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2. The Thousand Oaks areas is "red-necky", how much time have you spent in Thousand Oaks? .
Answers to your questions:
1. Yep.
2. Lots of time.
Thousand Oaks (Simi Valley and Moorpark) is definately the Barstow of the 805. Only difference is the property values. People are the same. People ARE THE SAME!! Cigarette smoking, dried and leathery wrinkled women (and teen girls) walking around cursing and carrying on. Many of them are rather trashy, red necky, trailer types who happen to live in a city where property values have skyrocketed. Unfortunately, even though they may have cashed in on the equity in their homes to buy new F150s, RAMs, Silverados and Tahoes, they are still your run-of-the-mill red necky types. Who dont really seem to accept or treat non-whites equally.
I used to work out at Golds Gym in T.O. and I saw the manager, front desk girl and one of the personal trainers treat this professional looking black guy extremely rudely who looked like he just wanted information on memebership. They gave him such a hard time after they pretty much ignored him for so long that he ended up leaving. It was really sad to see.
Most of the regular (i.e., diverse and non pickup truck driving) people you see there either live in Dos Vientos or drive in from the Valley (Calabasas, Woodland Hills, etc.) to work at Amgen. I hated every second I was there.
I have lived in several cities and even a different state. I currently live in Newbury Park, I have also lived in Thousand Oaks. I love the small town feel. Sherman Oaks, Encino all over rated. I can't even go into the San Fernando Valley without wanting to rush back to beautiful Newbury Park. It has a small town feeling but you pretty much have access to the same things a bigger city might have. It's only 20-25 min to the Valley if you are so inclined. Unless you are truly a cultured and cosmopolitan person which frankly many of us aren't, Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park offers you a safe, beautiful place to raise your family. My son bikes all over and runs around with his friends, just like I got to do when I was a child and I feel very safe allowing him to do that. That would not be the case in the San Fernando Valley at least for me. Living in Sherman Oaks, Encino, Woodland Hills does not guarantee you will sit next to any celebrities. I had lived there for over 20 years prior to moving to NP and it is just not that great at all. But, different strokes for different folks. Visit and make your own conclusion
I have lived in several cities and even a different state. I currently live in Newbury Park, I have also lived in Thousand Oaks. I love the small town feel. Sherman Oaks, Encino all over rated. I can't even go into the San Fernando Valley without wanting to rush back to beautiful Newbury Park. It has a small town feeling but you pretty much have access to the same things a bigger city might have. It's only 20-25 min to the Valley if you are so inclined. Unless you are truly a cultured and cosmopolitan person which frankly many of us aren't, Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park offers you a safe, beautiful place to raise your family. My son bikes all over and runs around with his friends, just like I got to do when I was a child and I feel very safe allowing him to do that. That would not be the case in the San Fernando Valley at least for me. Living in Sherman Oaks, Encino, Woodland Hills does not guarantee you will sit next to any celebrities. I had lived there for over 20 years prior to moving to NP and it is just not that great at all. But, different strokes for different folks. Visit and make your own conclusion
This is consistent with my experiences when I lived in TO.
Not sure what the red neck comments were all about. My impression of TO was completely opposite. I felt like the white trash of TO. I drove a 98 F-150, my wife a 99 Durango. Everyone and I mean everyone on our street had at least one MB, Lexus, or BMW. I did my own landscaping, rented a ditch witch and put down my own PVC, designed the sprinkler system, rototilled, planted seed and sod and bushes and flowers - saved about $15K. I did my own lawn mowing, there was only one other guy on my street who actually mowed his own lawn. The rest of the people paid landscapers (so they could save time enabling them to go to the gym and walk on a treadmill indoors on sunny 75 degree days.) The guy across the street actually paid someone to clean up his dog's poop - I couldn't believe such a service existed. Same guy had someone come to his house and detail his cars every week or two. I guess it was too much to drive down to the car wash. Hell, what's $60/week to wash the windows of an otherwise clean car. I wash my truck about once a year - whether it needs it or not. As soon as the empty McDonalds bags start overflowing from the back seat into the front seat I know it is time to clean out the car.
The guy across the street actually paid someone to clean up his dog's poop - I couldn't believe such a service existed.
The service does nothing but pick-up poop out of his yard? I could see it as part of a dog walking service but poop pick-up as the sole service. Now that's news to me. Did he ever mention how much he paid?
There's a whole lot of people up here in the Bay Area with more money than brains. I could offer a kickback to some of the dog walkers I know to bomb the more affluent neighborhoods, hire some kids, and really clean up.
The service does nothing but pick-up poop out of his yard? I could see it as part of a dog walking service but poop pick-up as the sole service. Now that's news to me. Did he ever mention how much he paid?
There's a whole lot of people up here in the Bay Area with more money than brains. I could offer a kickback to some of the dog walkers I know to bomb the more affluent neighborhoods, hire some kids, and really clean up.
I saw something like this on TV. The guy picking up the dog pooh was making a lot of money doing this too. It was his business. I don't remember what city or state he was in but he was doing pretty well for himself for picking up pooh!!! Who knew????
Pretty funny. We are a very self indulgent people aren't we, lol? I hate to say it but I would probably belong to that group for some things and not so much for others. Though, I can't say I own a Lexus, BMW or MB. 2004 Chrysler Pacifica and Honda S2000 and I am quite happy with them. Bought them used. We just bought a home in NP and hoping that it won't be a mistake given the current real estate market. We put a lot of money down and plan on planting ourselves here for many many years. I may start up another thread just to get some input on that decision. Just curious what the general consensus will be... I am anticipating a lot of naysayers in the bunch. We are buying the house as a place to live more so than an investment though I would like it to hold it's value of course.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles
This is consistent with my experiences when I lived in TO.
Not sure what the red neck comments were all about. My impression of TO was completely opposite. I felt like the white trash of TO. I drove a 98 F-150, my wife a 99 Durango. Everyone and I mean everyone on our street had at least one MB, Lexus, or BMW. I did my own landscaping, rented a ditch witch and put down my own PVC, designed the sprinkler system, rototilled, planted seed and sod and bushes and flowers - saved about $15K. I did my own lawn mowing, there was only one other guy on my street who actually mowed his own lawn. The rest of the people paid landscapers (so they could save time enabling them to go to the gym and walk on a treadmill indoors on sunny 75 degree days.) The guy across the street actually paid someone to clean up his dog's poop - I couldn't believe such a service existed. Same guy had someone come to his house and detail his cars every week or two. I guess it was too much to drive down to the car wash. Hell, what's $60/week to wash the windows of an otherwise clean car. I wash my truck about once a year - whether it needs it or not. As soon as the empty McDonalds bags start overflowing from the back seat into the front seat I know it is time to clean out the car.
Pretty funny. We are a very self indulgent people aren't we, lol? I hate to say it but I would probably belong to that group for some things and not so much for others. Though, I can't say I own a Lexus, BMW or MB. 2004 Chrysler Pacifica and Honda S2000 and I am quite happy with them. Bought them used. We just bought a home in NP and hoping that it won't be a mistake given the current real estate market. We put a lot of money down and plan on planting ourselves here for many many years. I may start up another thread just to get some input on that decision. Just curious what the general consensus will be... I am anticipating a lot of naysayers in the bunch. We are buying the house as a place to live more so than an investment though I would like it to hold it's value of course.
I also live in NP (border of TO) & I absolutely love it here. I have lived in the Conejo Valley since my parents moved us here in the 70s. Now my husband & I live here and its been a great place to raise our kids (both teenagers).
We do have newer cars, and we do have a paid gardener, but I consider us pretty 'average' people for the area. I agree that TO/NP does not feel like a red-neck area. My son and I went on a tour of the east coast (for colleges) and let me tell ya - we saw some redneck places!
TO/NP home values will go back up, eventually. Right now its kind of scary with all the recent Amgen & Countrywide layoffs, but its always been a nice place to live. I think you'll be fine, as long as you plan on staying in the house for a while. When we bought the house we are in right now, back in 2000 - the real estate market was pretty stagnant. We were worried about the high price we were paying, but even with all the corrections in the market, our house is still worth over double what we paid. Like you, we were looking more for a HOME than an investment. But it has turned out well for us, in both ways.
I agree with your comments about the valley. I hate going there! My blood pressure drops a ton when I come down into 'our' valley on the 101.
Everyone has their own opinions, and there's mine!
I will be moving off Wendy near Borchard. Right now we live off Wendy and Lynn. I used to work in the Valley (I was in the escrow biz for 9 years) but I quit and lucky woman that I am R.E. is at a stand still and escrow jobs are few and far between. My husband works at a compounding pharmacy and they needed an administrative person so voila a new career is born. Anyways, I digress, lol. My sister in law works at Amgen and they are pretty much done with laying off for now. And its not like everyone who works at Amgen and Countrywide live out here so hopefully the impact will not be too severe to the economy here but I am sure it will be felt somewhat. I heard maybe 6% of the people that got laid off lived here. Funny thing is the seller's of our new house are one of the laid off people and our lender is Countrywide You bought at a good time kind of at the beginning of the craziness so yes you are very lucky because even if you lose a little value you will still have a good amount of equity left as long as you didn't use your house like an ATM and keep refinancing all the money out of it. Many many people did that and I saw it first hand in escrow. I saw all the crazy loans and people refinancing 1, 2, 3 and yes even 4 times. I was no brain surgeon but I knew that the "landscape architect" who made 10K/mo and spoke no English was in fact a gardener who was in way over his head and I knew the you know what would hit the fan eventually. It really was sad to see how some of these people got talked into terrible loans. We will have a gardener and I will even go one better and have someone come in and clean my house, so there, shoot me, lol. At least we are giving someone an opportunity to earn a living and that isn't a bad thing IMHO. I don't take my life or gifts for granted, I have been on the other side as well and I am grateful for it all. Where in NP do you live? I have a 14 year old son who goes to NPHS.
I will be moving off Wendy near Borchard. Right now we live off Wendy and Lynn. I used to work in the Valley (I was in the escrow biz for 9 years) but I quit and lucky woman that I am R.E. is at a stand still and escrow jobs are few and far between. My husband works at a compounding pharmacy and they needed an administrative person so voila a new career is born. Anyways, I digress, lol. My sister in law works at Amgen and they are pretty much done with laying off for now. And its not like everyone who works at Amgen and Countrywide live out here so hopefully the impact will not be too severe to the economy here but I am sure it will be felt somewhat. I heard maybe 6% of the people that got laid off lived here. Funny thing is the seller's of our new house are one of the laid off people and our lender is Countrywide You bought at a good time kind of at the beginning of the craziness so yes you are very lucky because even if you lose a little value you will still have a good amount of equity left as long as you didn't use your house like an ATM and keep refinancing all the money out of it. Many many people did that and I saw it first hand in escrow. I saw all the crazy loans and people refinancing 1, 2, 3 and yes even 4 times. I was no brain surgeon but I knew that the "landscape architect" who made 10K/mo and spoke no English was in fact a gardener who was in way over his head and I knew the you know what would hit the fan eventually. It really was sad to see how some of these people got talked into terrible loans. We will have a gardener and I will even go one better and have someone come in and clean my house, so there, shoot me, lol. At least we are giving someone an opportunity to earn a living and that isn't a bad thing IMHO. I don't take my life or gifts for granted, I have been on the other side as well and I am grateful for it all. Where in NP do you live? I have a 14 year old son who goes to NPHS.
We live near Lynn/Greenmeadow. It's considered Thousand Oaks, but we have a NP zip code. My daughter is at Moorpark College and my son is a jr. at NPHS. We love this area. It's not perfect, but overall a great place to live.
We live near Lynn/Greenmeadow. It's considered Thousand Oaks, but we have a NP zip code. My daughter is at Moorpark College and my son is a jr. at NPHS. We love this area. It's not perfect, but overall a great place to live.
Just for clarification, Newbury Park is part of Thousand Oaks. All of Newbury Park is in Thousand Oaks.
Also, Westlake Village is the eastern "half" of the community that surrounds the lake at Westlake. The western "half" is Thousand Oaks. The eastern half, Westlake Village is in Los Angeles County. The western half is in Ventura County. If Ventura County, then Thousand Oaks. If Los Angeles County, then Westlake Village. There is no Westlake Village in Ventura County. If you are in Ventura County you are not in Westlake Village. Westlake High School is in Thousand Oaks, Ventura County (Conejo Valley Schools).
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newbury park/thousand oaks
You bought at a good time kind of at the beginning of the craziness so yes you are very lucky because even if you lose a little value you will still have a good amount of equity left as long as you didn't use your house like an ATM and keep refinancing all the money out of it. Many many people did that and I saw it first hand in escrow. I saw all the crazy loans and people refinancing 1, 2, 3 and yes even 4 times. I was no brain surgeon but I knew that the "landscape architect" who made 10K/mo and spoke no English was in fact a gardener who was in way over his head and I knew the you know what would hit the fan eventually. It really was sad to see how some of these people got talked into terrible loans. We will have a gardener and I will even go one better and have someone come in and clean my house, so there, shoot me, lol. At least we are giving someone an opportunity to earn a living and that isn't a bad thing IMHO. I don't take my life or gifts for granted, I have been on the other side as well and I am grateful for it all. Where in NP do you live? I have a 14 year old son who goes to NPHS.
