Moving to SFV (Los Angeles, Sacramento, Santa Ana: for sale, real estate, apartments)

[vmmom]

We are considering to move to the Valley from L.A. I would appreciate any information you might share about Granada Hills, Chatsworth or Northridge...e.g which part is safer, more family-friendly with better school, etc.

Thank you very much!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by vmmom

We are considering to move to the Valley from L.A. I would appreciate any information you might share about Granada Hills, Chatsworth or Northridge...e.g which part is safer, more family-friendly with better school, etc.

Thank you very much!

How about more information,

Renting or buying?
Budget or Price Range?
Where do you work?
Kids? Ages?

Each town has quite a range of homes from studio apartments to three bedroom ranchers to multi-million dollar estates. Chatsworth might have a little more rural horse property west of Topanga in there near the Chatsworth Parks.

One thing you need to do is search the Los Angeles City Data forum with keywords like schools, traffic, rent, streets, etc.

Also, use this excellent tool to find schools:

California School Performance Maps

[ConsideringLA]

Where will you be working?

[vmmom]

Thanks for your responses.

To answer your questions, we plan to purchase a home in the $450,000 to $550,000 range. I work in the Central Los Angeles area at multiple offices from Beverly Hills to Pasadena. My kid will start grade school next year. I am used to the city life but very open to living in any suburban areas.

I saw some houses in Granda Hills (N. of Rinaldi, around Balboa). The houses look really good for the price range. However, I was told that there's a landfill nearby. Just curious if the air and water in the area is polluted.

Looking forward to any feedbacks you may have. Thank you!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by vmmom

$450,000 to $550,000 range. I work in the Central Los Angeles area at multiple offices from Beverly Hills to Pasadena. My kid will start grade school next year. I am used to the city life but very open to living in any suburban areas.

I saw some houses in Granda Hills (N. of Rinaldi, around Balboa). The houses look really good for the price range. However, I was told that there's a landfill nearby. Just curious if the air and water in the area is polluted.

Looking forward to any feedbacks you may have. Thank you!

Did you look at the schools for the homes you may consider?

I wouldn't be too concerned about the landfill issues, the water you drink comes from the Sierras where people are peeing under chair 16 at Mammoth through the Owens Valley and the flats where people are dumping their used motor oil at the Sacramento delta. (Not that you really don't have anything to worry about - I just haven't read too many concerns.)

Granada Hills as far as I know doesn't have bad air. It does get some of the most intense Santa Ana winds though. I used to play quite a bit of golf up at Knollwood and it could get breezy.

What I would be concerned about is the daily commute. Not sure if taking the metrolink will work for you. I can't imagine the 118/5 is that easy of a drive.

Did you look at La Crescenta, Pasadena, La Canada or other places a little closer to central LA? It looks like there is a vein of good schools running northeast from South Pasadena up through Arcadia....I don't know those areas at all but looks like it is a good combination of schools and commute.

[BRinSM]

and very expensive homes!!! I just read in the Times over the weekend that the cheapest homes in La Crescenta still sell for over $1 million!!!!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

and very expensive homes!!! I just read in the Times over the weekend that the cheapest homes in La Crescenta still sell for over $1 million!!!!

Not so sure about that. In 30 seconds I pulled all sorts of homes like 3+2 SFR, 1600 sqft listed at $529K.

La Crescenta, CA, Real Estate Listings and La Crescenta, CA Single Family Home for Sale - REALTOR.com®

[vmmom]

I did some research on La Canada, La Crescenta, Pasadena & Arcadia as well. Other than in Pasadena, the houses in the Granada Hills and Northridge seem a lot nicer for the same price. There are some homes in in La Cresenta in my price range but they are usually very dated and lack of character. I really like the Eichler Modern style of the Granada Hill/Northridge home.

And yes, it's true, the commute would probably be my #1 concern. I always hear about the 101,405 and 118 during traffic reports. How long approximately would it take from the Granada Hills to the West side?

Thank you

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by vmmom

How long approximately would it take from the Granada Hills to the West side?

it could be as short as 20 minutes up to well over an hour. For normal commuting times, I would count on it being closer to the latter.

[Radical Raul]

Originally Posted by Charles

It looks like there is a vein of good schools running northeast from South Pasadena up through Arcadia....I don't know those areas at all but looks like it is a good combination of schools and commute.

Other than the dilapidated LAUSD, the schools in California are generally excellent. If having your child graduate from a higher accredited school is the primary factor, all the power to you.

I've worked with Pasadena Unified, they have a very dedicated staff and are closely linked with Cal Tech and JPL, you can find some decent deals there, but remember the eye of the storm has yet to pass.

On a final note Pasadena is typical of San Gabriel Valley cities; they have their good spots and bad spots, with good spots within the bad spots and vice versa.

I would suggest Coldwell Banker on Lake Ave.