Calabasas questions- schools, climate, etc... (Santa Ana, Santa Monica: best neighborhoods, homes, neighborhoods)

[Metairie]

My husband and I are considering a move to Calabasas. We are originally from New Orleans and have a 6 year old mildly autistic son. We have three old dogs and a decent idea of housing prices. I've researched the schools and they sound good statistically however is anyone aware of their autism programs or private school options? Weather wise I understand that Calabasas is a little hotter however the lower humidity compared to the coast makes up for it to me. But any additional insight on humidity and weather would be great. Also how are the communities within the neighborhoods? Friendly, snobby, etc... We'd be looking at single family 3000-4000 sq ft homes for reference. Thanks.

[BRinSM]

Calabasas is a high end suburb. A 3000+sf will probably cost you close to $2M.

[Metairie]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

Calabasas is a high end suburb. A 3000+sf will probably cost you close to $2M.

Yeah I saw that on Realtor.com. Any other insight into the area?

[BRinSM]

pros:
1. good schools
2. easy access to entertainment/shopping/dining
3. family friendly
4. neighborhoods are generally new and very nice
5. fairly easy drive to the beach
6. lots of nearby outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling (road and mountain)

cons:
1. hot in the summer, 100+ temps are not uncommon
2. traffic on the 101 is mostly terrible
3. far from central LA amenities and major job centers (except for warner center)

other considerations:
many celebrities live in the area, including the kardashians. bieber used to live there, but has since moved out.

my wife's grandmother lives just outside of calabasas city limits off of mulholland and the scenery is gorgeous. it gets rural very quickly once you head south or west from calabasas, which may or may not be a good thing to you. there are horse properties and stables nearby as well as as some famous private schools (including one run by the wife of James Cameron).

having said that, whenever I visit the more urban areas of calabasas i do get a bit of a snob vibe. people who live there tend to have quite a bit of money. drive around any of the parking lots in the area and you'll see what i mean. i don't think we're talking about showy people either. drive by the high school on a school day and you'll see some very nice cars parked on the street that belong to the students. that being said, if you have the funds to live there and don't have to commute too far, it seems like an idyllic suburb to raise a family.

[Metairie]

How is the humidity typically in that area?

[nightlysparrow]

Generally, very low humidity almost everywhere in SoCal. When the Santa Ana winds blow, even at the beach. Invest in a lot of lotion and lip balm. Calabasas is near to one of the hottest areas in the LA metro, Woodland Hills, BTW. Temps of 112 there last summer. And it's 90+ today.

[ccm123]

I worked out there for a few years while in SoCal.

Pluses:

1/ Good schools.
2/ Somewhat isolated from the rest of LA County.
3/ High end, upper middle income environment.
4/ Safe.

Minuses:

5/ Hot and dry.
6/ Really, one way in and out (101 freeway) and if there's an accident, you'll be stuck.
7/ Traffic on 101 can be bad during rush hour.

I didn't find the folks there to be snobby, but typical SoCal folks

[Youngcorporate]

Great choice, Calabasas is one of the best neighborhoods in Southern California. Like said above, it's a very affluent neighbrohod, extremely safe, especially for LA standards, life in Calabasas is simple, calm, peaceful, and scenic. Perfect California vibe. Welcome to Calabasas!

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

Generally, very low humidity almost everywhere in SoCal. When the Santa Ana winds blow, even at the beach.

True. But those Santa Ana winds don't blow often. These past few weeks have been pretty humid here in Santa Monica due to the marine layer.

[StreetLegal]

Originally Posted by Metairie

How is the humidity typically in that area?

Honestly, since you are coming from New Orleans I would not worry about the climate of Calabasas. You are in for a major upgrade in climate. The humidity is low in Calabasas and even if the summer days get warm they are multitudes more comfortable than N.O. And the summer evenings are usually pretty pleasant.