Family-friendly upper middle class neighborhoods (Glendale, Pasadena: real estate market, renting, how much)

[mabra]

Hi,

My wife, 6-month old son and I just moved to the LA area. We are renting for now, but would like to buy a home next year and want to find the ideal neighborhood where we can put down some roots.

Our ideal neighborhood:
- You can get a decent 4 bedroom house with a decent-sized yard for ~$900K.
- I can drive downtown in 45 minutes on average in rush hour (I have a Prius with an HOV sticker)
- Safe
- Good public schools a plus
- A street with a more suburban feel, where you can let your kids go outside to play
- But with cafes, restaurants, shops within walking distance

We love househunting, but it's tougher to get out now with a six month old, so we're hoping to narrow down the neighborhoods we search in before we go looking at a bunch of houses. Your advice (and maybe even pictures of your neighborhood) would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

M.

[katenik]

south pasadena. i'm not sure how much prices there have been affected by the softened real estate market, but i don't think it would be impossible to find something in your price range or slightly above it. you might have to settle for three bedrooms, instead of four, however. there are many threads here about south pas, if you want to learn more about what it's like, but in general terms, it meets your criteria.

[impala666]

Originally Posted by mabra

Hi,

My wife, 6-month old son and I just moved to the LA area. We are renting for now, but would like to buy a home next year and want to find the ideal neighborhood where we can put down some roots.

Our ideal neighborhood:
- You can get a decent 4 bedroom house with a decent-sized yard for ~$900K.
- I can drive downtown in 45 minutes on average in rush hour (I have a Prius with an HOV sticker)
- Safe
- Good public schools a plus
- A street with a more suburban feel, where you can let your kids go outside to play
- But with cafes, restaurants, shops within walking distance

We love househunting, but it's tougher to get out now with a six month old, so we're hoping to narrow down the neighborhoods we search in before we go looking at a bunch of houses. Your advice (and maybe even pictures of your neighborhood) would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

M.

Malibu.. No you won`t get a 5 acre plot and you may not be next door to Barbera Streisand but property exists for around the $1Mill mark. Give it another six month unless you spot a prime buy and when the prices eventually begin to rise again (2012) you will be one of the first to profit.
Great schools and very safe.

[timelesschild]

Originally Posted by mabra

Hi,

My wife, 6-month old son and I just moved to the LA area. We are renting for now, but would like to buy a home next year and want to find the ideal neighborhood where we can put down some roots.

Our ideal neighborhood:
- You can get a decent 4 bedroom house with a decent-sized yard for ~$900K.
- I can drive downtown in 45 minutes on average in rush hour (I have a Prius with an HOV sticker)
- Safe
- Good public schools a plus
- A street with a more suburban feel, where you can let your kids go outside to play
- But with cafes, restaurants, shops within walking distance

We love househunting, but it's tougher to get out now with a six month old, so we're hoping to narrow down the neighborhoods we search in before we go looking at a bunch of houses. Your advice (and maybe even pictures of your neighborhood) would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

M.

South Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre. I would suggest Arcadia (good schools) but don't see much there in the way of walkable cafes, restaurants, shops.

Burbank - cheaper, with a CUTE downtown, plenty to do, and good schools. Very walkable and suburban.

[bhcompy]

if you dont mind taking the train(metro blue line) into downtown and back you can look at long beach(and some close surrounding cities like seal beach, rossmoor/los alamitos, lakewood country club). in long beach, bixby knolls would put you closest to the train station and east long beach a little further.

[BennyPhoenix]

Within a 45 minute drive of downtown LA? Without traffic, some of those places are good. With traffic, your standards cannot be met.

[calipoppy]

Originally Posted by timelesschild

South Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre. I would suggest Arcadia (good schools) but don't see much there in the way of walkable cafes, restaurants, shops.

Agree with all of the above and would like to add the city of Pasadena also maybe LaCanada-Flintridge

[BRinSM]

add Glendale, La Crescenta and Monrovia to the list. Parts of Culver City might also be a good option. You may also consider some of the areas that are served Metrolink (www.metrolinktrains.com). If you are willing to stretch your commute a bit longer, Fullerton in the OC is nice city with a walkable downtown area.

[NaplesRes]

Belmont Shore / Heights

[nickdahammer]

I echo the South Pasadena recommendation. Also Larchmont Village. And Mount Washington has a great E.S. (not to mention transit- so does So Pas).