Moving to LA with 5 kids

[ccpatt]

Hey everyone. I am back. Well we are making the move next month. I am looking inthe West Hills area. Any suggestions. That is the only place where I can find good schools, rent on a 4-5 bedroom under $3500 per month and not a terrible commute. I was looking in Slymar but the schools are bad. shadow hills is the same. We have 5 remember so I can't afford private schools. I looked at Thousand Oaks but it is so expensive and from what I hear the commute will be terrible. I like Burbank and the schools are great but can't find a home to fit us. Any other suggestions on an area. The areas are so complex. I find a good home and schools are bad or find good schools but can't find a house. I think the area of West Hills, Woodland Hills, Grenada Hills would be our best bet. Any ideas. Remember need safety, good schools, not a terrible commute to north LA and we are caucasian. Don't mind diversity just make sure it is safe for us. Let me know if you have any comments before I make the finals on a home. Thanks to everyone for your help. I realize it is going to be a big change but the price of rent isn't too bad coming from Naples, fl. It is really ridiculous there too. Everything is high there. Can't really figure out your weather or from other posting apparently smog is an issue in some area.

Thanks all. Look forward to your comments

[Charles]

I lived in West Hills from 1962 to 1988. I lived in Thousand Oaks from 1997-2006. If you can swing Thousand Oaks, I would strongly urge you to move there instead of West Hills. You might get stuck at Columbus Junior High and/or Canoga High School (I can hear bong hits being slurped when I type that).

The nice homes in West Hills with good schools (Pomelo? Justice Street?) are probably not more expensive than Thousand Oaks. I would have attended Justice Street/Columbus/Canoga in the 1960/70s had I gone to government schools. Here's another way of putting it: The worst schools in Conejo Valley are better than 90% of the schools in LAUSD.

West Hills is several minutes (10-15) from the 101 too so depending on how far you would be from the 101 in Thousand Oaks, the drive time might be close to the same.

I wonder how many middle class American couples with five kids have moved TO rather than FROM Los Angeles in the past five years? I'll bet the FROM/TO ratio is something like 40:1.

[Vicman]

Keep in mind that, to my knowledge, all of West Hills, minus the LVUSD parts, is zoned to El Camino Real High School.

There could be some parts zoned to Canoga Park High School.

Originally Posted by Charles

I lived in West Hills from 1962 to 1988. I lived in Thousand Oaks from 1997-2006. If you can swing Thousand Oaks, I would strongly urge you to move there instead of West Hills. You might get stuck at Columbus Junior High and/or Canoga High School (I can hear bong hits being slurped when I type that).

The nice homes in West Hills with good schools (Pomelo? Justice Street?) are probably not more expensive than Thousand Oaks. I would have attended Justice Street/Columbus/Canoga in the 1960/70s had I gone to government schools. Here's another way of putting it: The worst schools in Conejo Valley are better than 90% of the schools in LAUSD.

West Hills is several minutes (10-15) from the 101 too so depending on how far you would be from the 101 in Thousand Oaks, the drive time might be close to the same.

I wonder how many middle class American couples with five kids have moved TO rather than FROM Los Angeles in the past five years? I'll bet the FROM/TO ratio is something like 40:1.

[bellabella80]

I concur. El Segundo is the best kept secret in LA. It's family oriented but close enough to the city to do things. Also, it's right by the beach and it's safe. You see kids riding their bikes, people walking their dogs etc. The Valley is also family oriented and affordable. There are nice areas where all the stars live like Calabasas, West Hills, Encino, Studio City and Sherman Oaks. LA is going to be a completely different experience for your husband with 5 kids....