No other California city can elicit more positive feelings and images than Pleasanton, a suburb in Alameda County and one of the cities of the prestigious Tri-Valley region. This city with a pleasant name has come a long way from its dark history, having been previously known as “The Most Desperate Town in the West” back in the 1800s, to becoming one of the most desirable places to live in the East Bay section of the San Francisco Bay Area and the rest of the Golden State.
In this blog post, you’ll find out about living in Pleasanton and why moving here is a wonderful idea. But the main feature here will be the various neighborhoods of Pleasanton with a brief description of each. In learning about the unique characteristics of each neighborhood, you’ll be better equipped to make informed choices and decisions as you go on your way to finding the perfect home that will suit all your requirements and goals.
LIFE IN PLEASANTON
Pleasanton regularly appears in lists of the best places to live in the state and it’s easy to see why. Even though it’s a city, it has retained a warm, small-town feel – even its downtown area is more of a charming collection of shops and restaurants rather than the typical urban din that comes to mind when you hear the word, “downtown.”
Strategic location and a great place to build a career
Living here also offers a number of benefits. Its location near San Francisco and Silicon Valley gives you access to a plethora of modern conveniences, mind-blowing attractions, and job opportunities in these areas. The city itself offers many job opportunities thanks to companies such as Safeway, Kaiser Permanente, and Workday, all of which have established their headquarters here. Many other companies have also established a presence in the city, such as Oracle, Clorox, and Roche Molecular Systems.
Quality education
Many schools in Pleasanton are known for their top-rated performance, with Amador Valley High School ranking 56th and Foothill High School ranking 51st in California. The Pleasanton Unified School District serves the community with two comprehensive high schools, three middle schools, and nine elementary schools. It has, so far, been living up to its vision of molding students who are “resourceful, resilient, responsible, and engaged world citizens” by setting rigorous academic standards that will prepare them for future success.
Nature up close
Living in Pleasanton also means quick access to the great outdoors. Aside from having numerous community and neighborhood parks, you can also visit Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, a 9,090-acre green space overlooking the city and Livermore Valley from the west, and Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area.
Real estate finds
Another interesting feature of Pleasanton is its housing mix. Homes for sale in Pleasanton, CA, are dominated by single-family homes, with a spattering of townhouses, vacant lots, and manufactured homes. You will find a vast majority of relatively established homes that were built from the 1960s to the early 2000s here. The southern part of the city has more classic single-family homes built on large lots while the northern area features newer construction and smaller properties, such as townhouses.
The median price of sold homes in the city is at almost $1.4 million (March 2023 Realtor.com figure) and the market is still dominated by sellers. However, the good news is that given the wider variety of properties to choose from here compared to other mega-cities in California, you’ll still be able to find the kind of home that will fit your budget and goals. And, with a reliable local Realtor to help you in your search, you’ll be moving to Pleasanton, CA in no time at all.
In the following section, you’ll find a rundown of the best Pleasanton neighborhoods and what makes each of them special. This should help you figure out where to best settle and thrive.
THE BEST NEIGHBORHOODS IN PLEASANTON, CA
Pleasanton is known as one of the wealthiest mid-size cities in the country so it’s not a surprise that the cost of living here is high. However, the quality of life in this city is fantastic and residents are among the most welcoming that you will encounter. No matter which neighborhood you choose, you’ll be able to enjoy a wide array of community amenities and like-minded neighbors who can be anything from your golf buddy or a fellow IT geek to simply a friendly face.
With these in mind, here are some of the most popular neighborhoods in the city.
Ruby Hill
Known as the most prestigious address in Pleasanton, Ruby Hill is where you’ll find some of the grandest luxury homes in the local real estate market. The median housing price here stands at $4.3 million. Opened in 1995, this exclusive enclave boasts relatively new construction, as well as homesites where you can opt to custom-build your home.
In and around Ruby Hill are the following smaller communities:
- ASCONA. Homes in this community come in several classic architectural styles, including French Country, English Tudor, and California Craftsman – among many others.
- VINEYARD ESTATES. This neighborhood is located outside of Ruby Hill’s gates and consists of a combination of single-family homes and mobile homes.
- RIVASCO. This community consists of French, traditional, and Spanish-style houses built from 2000 to 2002 with floor areas ranging from 3,500 to 5,000 square feet.
A notable feature of Ruby Hill is the 18-hole golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. The neighborhood also has a park, a clubhouse, and a swimming pool, among other amenities. The area is picturesque and offers amazing views of the city and nearby vineyards. It also puts you close to Ruby Hill Winery, an institution that has been around since 1887 and is one of the most renowned wineries in Livermore Valley.
Pleasanton Heights
Pleasanton Heights is conveniently located near the city’s downtown area. Living here makes it easy for you to either go on an urban crawl or be one with nature at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area and Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park which are nearby.
The most popular types of properties in this neighborhood are single-story California Ranch-style homes, which have a floor area of at least 1,200 square feet. Most of these homes were built in the 1950s and 1960s but have been updated with modern features and amenities. Given their refresh, properties here generally have a median price of $1.7 million.
Del Prado
Located in central Pleasanton, close to Downtown and to the Alameda County Fairgrounds, Del Prado is a comparatively more affordable neighborhood. Homes in this community are priced within the $1.1-million and $1.3-million range. It has a couple of community parks, a tennis course, and a community pool. Home buyers with their families in mind will love the minimal traffic within the neighborhood, as well as the selection of single-family homes with amenities like energy-efficient appliances and fixtures and smart security systems,
Kottinger Ranch
Lying in the southeastern area of Pleasanton, Kottinger Ranch contains several hundred homes with prices starting at $2.5 million. From here, Downtown Pleasanton is only a five-minute drive away. The neighborhood was built between 1990 to 1997, which means that the houses here are newer than what you would normally find in the rest of the city. Kottinger Ranch also has its own community pool and tennis courts.
Downtown Pleasanton
Living right at the heart of the city, you’ll be surrounded by every modern amenity available like shops, restaurants, cafes, other commercial and business spaces, the farmers market, and more. By virtue of location alone, homes here are among the priciest in the city.
Downtown Pleasanton also has an Old-World feel, thanks in part to the older homes in the area that have been built as far back as the mid-1800s and early 1900s. Interspersed with these vintage homes in Downtown Pleasanton, CA are newer homes for sale in a variety of styles, including cottages and bungalows. These were all designed to complement the prevailing architectural style in the area.
Vintage Hills
Built in the late 1960s and 1970s by H.C. Elliott, Vintage Hills is located on the east side of Pleasanton. Set on rolling hills, you get stunning views of the Livermore Valley from here and proximity to Livermore Valley Wine Country. The houses themselves were built in the early 1970s, with lot sizes generally starting at around 6,500 square feet. Occasionally, though, you’ll find lots here that span as much as half an acre.
The neighborhood houses two parks – Vintage Hills Park and Tawny Park – and is a few minutes away from Vintage Hills Elementary School and Pleasanton Middle School.
Birdland
This aptly named Pleasanton community has tree-lined streets that are named after birds – thus, keeping in line with the feathered-friend theme. Homes here generally have a size of 1,500 to 2,500 square feet and were mostly built from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s. Birdland has a number of parks, including Walnut Grove Park and Woodthrush Park, and you can easily access Pleasanton Sports Park from here.
Castlewood
Castlewood is a particularly scenic neighborhood found in the hills of West Pleasanton and dotted with mature oak trees. It is close to the Castlewood Country Club and features wonderful views of the valley. Houses here were mostly built in the late 1960s to the early 1970s, although you will still find newer properties here. Its moderately remote location also means you are guaranteed a great deal of peace and privacy.
The Castlewood Clubhouse stood in the neighborhood before, serving as the home of philanthropist Phoebe Hearst until it was sold in 1924 and turned into a country club. Castlewood also has two golf courses: the Hill Course and the Valley Course.
Val Vista
Another one of the relatively affordable communities in Pleasanton, Val Vista was built in the 1970s by Singer Homes. Houses here are somewhat older, sporting either Ranch or traditional architectural styles and featuring at least three bedrooms. In Val Vista, residents can enjoy the use of the community park’s amenities, such as the local skate park and soccer field.
The Gates
This is another community whose name was derived from the overall theme of naming its streets with the word “gate” in them, such as Ross Gate, McHenry Gate, Laramie Gate, and Sutter Gate. The Gates actually consists of three neighborhoods created by three different developers. The single-story and two-story homes here were built from the 1970s to the 1980s and were updated with the latest technology, fixtures, and other features.
Pheasant Ridge
Located close to I-680 and Downtown Pleasanton, Pheasant Ridge is a peaceful luxury community with homes built between 2004 and 2006. As relatively new construction, these homes sport a modern architectural style and provide a lot of space and smart upgrades. Living in Pheasant Ridge, residents could easily go for a nature adventure in the nearby walking trails. Pheasant Ridge also has no homeowners association.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT HOME ALSO MEANS CHOOSING THE RIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD
Choosing the right one among the many Pleasanton neighborhoods is a matter of sorting out your lifestyle choices and budget. You may want to go with a neighborhood that is closer to the highway or bus stops if you will be commuting to and from work every day. Meanwhile, if you lean toward an active lifestyle, you’ll want to live in a neighborhood that takes you close to parks, sports facilities, nature trails, golf courses, and gyms. Families with school-age children will prefer living near schools, especially those known to provide top-quality education.
Once you already have a couple of Pleasanton neighborhoods in mind, make sure to work with an experienced Realtor who knows the city, its neighborhoods, its people, its pulse, and its real estate market – and is eager to share with you what they know. In doing so, are setting yourself up for home-buying success.
BUILD A LIFE YOU LOVE IN PLEASANTON
Pleasanton, CA promises a life that you can live to the fullest. Now, you can go on your home-buying journey here minus the hassle if you have us at Venema Homes as your working partner and guide in this endeavor.
Our team has been recognized as Pleasanton’s Best Real Estate Team by Pleasanton Weekly’s Readers’ Choice Awards. We’re also the team to beat in terms of sales volume at Keller Williams Tri-Valley Realty. Proud as we are about our awards and accolades, we remain focused on our clients and their needs.
We at Venema Homes look forward to helping you find the best homes for sale in Pleasanton, CA. Let’s talk about your real estate goals and how we can help you! Call us at 925.413.6544 or send us an e-mail. We’d love to hear from you!