Family-friendly area to buy in LA (Glendale, Santa Clarita: sale, rent, condo)

[Tosyne]

Moving to LA in a couple of months and looking for recommendations on a good area to buy. We are a family of 3 (child < 2yrs) and looking for a good family-friendly neighborhood with easy access (open to metro) to downtown LA.
- Budget <= $700,000
- 3bd 2bath

[Texamichiforniasota]

Originally Posted by Tosyne

Moving to LA in a couple of months and looking for recommendations on a good area to buy. We are a family of 3 (child < 2yrs) and looking for a good family-friendly neighborhood with easy access (open to metro) to downtown LA.
- Budget <= $700,000
- 3bd 2bath

Are you ok with a condo as long as it is 3/2?

What is your time limit for commute to downtown (assuming from your post that that is where you will wotk)?

For SFH, I'm sure people will recommend Santa Clarita, since you can get a 3/2 SFH for under $700K, it's fairly safe, and it's right at the edge of what many would consider a survivable commute.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Is this a long term thing? Someplace that the two year old will be going to school in eventually?

I'd start in Burbank, Studio City, Valley Village, North Hollywood. Do look at Santa Clarita, Newhall and Valencia, you will get more bang for your buck.

If it is short term, two years or less, I might just live in DTLA.

[Tosyne]

Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota

Are you ok with a condo as long as it is 3/2?

What is your time limit for commute to downtown (assuming from your post that that is where you will wotk)?

For SFH, I'm sure people will recommend Santa Clarita, since you can get a 3/2 SFH for under $700K, it's fairly safe, and it's right at the edge of what many would consider a survivable commute.

Yes, I will prefer if it has a good school district.

[Tosyne]

Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota

Are you ok with a condo as long as it is 3/2?

What is your time limit for commute to downtown (assuming from your post that that is where you will wotk)?

For SFH, I'm sure people will recommend Santa Clarita, since you can get a 3/2 SFH for under $700K, it's fairly safe, and it's right at the edge of what many would consider a survivable commute.

I will prefer a townhome or single family home. Commute time during rush hour should be less than 45mins. I’m relocating from east coast and I’m not sure how realistic this is.

[KemBro71]

Originally Posted by Tosyne

I will prefer a townhome or single family home. Commute time during rush hour should be less than 45mins. I’m relocating from east coast and I’m not sure how realistic this is.

Santa Clarita not an option. 45 minutes not realistic.

[Texamichiforniasota]

Originally Posted by Tosyne

I will prefer a townhome or single family home. Commute time during rush hour should be less than 45mins. I’m relocating from east coast and I’m not sure how realistic this is.

Santa Clarita is out then, too far. There are some places in the Western or Northern SFV that might work on that budget, but I’m not quite sure on commute time to downtown, and you’ll have to look closely at which neighborhoods have decent school options. It’s a little more work, but LAUSD does have some decent options in many neighborhoods, but it’s not a district where you can just live anywhere and automatically get zoned to a good school. A lot of the good options are charter, magnet, and dual language, which require an application. That said, my kids as well as my neighbors kids all go to LAUSD schools, and they all pretty much got one of their top choices. The other option is probably some places in the SGV, but I haven’t spent much time in the cities there where house go for 700K or less, so maybe someone else who is more knowledgeable of those cities and their schools can weigh in.

Unfortunately, 700K is below the median SFH sale price in LA County the last couple of months ($747,380 in Sept) so you are looking at a less than average home/neighborhood. That is especially true if you were to look at neighborhoods within a 45 minute commute to downtown, as that gets ride of tons of cheap homes in the Antelope Valley, which is in Northern LA County, a 2 hr commute to downtown.

[socal88]

Finding a decent home for <$700K in a good area with solid public schools and a commute time of <45 minutes is not realistic. Something has to give.

Santa Clarita is a good choice if you're willing to have a longer commute (at least one hour each way).

Otherwise, I'd potentially consider somewhere in the Valley such as Granada Hills or West Hills. Commute while still be a while, but you'll at least be able to get a decent-sized home in a safe area and get zoned to some of the better public schools in LAUSD.

My only other potential recommendations would be looking out further east in the San Gabriel Valley in an area such as Glendora or La Verne. Again, these are good areas with good schools, but you're looking at least one hour each way.

[sacreole]

If you were more flexible on the budget, I would recommend Glendale or one of the western San Gabriel Valley suburbs.

[Used2BeeHere99]

Like they say good schools, tolerable commute, relatively affordable. Choose two. Really at this point rent close to work and learn the area and schools before buying.