Is moving to Oxnard a good idea? (Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley: apartment, rent)

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Steve Bagu,

Families in Malibu? You have to be kidding me? lol.

[Winston Smith]

Heard of a famous San Fernando Valley family who once lived at Spawn Movie Ranch in Chatsworth!

[Steve Bagu]

Malibu High School...sounds like an institution for some teenage students. Maybe they are bused in from Watts or Compton or the Barrio from East LA. (will have to ask some of my cumpas)

The need for a High School must mean students living within the city limits...thus "families".

Granted the homes are not your avg family homes but more upscale like Beverly Hills...but wait...they also have Beverly Hills High...wonders never cease to exist.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

3 of my good friends grew up in Malibu. Amazingly they went to school while living there. Imagine that.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by SammamishMom

A friend of mine teaches at Malibu High School. He lives in Santa Monica, but it is too expensive and is looking elsewhere. He refuses to go to the Valley as it is all "families". What about Oxnard? How is it for Singles (not gay)?

This guy has basically four choices: stay in SM, to north, go west, or move to the Malibu area.

If he can't manage SM, then he won't manage Malibu. Besides, Malibu is so sparse that the single's scene isn't that good.

That leaves west (Oxnard Plain) and north (Calabasas, Conejo Valley, West San Fernando Valley.)

Most housing of any kind on the Oxnard plain is going to be far west (Oxnard, PH,) or far north (Camarillo) or even worse NW (Ventura). Traffic probably won't be that bad though (just a guess).

North anything but Woodland Hills is going to be very un-single like, but even WH is pretty conventional.

It all comes down to money. Best bet would be to try to make SM work.

[Doceddie]

If youre considering buying a home in a city you have never lived and know little about other than what youve gleaned from the internet I would highly recommend renting short term as a trial basis.
Get a feel for the area, there's more than feeling safe, its the nuances of a place that you want to feel you can have a progressive affinity for before you know its right for you to plant your flag. Good Luck :-)

[heartshinegirl]

Hello, I grew up in Oxnard my whole life... I've traveled a bit as well and lived in other states including Washington. I can tell you what I love about Oxnard and what I don't particularly love... and maybe help you a bit when making your choice.

If you want the most perfect weather, then you want to live in Oxnard. It's never too hot, and it's never too cold. It's beautiful almost all of the time. Also there are nearly endless amounts of locations to visit that are beautiful within a relatively short drive. Oxnard has many beaches, also access to LAX in less than an hours drive. Also Oxnard has it's own airport, and very close to places up and down the coast for fun. I particularly love how close it is to LA, and Malibu, as well as how close it is to Santa Barbara, and Ventura. It's in the middle of everything good. It is not that far to Lake Casitas or Ojai either... both really nice places to get away to.

Oxnard is predominantly hispanic, but that only means better food and restaurants in my opinion. Some of the best Mexican food around. Everyone is friendly really here and happy. I don't know any grumpy people here really.

There is gang activity... but it's a very large city. The largest in Ventura county. Now, having said that... let me tell you some of the drawbacks.

Oxnard doesn't have a big mall like other cities nearby. There is a nice mall in Ventura, and there is one in Thousand Oaks (half hour drive) and if you want to travel a bit further you can go to San Fernando Valley (The Valley) and go shopping.

Mostly all the good shopping is in other towns. Oxnard is a big city but all the fun stuff is really in surrounding towns, like Ventura, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara.

I just consider Oxnard a big area with lots of homes, but not much stuff to do really.. you really do have to go away to other places to find adventure.

We do have a movie theater in Oxnard, downtown, and it's lovely down there and we have a farmers market every Thursday with activities.

The prices for rent here I think are too much for the types of apartments you get, but if you are buying a home I think you're going to be getting a pretty good deal out of it right now.

I think the community lifestyle in Camarillo may be nicer and closer knit. Ventura is more cultural in my opinion, more things to do and see off of Main street in Ventura. Now, Santa Barbara is the "BEST" area in my opinion in this vicinity. Most people who live in this area of California look down on Oxnard I think, I know people in Ventura frown about having to go to Oxnard (but that's only because they grew up in Ventura) and Ventura is great! Don't get me wrong... I love it there.

If you are looking for something scenic, I'd chose Santa Barbara. If you want something like Santa Barbara but not as expensive I'd chose Ventura. If you want something maybe not as scenic as Ventura but upscale and quiet and warmer weather than Oxnard (better if you like swimming pools) then chose Camarillo or Newberry Park or Thousand Oaks.

But, if you like cool weather, and love the beaches and want to be able to open your windows and have a nice ocean breeze then chose somewhere in Oxnard.

Oxnard is pretty... and there are pretty spots but there are also ugly spots. I have often wanted to work for the city of Oxnard working on making the city more beautiful... as I know there are spots that are eyesores.

If you do decide to move here.. you will be happy with the weather, you will love the food, and you will find some really pretty homes... you will love how everything is really close to get to.

It's nothing fancy here... but it's nice... and I would recommend it if you want to move to California... but I would recommend Santa Barbara first. I'd really love to live there, and it's only 30 mins away... but it's a bit more expensive.

Come visit us and hang out for a couple of weeks... check it all out. Ask people to take you around who know the city... and nearby cities.

I have a facebook with photos of Oxnard and Ventura... check it out Rhonda Lillie - Ventura County, CA | Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/heartshinegirl - broken link)

[heartshinegirl]

Hello, I grew up in Oxnard my whole life... I've traveled a bit as well and lived in other states including Washington. I can tell you what I love about Oxnard and what I don't particularly love... and maybe help you a bit when making your choice.

If you want the most perfect weather, then you want to live in Oxnard. It's never too hot, and it's never too cold. It's beautiful almost all of the time. Also there are nearly endless amounts of locations to visit that are beautiful within a relatively short drive. Oxnard has many beaches, also access to LAX in less than an hours drive. Also Oxnard has it's own airport, and very close to places up and down the coast for fun. I particularly love how close it is to LA, and Malibu, as well as how close it is to Santa Barbara, and Ventura. It's in the middle of everything good. It is not that far to Lake Casitas or Ojai either... both really nice places to get away to.

Oxnard is predominantly hispanic, but that only means better food and restaurants in my opinion. Some of the best Mexican food around. Everyone is friendly really here and happy. I don't know any grumpy people here really.

There is gang activity... but it's a very large city. The largest in Ventura county. Now, having said that... let me tell you some of the drawbacks.

Oxnard doesn't have a big mall like other cities nearby. There is a nice mall in Ventura, and there is one in Thousand Oaks (half hour drive) and if you want to travel a bit further you can go to San Fernando Valley (The Valley) and go shopping.

Mostly all the good shopping is in other towns. Oxnard is a big city but all the fun stuff is really in surrounding towns, like Ventura, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara.

I just consider Oxnard a big area with lots of homes, but not much stuff to do really.. you really do have to go away to other places to find adventure.

We do have a movie theater in Oxnard, downtown, and it's lovely down there and we have a farmers market every Thursday with activities.

The prices for rent here I think are too much for the types of apartments you get, but if you are buying a home I think you're going to be getting a pretty good deal out of it right now.

I think the community lifestyle in Camarillo may be nicer and closer knit. Ventura is more cultural in my opinion, more things to do and see off of Main street in Ventura. Now, Santa Barbara is the "BEST" area in my opinion in this vicinity. Most people who live in this area of California look down on Oxnard I think, I know people in Ventura frown about having to go to Oxnard (but that's only because they grew up in Ventura) and Ventura is great! Don't get me wrong... I love it there.

If you are looking for something scenic, I'd chose Santa Barbara. If you want something like Santa Barbara but not as expensive I'd chose Ventura. If you want something maybe not as scenic as Ventura but upscale and quiet and warmer weather than Oxnard (better if you like swimming pools) then chose Camarillo or Newberry Park or Thousand Oaks.

But, if you like cool weather, and love the beaches and want to be able to open your windows and have a nice ocean breeze then chose somewhere in Oxnard.

Oxnard is pretty... and there are pretty spots but there are also ugly spots. I have often wanted to work for the city of Oxnard working on making the city more beautiful... as I know there are spots that are eyesores.

If you do decide to move here.. you will be happy with the weather, you will love the food, and you will find some really pretty homes... you will love how everything is really close to get to.

It's nothing fancy here... but it's nice... and I would recommend it if you want to move to California... but I would recommend Santa Barbara first. I'd really love to live there, and it's only 30 mins away... but it's a bit more expensive.

Come visit us and hang out for a couple of weeks... check it all out. Ask people to take you around who know the city... and nearby cities.

I have a facebook with photos of Oxnard and Ventura... check it out Rhonda Lillie - Ventura County, CA | Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/heartshinegirl - broken link)

[justducky2]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

Check this story out. All the cities in Ventura County including Oxnard are too safe to recieve any federal funds to add Police services. I started a thread about this in the Main California Forum

Police federal stimulus funds elude county : Local News : Ventura County Star

Oxnard is actually one of 9 California cities getting state gang violence reduction grants...which is a good thing...

I would live in Oxnard or Ventura....

[Winston Smith]

What I like most about Oxnard, aside from the great weather, the coast, the downtown, cultural events, farmers markets and easy Amtrak/Metrolink access, is the glimmer of hope of "new urbanist" planning. It's starting to look like the future of Oxnard is one where you can live in a nice habitation above or nearby store/services, walk to your destinations or easily grab a shuttle. Oxnard is slowly becoming far less car-centric than it has been in the past. And far more "new urbanist," certainly, than cities like Thousand Oaks or Simi Valley.