Tanglewood El Monte, San Jose, CA

Tanglewood El Monte is a residential East San Jose neighborhood near the Capitol Expressway, named for a pair of its streets, and its biggest near-term story is transit: the light-rail extension being built along Capitol Expressway will put a station close to its eastern edge. The houses are modest, older single-family tract homes, each with a driveway and a small front yard, and many have been remodeled over the years. The neighborhood has no park or shopping hub in the middle, so meals and errands mean heading out to the arterials. Story Road is the food corridor. To the west toward Little Saigon, Phở Gà Nhà builds its phở on free-range chicken, and Vịt Đồng Quê is the place for duck porridge and noodle soups. Lacàphê, also on Story, pours Saigon-style drip coffee. Heading the other direction, Tacos Genesis is a quick hop east toward the expressway. Hillview Park, nearby at Adrian Way and Ocala Avenue, is the closest green space, with a softball field, a playground and room to picnic, and the Hillview branch library sits in the same area. For a longer walk or run, Lake Cunningham Regional Park, a few minutes southeast, has a lakeside loop and a big skate park. Cardenas Markets, a short drive west on Story Road, covers groceries. The Eastridge Transit Center is a quick drive south, where Rapid 522 heads downtown, and both major freeways, 101 and 680, are nearby. VTA is building Story station at Capitol and Story as part of the Orange Line extension, which will put light rail at the neighborhood's eastern edge. But the coming transit upgrade could make this a more connected corner over time, and it already keeps you central and reasonably priced. For a buyer who wants an affordable East Side street with better transit on the horizon, Tanglewood El Monte is a low-key option worth watching as the rail line comes in.