Hi Lotis, I am not only a Realtor but a parent of a two year old. I will tell you that I am a big "fan" of the Ventura County - VC. Life is different here and I think it is one of the best places to raise a family. I grew up in Thousand Oaks and moved to Simi Valley 15 years ago for more affordable housing, I wanted a single family home and not a condo and on my budget back then Simi offered me more and still does for homeowners. Simi is also easy to access the 118 FWY and we have some beautiful communities here. I actually think that Simi Valley is more like Thousand Oaks was when I grew up...but I digress.

One concern I would share with you, which may not be an issue if you plan for your children to attend Oaks Christian is that Westlake is not a young community. In fact Westake is part of the Conejo Valley Unified School district and they have closed two schools this past year because they have low enrollment, in TO.

If you are looking for prestige, I think that Westlake is a great pick because it bring you into the Ventura County but since you will work from home and commute the children to school (and it is a lovely school by all accounts, I have a friend with children there), you could look at Dos Vientos, which has I think a younger population, great weather, and some amazing parks and recreational activities all in a newer developed community, with a little cooler weather. Some of the homes are breathtaking and there is something for almost any price range desired in Dos Vientos. I would also recommend considering Moorpark off Tierra Rejada. This is a quick jump on the 23 to Oaks Christian and there are some beautiful communities there off of Miller Parkway. Trieste is very nice or you could go into Santa Rosa and still have easy access to Moorpark, which I recommend again because it is a wonderful community for younger families.

If you need proximity to the Valley though, I would start with Westlake. Oak Park is also in Ventura County. This is going to be heading East on Kanan, accessible by passing through Agoura on your way to Westlake. Oak Park has some low enrollment in their schools because they have a lower percentage of young families but I think that it is lovely.

If you have not begun to work with a Realtor in Ventura County, please contact me directly and I will go over your criteria and set you up with an MLS Alert. There is no cost or obligation. It works in real time to email you immediately when new homes in your criteria become available or have been price reduced.

Calabasas: Los Angeles County
Westlake Village: Ventura County

I prefer Westlake Village. Less crime. Better attitude/community. Less expensive for insurance, taxes, etc. Better school.

If you prefer gated communities and newer homes, consider Calabasas.

Lots of agents from my office live in Westlake Village. I live in Newbury Park and I went to Pepperdine and Calabasas High school. Living in Westlake seems to be a nice mix between Newbury Park and Calabasas because it's not as busy as Calabasas, and not as calm as Newbury Park. There is a Trader Joe's, Ralphs and lots of nice Restaurants in Westlake. You can also take the children fishing at the lake, which I have done with my son there. Copy and paste this link to ConejoValleyGuide.com and do a search for Westlake Village to find the different activities for that area. Call 805 624 4739 or email me if you have any questions and good luck making your decision!