In my mind, Mountain View is the little city that could. When I arrived in California in 1972, Mountain View was an unremarkable city, noted primarily as a “navy” town due to the Moffett Field navy airstrip along the bay front. Since then, Mountain View has managed to completely reinvent itself. What used to be a landfill is now Shoreline Park with the Shoreline Amphitheater, walking and hiking trails, golf course, kite flying and windsurfing areas, Michael’s restaurant, and more. Downtown Mountain View has been completely done over and it is now vibrant and exciting. Besides the many first class restaurants you will find City Hall, the Center for the Performing Arts, a Library, and many shops. The farmer’s market, open every Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, is one of the best certified farmer’s markets in the bay area. Other events include street fairs, the Spring Parade, and free summer concerts. Centennial Plaza is home to Mountain View’s City Transit Plaza. The Castro Station is not only a CalTrain Bullet train stop (for the express commuter trains) but it also connects with the light rail and bus service to San Jose.
As the city has improved and expanded its services, real estate values have increased. Mountain View is now a destination city. People choose to live there because they the many amenities the city has to offer. This chart showing the Cumulative Real Estate Sales for Mountain View, 1998 through 2007 illustrates the increase in housing prices over the past few years. For more detailed information check the monthly reports under Santa Clara County. Or contact me: Lmercer@Lmercer.com or 650-752-0756.