Any suggestions for Mountain View, Palo Alto, or SF would be totally sweet, and by that I mean completely awesome. No need to exalt the virtues or bitch about the landlords at YScraper -- we've read quite a bit about it.
Rock On!
So, that leaves Mountain View and Sunnyvale. Both cities are very safe and quiet (maybe too quiet for some). There are a lot of apartments in these two cities which aren't ridiculously expensive. However, most of the apartment complexes are relatively small, so your best bet is to come down here and drive around and see which complexes meet your needs.
I personally moved to Mountain View near Rengstorff Ave. and California St., an area we call "apartment city" because the housing is so dense. It's quiet and residential and there's a lot of shopping within walking distance. I definitely recommend this area, but you should still come down and check it out before signing a lease.
As an aside, I've got some experience with startups in education. I worked for a couple successful startups in higher education, and almost founded a K-12 company in the spring. Drop me an email if you'd like to share war stories -- now, or after you move.
We actually visited a place very near 'apartment city' today. Not bad. I like MV a lot, despite it being quiet. I figure we can also go into the city and, without distractions, work is bound to flow.
I'll stay in touch!
Sunnyvale got its wide variety of low cost rent places and decent Indian and Cheap and good Asian food places. El Camino Real is basically a mobius loop of America e.g. McDonalds, Starbucks, Ethnic Zone, repeat. Sister used to live in Mountain View off 85 by the Albertsons. Personally, if you're gonna live in Mountain View, somewhere close to downtown Castro Street would be cool to get food and beers and that kind of stuff. A bunch of startups (Meebo?) are around that area too.
Foster City is quiet. They have a bunch of golf courses and a Costco going for it. San Mateo is just about in the middle of everything, I like it because of the laid back downtown and being 5 min from the airport, 15 min from SV, 20 min (no traffic) from the city. That being said, San Mateo dies after 9pm. So if you're one of those party types lookin for a midnight saturnalia, the city is your only hope.
We've seen a bunch of places in Palo Alto and Mountain View that we could see ourselves living in. We've walked around Castro and University Ave's to get a feel for those city centers.
Thanks particularly descriptions of those other areas I've haven't heard about but now see popping up in the craigslist ings.
Drop by san mateo some time. Drive up 101 and get off the 3rd Avenue exit heading West. Check out the area around 2nd to 4th Avenue, and B Street to El Camino. Got a movie theater, a Japanese Tea Garden and Central Park that hosts Free Concerts and Outdoor Shakespeare events, Caltrain station, and Ramen shops galore. Not to mention there are/were a bunch of techs that made it big time here. Youtube and Napster to name a few.