Hi all -

We're looking for a home in the East Bay and torn between San Leandro and Castro Valley. We're first time home buyers and relocated to the Bay Area in December, 2007. We're looking in the $350,00 to $400,000 range.

We like the town of San Leandro better as there's more of a downtown area, shops, restaurants etc. and we like the tree lined streets and short commute to SF. There's really only one good elementary school though, Roosevelt, which limits your options (though we do like that part of San Leandro best) and the middle school, Bancroft, and high school, San Leandro, look kind of dodgy.

Of course Castro Valley has outstanding schools and you do seem to get more house for your money there. The downside is there's not a whole lot there in terms of shopping, entertainment etc. and it's a longer commute to work.

Just wondering if anyone one else had considered both San Leandro and Castro Valley and what you decided.

Thanks in advance.  

Check out the FactFinder at the Census website and compare the neighborhoods. There are a lot of information about properties at different locations. Part of Castro Valley belongs to the Hayward school distrct. 

http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html

I like this website better for finding out about schools. Try it out :-)

http://www.schoolperformancemaps.com/ca/

All - many thanks for the input. We're leaning toward Castro Valley as the more we think about it schools are our primary concern. There also seems to be more to on the market there. In San Leandro we're pretty much limited to what's in the Roosevelt school district, which isn't a lot. Thanks again.