South Bay (San Francisco Bay Area): What are some good residential places in Sunnyvale or Mountain View?

There's a big difference between Sunnyvale and Mountain View. Two bedroom apartments in Mountain View go as high as $5,500 (Madera Apartments on Evelyn), though the average is $2,800. You could certainly find a place in Mountain View for $2600, but it probably won't be very nice or updated. My friend just got a very small 2 bedroom duplex in Sunnyvale for $2600 and thought that was a good deal. It's on a busy street and has a tiny yard. Apartments tend to be a little less than duplexes, so this is probably your sweet spot out of the geographic areas you've targeted. I would steer away from North Sunnyvale or the California Ave. area of Mountain View, as these are less desirable than the rest of the city.

If you like walking to restaurants, shopping, and Caltrain, now might be a good time to move near downtown Sunnyvale. After years of delays due to legal and economic issues, progress has finally been made on rebuilding the downtown, and more is on the way soon. Several new restaurants and coffee shops (including Philz) have made the area feel more lively and urban.Spruce Apartments on Fair Oaks and Evelyn has some apartments that have not yet been remodeled that are in your price range, and remodeled units that slightly above but very nice. The amenities look really good there. I have no affiliation with them - I am simply basing this on their website and the info from a friend of mine who is looking in the area.