Safe, family-friendly place to rent when commuting to Whittier/Santa Fe Springs (Los Angeles: rental, how much)

[jth2004]

My husband's company has thrown out the idea of moving him from their office in southwest, rural Washington state to the one in the Whittier/Santa Fe Springs area. We are trying to figure out how much of a pay increase he would need to make this an appealing option for us.

We are a family of six, with four kids ages 7 and down. We are looking for a place with at least 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. My top priority is for it to be in a safe area as my husband travels often for work and I want to feel comfortable when he is away. He commutes 45 minutes to work right now, so we would be comfortable with a similar commute in California. Good schools are very high on the list also. Rent needs to be under 3000. Is this realistic?

Any suggestions for places that would fit our criteria would be great. Thanks!

[red4ce]

Cerritos is the closest city to Whittier/Santa Fe Springs that most would consider to be safe and have good schools so I'd look there first. Other options a bit further away include Cypress, Fullerton, Brea, and Rowland Heights.

I guess I should add that I've actually worked briefly in both Whittier and Santa Fe Springs before, about 8 and 2 years ago, respectively. For what it's worth I never felt like I was unsafe in either city, although my impression is that Whittier is nicer than Santa Fe Springs. Neither city is particularly well regarded for their schools though.

[Joe Van Fossen]

The suggestions above are good. Up to $3000 can get you a nice 3-4 bedroom home in any of those areas. Personally, I'm partial to Fullerton.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by jth2004

My husband's company has thrown out the idea of moving him from their office in southwest, rural Washington state to the one in the Whittier/Santa Fe Springs area. We are trying to figure out how much of a pay increase he would need to make this an appealing option for us.

We are a family of six, with four kids ages 7 and down. We are looking for a place with at least 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. My top priority is for it to be in a safe area as my husband travels often for work and I want to feel comfortable when he is away. He commutes 45 minutes to work right now, so we would be comfortable with a similar commute in California. Good schools are very high on the list also. Rent needs to be under 3000. Is this realistic?

Any suggestions for places that would fit our criteria would be great. Thanks!

Normal hours, or can he flex to something like 6-330? The earlier the better and the larger distance you can live from home for the same commute minutes.


Also, realize the 5 in south Los Angeles County is only three lanes each direction. It totally sucks. And, I think there is a huge widening project being planned for it which will probably last until we are allies with North Korea.

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by jth2004

My husband's company has thrown out the idea of moving him from their office in southwest, rural Washington state to the one in the Whittier/Santa Fe Springs area. We are trying to figure out how much of a pay increase he would need to make this an appealing option for us.

We are a family of six, with four kids ages 7 and down. We are looking for a place with at least 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. My top priority is for it to be in a safe area as my husband travels often for work and I want to feel comfortable when he is away. He commutes 45 minutes to work right now, so we would be comfortable with a similar commute in California. Good schools are very high on the list also. Rent needs to be under 3000. Is this realistic?

Any suggestions for places that would fit our criteria would be great. Thanks!

Go with Whittier. There are some areas that have the better schools because of $$$ in the neighborhoods. Probably those would feed into La Serna High, some into La Habra High.

[killer2021]

From what you are telling us, you need a minimum household income of 100k.

[jth2004]

Thanks for the feedback. It has been helpful. My husband's schedule should be somewhat flexible. After looking at places we figured his salary would have to be at least 100k. We will see what they offer. Thanks again.

[BRinSM]

i think brea would be a great option and you wouldn't even need to take the freeway. brea schools are mostly great and your rental budget should find you something decent.

[Sondeera]

Proud La Serna High School graduate right here! My niece actually graduated from there a week ago, with multiple honors and a full ride.

There are some gorgeous homes in Friendly Hills, as well as La Habra Heights, both of which are incredibly safe. One of my girlfriends I played volleyball with actually had her home in Better Homes & Gardens. There are horse trails, a country club, and plenty of open green space.

The homes along Mar Vista are also very nice, and in the La Serna boundaries for the most part, until you start getting closer to Uptown. Despite having gorgeous historical homes Uptown is not somewhere you want to live with four little ones and a husband who travels. My aunt owns one of the lovely restored homes across from Central Park and it's constantly filled with drunks, homeless, druggies and even when I lived in Uptown years ago there were multiple muggings and whatnot.

Brea and Fullerton are very good options, but the commute will be quite a bit longer. Fullerton has a wonderful sense of community and is my absolutely favorite city in Orange County.

If you need any specific Whittier questions answered, please feel free to direct message me. I love talking about my hometown.

[Sondeera]

Here's a house in La Habra Heights for $2500. They don't list the address, but you could always call and get it.

La Habra Heights House For Rent

Here's another one with pictures (including the view - I miss that view!)

House For Rent On One Acre Lot With Ocean and Canyon Views