. It’s also home to free musical concerts in the summer, a parade in December, a gorgeous new public library, a Farmer’s Market every weekend and many other events year round. Finally, the Almond Grove is set near two parks, Bachman Park and the Los Gatos Town Plaza, so there’s a good amount of open space nearby too. There’s something for everyone!
Traditionally designed neighborhood with good community results
The allure of the Almond Grove is more than convenience, though. There’s an old time friendliness that seems to come with the big, welcoming front porches on so many of the older houses. Dwellings are also set closer together than one might find in suburbia, too. Rather than live so much in the privacy of the backyard, there’s an invitation implicit with this combination of close neighbors and a front porch that seems to underscore that residents are part of the neighborhood community and a bit less secluded.
The Almond Grove displays that sense of community from October to January especially, when it steps out as the best decorated corner of Los Gatos with a huge percentage of participation in the effort. Halloween is a great example. People’s enthusiasm is evident in by the beginning of October as props come out for the spookiest day of the year. Sometimes even in September, “Land of the Giant” sized spiders begin to appear, life-sized ghosts start to swing from porches and trees, the normally tidy and trim picket fences become smudged with spider webs, and every manner of Halloween decor drapes the district. On Halloween night, the Almond Grove district becomes positively overrun with enthusiastic kids from all over Los Gatos. I’ve been told that some homes get as many as 1,000 trick-or-treaters on Halloween night there.
Neighborhood challenges
The plusses of the neighborhood are many! Every area has challenges, concerns, or issues, though, and this historic district is no exception.
The main issues, as I (a non-resident) see them are beach traffic and fire hazards / insurance concerns. The proposed new fire map can be seen here. Much of this neighborhood is in one Cal Fire hazard severity zone or another. Insurance companies use their own maps (which aren’t published), and being near hills and open space with dry grasses and brush can make it challenging to obtain regular insurance.
(more…)
by Mary Pope-Handy, Clair Handy | Mar 4, 2025 | Los Gatos Neighborhoods, West Los Gatos
Map data ©Google, overlay by Mary Pope-Handy of the Old Adobe Road area.
At the northwest corner of Los Gatos you’ll find a really beautiful neighborhood that consists of Old Adobe Road and nearby streets. It’s just off of Quito Road on the border with Saratoga one one side and Monte Sereno on another. A neighboring subdivision is English Oaks.
This lovely area doesn’t have tightly defined boundaries (at least not as far as I know), but runs roughly between Old Adobe and Quito at the north end to Bicknell at the south and fanning out to beyond Montclair to about More Avenue. It clings to Rinconada Hills along one stretch, too.
What are homes like in the Old Adobe area?
Today I mapped out the approximate neighborhood using the county records and it appears to have about 250 houses or so. Nearly all were built in the 1960s and 1970s, but 10% of the neighborhood spans a century from 1920 to 2018. Most of the homes are between about 2,000 and 3,000 square feet, but about 1/6 of them are larger, a dozen reach 4,000 SF and up, but that is not typical. Most lots are around a quarter to a half acre, but some are bigger and some smaller. So they are comfortable houses on uncrowded lots in a mature neighborhood.
There are some areas within this part of west Los Gatos with no subdivision name, but others are within identifiable subdivisions: Adobe Manor, Verona Manor, Montclair Oaks, Rinconada Acres, Rinconada Terrace, Rinconada Oaks. (A nearby neighborhood is English Oaks, and next to that is Oakwood. Yes, there are plenty of oaks in the region!)
(more…)
by Mary Pope-Handy | Feb 27, 2025 | Los Gatos Neighborhoods, West Los Gatos
The Los Gatos Estates townhome community sits just off Pollard Road and More Avenue on the west end of town. Although this area on the north side of Pollard is actually in Campbell, it has a Los Gatos mailing address, which may confuse folks with a gps device. Our MLS also treats it as Campbell, so good to know about this area quirk since if you search for “Los Gatos homes for sale” there it won’t show up! (Same thing for the nearby Cameo Park West neighborhood of Leep homes a little closer to Quito Road.)
Basic facts: appx 57 homes, HOA dues as of this writing in early 2025 are in the high 400s (includes roof, painting, private roads, grounds, pool, spa and tennis court). Homes do not come on the market very often, but expect to see prices between $1,400,000 and $1,700,000 for most if they are remodeled.
Townhouses in Silicon Valley are usually either held in condominium ownership or as PUDs. These are condo. (For more info on the difference between PUD and condo ownership for common interest developments, please read this article on another of my sites.)
What are the Los Gatos Estates homes like?
They were built in 1979. Individual units range in size between 1739-2063 SF, with the average being 1921. Parcels are not big, running from 1739-2063 SF, but there’s a lot of open common space, so it does not feel small or crowded.
Why people love Los Gatos Estates
If you value a convenient location, Los Gatos Estates has it! Directly across the street from the entry to the community you’ll find a large, remodeled Safeway and a number of other helpful shops. El Camino Hospital of Los Gatos is only about a mile away. More shopping is found within 2 miles at Westgate and El Paseo de Saratoga. For workers commuting to Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and similar areas, a trip north on Pollard turns into Lawrence Expressway, making the journey pretty straight forward.
The highly regarded public schools are very nearby: Rolling Hills Middle School (7 on Great Schools with a 10 on test scores) is pretty much “next door” but on the other side of More, and Marshall Lane Elementary (8 on Great Schools, 10 for test scores) is about a half mile away. Westmont High School (8 on GS and 9 for tests) is within a mile also.
The townhomes at Los Gatos Estates enjoy tremendous convenience, but there’s much more to the complex than that. The townhomes are well laid out, with good floor plans, spacious rooms, and often high ceilings. Each one includes an attached 2 car garage and of course a laundry room or closet. In many ways, these townhomes feel more like houses than attached homes. Not only that, but residents get to enjoy a pool, spa, and tennis court, too.
Above is one of two gateway signs along Pollard Road, a nice welcome to the community!
Below, a typical two story townhome with both a back patio and balcony. One end of this complex is adjacent to highway 85, the train tracks, and the high voltage power lines, which you see in the image, too. Homes closest to the freeway, train and electrical wires will be somewhat price impacted by them, of course, but this creates an opportunity for more affordable housing than you might otherwise find in this neighborhood. If you are looking for good real estate pricing, this may be a great opportunity – lots of home for the money.
(more…)
