Where should I buy a house in Los Angeles? (Santa Clarita: renting, new house)

[tigerprint456]

Hi, I am looking to move me and my family from NYC to LA hopefully early summer. My wife got a recent job offer and I can pretty much live anywhere because I work from home. She has to go in to work twice a week once we move. I was wondering what are some good areas to buy a house. I have been reading a lot of the posts on here on where not to move but I was wondering what are some good areas to move to.

Our budget for a new house is $375 to $450K for a house. We currently live in Queens, NY and we bought our house for around 290K back in 1998.

[nick2006]

Originally Posted by tigerprint456

Hi, I am looking to move me and my family from NYC to LA hopefully early summer. My wife got a recent job offer and I can pretty much live anywhere because I work from home. She has to go in to work twice a week once we move. I was wondering what are some good areas to buy a house. I have been reading a lot of the posts on here on where not to move but I was wondering what are some good areas to move to.

Our budget for a new house is $375 to $450K for a house. We currently live in Queens, NY and we bought our house for around 290K back in 1998.

do you mean city of LA or anywhere in metro LA?

[saybanana]

Do you want a "new" house? Maybe go to Santa Clarita Valley.
Otherwise for $450K, you might find something in Burbank.

[yowps3]

You won't get much house in areas within LA county.. Except for few in very bad areas.. Forget SGV

[Charles]

Originally Posted by tigerprint456

My wife got a recent job offer and I can pretty much live anywhere because I work from home.

Where is her job?

Kids? Ages?
Would you consider renting? Do you think this is a long term move?

[Is it me or does it seem just about everybody works from home these days?]
Here are a bunch of useful website. CHeck out redfin and school performance maps (even if you don't have kids).

Useful Househunting tools

[genjy]

Originally Posted by yowps3

You won't get much house in areas within LA county.. Except for few in very bad areas.. Forget SGV

Why forget SGV?

You mean the OP should buy a house in South LA or Lincoln Heights and never check out anything Temple City or Monrovia has to offer?

The SGV has some of the safest, cleanest cities and best K-12 schools in the county. $375k-$450k can get the OP a decent house in a desirable area in the SGV.

Since the OP works from home, everyday commute shouldn't be a concern.

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by genjy

Why forget SGV?

You mean the OP should buy a house in South LA or Lincoln Heights and never check out anything Temple City or Monrovia has to offer?

The SGV has some of the safest, cleanest cities and best K-12 schools in the county. $375k-$450k can get the OP a decent house in a desirable area in the SGV.

Since the OP works from home, everyday commute shouldn't be a concern.

SGV affordable under $450K, ok schools, safe neighborhood - Hacienda Heights, West Covina, Covina.

[BRinSM]

where is your wife's office? even though she'll only have to commute 2x per week, you won't want to live 30+ miles from her office.

[genjy]

Originally Posted by JohnG72

SGV affordable under $450K, ok schools, safe neighborhood - Hacienda Heights, West Covina, Covina.

There are plenty of houses in Alhambra, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, and Temple City listed for under $400k right now.

It's a bit of an Asian enclave, but nowhere in SoCal has the same accessibility to grocery stores and restaurants.

I used to live in Rosemead--that whole area of LA County is pretty awesome.

[tigerprint456]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

where is your wife's office? even though she'll only have to commute 2x per week, you won't want to live 30+ miles from her office.

Thanks she will be working at 350 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90071.