Potential relocation (Pomona, Santa Monica, Woodland: HOA, houses, neighborhoods)

[DKM]

Hello,
I have been looking for places to buy a home in the Conejo Valley in the near future and I was hoping to get some advice on here. About me: Married to a stay at home mom, 3 kids, oldest just started kindergarten. Will be working near the 101 and Ventura Blvd in Woodland Hills. We already ruled out living closer in and even Aguora Hills is out so I hope this forum is the place to be. House budget is up to low 900's.

My problem: I hate long commutes. I lived in Portland and will never do that sort of thing again. It can take over an hour to get 8 or 10 miles. Try that in the dark rain for a few months and you'll go crazy. Maybe that's a normal commute in LA proper but hopefully not how the 101 behaves every day west of Woodland Hills?... Anyway I can deal with it for around 30 minutes and yeah a few accidents a month is fine but really don't want further than that. I know that puts me in a narrow window if I'm looking to live north or west of Aguora and get to Woodland Hills in 30 minutes. My understanding is the traffic is usually smooth going between the Hampshire road exit all the way into the Topanga Canyon exit I would take every morning. We looked at homes in WLV but the inventory is limited for 4 bedroom homes in that range. They do exist but we want to branch out our search.

What is the difference in commute if we were to buy a house in the Dos Vientos area of Newbury Park? What about the Wildwood area SW of CLU? Is it that hard to get past the 23/101 interchange? Double the time or worse?

What about getting to the freeway from Lang Ranch? Oak Park?

More generally, do you recommend any of those areas over the other or are they mostly the same? Our lives mostly revolve around the children and probably will until they are out. We prefer orderly calm neighborhoods where people are friendly.

Thanks!

[greenehaven]

West Newbury Park for lower home prices. Choice of home fit should be the starting point as they are all good locations.

good luck

[nightlysparrow]

The essential variable is time of day to commute, how close to rush hours. Note: you will be driving with the sun in your eyes both ways. In the heart of the rush hours:

From Lang Ranch to Woodland Hills via Westlake Blvd. to the 101 eastbound: figure 40 minutes in rush hour. Add 10 minutes from Dos Vientos in Newbury Park.

Oak Park to WH via Kanan Rd. to the 101: 30 minutes or less.

The worst section eastbound is between Las Virgenes over the Calabasas grade, as trucks slow down, plus you get the traffic coming over Las Virgenes/Malibu Cyn. from Malibu. Whoever told you different is incorrect. BTW, it is also just as bad eastbound in the pm rush hour, which makes no sense but is true nonetheless.

Westbound coming home is almost always easier. Beware coming over the grade, speed traps.

The 101 past the 23 is nothing. But the street driving through Dos Vientos or Wildwood or even up to Lang Ranch or Oak Park is a big variable. Streets run through numerous school slow areas and shopping centers, most all are 2 lanes, many are curvy. All add time.

Seriously, you may need to adjust expectations about commuting. That is simply the cost of living in SoCal. At least the weather conditions aren't stormy.

[DKM]

Thank you so much for the very thoughtful reply. Sun in eyes is a novelty here so I hadn't really even thought of that. Do people ever use Potrero from Newbury Park and go through Westlake? It doesn't sound too bad, 20 miles in 40 minutes is really moving compared to what I'm used to.

[pcw57]

Using Potrero between Newbury Park and Westlake Village might seem like a viable route if you're looking at a map and not personally familiar with the area.

I live in that area and would not rely on it as a shortcut from Dos Vientos to Westlake Village on a regular basis. Once in a while, perhaps, but not routinely. A single collision on Potrero Road can mess things up bigtime and put a hurtin' on your commute real quick (think auto vs. bicycle, or auto vs. deer, etc.). Then you'll curse yourself for taking that "shortcut" through Hidden Valley. But lots of folks use it as their route, nevertheless.

From Newbury Park headed to Westlake Village, it's a narrow, winding two-lane road (one lane in each direction) through the foothills into Hidden Valley (about a mile, give or take), then a series of long, flat straightaways through Hidden Valley itself, then it broadens into two lanes in each direction once you pass Lake Sherwood and head through a brief hilly area towards Westlake Blvd (flat), then north to the 101 Fwy. But during commuting hours, I'd give myself a bit more time (5-10 minutes) as a buffer.

I'd use it if the freeway is really messed up between Newbury Park and Westlake Village but, barring that, I'd stick to one of the other routes out of Dos Vientos (Lynn Road or Borchard) to the 101.

BTW, welcome to the Conejo Valley!

[nightlysparrow]

One other thing: it's not very evident on maps, but the hills in the areas mentioned are a factor in commuting. For example, from the 101 going up either Kanan Rd. or Westlake Blvd.---an upward hill all the way. Dos Vientos has twisty streets on hilly terrain. And although it sounds counterintuitive, the freeways are usually faster than the streets in the Conejo Valley.

The sun is a big factor in SoCal for driving. Invest in excellent sunglasses; recommend they are dark, UV and polarized.

Did you rule our Agoura for budget? The Las Virgenes school system is top-notch, and the commute would be so much easier.

[DKM]

Thank you for that. I was thinking of Potrero for a backup situation if there was a freeway problem. You certainly needed backup routes in Portland. I'm perfectly used to hills, we had those too. Even more fun when it snowed and you either risk your life or take a sick day.

I ruled out Agoura for personal reasons. We like HOA's: rules about parking and storing junk in your yard, upkeep of houses etc. And in a general sense a nicer overall feel to a neighborhood. In areas of Agoura we can afford it looks bad from what I can see online. I know using street view is a limited approach but its all I got and it speaks volumes from what I've seen. Homes with dirt for yards and 25 year old vehicles not even in driving condition is not the kind of area I'm going to move to. Even parts southeast Oak Park looks bad to me. Apparently some people don't mind and are willing to spend a million to live among that but I'm not one of them. My understanding as far as schools go is the Westlake portion of the CVUSD is just as good or better than Las Virgenes. Ditto for Oak Park. Everyone I talk to about that understandably has a bias about which is the best school system, but I have to believe they are more or less equal?

[greenehaven]

Potrero Road, next to the Santa Monica Mountains State Park that reaches the Pacific Ocean & offers clean cool air + good vistas. 950 Tapies Court 91320 was constructed when I lived there - they were the best tract around. Check it on zillow com

[nightlysparrow]

Originally Posted by DKM

I ruled out Agoura for personal reasons. We like HOA's: rules about parking and storing junk in your yard, upkeep of houses etc. And in a general sense a nicer overall feel to a neighborhood. In areas of Agoura we can afford it looks bad from what I can see online. I know using street view is a limited approach but its all I got and it speaks volumes from what I've seen. Homes with dirt for yards and 25 year old vehicles not even in driving condition is not the kind of area I'm going to move to. Even parts southeast Oak Park looks bad to me.

Don't be deceived, are no "bad" areas. Those areas you cited like what is called "Old Agoura" are semi-rural, with horses, llamas, poultry, etc., no different than a ranch, except smaller. Called mini-ranches. Nevertheless, they are owned by the very rich. They are especially values because of freedom from code enforcement. Code enforcement sounds nice unless you want to remodel a house in any way. Further more, have you factored in the County line? LA County has different laws and regulations than Ventura County. There are plusses and minuses for each.

And be aware, in CA HOA annual dues are "limited" to no more than 17% per year , unless there is a "special assessment." There has been almost no building allowed in the Conejo Valley for about 25 years, so many places are older.

[DKM]

Thank you for the pointers. Yes I'm agreeing Ventura County is better ( I am on the correct forum) . I would rather be closer to the amenities of what Ventura has to offer than LA anyway so being close to LA is only a positive for commuting. This jibes with ruling Agoura out. I mostly work 10 hour days so peak of rush hour might not be an issue.

Interesting what you pointed out about remodeling a house. I thought it was no big deal as long as you aren't looking to alter the sq ft or change the outside? Or are you saying I have to have the county approve the new kitchen? I would love to buy an older run down house in a nice area and get it fixed up. That's something we are looking into...

Greenhaven, that house is 50 years old! So you lived there then? I wasn't even close to being born yet. My parents were still in school then actually and living the good life in Pomona.