Realtor Recommendations in and around Ventura (Oxnard, Thousand Oaks: apartment, rentals, condo)

[Emc1221]

I'm moving to the area next month due to my husband's job. I'd like to have a rental lined up before we get there and would prefer to work with a Realtor. Anyone have any suggestions?

[nightlysparrow]

Are you from out of state? Because California realtors are really not in the rental business, except for some doing property management. What VC cities are you looking at? Only Ventura city?

[Emc1221]

Yeah in TX currently. I've looked mainly into Ventura, Camarillo, and Thousand Oaks. I'm open to other areas but my main concern is being in a good school district.

[nightlysparrow]

Top school districts on the east end of the county are Conejo Valley (Thousand Oaks) USD, Oak Park USD, Simi Valley USD and Las Virgenes USD (this last one actually into LA County). It's not a bad commute at all to Ventura if that's where the job is. Schools on the west end of the County are variable. Also a variation between elementary, middle and high schools.

You can check Craigslist or the rental portions of realtor.com or other online realty sites to get an idea of prices. Be prepared for sticker shock.

[Emc1221]

Thanks for the information and the heads up.

The job is actually at Point Mugu. Is there a decent halfway point between the two if I found a job on the outskirts of LA?

[nightlysparrow]

Yes, there are midpoints, but consider a few things. To start, to drive from Point Mugu to the 101 may take 20 minutes; the streets just don't move that fast, and there are few alternate routes. That puts you on the freeway in Oxnard or Camarillo depending on route. Then there is the Conejo Grade, a big hill between the Cam/Ox plain and the Conejo Valley. in SoCal it's not just distance, there's topography to deal with. Like mountains. "The Grade" is usually not dangerous, but we haven't seen "weather" in the last couple years; the Grade has enough elevation (1,000 feet) to catch clouds and have its own microclimate. (Actually the county has six micro-climates, more than any other county in the U.S.). Many times it's been hot and sunny in TO but at the top of the grade it was completely fogged in, presenting a sudden driving threat, then driving down to Cam it would be sunny again. Other times it would be dry on both sides of the grade but raining hard on top. This must be factored into commuting, plus wear-and-tear on your car. About 20 miles from Port Hueneme to TO. Another 22 to the San Fernando Valley.

But given all that, and since you want the schools, and proximity to the SFV, (there are 1.8 million people in the SFV so there are lots of jobs there), probably Thousand Oaks/Newbury Park as close to the 101 as possible would be your midpoint. But that's easily a 1 hour 15 drive between PH and the SFV! And that's if traffic isn't bad or during non-rush hours.

For purposes of your sanity, maybe live in Camarillo, do the schools in Camarillo (perfectly good) and try to find work in Ventura, Oxnard, or Cam.

[SquidneyGee]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

Yes, there are midpoints, but consider a few things. To start, to drive from Point Mugu to the 101 may take 20 minutes; the streets just don't move that fast, and there are few alternate routes. That puts you on the freeway in Oxnard or Camarillo depending on route. Then there is the Conejo Grade, a big hill between the Cam/Ox plain and the Conejo Valley. in SoCal it's not just distance, there's topography to deal with. Like mountains. "The Grade" is usually not dangerous, but we haven't seen "weather" in the last couple years; the Grade has enough elevation (1,000 feet) to catch clouds and have its own microclimate. (Actually the county has six micro-climates, more than any other county in the U.S.). Many times it's been hot and sunny in TO but at the top of the grade it was completely fogged in, presenting a sudden driving threat, then driving down to Cam it would be sunny again. Other times it would be dry on both sides of the grade but raining hard on top. This must be factored into commuting, plus wear-and-tear on your car. About 20 miles from Port Hueneme to TO. Another 22 to the San Fernando Valley.

But given all that, and since you want the schools, and proximity to the SFV, (there are 1.8 million people in the SFV so there are lots of jobs there), probably Thousand Oaks/Newbury Park as close to the 101 as possible would be your midpoint. But that's easily a 1 hour 15 drive between PH and the SFV! And that's if traffic isn't bad or during non-rush hours.

For purposes of your sanity, maybe live in Camarillo, do the schools in Camarillo (perfectly good) and try to find work in Ventura, Oxnard, or Cam.

Haha I would say the biggest threat is the drivers not the weather

In all seriousness, the weather changes here are crazy. But I think Ventura is fine especially if you have a job lined up in that city. It is walkable, has nice beaches, good shops "DT" if you can call it that. I have never felt unsafe in any part of Ventura, we have friends in Oxnard beach ON the beach, and the surrounding neighborhoods there are nice as well.

Driving to LA /the valley will be a nightmare. I live in Simi, and on a GOOD day it takes me 45 minutes one way, the usual is an hour+. Traffic has increased in the area tenfold in less than 5 years. Even driving from Ventura to TO is stressful, and going up the grade will take its toll on your car if it is not new.

I would rather commute from Ventura to SB and Carpenteria than to LA area, it rarely locks up and the drive is beautiful vs city traffic and towns. But that's just me.

Sorry I do not have any realtor info, my FIL is an appraiser in the area, maybe he will know some.

[greenehaven]

Follow the postings at Zillow for the areas (zip codes)...

I like Newbury Park for fast access to Pt. Mugu & to the beach we go to without freeways

Rental Listings in 91320 - 21 Rentals | Zillow

good luck