Relocating to LA, best place to live in regard to commuting? (Woodland: foreclosed, rental market)

[macsaby]

Hello folks,

Just accepted a job offer to move from the East Coast to LA, I will be working in Panorama City (Sherman Way and Woodland Ave) and Woodland Hills (101 and Canoga Ave). I’d like to rent a house for a year to get to know the area and have ample time to sell my house back East. What would be the best area to look for a house, we can afford about $2000 for rent? I’d like to live very close to one of the offices, but I understand the limitations of the irrational rental market. Is it possible to find a decent house within a five miles range of one of the offices? I believe if I go south, I can commute against traffic. I am not very concerned about schools in the area since we home school our kids.

Thank you very much,
Stone

[JohnG72]

Hmmm, I had constructed a different response. But I just looked on craigslist using the parameters of SFV, $2000 max, 3 bed min. A whole bunch of HOUSES popped up which surprised the heck out of me.

I don't know if its scams, foreclosed homes, or what. But if its real....then the rental market in the SFV dropped drastically in the past three years. There was even a 3/2 SFR in Encino at $1600/mo.

Anyway OP, I'd exercise extreme caution and state that you might get the best bang for your buck in Northridge or Granada Hills which would be about a 15 minute drive from either office. Both nice middle class areas and the prices suffer a little because they are both far drives from the major job centers, and because schools are not so great. Both get nicer as you go further north.

[macsaby]

Thanks John,

Most of the ads on Craigslist are scams, that house you mentioned in Encino for $1600 is a no go! They want to sell you a house (rent to own scam). I'll keep looking!

Thanks again,
Stone

Originally Posted by JohnG72

Hmmm, I had constructed a different response. But I just looked on craigslist using the parameters of SFV, $2000 max, 3 bed min. A whole bunch of HOUSES popped up which surprised the heck out of me.

I don't know if its scams, foreclosed homes, or what. But if its real....then the rental market in the SFV dropped drastically in the past three years. There was even a 3/2 SFR in Encino at $1600/mo.

Anyway OP, I'd exercise extreme caution and state that you might get the best bang for your buck in Northridge or Granada Hills which would be about a 15 minute drive from either office. Both nice middle class areas and the prices suffer a little because they are both far drives from the major job centers, and because schools are not so great. Both get nicer as you go further north.