Considering Thousand Oaks or Rancho Palos Verdes from Australia. Any other areas we should consider? (Los Angeles: rental, condo)

[Sydper]

Hi All

I have been reading the fantastic info posted here for months and have finally decided to post a query.
I'm Australian, my husband is originally from the Bay area but hasn't lived in the U.S for over 20 years and we have a 14 year old son. We currently live in Australia.
My husband may be offered a job in California working in I.T. The job could be based either in Northern or Southern California. If they say North we think the Lafayette, Walnut Creek area would suit us.
If they say South we are unsure and that's were we need help.

Our requirements or preferences are:

1) Proximity to an airport. The job itself would involve a lot of travel around the state so we would prefer to have proximity to an airport with plenty of flights. I'm thinking a maximum of one hour drive to airport.

2) He would need to go into a office a few times a month. Offices are in Agoura Hills, El Seguendo, Costa Mesa, Glendale.

3) Good high schools, preferably with a strong technology, computing program. In an ideal situation we would prefer our son to continue studying Japanese but realize this is not a common foreign language of study in the L.A. area.

4) Safe area. I would love to feel safe walking at night.

5) We are liberal and I would like to live in an area that is either 50/50 democrat/republican or more democratic.

6) Nice walking/running trails.

7) Within 30 minutes of the coast as I love walking by the sea.

8) Budget for rental housing $3000 per month. 3BR house or condo. Would love an area with character homes like Pacific Grove and a walkable downtown or village area. We currently live in a weatherboard 1930's house and love it.

So far we think that Thousand Oaks & Rancho Palos Verdes/ P.V. area may fit some of the above. I am unsure about us fitting in to the P.V. area due to us not being wealthy. Are people in this area welcoming to newcomers or into status like the stereotype of the Newport Beach area? We want somewhere down to earth with friendly people.
Thousand Oaks housing looks boring and I am worried about there being no downtown just shopping malls. Do you have to drive to the mall to get a coffee? I am used to walking to coffee shops. Any info/feedback on these areas would be appreciated.

Are there any areas that would fit most of our requirements/preferences that anyone could suggest?

My husband will be in L.A. next week and I'd like to give him an itinerary of places to check out.

Thanks in advance.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Sydper

requirements or preferences:

one hour drive to airport.

need to go into a office a few times a month.

Offices are in

Agoura Hills,
El Seguendo,
Costa Mesa,
Glendale.

3) Good high schools,

4) Safe area.

an area that is either 50/50 democrat/republican or more democratic.

6) Nice walking/running trails.

7) Within 30 minutes of the coast

rental housing $3000 per month.
3BR

walking to coffee shops.

My gut feeling is all places will have all or most of those requirements in some neighborhood in those towns.

Where would he be flying to most often? For example, if the bay area, then SWA has tons of non stop flights from most or all the airports in the LA area. May not need to consider LAX.

Airports most likely to use:

Agoura Hills: LAX, crowded, congested, ugly, dirty, traffic in all directions but most likely to get cheapest tickets and most likely to get non-stop or direct flights

El Segendo: LAX, crowded, congested, ugly, dirty, traffic in all directions but most likely to get cheapest tickets and most likely to get non-stop or direct flights

Costa Mesa: SNA: Beautiful airport, clean, modern, amenities. Since it is smaller less likely to get non stop or direct flights. I've found that sometimes SNA is actually cheaper than LAX.

Glendale: BUR, Smaller and much less modern than SNA, though still comforable. Less likely to get get direct or nonstop flights compared to LAX.

I think I would prefer the communities around Agoura Hills. I'm sure there are lots of nice places near the other sites too. Be careful about El Segundo - if you get too far away east, the rents will be lower but the community degrades rapidly. But, I wouldn't put driving to coffee shops in the top ten attributes a place must have either. Also, while walking to a coffee shop is convenient, that also means that retail and the associated crowds and traffic and noise is also within walking distance. Not sure if I'd want that four blocks from my home. But that's just me. No matter where you live you will be driving daily. Agoura Hills is clean, pretty, good schools, close to lots of other family neighborhoods so there are tons of choices, near lots of hills for running/jogging, 30 easy pretty minutes from the beach, and tons of coffee shops. Lots of family amenities like soccer, preschools, YMCAs, homework clubs, gyms, pools, parks.


Check out HousingMaps

The School Performance Maps site is down; that would have really helped out.

[normie]

I used to live in Palos Verdes Estates. Yes, some of the people there are snobby, but there are also plenty of people who are down-to-earth (especially the original people who moved there back when it was a middle class suburb, not the wealthy area it is today.)

You might feel a little isolated up there, though. People aren't unfriendly so much as they keep to themselves. I had a very friendly chat with my next door neighbor when I moved in. Nice people--friendly whenever I happened to see them--but I didn't see them again for almost a year.

Also, there aren't many stores or things to do in PV. You will end up going down the hill to the beach cities whenever you want to do things or to meet friends. If you do move there and want to get connected with the local social scene, your best bet is to join the PV Art Center. It's a tiny little center, but has an active patron group.

The real problem with PV is the winding roads. They're beautiful, but it takes a very long time to get off the hill. And with some of the neighborhoods, I mean a VERY long time. (Which also means you'll have a long commute to El Segundo and LAX. Once you get to the bottom of the hill LAX is close. But getting off the hill can take forever).

I loved Palos Verdes. It's very, very pretty, and very quiet and peaceful. But it can feel very isolated if you want to be sociable or go out to do things.

[stan4]

Loved living on the greenbelt in Westlake Village.

You can also live on the canals/lake. Quiet and access to LA county schools.

[Sydper]

Thanks for the useful info so far.

Charles I hadn't thought of Agoura Hills itself. I will have to do some research.

P.V. sounds a bit isolated for us so thanks for the advice Normie.

Stan4 mentions Westlake Village. What's the difference in feel of Westlake Village compared to Thousand Oaks? I think I saw the average income was higher in Westlake Village but that's all I know.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Sydper

What's the difference in feel of Westlake Village compared to Thousand Oaks? I think I saw the average income was higher in Westlake Village but that's all I know.

Westlake Village is a small community on the extreme west section of Los Angeles County. Thousand Oaks is a 100,000+ community stretches from the Los Angeles County line in the Conejo Valley west to the Conejo Grade and north to the Norwegian Grade, bordering Moorpark.

Westlake Village is that community around the lake at Westlake that resides in Los Angeles County. Thousand Oaks is that community around the lake at Westlake that resides in Ventura County. If you live in Ventura County then you don't live in Westlake Village, you live in Thousand Oaks.

There isn't much difference in the feel of Westlake Village from the Thousand Oaks side of the lake at Westlake. Kids in Westlake Village attend Agoura High. Kids in Thousand Oaks around the lake attend Westlake High. Both high schools are excellent.

Thousand Oaks has a wider range of housing options.

[osuzana]

If you live in Agoura Hills there is a Starbucks on Kanan Road, two supermarkets, shops and restaurants all within walking distance. There are running and hiking trails all along the hillsides of Agoura, Oak Park, Westlake Village and Thousand Oaks. If you live in WLV you could also be in walking distance of Starbucks or another competitor, theaters, restaurants, shops, parks, schools, lake and boating (electric only) So you see, either of these areas are very walkable and have designated bike lanes as well. Great area for a family and schools are top notch for public.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by Charles

Westlake Village is a small community on the extreme west section of Los Angeles County. Thousand Oaks is a 100,000+ community stretches from the Los Angeles County line in the Conejo Valley west to the Conejo Grade and north to the Norwegian Grade, bordering Moorpark.

Westlake Village is that community around the lake at Westlake that resides in Los Angeles County. Thousand Oaks is that community around the lake at Westlake that resides in Ventura County. If you live in Ventura County then you don't live in Westlake Village, you live in Thousand Oaks.

There isn't much difference in the feel of Westlake Village from the Thousand Oaks side of the lake at Westlake. Kids in Westlake Village attend Agoura High. Kids in Thousand Oaks around the lake attend Westlake High. Both high schools are excellent.

Thousand Oaks has a wider range of housing options.

I lived in the TO side of westlake village and I loved it. WLV is one of the very first master planned community in southern california. It has green belts between houses, lots of parks, a very nice lake (with fishing), and the no big commerical signs so it gives a "village" feel. Just on the other side of 101 freeway on Westlake blvd is very modern shopping. I believe there's a Disney center/store there now. Going south on the Decker Canyon (a winding but lovely drive across the santa monica mountain) takes you straight to the beach just north of Malibu.

If your husband's job is in so. cal. and the office is in Agoura Hills, I can strongly recommend WLV. It's only a 15~20minute drive even in the morning rush hour traffic.

[osuzana]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

I lived in the TO side of westlake village and I loved it. WLV is one of the very first master planned community in southern california. It has green belts between houses, lots of parks, a very nice lake (with fishing), and the no big commerical signs so it gives a "village" feel. Just on the other side of 101 freeway on Westlake blvd is very modern shopping. I believe there's a Disney center/store there now. Going south on the Decker Canyon (a winding but lovely drive across the santa monica mountain) takes you straight to the beach just north of Malibu.

If your husband's job is in so. cal. and the office is in Agoura Hills, I can strongly recommend WLV. It's only a 15~20minute drive even in the morning rush hour traffic.

Must have been awhile since you were in Westlake. The Disney place moved out back in 2000? and a Sporting Goods Store moved in..that's gone too.
The Thousand Oaks Mall and Theaters have completely been revamped and made more elegant looking with more expensive shops with the addition of a Nordtrom and new parking structure.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by osuzana

Must have been awhile since you were in Westlake. The Disney place moved out back in 2000? and a Sporting Goods Store moved in..that's gone too.
The Thousand Oaks Mall and Theaters have completely been revamped and made more elegant looking with more expensive shops with the addition of a Nordtrom and new parking structure.

Another big thing that's changed around there is the widening of the 23 to three lanes each direction.