Safe, "affordable" areas both sides of Westlake Village area - Ventura County - California (CA) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

LadyKLO · 07-29-2011, 11:54 PM

$380K in those areas might be a bit difficult. Perhaps Camarillo is an option??

Just today someone told me about a vegan restaurant in Ventura. I have a vegan relative who lives in Santa Monica and I understand there are a ton of places down there. I'm not vegan but I enjoy eating vegan foods daily like my vegan bran muffins I eat daily. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods sell these. There is another similar store but I can't think of it for the life of me right now.

CharlesDarnay · 08-02-2011, 02:08 PM

I would rent. This way you can get a feel for the area. $380 will not get you anything in T.O. or Newbury Park--I don't think.... BUT--if you rent you can check everything out and get with a real estate person who can help you jump on a good deal. Simi Valley is cheaper--as is Moorpark. The commute is easy and do-able. Camarillo is cheaper too--and do-able. BUT I would rent and get a feeling for each community. Camarillo is cooler and has more fog. Simi and Moorpark are a lot warmer with no fog. Depends on what you rent. Rent--it's safer.

Litlove71 · 08-12-2011, 01:51 PM

Just responded to your other thread. If grocery stores and dining are a major factor Simi doesn't make much sense for you. Follow Your Heart is great! But tiny. And not so significant. Mary's Secret Garden in Ventura gets rave reviews.

Choose a neighborhood you like the vibe of and that has the easiest rush hour traffic patterns. You won't have the same driving issues Sunday when you want to head to the Farmer's Market or Saturday night to have lunch at the vegetarian Indian place on Sherman Way, Spice Market...

One of you needs to take time off and come spend time down here!

veganvixen · 08-18-2011, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Litlove71

One of you needs to take time off and come spend time down here!

Believe me, if we could manage this, we would. Can't do it. Hence why I wake up with migraines lately.

We went to Mary's Secret Garden when we first visited in June. It was amazing!

Thanks so much for the feedback.

Litlove71 · 08-28-2011, 03:30 AM

How big of a place are you looking for? Are you only wanting a single family home? If it were me, I'd choose Camarillo. People are more laid back than in the other cities you mentioned. You'll get more home for your dollar, if it's not a shorter drive from WL to Cam, than WL to Simi, I'd be really surprised. Also, you can head to Santa Barbara and Ojai for food and cultural activities. UCSB has a great Arts and Lectures program. And from Camarillo you can also head down the PCH to get to some amazing hiking before Malibu, and this is so much more of a pleasant drive into LA. I don't personally live in Camarillo, but in Ventura, on the way to Ojai. It is a short flight, a 2 day trip would not be crazy if you have an agent that will devote themselves to you for that chunk of time. If you want to chat with a local PM me and I'll be happy to help if I can. I just can't imagine making the kind of decision you're talking about blindly, trusting a salesperson with such a major life decision. Do you have a friend or relative that could come for you maybe? I found my brother's first house for him, for example.

veganvixen · 08-30-2011, 07:22 AM

Litlove,

You are too sweet for words! I would love to chat with you.

We are looking for a single family home in the range of 380k-390k. I had our realtor add Camarillo to our listings and I have seen some nice options. Thanks for the advice. He said he had not included them because we did not want to commute more than 30 min to WLV. So from his perspective, Simi might be a little closer. He has only been sending us listings from West Simi so maybe that is why he said the commute is shorter.

I do think the agent we have will devote his time to us once we are there on our week long home finding trip. If he doesn't, I will fire him immediately. I am not shy about making sure we get what we need and I trust no realtors on the planet.

How do I get your phone number to call sometime? To answer your question, I have no friends or family there. My husband will know some co-workers once we get there, but they are all in the same boat we are.

Thank you for your kindness.

Litlove71 · 09-12-2011, 03:10 AM

Where is your realtor located?

I sent you a direct message with my #.

Tracy

teamVConline · 10-09-2011, 02:03 AM

If you are over 55+ you may want to consider Camarillo's Leisure Village, apx. a 15-minute drive from Westlake Village. Housing at Leisure Village starts in the low-$200s and goes as high as very low $400s. Camarillo's weather is 10-degrees cooler than the Conejo Valley. We do have a Lassen's plus a Trader Joes, and coastal Ventura (15 minutes North) is sprawling with eclectic, vegan choices. $380K buys you a 1500sf single-story detached house in Camarillo, if the senior option is something you are not quite ready for.