Where to buy a house - husband working in Westwood (Torrance: apartments, for rent)

[Cloudwalker]

What about Santa Clarita? It's not a short commute by any means, but it is an excellent school district at all levels, it's a family oriented community, and you should be able to find a house with your specs in your price range there. I used to work in Westwood with a woman who lived there and her hours were roughly 6.45-2.45, with a commute of 45-60 mins each way depending on the day. You would take the 5 which becomes the 405 and the same in reverse, so fairly smooth interchange. But if she left much after 3 it could be pretty ugly. However, the interminable widening of the 405 must eventually come to an end within the next year or two and that should change things for the better. Surely.

The other thing to be aware of is it can be hotter than Hades out that way, but you'd be used to that from DC and at least it's dry.

Again, it's not a commute for the faint-hearted, but worth considering and I think you said you'd look at a commute of up to an hour? There is also a rail service to Downtown LA and the Expo line extension includes a Westwood stop, but looks like it's more Rancho Park so may not be of much help.

Otherwise, hate to say it, but you'll be paying $700,000 and up for an 1100 sqf 3bed/2ba...

[thelopez2]

Originally Posted by Dctola

His company does offer a relocation package - we'll find more out about it soon and we will definitely need it in order to make this work. We probably could get by with less house but I just don't want to compromise on that. We live in a tiny 3bed/2 bath 1100 square foot house outside DC now and it is just not working for us anymore. Renting may be a good idea but I'd also rather not move and then move again after a year or 2.

Going to a 3/2 will increase your options and if you are willing to get a condo/townhome you have even more options.

[Dctola]

Thanks for this idea but based on a map it seems like Santa Clarita is further than Woodland Hills, Encino or Sherman Oaks? Is it just avoiding the 101 also avoids a lot if traffic?

Originally Posted by Cloudwalker

What about Santa Clarita? It's not a short commute by any means, but it is an excellent school district at all levels, it's a family oriented community, and you should be able to find a house with your specs in your price range there. I used to work in Westwood with a woman who lived there and her hours were roughly 6.45-2.45, with a commute of 45-60 mins each way depending on the day. You would take the 5 which becomes the 405 and the same in reverse, so fairly smooth interchange. But if she left much after 3 it could be pretty ugly. However, the interminable widening of the 405 must eventually come to an end within the next year or two and that should change things for the better. Surely.

The other thing to be aware of is it can be hotter than Hades out that way, but you'd be used to that from DC and at least it's dry.

Again, it's not a commute for the faint-hearted, but worth considering and I think you said you'd look at a commute of up to an hour? There is also a rail service to Downtown LA and the Expo line extension includes a Westwood stop, but looks like it's more Rancho Park so may not be of much help.

Otherwise, hate to say it, but you'll be paying $700,000 and up for an 1100 sqf 3bed/2ba...

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by Dctola

Thanks for this idea but based on a map it seems like Santa Clarita is further than Woodland Hills, Encino or Sherman Oaks? Is it just avoiding the 101 also avoids a lot if traffic?

Traffic to Westwood is bad from every direction. The least amount of traffic is from the west, which is some of the most expensive real estate in the country. Avoiding the 101 is not really a solution.

[nightlysparrow]

Originally Posted by Dctola

Is it just avoiding the 101 also avoids a lot if traffic?

Yes. Remember this suggestion?

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

You could also look on a map and trace the canyon roads over to the Valley. Beverly Glen is the closest to Westwood. Also look at Coldwater Canyon.

[Cloudwalker]

Yes, it's definitely further than Woodland Hills/Encino/Sherman Oaks, just threw it into the mix as an additional place to consider mainly because of it's outstanding school system and it's a little less dense. And if I'm being honest, I thought you wouldn't have a prayer of finding the kind of house you want for under $700,000 in those areas, but it was a pleasant surprise to look on Redfin and see that actually maybe you could. Still leaves you in LAUSD though. But there are good schools within that district, you just have to pay very careful attention to which schools you would be zoned for, especially at the middle and high school level.

[Dctola]

We are interested and looking at Beverly Glen and Coldwater Canyon but it appears there is nothing in our price range. We would prefer a longer commute to a tiny house. To give you an idea - my husband currently has an hour commute from Alexandria to Arlington. He takes the metro but driving would even take longer because of traffic.

[ledabout]

Originally Posted by Dctola

His company does offer a relocation package - we'll find more out about it soon and we will definitely need it in order to make this work. We probably could get by with less house but I just don't want to compromise on that. We live in a tiny 3bed/2 bath 1100 square foot house outside DC now and it is just not working for us anymore. Renting may be a good idea but I'd also rather not move and then move again after a year or 2.

To be fair, one thing about So Cal that isn't true about DC or the Midwest (where I'm from) is that you can be outside year-round. We have had much less house here and actually prefer it now. There is a lot less to clean. We home school four kids in 1400 sq ft (if that's an accurate number), and I'm home with them all of the time. Find a decent rental with a nice yard and patio, and consider it an extra room or two.

It's just a totally different lifestyle.... hard to explain until you get here.

[thelopez2]

Originally Posted by yby1

It's not, but a 4/2 in decent area with okay schools under $700k near Westwood is a tough find.

That is an understatement.

Originally Posted by Dctola

Thanks for this idea but based on a map it seems like Santa Clarita is further than Woodland Hills, Encino or Sherman Oaks? Is it just avoiding the 101 also avoids a lot if traffic?

Yes, it avoids some, but the 405 is no picnic. Santa Clarita is much further and there is a bottle neck there too, if you get stuck leaving late on a Friday night, you'll add another 5000 people driving to Mammoth in a typical winter weekend, I have know idea of the real numbers. You can get a big place with that budget, but I'd rather get a smaller place in Redondo Beach or Torrance.

Originally Posted by Dctola

We are interested and looking at Beverly Glen and Coldwater Canyon but it appears there is nothing in our price range. We would prefer a longer commute to a tiny house. To give you an idea - my husband currently has an hour commute from Alexandria to Arlington. He takes the metro but driving would even take longer because of traffic.

Longest Commute would be Long beach to the South, the 110 Fwy to the East, Granada Hills to the North and Woodland Hills to the West for an hour drive.

[Dctola]

Another option would be working in their Ventura office. Would that be a better commute from the valley?