Thinking of moving toThousand Oak, CA (Los Angeles, Anaheim: cul-de-sac, rental, house)

[Jupiter10]

How is Thousand Oaks, CA in terms of affordability, safety, jobs, etc.?

[Charles]

Did you read the terms of service? You need to do some up front research before asking the forum to tell you everything.

What line of work are you in?
What is your rental budget or housing price range?
Where are you going to work?
Married? Kids? In search of night life or soccer leagues?
Where are you moving from?
Why Thousand Oaks?

[9126ebk]

I work in Thousand Oaks, its wonderful out here to raise a family (good schools, safe neighborhoods, good people). But homes are $$$ out this way. WELL OVER $600k+ for a decent house. Everything closes around 9pm. its dead. no nightlife. No late night food joints except for jack-in-the-box and 7-11.. one of my old supervisors told me he played basketball with Will Smith at one of the Parks in T.O... tv stars are everywhere in the SFV but find an "A lister" like Will to play basketball at a public park just shows now nice the area is.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by 9126ebk

I work in Thousand Oaks, its wonderful out here to raise a family (good schools, safe neighborhoods, good people). But homes are $$$ out this way. WELL OVER $600k+ for a decent house. Everything closes around 9pm. its dead. no nightlife. No late night food joints except for jack-in-the-box and 7-11.. one of my old supervisors told me he played basketball with Will Smith at one of the Parks in T.O... tv stars are everywhere in the SFV but find an "A lister" like Will to play basketball at a public park just shows now nice the area is.

I bumped (checked?) into Gretzky and his kid at the Mann Village 8 at the Westlake Promenade a couple of years ago. I was one of the few people who recognized him. (Jack Kent Cooke, who used to own the Kings back in the early 1970s, had been told that there were over 300,000 former Canadians living within a three-hour drive of Los Angeles. He remarked, "Now I know why they left Canada: They hate hockey!")

Mike Scioscia lives above Kanan between Westlake and Lindero Canyon. What a commute out to Anaheim Stadium every night in summer.

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by Jupiter10

How is Thousand Oaks, CA...

Suburban, Caucasian, SUV-based planning, cookie-cutter development, shopping malls, expensive.

I've written before that to me the best part about Thousand Oaks is the sign that reads, "Welcome to the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area." The mountains between TO and the coast are special, indeed.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by cre8

Suburban, Caucasian, SUV-based planning, cookie-cutter development, shopping malls, expensive.

A lot of people find this to be what is desirable about leafy and landscaped TO. Sort of the opposite of urban, diverse, public transportation, hodgepodge unplanned, strip malls, ugly.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I have spent most of my life in the Ventura County area. Mostly in Oxnard and Port Hueneme on the coast. I can tell you that Thousand Oaks or TO as we call it is a great place to live. The Conejo School district is great. As someone said you can see your share of major stars in the area. Sherwood Country club is amazing. The Great one lives in a little place there. Most homes ar Sherwood start at $3million and can go up into the 10's of Millions. Will Smith has a home in the area as well. His son plays football for Oaks Christian. Will needed to be at one of his sons games and asked us to use our Helicopter pad so he could get to the game. That was cool. I think you would love the area, if you can afford the price.

[puffle]

Originally Posted by Charles

I bumped (checked?) into Gretzky and his kid at the Mann Village 8 at the Westlake Promenade a couple of years ago. I was one of the few people who recognized him. (Jack Kent Cooke, who used to own the Kings back in the early 1970s, had been told that there were over 300,000 former Canadians living within a three-hour drive of Los Angeles. He remarked, "Now I know why they left Canada: They hate hockey!")

Mike Scioscia lives above Kanan between Westlake and Lindero Canyon. What a commute out to Anaheim Stadium every night in summer.

Funny, I use to live down the block from Mike S. Gated house at the end of a cul-de-sac with the gate usually open.
Thousand Oaks is a safe place to raise a family, it is expensive as are most places in So.Cal with a darn, it's a pain to go into the city or even into the Valley most of the time, cooler in the summer than than Valley, and boring as heck for a single person.

[~Boo~]

I agree with the other posts. It's a great place for a family, it's safe and the schools have a good reputation. Lots to do if you have kids.

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by Charles

A lot of people find this to be what is desirable about leafy and landscaped TO. Sort of the opposite of urban, diverse, public transportation, hodgepodge unplanned, strip malls, ugly.

It's a matter of opinion, to be sure. I wasn't putting TO down so much as I was making a statement about places where everything looks like it was "baked in the same oven." Some of us find great comfort in the cookie-cutter, car-based, mall-strewn planning of places like Westlake/TO, and we're willing to pay through the roof to live there, while some of us others love the convenience and variety of places more spontaneous, colorful, gritty, or, as you say, "hodgepodge." Thousand Oaks is definitely not the latter. But, then again, there are those of us would just as soon be dead than find ourselves living in the "sameness" of Thousand Oaks. To each her/his own.