Relocating (Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo: real estate, apartments, how much)

[jimb39]

I am considering a relocation to the area for work and am seeking advice for areas to live. I've targeted Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks for the highly rated highschools for my children. My office will be in Woodland Hills and I'm ok with a 45 minute or so commute. I've seen homes in these areas in the $700-800k range that appear (by pictures) to be desirable. The most important feature for me is quality of the education. My family and I are pretty good at adapting to the rest. I'm interested to know what others (particularly those who may have relocated there) thing of the area.

Thanks.

[lostsoul359]

Why not move to Oak Park or Agoura Hills for a shorter commute?

[nightlysparrow]

Of the places you've named, Thousand Oaks is the most desirable. Some schools are better than others, depends on where in TO. But as above poster suggested, Oak Park and Agoura Hills are a lot closer to WH and have great schools as well. Be aware that about 3,000 new apartments are on tap to be built in Woodland Hills/Warner Center, so imagine how much more freeway traffic that will generate (figure 2 cars for each apt).You are going to want to be on the 101 as little as possible. Living in OP or AH will save you at least 8-10 miles per day compared to TO or MP.

However, if you want the maximum bang for the buck, Simi. Very family-friendly, less status trips in the schools. Plus the 118 is a lighter-traveled fwy and it's a short jump to the Topanga exit and it's steers down to WH.

[wac_432]

Thousand Oaks or Westlake. Just use greatschools to find a 10. Everything up there is highly rated.

It's 45 minutes (on a good day) from Ventura to Woodland Hills. You'll be doing a reverse commute, as most of the traffic goes from the Valley toward Amgen. So you can basically live in any of the places up the Conejo Grade. You could even live in Camarillo if you wanted.

If all you care about are schools, I'd just live in the district with a 10-rated highschool closest to your work.

[SoCalMomma]

I live in Thousand Oaks (actually Newbury Park), and its a great place to live. Most of the schools are excellent! You could get a nice house in the 700-800 range. My son's fiance commutes to Calabasas (close to WH) and it takes her less than 30 min to get to/from work.

The Conejo Valley is a very family-friendly area. Lots of sports, classes for kids. Its a safe area, with lots of parks, hiking areas, etc. Its 15-20 minutes to the beach, too, which is nice. We have tons of restaurants, lots of shopping, and definitely great schools! Its a very pretty area, and the weather seems nicer than surrounding areas.

I have lived here a long time (since high school) and never want to leave. My kids were both raised up through the CVUSD schools and both turned out great!

Like others suggested, research the various schools and pick a home near one of them. Keep in mind, schools do fill up! So even though you move into a designated area for a particular school, some grade levels may be full (mostly happens in elementary schools). You can call the District Office prior to purchasing a home to find out the status.

Moorpark is a nice area, too. Its smaller and you will find that you need to drive to Thousand Oaks or Simi for things. I work in Moorpark and I really like the atmosphere. Your commute would be a bit longer to WH than if you lived in Thousand Oaks - the 23 freeway going south in the am and north in the pm is pretty rough! I do think you could get more for your money in Moorpark, though. I have many friends in Moorpark and they like the schools and their kids seem happy and well-adjusted

Simi Valley would be my least favorite choice of the 3. There is nothing wrong with it, and people who live there like it. It is not as pretty as Thousand Oaks or Moorpark (in my opinion). Its hotter in the summer, every road seems packed, and it feels like a 'valley'.. I dont know how the schools compare. Its the least expensive option you've listed. You will also be very close to the San Fernando Valley (which would have ANYTHING you would ever need), and it gives you more options for your commute.

Maybe plan a short trip out to look at the various areas and get a feel for them. Then target the areas in each particular city based on the schools.

Good luck!

[jimb39]

Thank you all for your thoughts and comments. I will have a few house hunting trips and am trying to narrow my options through online/telephonic research. Comments from you all as well as my future teammates will help a lot and are greatly appreciated.

[jimb39]

I spoke with someone in the area who indicated "outsiders" don't always integrate well into Simi Valley. Can anyone comment on that? Thanks

[nightlysparrow]

Originally Posted by jimb39

I spoke with someone in the area who indicated "outsiders" don't always integrate well into Simi Valley. Can anyone comment on that? Thanks

Who would be considered an "outsider"?

[jimb39]

People not from the area versus those who grew up and stayed in Simi Valley.

[nightlysparrow]

Of the locals I know who grew up there, many have moved away after their 20's and mostly live in the SF Valley or in the other cities in Ventura County, although some have stayed. There has always been and still are only 2 public high schools in Simi, so naturally connections were made. I think people who are under 40 don't feel that small town feeling anymore, as school choice was introduced, real estate prices have seriously escalated, and the general affluence has increased. However, there are some lower middle class sections and housing in Simi still.