Santa Clarita or Thousand Oaks????? (Los Angeles, Burbank: renting, new home, job transfer)

[MovingNow1969]

Hello All, my family and I (wife and two 13 y/o daughters) are having a very hard time choosing a place to live in SoCal. We are moving from Texas out to California in 1 month (end March) for a job transfer. I can either work in Burbank and live in the Santa Clarita area (Stevenson Ranch or Valencia) or work and live in Thousand Oaks. Two different jobs but, very very similar so not really playing into the decision.

We have been to both areas a lot! We have looked at homes in both areas. We will be renting a house for 9 months and then purchasing a new home in the area we choose. We love both areas!!

Can you maybe provide us some info on pros and cons of each area. We have been all over these boards reading up on each area as much as possible but, I thought I would post a direct question out here. We really have considered many areas and have narrowed it down to these two areas. What do you think? What area would you choose/why?

What is important to us:
Schools, safe areas, neighborhoods (nice, clean, walkable), commute, dance studios, things to do, etc.

What are your expect opinions?? Thank you all

[elhelmete]

For a number of reasons, most of which you stated but also some of my own**, I would choose 1000 Oaks, although it's pricier.

**Closer to Malibu and other beaches
**better culture/social/night life

[munchitup]

I went to college in Thousand Oaks, not super familiar with Santa Clarita but from what I understand they are basically identical bedroom communities of the San Fernando Valley. Thousand Oaks is closer to the beaches, Malibu, Ventura Blvd (most desirable / interesting / city-like part of the Valley) - Santa Clarita is closer to.... Six Flags?

I'm not sure why you would have to live in Santa Clarita and commute into Burbank, the commute alone is enough to make me say TO. I mean really, Thousand Oaks isn't that much further from Burbank than Santa Clarita.

[genjy]

Santa Clarita is clean for sure--good schools too. Not really walkable unless you mean strolling around the paseo paths within certain subdivisions.

Commuting to/from the rest of Los Angeles, it's basically one way in and one way out (Interstate 5). Santa Clarita to Burbank is actually farther than you might think.

I don't know anything about Thousand Oaks.

[MovingNow1969]

Originally Posted by munchitup

I went to college in Thousand Oaks, not super familiar with Santa Clarita but from what I understand they are basically identical bedroom communities of the San Fernando Valley. Thousand Oaks is closer to the beaches, Malibu, Ventura Blvd (most desirable / interesting / city-like part of the Valley) - Santa Clarita is closer to.... Six Flags?

I'm not sure why you would have to live in Santa Clarita and commute into Burbank, the commute alone is enough to make me say TO. I mean really, Thousand Oaks isn't that much further from Burbank than Santa Clarita.

Is the Thousand Oaks to Burbank commute doable???? I have had a few people tell me it isn't?? If it is that may make things easier

[elhelmete]

TO to Burbank is probably marginally to noticeably worse than SC to Burbank.

But, not knowing what kind of work you do, I would JUMP at the opportunity to live and work in the same area.

[MovingNow1969]

Originally Posted by elhelmete

TO to Burbank is probably marginally to noticeably worse than SC to Burbank.

But, not knowing what kind of work you do, I would JUMP at the opportunity to live and work in the same area.

The position is with Disney in Burbank. But, we love TO and SCV....why is nothing ever easy

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by MovingNow1969

Is the Thousand Oaks to Burbank commute doable???? I have had a few people tell me it isn't?? If it is that may make things easier

IMO both commutes are terrible and I would avoid them at all costs. For that reason staying within Thousand Oaks is what I would highly recommend. A 20+ mile commute might be reasonable in some cities but in the LA area it can be life-stealing.

Thousand Oaks is one of the least walkable cities I have ever experienced, and not much easier to drive in either. But it is a safe city with good-to-decent schools and a close proximity to a lot of things.

[MovingNow1969]

Originally Posted by munchitup

IMO both commutes are terrible and I would avoid them at all costs. For that reason staying within Thousand Oaks is what I would highly recommend. A 20+ mile commute might be reasonable in some cities but in the LA area it can be life-stealing.

Thousand Oaks is one of the least walkable cities I have ever experienced, and not much easier to drive in either. But it is a safe city with good-to-decent schools and a close proximity to a lot of things.

You may be right about life-stealing. If you were to put a commute time around each - SCV to Burbank and TO to Burbank during morning and evening rush what would you say? 45 min?

Are the schools (middle and high school) equivalent in both TO and Valencia/Stevenson Ranch?

[nightlysparrow]

Originally Posted by munchitup

Thousand Oaks is one of the least walkable cities I have ever experienced, and not much easier to drive in either.

Not so walkable, I'll give you (although there are exceptions to that, too), but not easy to drive in? You're dead wrong. The main streets in T.O.have only minimal cars during the primetime hours of the day, and they're downright dead the rest of the time. Everywhere you go there's a parking place. Have never been in a traffic jam on T.O. streets, ever. Even at Christmas time, you can drive to the malls and park without a problem. Even the DMV is barely crowded.

As to the freeways, the 101 is rarely an issue as it passes through T.O., and ever since they widened the 23, that's cool too.