by Dane Posey
“The first thing you need to know is that people don’t drive cars here to get around, they drive golf carts… and cocktail hour is always well attended.”
The sub-division of Palmilla Estates within the gated community of Palmilla on the inland side of the corridor in San Jose is flanked on both sides by the first Jack Nicklaus golf course in Latin America. Lots are angled to give each a view of the mountains and Sea of Cortez. Two story homes off of the fairway are commonplace and one would be forgiven for mistaking the area for Moraga, CA.
“I bought here because of the name Palmilla, it’s a bit of an ego thing… you go anywhere in the world and you say you own in Palmilla and right away they know what you are talking about. That doesn’t happen with a lot of the other communities.”
The Palmilla community is anchored by the World-renown “One and Only Palmilla” Resort, which boasts one of the only swimmable beaches in San Jose, three nine-hole golf courses, upscale shopping and dining minutes from your front door, and a standard of service that uses excellence as it’s goal.
“I spent who knows how many hours sitting on a highway commuting back and forth. I loved what I did but in my mind I knew that one day I wanted the pace of life to slow down. I wanted to know my neighbors but not interact if I didn’t want to. Here you can be a nobody if you want. Everyone has been successful, that’s why they live here.”
We were eating fresh tuna sashimi at the Blue Fish in the Shoppes at Palmilla when I asked about what negatives there are about owning there.
“It surprises me that not every lot has been built-on… that’s the only thing that bothers me; I guess it must be because of all the new development on the highway. It’s crazy the construction I see now. I remember when the freeway was just a dirt road and there was no one out in the water surfing except a couple guys everyone knew.”
Golf carts are the primary mode of transportation and cocktail hour is always well attended. The word that comes to mind when driving through the neighborhood is Privacy. *