Santa Monica-area research - how to best spend the time this weekend (Culver City: real estate)

[TimRBoston]

Hi all -

I am considering a job offer in Santa Monica. The company is flying my wife and I out this weekend to work with a relo company to get a feel for the area. What areas would you recommend I check out given the following parameters:

1) good schools (prefer public over private) - esp for short term (kids are only 6 and 2)
2) can afford 1M-1.2M house...maybe a little more if I want to be house-poor
3) would like a commute of NO MORE than 45 min max to Santa Monica - I can't see my self doing a crazy commute every day

The job is typical working hours so I will be most likely travelling during rush hour.

Culver City is the only area on the list so far. Any advice on what I should check out?

Thanks!

[proudmommy]

School Performance Maps should help you located neighborhoods with good schools.

Redfin is the absolute best real estate tool. Nothing comes close.

With that budget, I'd bet you will find something in the Santa Monica area or very close - not necessary to go to the San Fernando Valley and heading south will be murder in traffic.

Patriots out, celtics out in second round.
"Here's a ground ball to Buckner"

[disgruntled la native]

Maybe even Santa Monica itself if you buy in the Ocean Park neighborhood. Not the fancy part of SM but still very clean, family friendly, close to the ocean and safe. Santa monica school district is good. you wont have a big house here but enough for a small family

[BRinSM]

what are your requirements in a house? $1MM will get you into santa monica, albeit not a huge house, but 3+ bedrooms nonetheless. other areas to consider if you don't want to be in the urban city are calabasas or el segundo, both of which have great public schools.

[TimRBoston]

Interesting...based on reading this forum I would have guessed Calabasas is a very long commute (?). El Segundo was also mentioned by the relo person. In terms of requirements, we are hoping that the house is up to date and not requiring a great deal of TLC.

[BRinSM]

calabasas certainly isn't close, but you can take malibu canyon or topanga canyon to pch to get to work and avoid the hassle of the 101 and 405. however, calabasas is a very nice and upscale bedroom community where $1mm will get you a very nice and large house. many celebrities live in calabasas fyi. personally i'd want to live in santa monica, but that's just me.

[ViOli]

I encourage you to take time to see those public schools you are considering. Ask the relo person if they would send their kids there. Ask around the company if people send their kids to public or private. I think you will be quite surprised with what you learn. In LA a great number of people send their kids to private school. It's not like other parts of the country where you only send your kid if you are very religious or the kid has learning problems. The public schools - even the "good ones" - are not great. Budget cuts, etc., have wrecked havoc on the school system and with the way CA is going, things are not going to get any better in the near future.

I would take the time to investigate the realities of public vs. private school a little more before making your decision.