Relocating due to job in Woodland Hills, where to live? (Thousand Oaks: middle-class, neighborhoods)

[user_id]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

30-40 minutes from from the Conejo Valley to Santa Monica, Hollywood and Downtown??? Maybe at 3am. Even on the weekends there is usually traffic on the 101, 405 and PCH.

No, during the day, I drive that way all the time on the weekends. There is usually, at worse, traffic in just a couple of places for a few miles on the 101. But there is never traffic between the Conejo Valley and Woodland Hills on the weekend, so the commute to the "good parts" of LA is only around 10~12 minutes longer from Conejo Valley vs Woodland Hills. So, if the commute is terrible from the Conejo valley is similarly terrible from Woodland Hills.

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by user_id

But there is never traffic between the Conejo Valley and Woodland Hills on the weekend, so the commute to the "good parts" of LA is only around 10~12 minutes longer from Conejo Valley vs Woodland Hills. So, if the commute is terrible from the Conejo valley is similarly terrible from Woodland Hills.

this may be true, but let's be honest here, getting to "the other side of the hill" from either location is a chore during most of the day. i was just in TO yesterday and it took close to an hour each way from my place on the westside. during the hour while most people are awake, there is almost alwasy traffic on the 405 from the 10 to the 101. it's also very common for there to be traffic on the 101 through the west valley, not to mention hollywood if you are headed to that part of town.

[janesanjose]

Thanks for the insight from you all. Traffic really worries me, and perhaps I should consider the traffic factor more than heat, as we have to deal with it everyday. How much would take to get from Oak Park, Agoura Hills to Woodland hills weekdays commute, leaving around 8 AM in the morning and returning around 6:30 evening?
Is Calabasas a good area? Is it cooler?

[BRinSM]

all the commutes you mentioned to woodland hills are reasonable. as for heat, anywhere north of the santa monica mountains will get hot in the summer. we're talking about variances of 5 degrees between the places you mentioned, so it doesn't really matter where you choose. however, the heat is bearable unless you plan on doing mid day marathon training in the middle of august, which i highly doubt is the case. odds are you'll be in the house/office during the hottest part of the day, so you won't even feel it.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by janesanjose

Thanks for the insight from you all. Traffic really worries me, and perhaps I should consider the traffic factor more than heat, as we have to deal with it everyday. How much would take to get from Oak Park, Agoura Hills to Woodland hills weekdays commute, leaving around 8 AM in the morning and returning around 6:30 evening?
Is Calabasas a good area? Is it cooler?

Probably about a half an hour worst case each way. Depends on how far into Oak Park too. It may take 10 minutes to get all the way up to OPHS from the 101.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by janesanjose

Is Calabasas a good area? Is it cooler?

Its a good area and so called "Calabasas hills" are cooler. Part of Calabasas is essentially in the San Fernando Valley, the other part is connected to Agoura Hills and is cooler. The two parts are divided by a couple miles of mountains.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

this may be true, but let's be honest here, getting to "the other side of the hill" from either location is a chore during most of the day.

During the weekday it can be a chore, but I don't find the traffic on the weekend that bad.

Originally Posted by BRinSM

i was just in TO yesterday and it took close to an hour each way from my place on the westside.

Sure, the 405 almost always has traffic, I only use the 405 at night. But most of what you'd do in LA is accessible from the 101 and the traffic on the 101 isn't as bad, it tends to get bad around the 101/405 intersection, but before and after usually aren't so bad, at least on the weekend.

When I want to go to Santa Monica I go via PCH (take Topanga or something similar to get there), it maybe takes around 45~60 minutes, but its a beautiful drive.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

however, the heat is bearable unless you plan on doing mid day marathon training in the middle of august, which i highly doubt is the case.

I don't think most people out of the area know how much it cools off at night in the LA area though, most areas don't do this.

[LaoTzuMindFu]

Originally Posted by janesanjose

Is Calabasas a good area? Is it cooler?

Calabasas is not so much cooler than Woodland Hills. Calabasas is just a few blocks from where I live and believe me, there isnt much difference at all.

Are you totally sold on Agoura Hills, Westlake, areas? Ive worked for several years in Westlake, Agoura, Thousand Oaks and am just NOT a fan of those areas. It could be that I am just used to really diverse areas like Sherman Oaks, Encino, Studio City, Woodland Hills (where there are lots of Persians, Russians, Israelis, Indians, Hispanics etc.). As you move into the 805 areas, you get very little diversity other than a few Asians sprinkled here and there but its mostly all Republican American whites who drive almost exclusively American made cars. There is nothing wrong with that (I too am a lifelong Reagan Republican), but I just find it more comfortable in the more diverse areas. Plus, with the wife being Russian, she prefers it as well.

[Charles]

There's a lot of middle eastern people maybe Israelis who hang out at the Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center. I can't understand what they're saying when they're looking at me and giggling; maybe something like "That guy is such a dork"...who knows.

Other than that, there's always a few boston, new york transplants - yuck.

Never seems like there is anybody there who grew up in the San Fernando Valley.