Ventura County (Long Beach, Riverside, Oxnard: to buy, inspections, salary)

[Cali_Okie_Girl]

Originally Posted by upamuddyriver

I am moving from virginia to the Ventura area. Just how bad is the rents there? I will need a 4 bedroom, since there are 4 kids, and they range in age from 5 to 13.

thanks

the area i live in Ventura County is expensive..i think (not up on all the payments n stuff) but its called Oak Park..near Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks, Westlake, the schools are good and we had one fire about 4 years. There are many houses near us but arent selling well. there are many sports offered not in Oak Park but around the surrding areas. the weather is mild...40-60s during the winter maybe high 30s and the summer 80-100s. Nice area..u should really look into it..if u want pictures i have many pictures of it.just ask

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Cali_Okie_Girl

Oak Park..near Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks, Westlake, the schools are good

Absolutely. Few better places to raise kids. The only negative is the commute to Ventura, not really that bad but probably a real 45 minutes one way, probably not too bad as traffic in general is heading east in the morning. Haven't been there in a while but by now they've probably widened the bridges over the Santa Clara River and worked out the bottle necks there and around Wagon Wheel.

That's a bad thing and good thing. Living in TO or Westlake or Agoura you'd be closer to potential jobs east of there like the San Fernando Valley, and including all of the Conejo Valley and Simi. Always have a Plan B.

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by Charles

Haven't been there in a while but by now they've probably widened the bridges over the Santa Clara River and worked out the bottle necks there and around Wagon Wheel.

The freeway widening didn't really solve any traffic problems. It moved the bottleneck from Oxnard to Ventura, increased the noise level from the freeway by many, many decibels, and invited tons more cars to use the road. A poor use of $100 million tax dollars, IMHO.

[macsret]

daisymama, good post. Would you mind posting the zip code for North Oxnard or another part but please state what part of Oxnard, that way I can do a city profile search for the crime statistics, avg income and such. Also, your opinions on the topics. I already know the weather, simply can't be beat, there as I retired from CBC Port Hueneme, know the name has changed. Your rent of $1,800 mo seemed a bit high, but then, it has been a long time.

Pam-i-am, congrats on your move to Camarillo, what a great place to live... if you can afford it. I lived there from 1980 - 1984 and couldn't afford it anymore. You are absolutely right about the low crime.

Would also appreciate it if anyone could give me a current look for Hueneme. I did a city profile and it looks good, much better than I remembered, however, I'm interested in REAL PERSON OPINIONS not just statistics

jOE
Angeles City
Philippines

[macsret]

Hi All,

Hope this isn't too soon to post another question. Anyway, my question: Can anyone tell me how adult (60+ yrs) asthmatics fair in regards to the pollen and weather in general in and around the Oxnard - Hueneme - Ventura & Camarillo areas and if possible which one would be the best for asthma sufferers?

Like I have already stated in my first post, I lived there between 1980 - 1984 and found it alright, but, things and the environment do change.

I have been living in the Philippines for over 19+ years now, where the weather is hot... very hot and very humid and my asthma is just barely controlled.

Appreciate all replies.

Best to you all,

jOE
Angeles City
Philippines

[sponger42]

Visited downtown Oxnard this weekend. Thanks for the heads up on the FUWA market. It has stuff I need, but it's a little pricey.

I found some good deals on vegetables in a market near the metrolink/bus/amtrak station, but I couldn't find any thrift stores. Just pawnshops. Oxnard's downtown is really spread out and quiet (dead) compared to Ventura's, it seems.

I don't know about the astma question. There might be a lot of pollen and dust/chemical spray from the farms but there's also a pretty constant seabreeze and when winds are offshore, it's the dry Santa Anna. I'd bet a place right on the coast (no agricultural fields between you and the water) would be best for you.

[Cali_Okie_Girl]

So i went down to the TO mall..havent been there in awhile and there having major concruction there...there expanding the mall THANK GOD! its a tiny mall so they need to...there making an outside mall to for those beautiful CA days.

just thought i'd mention this!

to the asthma question..i dont really know..im sorry

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by sponger42

Visited downtown Oxnard this weekend.
...
I found some good deals on vegetables in a market near the metrolink/bus/amtrak station, but I couldn't find any thrift stores.
...
Oxnard's downtown is really spread out and quiet (dead) compared to Ventura's, it seems.

The thrift stores are north of downtown on Oxnard Blvd., ARC of VC, Super Thrift and one other near 2nd Street. Salvation Army is near 5th/Ventura road, west of dt.

The downtown revitalization is about ten years behind Ventura's. There was a time a few years back when Ventura downtown was absolutely creepy. It's better now and Oxnard's downtown is following along nicely. The Thursday morning farmers market and Monday night foreign film series are among my favorite activities (whenever I can get to them).

[PecanPie]

It's not that hot in Thousand Oaks. Sure there are days or even a week or two straight of 90-100 degree weather, but it's not that common. I would say the "bad" heat doesn't total more than 6-8 weeks or so in the summer. The rest of the time even when it's warm during the day it cools off at night. Even the little distance from central TO to Newbury Park makes a difference in temperature though, you can definitely feel the coastal breeze more just that 10 minutes up (west) on the 101. It is hotter (and colder) the further down you go -- Oak Park, Agoura, Calabasas are all hotter than TO. Cooler as you go up, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Santa Rosa.

The Conejo Valley is a great place for families, though I don't like it as well as I did 10 or even 5 years ago, I think it is getting overbuilt. Simi Valley is also nice but IMO better on the west end, though you get all the new home developments on the east end that put you closer to the SF Valley.

[pshinspections]

Check craigslist for current rents in Ventura, Oxnard, etc. They're almost all over a grand for a tiny place. Ventura County is one place where you pay for the climate!

I lived there for 25 years and would not move back... the ratio of cost-of-living to average salary is just too far out of whack from reality, and has been for two decades now. No, California has not hit bottom yet. Much more correction to be seen...