El Portal
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Great for
- Cost of Living
- Internet Access
- Neighborly Spirit
- Parking
- Parks & Recreation
Not great for
- Schools
- Nightlife
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- LGBT+
Got a burning question? Why not ask the locals! Simply ask your question below
Reviews
El Portal
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Pest Free
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Parks & Recreation
- Shopping Options
- Gym & Fitness
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Parking
- Cost of Living
- Resale or Rental Value
- Public Transport
- Medical Facilities
- Schools
- Childcare
"CCC, Condos and Lil' Ole Ranchers"
El Portal is best known as the home of Contra Costa College—it is the administrative center of the Contra Costa Community
College District, although Diablo Valley College is really the major campus. Contra Costa College is a good little school that meets the basic needs of their students but doesn’t go much beyond these basics as far as I can tell.
As to housing, south of the campus there are some really nice modern condos, the three story kind in faux Spanish style. I could see these condos fetching a good $450,000 in a nicer area, but because these are in San Pablo they don’t even break the $200,000 mark.
Once you get to the east of here and the college, the rest of the neighborhood is actually a fairly typical San Pablo neighborhood: these are smallish 1940’s style Ranch homes, usually with either white picket fences or, more often with chain link fences.
The condos are nice enough where they might actually work for people, so long as they don’t have kids that they expect to send to the local public schools, which are unfortunately quite terrible.
Crime also seems to be a bit of an issue just beyond the borders of this complex.
Otherwise there is not much else to this neighborhood.
College District, although Diablo Valley College is really the major campus. Contra Costa College is a good little school that meets the basic needs of their students but doesn’t go much beyond these basics as far as I can tell.
As to housing, south of the campus there are some really nice modern condos, the three story kind in faux Spanish style. I could see these condos fetching a good $450,000 in a nicer area, but because these are in San Pablo they don’t even break the $200,000 mark.
Once you get to the east of here and the college, the rest of the neighborhood is actually a fairly typical San Pablo neighborhood: these are smallish 1940’s style Ranch homes, usually with either white picket fences or, more often with chain link fences.
The condos are nice enough where they might actually work for people, so long as they don’t have kids that they expect to send to the local public schools, which are unfortunately quite terrible.
Crime also seems to be a bit of an issue just beyond the borders of this complex.
Otherwise there is not much else to this neighborhood.
Pros
- Nice Condos
- Okay Community College
- Very Affordable
Cons
- Crime Worries
- Terrible Schools
- Worn Out Look
Recommended for
- Professionals
- Singles
- LGBT+
