West side of Ventura area for family (Santa Ana, Oxnard: 2015, crime)

[mom6times]

Hello,
Just a quick question about areas (neighborhoods) in Ventura. We are a family with 4 children, we found a great house but it is just west of N Ventura Ave. near a Thrifty store, I have read this are may be cleaning up a bit which makes it sound questionable? We do not know the area at all and are blindly looking at properties. I am trying to research, but find forums most helpful. I would love any input on neighborhoods with some walkability, and safe for kids to play. Also, Dad surfs, an area close enough for a bike ride to the beach would be a perk! Thank you for any input!

[wac_432]

Originally Posted by mom6times

Hello,
Just a quick question about areas (neighborhoods) in Ventura. We are a family with 4 children, we found a great house but it is just west of N Ventura Ave. near a Thrifty store, I have read this are may be cleaning up a bit which makes it sound questionable? We do not know the area at all and are blindly looking at properties. I am trying to research, but find forums most helpful. I would love any input on neighborhoods with some walkability, and safe for kids to play. Also, Dad surfs, an area close enough for a bike ride to the beach would be a perk! Thank you for any input!

That is the worst area in Ventura. It has some gang activity, lots of homeless from their nearby riverbed encampments, bad schools and property crimes are higher there. On the plus side houses are cheap and the best surf breaks in town are a short bike ride away. I would look on the West side if you can't afford downtown or midtown. Dad will just have to deal with driving to the surf or a long bike ride.

[mom6times]

Oh, that good! Explains the price...any chance the city has plans for that area, we are from San Clemente and it has done a 360, it used to have some rougher areas, not anymore, it is like Newport Beach now! Also I have seen it in San Juan Cap. too, my sister had a home in the "rough" area, also the historic area, and it is awesome now, my fave in San Juan..I guess I am hopeful because I love the house, is the are unsafe? or just run down? industrial? drug dealing and crime? Also how far is it from the downtown area? Also, I homeschool for now and may continue to, so schools not such a worry, until possibly high school in a few years. We are heading up to see it soon..Thanks so much for your input

[chopps]

Hi mom6times,

I currently live in Ventura and lived in Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano many years ago. Ventura is a lot like San Clemente used to be about 20+ years ago. The Avenue in Ventura is a bit like the rougher parts of San Juan back in the day. There're plans; I'm not sure the current status, of a new home tract, to be built with pricing around
700k+. While things are slowly improving in and around the Avenue, I would not recommend looking in this area. Midtown is the priciest part of Ventura with most of the homes being smaller in size. The east end is 'newer' with homes built in 60s, 70s, 80s, etc. and tend to be larger in size. Schools are decent in Ventura, with a few
bright spots, otherwise the schools are 'middle of the road'. Driving from the East end to downtown runs about 10-15 minutes to give you an idea of time to drive from end to end.

[mom6times]

Hi Chopps,
My husband will LOVE Ventura if it is like San Clemente 20 years ago! That's what he misses most, and reminisces about all the time and hopes to find again! We love vintage homes, especially Victorians so the newer areas wouldn't appeal to us as much. Sometimes the historic areas can be "rougher" areas for some reason, like Santa Ana down this way, some amazing homes and beautiful streets, then some not so great streets..I appreciate your input, we will drive around to try and get a feel for the neighborhoods, we homeschool, so schools are not a huge problem if the zoned area school isn't so great. I don't mind not being in the most popular area, but I want it safe enough to let the kids play outside, and not be afraid if I am home alone with the kiddos..I do have a huge Rottweiler though! Thank You!

[wac_432]

Originally Posted by mom6times

my sister had a home in the "rough" area, also the historic area, and it is awesome now, my fave in San Juan..I guess I am hopeful because I love the house, is the are unsafe? or just run down? industrial? drug dealing and crime? Also how far is it from the downtown area? Also, I homeschool for now and may continue to, so schools not such a worry, until possibly high school in a few years. We are heading up to see it soon..Thanks so much for your input

The avenue isn't really historical, just old. There are a few older houses, but most are 60's era tract houses. There are a few thrift stores, a few 98/97c stores (no 99c only there) mexican food/markets, and quite a bit of light industrial (warehouses, small manufacturing, auto shops, etc. It is rather ugly with a lot of prefab, concrete/asphalt, and sheet metal. The hills around the valley are pretty; with a large farm/orchard and the rest being scrubland dotted with oil wells.

Unsafe: Yes.
Industrial: Yes.
Drug Dealing: Yes.
Crime: Yes; gang-related and property.

Distance to downtown: Right next door. You could stroll down to the bars, shops, and restaurants... if you feel safe doing so. I probably wouldn't. Or I would at least stay sober for the walk back after dark. Daytime is fine.

Kids playing outside: Sure, in a fenced-in yard. On the street: no. In the parks: maybe with supervision.

The city might have plans, but the Ventura is not as rich as Santa Barbra or other coastal towns, so plans move slow, if at all. A new, fancy, mixed-use development was built on the Avenue around 2005. Now, in 2015, it's still not really filled out.

The city is trying to pull in artists and young people to revitalize the area; the typical first wave of gentrification, but results are mixed so far. In 20 years the Avenue will probably be great. In 10? Maybe not.

It's a great place otherwise. I'm told the weather is nice--with the marine layer giving way to sunshine just a few blocks up away from the coast. It's close to the water and downtown, and home prices are reasonable. We considered buying there, and took a look at a house or two. However, we decided against it. It's just not there yet. You'll probably have to "be the change" if you decide to buy there.

Other than "as low as possible" what's your house budget? Are you willing to get a fixer-upper? That would help people suggest options. Downtown might be just what you want, but the market is incredibly tight there.

[mom6times]

Hi Wac_432,
We are looking $600,000 and below, and as I said we love Victorians, and vintage homes and I found a killer home in that area! But a house doesn't make a "home", I hear what you all are saying. I tend to be hopeful but my husband is a realist and practical. I get wrapped up in what could be, he sees what is. That being said, I am intrigued with Ventura on the whole and certainly will acknowledge advice from locals who are in the know. We are going to do the drive around, and go from there. I REALLY am thankful for your help, it will influence our outlook greatly. Thank you, and we look forward to checking the area out! Any other areas near by anyone might suggest as well, we are open to exploring options!

[wac_432]

Check out the avenue, and again at night. Maybe it doesn't deserve its reputation.

Downtown is probably perfect for you, but the market is tight. I think the lowest are two places in the 700. However, they've been on the market for a while. If I were you I wouldn't hesitate to put in a low ball 100k below asking. We got lucky doing so.

Midtown has some places in your price range. Its pretty nice with an easy bike ride or loooong walk downtown or to surf. FYI, there's no good surf east\south of the pier until you get to the harbor, but your hubby probably already knows that. The stretch of beach around seaward is known as 13 jetties, and--while rideable--is pretty poor beach break that can't pull winter or summer swells. So he'll be biking or driving up to c street or down to harbor.

Other than the avenue, Ventura is awesome! You're gonna love it! Keep in mind, though, that the only walkable strip is Main street between Ventura avenue and the library. Try to land within a mile or so of that if you can swing it.

There's other good stuff and fun things to do/places to go, but downtown has the best concentration of good stuff in one place.

[wac_432]

If you don't care about schools and just want a big beach house in a quiet bedroom community, check out Oxnard shores and Hollywood beach just west/north of channel islands harbor on channel islands blvd. Bad schools keep the property values down, and you could get a 2500sqft townhouse a block from the beach for under 500k a year or so ago. The surf is good there, but you'll have to drive to get to anything other than the beach.everything is modern there, too. My impression is that crime there is nil.

Watch out, though. Ventura high schools are fair to good, but Oxnard high schools rank at the very bottom of the scale.

[mom6times]

Hi Wac_432, Thank You so much for all your input! I appreciate all the information!!