Central San Jose, California consists of Downtown San Jose, Japantown, Rose Garden, Sunol-Midtown, Willow Glen and Naglee Park. Central San Jose often, however, refers mostly to the central business district of San Jose, north of I-280 and south of Highway 101. Most Central San Jose real estate can be found in the residential areas around Hedding, Taylor and Santa Clara Streets. Houses in the downtown district are mostly Victorian style, ranging from small homes to estate sized gingerbread style homes.

The business district in Central San Jose provides many employment opportunities, as well as a cultural haven. It's located nearby the Mineta San Jose International Airport, which limits the height of most properties. Central San Jose is home to many large businesses such as the Adobe Systems and Knight-Ridder headquarters. Many other attractions are available to home owners in downtown San Jose, California such as the San Jose Museum of Art, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, the HP Pavillion and Martin Luther King Jr. Library. San Jose State University calls Central San Jose home; numerous network and internet service providers do as well.

Japantown is just north of Downtown San Jose featuring new homes for sale, rich culture and a friendly pedestrian type of community. Naglee Park is a residential community with many historical properties built on the Naglee estate, which was the home of Civil War General Henry Naglee. It is known for its beautiful gardens and vineyards. Now real estate in this Central San Jose neighborhood consists of single family homes and large homes that have been converted into condominiums and apartments. Naglee Park is a great place to live and enjoy the convenience of Downtown San Jose. Rose Garden and Willow Glen are neighborhoods on the western edge of Central San Jose, and feature a variety of homes for sale that are mostly upper-middle class communities.