Help - should we move to Oxnard or Camarillo? (Los Angeles: real estate, 2014)

[Sinusitis]

We are a male-female couple in our 60s - very healthy, fit, love fine arts, culture, etc. Lived in WeHo (LA) for about 40 years, then I had a mental breakdown over the traffic and we relocated to Westlake Village in 2014. We rent (we own a home in Europe but are not rich by any means) and pay $4,000 a month for a very nice house in North Ranch. But I can't stand the heat anymore, nor the olive tree allergy I have. Did the allergy shots for 5 years, whereupon the doc finally said "you should move out of the Coñejo Valley - you won't get any better than this." No other allergies though, but clearly, my Mediterranean-Alpine heritage is to blame.

We finally decided this will be our last year in Westlake Village. The heat, the dry air, and the relentless sun drives me insane. Literally. Now been diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the summer version. I hate the sun. Hubby is entirely opposite - loves the sun, the pool, the heat (blech). But I feel like I'm going to die if I stay here one more year. Tried antidepressants but they made me worse. I need cold, AC-free air.

Went to Oxnard, saw the Channel Islands Harbor, and I fell in love. I want to rent one of the houses on the canal. The temperature is splendid, I love morning fog, it just seems amazing. We can still handle the $4,000/month rent, and there are homes, so no problem there. BUT: I was told by some that the air pollution in Oxnard from the farming is serious, and it traps it in the air by the coast. Also, we drove to Whole Foods from the Harbor - not close. There is a Vons over there but I don't like Vons. It seems that you have to drive for quite some time before you reach anything decent. Here in Westlake Village, everything is perfectly manicured and close. But I still need to move, I can't hande the 90s every day, nor the AC that dries out my sinuses. Already had 2 infections. Plus I hate the sun.

When we drove back from Oxnard, we did surface and avoided the freeway. We drove through Camarillo. Have since checked up on Camarillo - it's more similar to Westlake Village, and slightly cooler, but not as cool as Oxnard. The air pollution seems less though, but what about the olive tree pollen? And what about driving to Sprouts or Whole Foods?

To make matters even weirder, I don't drive freeways. I stopped in 2009. Had a series of panic attacks and could never drive on freeways again, even though being a passenger is fine. When I go into LA, I drive PCH from Westlake Village (through Malibu Canyon or Kanan). It's pleasant and takes 1.5 hrs. Obviously, I don't have a full time job and my office in West Hollywood is mainly for me to keep a business address. I noted that you can drive PCH from Oxnard, but not from Camarillo. Not the end of the universe. So where should we live? Heeeelp!

[Leia76]

We live on one of the beaches (unincorporated Ventura County) next to Channel Islands Harbor. We have no problem with pollution from the fields out here. The only time the breeze does not come in off the ocean (thus, no pollution) is during a Santa Ana. During a Santa Ana, most everyone's allergies act up. But I would think that is pretty much the same as anywhere in LA or Ventura County during a Santa Ana.

I have never heard anyone in Mandalay or Seabridge complaining about a problem from the fields. I wonder if those who mentioned it to you were thinking more of Oxnard proper and not out in the beach areas.

I'm with you as far as hating the heat. When people complain of fog, you'll find me out walking on the beach absolutely enjoying it. Wouldn't live inland for any money. Good luck with your relocation wherever you and your husband decide.

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by Leia76

We live on one of the beaches (unincorporated Ventura County) next to Channel Islands Harbor. We have no problem with pollution from the fields out here. The only time the breeze does not come in off the ocean (thus, no pollution) is during a Santa Ana. During a Santa Ana, most everyone's allergies act up. But I would think that is pretty much the same as anywhere in LA or Ventura County during a Santa Ana.

I have never heard anyone in Mandalay or Seabridge complaining about a problem from the fields. I wonder if those who mentioned it to you were thinking more of Oxnard proper and not out in the beach areas.

I'm with you as far as hating the heat. When people complain of fog, you'll find me out walking on the beach absolutely enjoying it. Wouldn't live inland for any money. Good luck with your relocation wherever you and your husband decide.

I have considered living there and would definitely prefer the beach area over inland. But to get to a lot of things in Southern CA you have to go through LA County and the traffic is a definite issue I do not want to deal with.

[AmericanRenaissance]

Oxnard used to have a grimier reputation, gangs, The Colonia, poor performing students in schools. Haven't seen it since the late 1990s and maybe all those subdivisions have made it more civilized. Can't beat the weather though.
There's also Carpentaria, Goleta, and Santa Barbara for excellent weather.

[EncinoMan]

If I were "half of a couple," I wouldn't live anywhere in the world outside of CAMARILLO. And I've lived, at least for awhile, in over 30 countries. This town has amazing infrastructure (I'm retired and rarely drive more than two miles to anything (grocers, banks, doctors), beautiful & clean & tree-lined avenues, and no gang crime, which Oxnard has plenty of. Ventura beaches (way nicer than those of Los Angeles) are 12-15 minutes away and I can be in Calabasas or Woodland Hills (the closest LA areas to me) in 20ish minutes.

I also detest the heat, having grown up in the San Fernando Valley, where for some weeks the temperature stays over 100 degrees. It's often 10-15 degrees cooler here in the summer and 10 degrees warmer in the winter. BTW, I say "half a couple" because, like most places, one's friends are either from: Church, the parents of your school age children, the people you went to school with, the people you work with. And "couples" most often are friends with other couples.

IMPORTANT (my reason for posting) DIRECTIONS CORRECTION: In Camarillo is where LAS POSAS ROAD begins. After it crosses the #101, heading south, it has almost no traffic, you can see across the (strawberry) fields for miles in every direction (safe!), has maybe one stop every two miles, mostly at the entrance to Cal State University -and- ends WHERE IT BECOMES PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY (!!) and enters the northern end of Malibu!

As one can see on the Google maplink below, the distance is only 7.6 miles and, even better, can easily be done in 12 minutes. It's one of the safest, easiest, most scenic, almost non-stop drive anywhere!

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/NAS+...34.2177542!3e0

PS: Even with the recent housing inflation, Camarillo is a bargain. "Spanish Hills" (our secret fabulous neighborhood) is nicer, by many metrics, than Beverly Hills (where I wouldn't live if it were free) and is as much as 1/4th the price.

PPS: Ask me questions, I "grew up" in the Southern California real estate business. :-)

[sidneyinmyeyes34]

I went to Oxnard College like 10 years ago it wasn't bad but I was like the only white guy there. Oxnard is mostly poorer than Camarillo. I heard that Oxnard has a reputation for more crime thats what students told me there and at Ventura College. You could live at the beach in Oxnard Silver Strand its safe. My parents looked at that area a while back it seems nice there's a lot sand in front of the homes so there's no coastal erosion. Or try Port Hueneme its good area its near Oxnard. My friend lived in Camarillo in gated community off of El Centro ave I think and it was safe.

[Winston Smith]

Camarillo is a car city, for sure. if you want to avoid freeways, then somewhere near Metrolink, Sufliner stations might be a good idea. Then again, the OP posted this one and only message over a year-and-a-half ago, so perhaps they found their perfect spot. It would be interesting to know how it worked out.

As an aside, i moved to west Ventura County also to get out of the heat and sun. It was great for many years, but I've noticed the past several summers have been hotter, and hotter for more days in a row than in years past. Along the coast, the heat brings sticky humidity also. Not nearly as comfortable during summer as it was in the 1980s and 1990s.