Almaden Hills Estates

The Almaden Hills Estates neighborhood in San Jose is tucked away by itself, nestled into the northern tip of the Santa Teresa foothills. If it weren’t for the sign at the intersection of Almaden Expressway and Winfield Boulevard, most of us might not know that this beautiful community existed at all.

A bit about the homes and area

There are 144 single family homes, detached, beyond this welcoming sign, primarily in 2 tracts (see map below), but 8 houses are found in the smallest and newest one along Rocco Court.

As with most of the Almaden Valley, this area is well maintained by the homeowners and the setting is picturesque due to the close proximity of the hills. The oldest house in the neighborhood was built in 1979 and the youngest in 2018.

In the older sections, a typical home would provide 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and about 2950 SF on a 9,700 SF lot and include a 3 car garage. In the newer section, the homes are closer to 2300 SF and the lots average around 3500 SF. More details will be included further down in this article.

Something especially nice is that there’s direct access to the Los Alamitos Creek Trail in the neighborhood.

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Where is the Almaden Hills Estates neighborhood?

This residential area is close to the eastern end of Jeffrey Fontana Park but on the other side of Almaden Expressway, where McAbee Road becomes Winfield Blvd for a very short stretch. It’s just south of Almaden Lake and it’s surrounded on most sides by the Boulder Ridge Golf Club land.

Winfield Boulevard is a street we primarily think of as being in Blossom Valley, near Oakridge Mall. It’s one of many streets in Santa Clara County where there’s a break between segments of the road – but the names are the same for some reason. In the map below, you can see that break.  I don’t know that those segments ever connected, but perhaps there was a plan to do so.

If we take a closer view, it’s possible to see the three tracts in this area and catch a few more details. Below is a map that I made (with the help of Google My Maps).

At the bottom of this map  you can see that I’ve written in Woodside of Almaden, which is the neighborhood directly south – but these areas don’t connect directly, they are simply adjacent.

To enter the Almaden Hills Estates neighborhood, turn east on Winfield Boulevard and follow the road around to the right, where it becomes Cross Springs Drive. The first tract, 6438, will be on the immediate right. At the T intersection with Mazzone Drive, turning left will take you over the Alamitos Creek and to the largest tract, 6457, while a right turn will navigate you onto a segment of Almaden Road and then terminate into Rocco Court and Tract 10383.

Almaden Hills Estates San Jose – more details

Here are a few quick facts about the original community, Tracts 6457 and 6438:

• The original neighborhood broke ground in 1979 in Tract 6457, which has 105 houses. Except for that first property, the rest were constructed in 1980.
• Tract 6438 appears to be Phase 2 as they had completion dates ranging from 1980 and1984 (oddly, nothing in between).
• These two areas appear to have the same floor plans offered. Lot sizes vary. All of them have 3 car garages.
• A typical house in these two tracts has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and 2961 SF of living space.
• The smallest layout provides 1895 SF with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
• The largest house boasts 3770 SF and includes 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
• Lot sizes range from  about 7700 SF to 11,000 SF for all but 13 properties. The largest parcel is 17,734

In 2018, Rocco Court was developed, which is Tract 10383. These 8 houses enjoy 2200 – 2300 SF of living space with 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a 2 car garage. Most of the lots are small, ranging from 2493 SF to 6766 SF. These properties are much more affordable than their older counterparts.

The public schools for this pocket of San Jose are Los Alamitos Elementary, Castillero Middle, and Pioneer High School. 

Are there any concerns with Almaden Hills Estates?

Because of the loads of open space nearby, wildlife does occupy nearby space. Visitors may include coyotes, bobcats, and all kinds of animals that may not be what you’d expect in suburbia. It’s a good idea to keep your small pets indoors, especially at night.

Alamitos Creek originates in the nearby hills where mercury is a naturally occurring substance. Do not play in the creek, or drink from it, or fish from it. This is true in many parts of Almaden as so much of it is in the Guadalupe River Watershed areas. You can read about the advisory from the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) (updated Dec 2020).

Some homes are pretty close to Almaden Expressway. There will be noise and fumes – known to be a health risk.

There are 3 sets of high voltage power lines than run through Jeffrey Fontana Park and cross through the southern end of Tract 10383. It’s not ideal to be next to them for several reasons, including the possibility that in severe storms the towers can fall down, as they did earlier this year in the Willow Glen area of San Jose.

Finally, there is only one way in or out of this area, and that is via Winfield Blvd at Almaden Expressway. Additionally, Tract 6457 relies upon a bridge crossing Alamitos Creek, again with only that bridge on Mazzone as an exit. In the case of earthquake, fire, or other disaster, it is best to have at least two possible exits in case one of them is somehow cut off.

Homes for sale, pending, or recently sold in Almaden Hills Estates

Below you can see the recent market activity and get a feel for what properties cost in today’s market.

See all Almaden Hills Estates.
(all data current as of 6/8/2023)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Related Reading

Check the real estate market for San Jose 95120 (Almaden) – it’s updated monthly

Orchard Creek neighborhood of San Jose’s Almaden Valley

Oaktree Park Neighborhood

Creekside Almaden (more affordable – patio homes or zero lot line homes)

Guadalupe Oak Grove Park