Family moving to LA please help!!! (Los Angeles, Santa Clarita: to rent, crime, new home)

[LifeIsGoody]

My sister is relocating to LA in 6mths because of a new job she is African American considered to be middle class. She is looking for a home probably located in the suburbs somewhere that is very, very safe kinda a cookie cutter way, Newer homes. She has a very upscale lifestyle and is very modest in her ways, she is very nerves because of the things she HEARD about LA (Quote) HEARD. Safety is a priority and good schools is a must. Please someone give me advice on what are the best areas to live where there are working class people that value there surrounding that don't have to worry about getting there car jack or home broken into and can go to the groceries stores without someone asking can they wash any windows and NO GANGS PLEASE!!!!!!

Thnx guys,

P.S. If theres a target, walmart, nice upscale grocery stores, many shops, strips malls she would love that area. Can't live without Target!!!!!!smile.

if theres OOOh and make sure ooh and where

[missionhome]

Thousand Oaks and Irvine are nice and match what you are looking for. They are not in the central LA area. Irvine is in Orange County about 40 minutes south of LA and Thousand Oaks is to the west of LA. They both are great suburbs, but expensive. I don't want to point you in the wrong direction because these two cities can get expensive. What is her budget for a home and where will she be working? For example, if she was working in Burbank, she could not live in Irvine because the commute is an hour+ at rush hour. I wouldn't want to give you a bunch of info on a place we find out is too far from work. Basically, you live where you work in So Cal.

[Sarah Marie]

I agree, Thosand Oaks is nice, hopefully she wont have to commute to LA... Baldwin Hills is beautiful, not Cookie Cutter houses but nice suburb houses...the schools arent good though, theres a Wamart and Target close by but its very crowded.

[marimari123]

Santa Clarita would be good, especially Valencia and Stevenson Ranch (North Los Angeles County). Also, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Newbury Park (Ventura County). Irvine (Orange County) and lots of places in Orange County would fit the bill.

We live in Valencia (Santa Clarita) and love it here. It's totally cookie cutter suburbs which we like but many people don't. Sounds like your sister would like this area. SC has 3 Wal-Marts (one is a supercenter with groceries) and 1 Target (a second Target is being built), plus a regular mall (kind of on the small side), and several shopping centers around town. There are also "upscale" type boutique shops with very high end designer stuff (personally, we're more of the Target/Old Navy types). Schools are very good throughout Santa Clarita, crime is low, lots and lots of new homes. There's a train system that many commuters use to go to downtown LA and other areas around LA. If work is near a Metrolink Station or even a Metro station, SC can work out well by taking Metrolink. Simi Valley also connects well with downtown via Metrolink trains.

The only thing that's bad about this area, in my opinion, is the heat during summer. Argh! It gets really hot from June-October.

[LifeIsGoody]

Originally Posted by marimari123

Santa Clarita would be good, especially Valencia and Stevenson Ranch (North Los Angeles County). Also, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Newbury Park (Ventura County). Irvine (Orange County) and lots of places in Orange County would fit the bill.

We live in Valencia (Santa Clarita) and love it here. It's totally cookie cutter suburbs which we like but many people don't. Sounds like your sister would like this area. SC has 3 Wal-Marts (one is a supercenter with groceries) and 1 Target (a second Target is being built), plus a regular mall (kind of on the small side), and several shopping centers around town. There are also "upscale" type boutique shops with very high end designer stuff (personally, we're more of the Target/Old Navy types). Schools are very good throughout Santa Clarita, crime is low, lots and lots of new homes. There's a train system that many commuters use to go to downtown LA and other areas around LA. If work is near a Metrolink Station or even a Metro station, SC can work out well by taking Metrolink. Simi Valley also connects well with downtown via Metrolink trains.

The only thing that's bad about this area, in my opinion, is the heat during summer. Argh! It gets really hot from June-October.

Thanks for all of you guys advice sounds like Valencia would be a nice place, and we both personally LOVE Target/Old Navy/Pier One etc,etc .lol.lol but it's nice to know it's nice upscale places to shop too. If the heat is the only thing that is bad then that's good because she use to live in Kuwait/middle east and it gets up to 130 degrees so Cali would be a breeze. 3 walmart wooowee and one of hem are super walmart that sounds like fun!!!!!!! I will diff tell her about Santa Clarita. Thanks guys!!!!!

[katenik]

the suggestions you are receiving are as far-flung as the sun to the moon, and almost none of them are actually in LA. (some aren't even in LA county!) you might want to mention in which part of town your sister will be working in order to narrow it down a bit. also, what is her housing budget, and is she seeking to rent or buy?

target is everywhere.

[CESpeed]

If she has to move to LA for her job, I think she'll like the area near Fox Hills Mall in Culver City. There are lots threads about the area.

[missionhome]

^^^
Look at the test scores for Culver City schools though. They aren't really "good," more like average. She wanted suburban living and cookie cutter and places like Santa Clarita definitly have that. If her job is in the heart of LA, she is going to have a hard time finding a gang free zone, with good schools, with cookie cutter Walmarts and stucco homes, and does not cost 2 million dollars for a 2,000 square foot house.

I think the most important thing is she specifies where her job is. It 100% will determine where she can live. Otherwise all we can do is throw out recommendations for places that might be on the other side of town from her job. For example, while Culver City is in LA, if her job is in Burbank, Culver City is probably too far from work.

[LifeIsGoody]

Thanks guys for your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! buying is first but she wouldn't mind renting for a year or so. S of LA she will be working and yes there are target all around.

[timelesschild]

How far south of LA? Is she going to be in Orange County, for example? Much of Orange County will fill her requirements nicely.