Buying a home in Altadena (Los Angeles, Fair Oaks: safe area, elementary school, living in)

[Hillarys]

Hello all,

I am considering buying a nice small older home in Altadena. I am a 62 year old woman, living alone. I do like to walk my dog in the evenings. Is this a safe area for the elderly? Walking at night? Any advice would be appreciated.

[jmac84]

Where in Altadena? Closer to Altadena Dr. and Lincoln or Fair Oaks not so much. North of Altadena Dr. and East of Lake Ave.. very nice!!!

I like Altadena, anywhere N of Altadena Dr and East of Santa Anita...but I am a 45 year old man living in Phoenix. There is a big cost difference to consider depending on the location. Overall very walkable, safe, and your dog will love it. I was up there last week. Las Flores/Santa Anita area. A good friend of mine is 73. He has been there since 1972 and he plans on dying there in about 20 plus years Very quiet as well and cool in the evening.

[HyperionGap]

Altadena is very nice, however, as the previous poster mentioned there is a large gradient of safety throughout the town. In general as you go from West to East it becomes safer (and more expensive).

He's not quite correct in that you have to be north of Altadena in order to be in a very safe area. The most exclusive homes are south of Altadena Drive along Midlothian. However, the "nice parts" extend much further west if you are north of Altadena.


FYI, my mother is 70 and lives south of Altadena Dr. west of Santa Anita and she takes walks with her dog all the time. However, I doubt she would walk anywhere past Fair Oaks or possibly Marengo after dusk.

[Hillarys]

Thanks for all the info. The house is a small older home on Highview Drive. I don't know the cross streets. Anything you might know would help a lot.

[Lovehound]

I don't know Altadena street by street but it is the nicer part of pasadena, my aunt and uncle and cousins lived there in the '60s. I bet there's a nice part of Altadena you would love and be safe in, but I don't know which part and don't know if you could afford it.

I'm pretty sure the more "alta" -- Spanish for "high" -- you go the better it will be.

Have a look at San Marino too, very nice, but again only if you can afford it.

[HyperionGap]

Originally Posted by Hillarys

Thanks for all the info. The house is a small older home on Highview Drive. I don't know the cross streets. Anything you might know would help a lot.

It's a safe middle class area. I used to go to kindergarten one block from there and walked to school with my babysitter every day. Keep in mind, some of those houses will back up onto the school I mentioned which could mean a lot of noise.

[Lovehound]

I lived a few blocks from an elementary school and when the winds were favorable I could always here the kids screaming with joy and enthusiasm when the wind was from school to me. It always reminded me of my very young youth, there at the present day as I slaved away over a hot workstation writing code for my engineering customers. I wish we had an elementary school around here I could hear, but only some days of the year not every day.

There is nothing better than screaming happy kids who have not been brought down by the realities of adult living and who know nothing of our ultimate demise.

[jmac84]

Originally Posted by HyperionGap

Altadena is very nice, however, as the previous poster mentioned there is a large gradient of safety throughout the town. In general as you go from West to East it becomes safer (and more expensive).

He's not quite correct in that you have to be north of Altadena in order to be in a very safe area. The most exclusive homes are south of Altadena Drive along Midlothian. However, the "nice parts" extend much further west if you are north of Altadena.


FYI, my mother is 70 and lives south of Altadena Dr. west of Santa Anita and she takes walks with her dog all the time. However, I doubt she would walk anywhere past Fair Oaks or possibly Marengo after dusk.

That part is definitely east of Lake. I would not hang around Woodbury and Marengo. Christmas Tree Lane and east is ok when you get down to Woodbury, but Woodbury (The next major street south of Altadena Dr) is "hood" "sketchy" etc. Don't let me start on Los Robles. If you are going below Altadena, definitely stay east.

Edit: But overall Altadena is very nice. The Sheriff Department is "in-bed" with the locals and they keep it clean. A significant amount of older/established people and money up there.

[HyperionGap]

Originally Posted by jmac84

That part is definitely east of Lake.

I am quite aware that Midlothian is east of Lake. However, in your previous you said the requirement was:

Originally Posted by jmac84

North of Altadena Dr. and East of Lake Ave.. very nice!!!
[and then again you state]
I like Altadena, anywhere N of Altadena Dr and East of Santa Anita...

The area I mentioned does not fall into the area you described. Nowhere did you just say anything about anywhere east of Lake being nice regardless of its N/S position. Regardless, this doesn't really matter much to the OP as she isn't buying in that neighborhood anyways.

Originally Posted by jmac84

If you are going below Altadena, definitely stay east.

Nope. Not true at all. Let me show you what type of homes/neighborhood you can live in if you buy south of Altadena & west of Santa Anita. This was the original Millionaire's Row neighborhood in the 1890's-1920's. There are probably 2-3 dozen more stunning homes in the area, but are too covered to get a good shot from google maps. Here's a few.


Mendocino & Raymond


Vischer & Mariposa


Mendocino & Marengo


Calaveras & Santa Anita
My neighbors completely overpriced this home and then sold it to Wentworth Miller for $2.9 million. I can assure you, this neighborhood is not a dump full of crackdens, drugdealers, and gangs.
Actor Wentworth Miller lists Altadena home at $1.59 million - Los Angeles Times

Originally Posted by jmac84

Christmas Tree Lane and east is ok when you get down to Woodbury, but Woodbury (The next major street south of Altadena Dr) is "hood" "sketchy" etc. Don't let me start on Los Robles.

FYI, any home on Los Robles is not in Altadena. The border is at Woodbury and Los Robles dead ends there. In addition, there is literally no single family home that you can buy on Woodbury & Los Robles intersection so you also don't really have to worry about anyone buying a home there. Also here's that "hood" and "sketchy" area along Los Robles looking north at Woodbury in the distance.



Now lets compare this to a real hood in say ... Milwaukee.

[Lovehound]

nice pictures!