“Jobs, jobs, jobs” is the motto of the season, and jobs are what Sunnyvale is all about. This is no bedroom community, though there are plenty of great bedrooms here. This is the epicenter of the Silicon Valley job rush, with everything from Lockheed Martin to Yahoo to Juniper to Palm to Applied Materials right here in the city. No wonder Sunnyvale, the second largest city in Santa Clara County, is such a great place to live.

A patio home at 401 Fern Ridge Court is an outstanding example of California residential architecture. Every home has at least one feature that isn’t easily forgotten, and here it is the high, slanted wooden ceiling with beams cutting through the air, right across them. At the center of this gorgeous room is a freestanding iron fireplace that gives a taste of old times to this thoroughly modern house. And while the soaring ceilings and stove in the living room certainly make this house unique, there are plenty of other little gems just waiting to be noticed, including three outdoor patio areas, each beautifully landscaped. This 1,228 square foot house has three bedrooms and two remodeled baths, common spaces with glass walls letting in plenty of sun and a spacious living room/dining room combo that has to be seen.  Cooking is a breeze in this house, or at least you can let the breeze in, because one full wall of this large modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances is a glass sliding door/wall combo leading out to one of the patios. It’s the ideal arrangement for people who love to eat outdoors. This home is selling for $729,000.

Another stunning home can be found at 1091 Lily Avenue.  This three bedroom, two bath house features a wonderful floor plan that flows with the family from the bedrooms to the living room to the dining room to the family room.  At 1,685 square feet, this is a large house, sitting on a 6,200 square foot lot. The master bedroom features a vaulted ceiling and glass sliding doors that lead out to a beautiful outdoor area with everything for people who love to live in the sun. There’s a patio and deck, a lovely pond with a wooden footbridge crossing it, and, of course, a hot tub to soak in after a long day at work. This beautiful ranch home is selling for $749,000.

Homes for a larger family need not be more expensive. At 1680 Quail Avenue in Sunnyvale’s birdland neighborhood is a beautiful two story home with four bedrooms and two bathrooms.  This home features wooden floors throughout, which blend beautifully with the soft colors of the interior paint. The kitchen includes Courian countertops, brand name appliances and lovely hardwood cabinets.  The house sits on a large, 7,150 square foot lot and has beautiful grassy areas in front and out back, as well as a friendly patio space. At only $698,000, it is a great deal for Sunnyvale.