Altadena Move (Pasadena, Burbank, Windsor: cheap home, neighborhood, buying)

[Mariazu]

WE will probably be buying a house in Altadena near JPL to start a family. Whats the neighborhood like west of Lincoln south of altadena dr. with the watershed park just west of us in walking distance? Any thoughts or comments? Thanks

[HyperionGap]

I'll tell you right now it's not fantastic, but it could be worse. How far west are you? I'm assuming you're something very close to Windsor/Ventura?

[ccm123]

If I was in the area again (I lived in La Crescenta previously), I would pick La Crescenta (good schools and great neighborhood) and driving distance to JPL.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by ccm123

If I was in the area again (I lived in La Crescenta previously), I would pick La Crescenta (good schools and great neighborhood) and driving distance to JPL.

that might be a great idea and yes, a top area, but the cost of property is much higher in La Crescenta. If I were moving back to the area and wanted a nice neighborhood in the Altadena area I would go further east than they are thinking. Although the Pasadena schools are not rated high, there are many elementary schools that are . By the time the OP has kids starting school things will have changed possibly. Too many people overlook, just because the overall districts are not at the top of the list, doesn't mean the local elementary school isn't.

[HyperionGap]

Nmita I don't know when you left Altadena, but in the past few years PUSD has shut down down Burbank, Noyes, & Audobon elementary. How sad is that.

Originally Posted by ccm123

If I was in the area again (I lived in La Crescenta previously), I would pick La Crescenta (good schools and great neighborhood) and driving distance to JPL.

I don't think anybody in the area would discourage someone from looking at La Crescenta. From my experience, I would say that La Crescenta has a smaller variance in price between homes than Altadena. Fewer cheap cheap homes and fewer super nice properties.

Also, I'm not convinced the OP is working at JPL though, she just said the place they are looking is near JPL/Hahamonga. Until she responds with exactly what she's looking for it's sort of hard to to give the her feedback.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by HyperionGap

Nmita I don't know when you left Altadena, but in the past few years PUSD has shut down down Burbank, Noyes, & Audobon elementary. How sad is that.





I don't think anybody in the area would discourage someone from looking at La Crescenta. From my experience, I would say that La Crescenta has a smaller variance in price between homes than Altadena. Fewer cheap cheap homes and fewer super nice properties.

Also, I'm not convinced the OP is working at JPL though, she just said the place they are looking is near JPL/Hahamonga. Until she responds with exactly what she's looking for it's sort of hard to to give the her feedback.

actually we left years ago and it is sad. One of our kids went to Burbank, many years ago. I am guessing the shut down has to do with declining enrollment as much as anything, right?

That being said, I still maintain, regardless of the school district, overall, there can still be good and bad schools within the district.

Of course La Crescenta has better schools and a lot to offer, but this doesn't mean Altadena should not be considered as long as the OP buys in the right part of Altadena.

[buzzkillb]

We are in Altadena East of Lincoln. People who visit say the area looks ghetto. I don't think its that bad, and the housing seems at the right price point and is close enough to everything, i.e. DTLA. The water bill is a bit higher if you are in Lincoln Water area.

Something nice is that the newly opened Walmart is super cheap, clean and has friendly people inside. And if they are out of something you can go a block down to Super King.

The area is pretty mixed which I like as well. Our block is as mixed as it gets and the neighbors are really nice. Feels like a smaller community. We are younger and had an older neighbor ask if they could fill up some water bottles while their plumbing was being fixed.

The one thing I still can't stand is parking big junk trucks on the street for weeks on end. I wish the County/City could add something to the parking laws to counter this.

[HyperionGap]

You're not on Rubio Cañon water over there? That's too bad.

[Onesunnyday]

I recently moved to Altadena in a truly gem neighborhood that is very up and coming so I must admit I am very glad I got in before prices skyrocket in this area. It is a perfect pocket that is west of Lincoln, north of Ventura, east of JPL and south of Altadena. Absolutely perfect! I love it. I have two little children, walk to the JPL trail and hang out at home with views of the mountain and close to freeways, old town Pasadena and the rose bowl. I am an accountant and my wife stays at home. I love Altadena and this pocket neighborhood.

[Onesunnyday]

Lol. Just read my post. Typing too fast. My wife is an accountant an stays at home.