Altadena (Pasadena, Alhambra, Monterey Park: for sale, rent, motels)

[whatever78]

Anyone live here or lived here recently? Would you recommend it to a couple with a young child? Private schools in the area that you could recommend? We were driving around last weekend (practically getting ourselves carsick) looking at homes for sale in Pasadena and Altadena (under 500k). Ir seemed to us that Altadena is a nicer area than the area in Pasadena where homes are in the same price range. Anyone have any thoughts? It seems "dead" there but is close enough to activities in Pasadena and i like that it is at the feet of the mountains. Any living experiences would be appreciated!

Also if anyone can compare (I know this is a long shot) these areas...

Highland Park vs. Pasadena vs. Altadena vs. Alhambra

I would love to have me a piece of that gold line!!

[suncat]

I love Altadena. My mother was born and raised there, and until last year my grandmother lived there. It's got a country feel to it, and a nice location right up against the foothills. It feels a little slower-paced than the rest of LA, and I think it's friendlier.

In recent years, it seems like young families have been moving into my grandma's neighborhood, as the older residents move away or die. You should be able to bargain a good price on a house, but I'm not sure you'd get much for under $500k. As a comparison, my grandma's house has been on the market since July, and we're asking about $600k -- it's a 1940s ranch house. So far a few bites, but nothing solid. Might be too small for folks w/ kids, because it's just 2BD/1BA, but there are bigger homes in the neighborhood. Have you looked around 91001, east of the country club?

[sgvkev]

Highland Park- Gentrifying but still has a big gang problem, mainly in the areas south of York.

Alhambra- Good area but you need to be careful about where you live... a lot like San Gabriel and Monterey Park in that there's an equal amount of bad areas and good areas. Best area is northeast near San Marino... big Asian culture in the city.

Altadena- Nice but the areas west of Lake are gang infested even though many of them look nice.

Pasadena- Avoid the area north of the 210 and west of Hill as a lot of it is run down and dangerous... unincorporated East Pasadena, while not as dangerous, just looks gritty (old buildings, low rent motels, no grass). Southwest Pasadena is where all the fun's at as eastern Pasadena feels like your general suburbia.

[whatever78]

thanks for replies. the only affordable area for us is west of lake, which apparently is gang infested. we were looking north of altadena west of lake. it really did appear gang infested at all, it appeared to be very nice and clean. i have to admit i'm surprised to hear it is gang infested!

[DawnW]

The first house we ever bought was in Altadena. We lived on Loma Alta and backed into the mountains. Some days we wish we had never sold that home.

But, schools ARE an issue. I wouldn't use any of the local schools there.

We looked at Pasadena Christian, Woldorf and a few smaller schools.

We did do the math though and it was better for us to buy a home for more in Arcadia, So Pas, La Canada or La Crescenta and use the public schools. If you are open to public, those might be better options as you can use what you might have spent on tuition for housing.

We have 3 kids so the more expensive schools were definitely out.

Dawn

[DawnW]

I wouldn't say that all of that area is bad.

The more north and the more East you get, the better. There are some lovely areas.

Dawn

Originally Posted by whatever78

thanks for replies. the only affordable area for us is west of lake, which apparently is gang infested. we were looking north of altadena west of lake. it really did appear gang infested at all, it appeared to be very nice and clean. i have to admit i'm surprised to hear it is gang infested!

[whatever78]

In-laws are in La Crescenta, we were looking at Altadena for proximity to them...and to jobs in Pasadena or gold line to downtown. We'll be doing the math on a more expensive house vs. cost of private school...however DH is a teacher in Catholic schools so we can get a discount, and some of them for elementary are between 3-4k a year, not too bad. Its a hard decision to make. Right now we are way priced out of La Crescent and Arcadia, but the market is moving...although areas with good public schools don't seem to have the same price drops.

[whatever78]

Originally Posted by DawnW

I wouldn't say that all of that area is bad.

The more north and the more East you get, the better. There are some lovely areas.

Dawn

Thank you Dawn, that is very reassuring!!

[DawnW]

Wait, so does your DH have a job?

There are great Catholic options in and near Altadena. Our neighbors (when we moved to Pasadena) was a teacher at Flintridge in La Canada. The Catholic school on the corner of Elizabeth and Lake is great from what I hear. So, you shouldn't have a problem.

Dawn

Originally Posted by whatever78

In-laws are in La Crescenta, we were looking at Altadena for proximity to them...and to jobs in Pasadena or gold line to downtown. We'll be doing the math on a more expensive house vs. cost of private school...however DH is a teacher in Catholic schools so we can get a discount, and some of them for elementary are between 3-4k a year, not too bad. Its a hard decision to make. Right now we are way priced out of La Crescent and Arcadia, but the market is moving...although areas with good public schools don't seem to have the same price drops.

[whatever78]

DH has a job teaching currently, he's interviewing for principal jobs. we were actually set to leave town because of housing prices but then he got the promotion offer so we feel like we should stay and not pass that up. also prices are coming down so we have some hope now! too bad we didn't buy back in 2001! (when i was 23 years old)