Newsworthy

Shortly after our decision to purchase this home, the local newspaper ran a small story about the street on which it was located. Coincidence - we think not !

Here's the story and we're sticking with it :)

STRAWBERRY PARK DRIVE

WELL-KEPT S.J. COMMUNITY OFF SARATOGA AVENUE OFFERS CONVENIENCE

Just off Saratoga Avenue in the charming Strawberry Park neighborhood
is a quiet residential street called Strawberry Park Drive.

A few blocks away on Moorpark and Saratoga avenues is a shopping plaza
that shares its name.

The houses on Strawberry Park Drive are mostly one-story, some with
circular driveways. All have well-kept yards, a few with palm trees.
Some residents have converted their garages into extra rooms or turned
them into offices.

The street is bordered by Saratoga Avenue and Brentwood Drive. In
between the two streets at Camino Escuela is Challenger School for
preschool to fourth-grade students.

Bud Tilbury moved into the neighborhood in 1957 when his home was just
2 years old. He was told the area got its Strawberry Park name from
the strawberry fields that used to be there, nestled among many other
fruit farms.

``Across Saratoga Avenue were prune tree orchards and on Borina Drive
were cherry orchards,'' Tilbury said.

The area has ``kept up pretty well,'' Tilbury said, and is close to
everything, an attribute that he loves about the neighborhood.

``It's close to shopping, freeways, schools, hospitals,'' Tilbury
said. ``It's very convenient.''

Homes in the neighborhood have sold recently for $325,000 for a nearby
condominium to $835,000 for a single-family home, according to
CalREsource, which tracks real estate transactions.

The residents: Families with young and grown kids, seniors, empty
nesters and residents of many nationalities.

Nicest part of the neighborhood: The area is diverse with plenty of
restaurants along Saratoga Avenue and ``essentially a walk to Stevens
Creek Boulevard,'' new resident Andrei Maslov said. ``At the same
time, it's very quiet and safe.''

-- Joannie Sevilla,

Mercury News

Do you have a neighborhood you think we should feature in this Guide?
Contact Joannie Sevilla at jsevilla@ mercurynews.com or (408)
920-5514.