Whisman Station, Mountain View

Mention Whisman Station to someone who is unfamiliar with the area, and you will probably hear words like "light rail" and "TCE." In fact, neither buzzword begins to explain what makes this neighborhood of roughly 500 houses such a hot real estate market.

"This is a very nice, pleasant, safe neighborhood," said Ed Schlosser, a former president of one of Whisman Station's five homeowners' associations and a resident since 1997. "People tend to be very friendly and the neighborhood is very well taken care of," he added.

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Whisman Station sits on land that was a peach orchard early in the 20th century before being converted into an industrial park for electronics manufacturer GTE, now Verizon. Today, the neighborhood is roughly bordered by Highway 237, Central Expressway and Whisman Road.

The neighborhood is primarily populated by young, well-educated couples who work at Silicon Valley technology companies, explained Schlosser. Most of the children in the area are quite young, and there are very few teenagers, he added, but the close, family-oriented nature of the community is readily visible. The neighborhood has several sizeable parks and a number of playgrounds that are considerably used. Whisman Station also features carefully maintained sidewalks, enabling residents to take pleasant evening strolls and adding to the area's charm.

Whisman Station facts CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Kiddie Academy, 235 E. Middlefield Road; German International School of Silicon Valley, 310 Easy St. (nearby) FIRE STATION: No. 4, 229 N. Whisman Road NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Michael Jones, manager, Community Management Services, 650-961-2630, ext. 120 PARKS: Magnolia Park, Magnolia Lane and Whisman Station Drive; Chetwood Park, Chetwood Drive and Whisman Station Drive POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St. PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY): German International School of Silicon Valley, 310 Easy St. PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District -- Landels Elementary School, Crittenden Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District -- Mountain View High School SHOPPING: El Camino Real, Downtown Mountain View MEDIAN 2007 HOME PRICE: $940,000 ($885,000-$976,500) # HOMES SOLD: 9 MEDIAN 2007 CONDO PRICE: $710,000 ($671,100-$825,000) # CONDOS SOLD: 19

The homes themselves are a mixture of single-family houses and townhouses, most built on small parcels. Their relative newness is a selling point, as they are both low-maintenance and well-wired, the latter an important feature for the tech crowd.

Another appealing feature of the Whisman Station is its location. The neighborhood is located just a few blocks from Central Expressway and Highways 85, 237 and 101, but without much noise. The area is also centered around the light rail, which is where the "Station" comes from. The light rail, which begins in Mountain View and travels to San Jose, was originally considered to be a selling point for Whisman Station. Most residents, however, find the train too slow to be practical, Schlosser said, though a few do find it useful.

Although Whisman Station residents are concerned by reports that the cancer-causing toxin trichloroethene (TCE) may be seeping into their houses through the soil, only one home in the neighborhood has been determined to have unsafe levels of the toxin, Schlosser said, and the EPA has been testing frequently. "People in the community give high marks to the EPA," he added. "Things seem to be under control."

Every year the various homeowner associations hold potluck parties during the summer and Halloween. In 2005, both sides of the tracks collaborated on a Fourth of July parade, complete with a party catered by a property developer.

-- David Herbert