Topanga to Brentwood Commute (and other info) (Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley: for sale, rentals)

[SimonSez]

I'm intrigued by Topanga Canyon--it looks like it'll have a more small-town/rural feel than a lot of places. Am I right? And what is the commute like, either going north to the 101 and down the 405 or south to PCH and Sunset? I know I'll be working in Brentwood, and am looking for something affordable, safe and non-urban.

A bit of a drive is fine, but an hour is too much....

Thanks!

[BRinSM]

You'll definitely want to take the canyon road to PCH. From there you can exit at California and take Wilshire to Brentwood. I would guess that the commute could range anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or perhaps longer if PCH has any issues (ie mudslide, fires, etc).

[ChiliPepperGarage]

I used to live in Simi Valley and worked on Santa Monica and 20th. Got sick of the 405 real quick so started to take Topanga Canyon to PCH. I would leave before 6AM and it wasn't bad but coming home was always a lot of traffic. But I remember sitting in traffic on PCH by the Palisades, top down, beautiful houses on my right, the ocean on my left, hot babes roller blading the strand and thinking, "not a bad place to be stuck in traffic, could be in Chicago in a blizzard or something".

So it depends on what time you have to go in and get off. No matter what, it's not too bad. People travel from all over the world on vacation just to drive the same route!

[greggd]

Originally Posted by SimonSez

I'm intrigued by Topanga Canyon--it looks like it'll have a more small-town/rural feel than a lot of places. Am I right? And what is the commute like, either going north to the 101 and down the 405 or south to PCH and Sunset? I know I'll be working in Brentwood, and am looking for something affordable, safe and non-urban.

A bit of a drive is fine, but an hour is too much....

Thanks!

Commute isnt all that bad. Depends on where you live in Topanga. You can catch sunset or Entrada to San Vicente to reach Brentwood. If you drive during rush hours expect slow train rides up topanga and traffic on pch depending on the time.

I would not suggest 101 to 405 to brentwood. long commute. Have you also considered inland homes in malibu?

[SimonSez]

Originally Posted by greggd

Commute isnt all that bad. Depends on where you live in Topanga. You can catch sunset or Entrada to San Vicente to reach Brentwood. If you drive during rush hours expect slow train rides up topanga and traffic on pch depending on the time.

I would not suggest 101 to 405 to brentwood. long commute. Have you also considered inland homes in malibu?

Malibu never occurred to us--we assumed prices were too high. Would I just search for Malibu homes, or is there a specific/different city name to look for? (We're a couple of thousand miles away right now....)

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

[greggd]

Originally Posted by SimonSez

Malibu never occurred to us--we assumed prices were too high. Would I just search for Malibu homes, or is there a specific/different city name to look for? (We're a couple of thousand miles away right now....)

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

You can try this site to find homes for sale: TheMLS.com: Guests Site

This site is directed more toward rentals properties: westside-southbay-310 apts/housing for rent classifieds - craigslist

Since you are new to the area, I would suggest you rent a place on a short term basis, then take your time to find the exact area that is best for you.

Definetly spend time in both areas before buying. Only time and experience can determine the best fit for you. All is not as it seems on one or two scenic drive throughs.

Keep in mind that Malibu can extend way back inland to the 101 hwy/valley area. Quite a few advertisments, such as "Archstone" like to use the malibu name but realistically they are way on the eastern edge and closer/or in the Thousand Oaks area. That would be a very long commute. So when you see a location or address, try and google map it and see where it lands in relation to the pacific. There are a range of properties available in malibu and are relatively close to the Pacific Coast Hwy.