Ventura City Guide
Welcome to your guide for Kern and Ventura County Towns. The short sketches you will find here are meant to give you a bit of the flavor and color of these wonderful communities. You can find additional information at their Official City and Chamber of Commerce Websites which have been collected for your convenience at my Resource Center.
Bakersfield
Camarillo
Fillmore
Moorpark
Oxnard
Santa Paula
Simi Valley
Thousand Oaks
Ventura
Ventura County
As of August 1, 2006.
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The Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce writes in their Community Profile "The town of Bakersfield was named after one of its early settlers, Colonel Thomas Baker. The Colonel planted a ten-acre parcel of land with alfalfa that was used by travelers to feed their animals when traveling from Visalia to Los Angeles. The field was called Baker's field. In 1869 he was appointed to survey a formal township and it was suggested the new town be named Bakersfield since it was already known to travelers as Baker's field." The local housing market is RED HOT. You can find a brand new 3 bedroom home for under 450K. Luxury homes normally begin at about 550K. Similar homes in Ventura County -further South -will typically sell for 3 times this price! Bakersfield has a population approaching 300,000 people and staddles the Kern River. Kern County is the leading oil producing county in the Continental United States and is in the heart of the fourth most productive agricultural county in the nation. The Sierra Nevada, Temblor and Tehachapis Mountain ranges approach the city on 3 sides and provide incredible fishing, camping and boating opportunities. Los Angeles is less than a 2 hour drive South while Fresno is about the same distance to the North. If you don't mind hot summers and you enjoy the invigorating atmosphere of a town experiencing explosive (but controlled) growth, Bakersfield will "knock your socks off."
Last December I surveyed 8 property management companies who told me that it is possible to rent a 3 bedroom home with a pool for $925 to $1,000/Mo. For more information on Bakersfield, visit my Resource Center. Here you will find links to the Kern County, Ventura County and Conejo Valley towns, as well as additional local school and community information. Listen to more information on your free 24 hour recorded HomeFinder Service at (866) 345-7028.
ZIP Code: 93301
Location Characteristics: Bakersfield is located in the San Joaquin Valley and backs up to the Greenhorn Mountains. In many ways the location and views are reminiscent of Salt Lake City. Winters are cooler than further South, but snow is not a normal part of the season. Summers are quite warm and feel more like Texas than California. The community itself is in the middle of a huge building boom. Commercial and residential properties are blooming everywhere you look. The good news is homes here are affordable, averaging a third of the price of similar properties 70 or 80 miles further South towards LA. As of today's date the local condos start at 80K while single family detached homes (double wide mobile homes) begin at nearly the same price.
As of August 1, 2006.
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Camarillo is a showpiece for Ventura County. A very upscale town of 63,000 people, with summer "Concerts in the Park", Frequent community events and celebrations, this town has an abundance of attractions. LA is an hour South and separated by a mountain range. Beach and harbor activities are available within a few minutes drive for boaters, swimmers, divers or a romantic dining experience at one of our many premium restaurants. Camarillo has it's own premium outlet mall for upscale shopping at discount prices. Hiking, horseback riding, off-road biking, ATV exploring and fishing are all within an hours drive at scores of State Parks and National Recreation Areas. Take a boat trip out to the Channel Islands for a unique camping or hiking experience, or observe the twice a year dolphin and whale migration back and forth to Mexico. Single family detached homes begin in the low 500K range. Premium Townhomes and Condominiums begin in the 350 to 450K range. For more information on Camarillo, visit my Resource Center. Here you will find links to all the Ventura County and Conejo Valley towns, as well as additional local school and community information. Listen to additional market information on my 24 hour free recorded HomeFinder Service at (866) 345-7028.
ZIP Code: 93010
Approximate Location Boundaries: Camarillo straddles the 101 highway West of Thousand Oaks/Newbury park and East of Oxnard. Stick a pin on a roadmap showing the 101 between LA and Santa Barbara and Camarillo will be right in the middle.
Location Characteristics: Mild Mediterranean Climate year round. Excellent schools and 20 minutes from the beach. No smog, great shopping and friendly small town feel.
As of August 1, 2006.
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Fillmore is fast developing from a sleepy small town to a mid-size town of young professionals. Located in Northeast Ventura County the town sits astride the Santa Clara River where is joins with the Sespe Creek. The Oak Ridge mountains and the San Cayetano Mountains frame the skyline to the North and again to the South of town. Tucked away between citrus crops on a newly rebuilt highway 126, the town offers a slower paced respite to the typical Southern California lifestyle. Several new home developments have been built in the last few years and larger ones are on the drawing board. The town offers quick access to the ocean, the Los Padres National Forest, Lake Piru and many area attractions. The 4th of July brings one of the high points of the year with a huge gathering of several hundred hot rods and jalopys right out of "Happy Days". The town square hosts a craft fair, horseshoe throwing competition while a fabulous old steam locomotive provides rides to nearby Santa Paula throughout the day. Fireworks light the summer sky and provide a spectacular ending to America's Anniversary. The population hovers near 15,000 people, so if you like to know your neighbors, this town is a delight.
For more information on Fillmore, visit my Resource Center. Here you will find links to all the Ventura County and Conejo Valley towns, as well as additional local school and community information. Also listen to additional market information on your free 24 hour HomeFinder Service at (866) 345-7028.
ZIP Code: 93016
Location Characteristics: "The last, best small town in Southern California" is Fillmore's motto. Sunset Magazine names Fillmore to their list of "The West's Best Cities", an honor given to only 24 communities in the western U.S. If you've ever seen a movie with a steam locomotive in it, it was probably filmed here. Named after a railroad superintendant, Fillmore was built around a Southern Pacific Railroad Station. The climate is mild and the scenery is spectacular. If you like nice small town charm in an idyllic setting, then Fillmore could be the home for you.
As of August 1, 2006.
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Moorpark is a safe, clean, quiet village just right for families. The town was originally named for the Moorpark apricot which flourished on farms throughout the Tierra Rejada Valley in the late 1800's. Today's town sports a new shopping mall, an explosively growing school system and easy access to major rail, auto and airline travel. A large agricultural center, it is rapidly transforming itself to meet the demands of it's new population of young, affluent, commuting professionals. Moorpark College continues to build the local student educational opportunities and is one of the few junior colleges in the county with a placement agreement for its students wishing to transfer to UCLA. Moorpark has a climate which can only be termed "wonderful". Normal temperatures average between 38 & 80 degrees year around. Tennis anyone?
For more information on Moorpark, visit my Resource Center. Here you will find links to all the Ventura County and Conejo Valley towns, as well as additional local school and community information.
ZIP Code: 93021
Approximate Location Boundaries: Moorpark lies just West of the much larger town of Simi Valley. Take the 118 West and bit South and keep a sharp eye for where the 118 departs from Rt 23.
Location Characteristics: Moorpark is ranked by the FBI as the 7th safest small town out of 341 smaller California communities of 10,000 people or more. Moorpark is a bedroom community of just over 35,000 people which is experiencing steady growth. Industry and shopping are burgeoning at the expense of the local cropland. It still has a rural flavor and a slower pace than cities further East, but it is definitely a city in transition.
As of August 1, 2006.
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Oxnard's demographics used to include farm workers, fishermen and the U.S. Navy SeaBees. Today's community still reflects a strong Hispanic Heritage but includes many new affluent professionals from outside the area who are taking advantage of one of the most robust new home construction markets in Ventura County. Oxnard offers Seaside homes with insular "artist colony" type neighborhoods to beachfront Townhome Complexes, or Million Dollar getaways with a boat moored at the back patio. There are numerous gated developments, and even a few '40s neighborhoods offering the porches, turrets, 10' ceilings and hardwood floors that movie studios find so attractive. Two very large and very new High Schools offer beautiful classroom facilities. Oxnard has it's own harbor which hosts weekly special events, a farmers market, a huge Yacht Club and a few really exceptional Resorts. Restaurants offer a galaxy of dining experiences from the authentic Mexican food at "Sal's" to the elegant Sunday Brunch at the seaside "Lobster Trap". People in Oxnard love to eat! Oxnard also hosts the annual world-renowned "Strawberry Festival". Music, crafts, and every possible edible material which includes strawberries as an ingredient. Older homes in Oxnard start as low as the upper 400's, while condos start in the low 300's.
For more information on Oxnard, visit my Resource Center. Here you will find links to all the Ventura County and Conejo Valley towns, as well as additional local school and community information. Listen to additional market information at your free 24 hour recorded HomeFinder Service - (866) 345-7028. Enjoy!
ZIP Code: 93030
Approximate Location Boundaries: Oxnard is located where US 101 joins State Rt 1. East of Ventura and West of Camarillo.
Location Characteristics: Oxnard is a rapidly expanding community in the flatlands near the oceanside. It is by far the largest city in Ventura County with just shy of 190,000 people. It has a constant mild weather climate which rarely sees the upper 80"s.
As of August 1, 2006.
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If you love small towns (30,000+), huge fruit orchards, mountain scenery, planes - trains or hotrod automobiles-this town is for you. Stay in a haunted hotel, eat world class Mexican Cuisine, visit art museums, or just stroll the flight line of one of the last unfenced private airports. Santa Paula offers many unique experiences. Shop at an old time general store, then run outside as a real old time steam locomotive pulls into the town square from Fillmore. "Murder on the Orient Express" is a dinner and interactive mystery for lucky train riders each month. A walk downtown will bring back feelings of childhood with the Mayberry type atomosphere and friendly citizens. This is what California was 50 years ago.
For more information on Santa Paula, visit my Resource Center. Here you will find links to all the Ventura County and Conejo Valley towns, as well as additional local school and community information. Listen to additional market information on your free 24 hour recorded HomeFinder Service - (866) 345-7028. Enjoy!
ZIP Code: 93060
Approximate Location Boundaries: Santa Paula lies midway between Ventura and Fillmore on State Rt 126.
Location Characteristics: "Citrus Capital of the World" for lemons, oranges and avocados, Santa Paula is fascinating small town. Whole neighborhoods dating back to the forties mix with newer home developments on the West Side of town. To the North of town on the hillsides above, perch magnificent new mansions. There are fewer rental or multi-unit homes but that is not unusual for such a small town.
As of August 1, 2006.
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Simi Valley is a city that has aimed itself squarely at LA commuters. It is a safe, attractive and above all convenient place to live. Excellent police, healthcare and educational institutions support a very pampered population. Along with the expected swimming pools, tennis courts and golf courses, the city supports a local ice skating rink and one of the largest equestrian trail systems in the United States. Corriganville Park was once the home of a movie ranch owned by Ray "Crash" Corrigan. The park provides a stunningly beautiful mix of sandstone cliffs, oak forests and streams for the public enjoyment. For those of a more historic bent, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Grave Site provides a lavish collection of interactive, educational displays. Totally funded through private donations, this institution is a wonderful testiment to a true American Hero. On a lighter note, the annual May Cajun-Creole Music Festival provides a rousing weekend of spicy food and live musical entertainment for the whole family. Townhomes and Condos start as low as 240K and single family homes begin in the mid to upper 400Ks.
For more information on Fillmore, visit my Resource Center. Here you will find links to all the Ventura County and Conejo Valley towns, as well as additional local school and community information. Listen to free 24 hour recorded market information at your own HomeFinder Service - (805) 345-7028. Enjoy!
Mark Thorngren
ZIP Code: 93063
Location Characteristics: One of the larger cities in Ventura County - population 121,000 - Simi Valley offers a location close enough for workers to easily commute to LA and yet far enough away to enjoy the advantages of living outside the LA basin. Simi Valley offers a wider price range for first time home buyers than most other cities in Ventura County.
As of August 1, 2006.
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Three thousand years ago the Chumash Indians settled the Conejo Valley. It's fertile hillsides, abundant water resources and mild climate provided an ideal home for these early tribes. Today more than ever, the valley remains an ideal home for it's residents. "Thousand Oaks is the most desired location for new home buyers among all of the cities in Ventura County." (RE: The Meyers Group Real Estate Information - Community Rankings Survey) Thousand Oaks has one of the nation's lowest crime rates and is one of the top ten communities for statewide academic excellence. The median age of the population is 38 years, median income $86,000 and total population is just over 127,000 people. Numerous high tech industries fill the commercial centers and feed the local economy. The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza was opened in 1994 and provides the focal point of a rich cultural calendar. The Plaza plays host to symphony concerts, broadway musicals, contemporary entertainers as well as highlighting local artists, dance recitals and choirs. Local events include the annual "Conejo Valley Days" which celebrates the citys' past with parades, a carnival, live entertainment and even a chili cook-off. There is even a 2 day professional cowboy rodeo. They say there are more cowboys in California than in Texas!
Just East across the Los Angeles County Line is the City of Westlake Village. Westlake Village is much smaller with a population of roughly 9,000 people and a median age of about 45 years. Residents of Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village zealously guard their local environment. As an example, Oak trees cannot be cut or moved without a permit. The Conejo Valley is normally a bit warmer than the rest of the Ventura County with its own sunny micro-climate. The affluent lifestyle is reflected in home prices, with Condos beginning in the high 200K range and homes ranging on up to more than $8,000,000.
For more information on Thousand Oaks, visit my Resource Center. Here you will find links to all the Ventura County and Conejo Valley towns, as well as additional local school and community information. Listen to free 24 hour recorded information at your own HomeFinder Service - (866) 345-7028. Enjoy!
Mark Thorngren
ZIP Code: 91360
Location Characteristics: Situated just NorthWest of LA is the fabulous Conejo Valley. It sits 900 feet above sea level, surrounded by low mountains and scattered with oak trees. Highway 101 runs through the length of the valley and is straddled from East to West by the cities of Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park. all in a space of just over 20 miles.
As of August 1, 2006.
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Ventura is located 63 miles Northwest of Los Angeles and a 20 minute drive South of Santa Barbara. Home to just over 106,000 people it serves as headquarters to various businesses such as- Patagonia. It also serves as the headquarters to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. A fascinating mix of the old with the new, Ventura's downtown sports art galleries, coffee houses, antique stores, restaurants and bookstores. In the midst of this downtown area stands the majestic Ventura City Hall- designed by the renowned Albert C. Martin and built in 1913 - it reigns above one end of California Street. The other end of California Street is the beachfront Promenade.
The Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center anchors a walkway to the nearby Seaside Park and Ventura County Fairgrounds. Ventura Pier juts out into the sea from the other end of the promenade. The pier has its own seafood restaurant- "Eric Andersons". Eastern Ventura has a number of new housing developments, while the Western end of town features several wonderful seaside neighborhoods including some homes with their own backyard piers. To the North are hillside homes and estates with incredible sea views. Single family homes begin in the low to mid 500Ks while townhomes and condos begin in the upper 300K's to low 400K's.
Visit my website at www.markthorngren.com to check our local market listings yourself. For more information on Ventura, visit my Resource Center. Here you will find links to all the Ventura County and Conejo Valley towns, as well as additional local school and community information. Listen to detailed market information on your own free recorded 24 hour HomeFinder Service - (866) 345-7028. Enjoy!
Mark Thorngren
ZIP Code: 93003
Location Characteristics: Built from the hillside to the Pacific Ocean, Ventura grew from the Spanish San Buenaventura Mission built in 1782. Today it revels in seaside splendor. Home of the Ventura County Fair and a huge Downtown 4th of July Arts and Crafts Show, Ventura appeals to the artist in us all. Once a home for fishermen and roughnecks in the oil industry, Ventura has since welcomed many new industries and young professionals.
As of August 1, 2006.
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You may find my individual descriptions of each of the towns in Ventura County in Realty Times. Just go to http://realtytimes.com/rtmcrmember/markthorngren.
This is a general report for the West County. A person must learn a bit about Ventura County itself in order to understand the high demand for homes here. How do you describe an improbably pleasant place so close to LA, yet eons removed in friendly community atmosphere and beauty? The first year a person lives in Ventura County is the most dangerous. People who don't pace themselves can quickly exhaust their energies on the world class scuba diving, sailing, boating, fishing , horseback riding, motorcycle riding, hiking, mountain biking, tennis, soccer, baseball, golf - you get the idea.
Schools are generally good to excellent with numerous Vocational and Junior Colleges and a few outstanding major universities such as Cal Lutheran and Cal State Channel Islands. Tourism, agriculture, fishing, offshore oil, and a rapidly expanding high tech industry provide the engines which drive the quality of life here.
The population is extremely multi-cultural which means an incredible variety of restaurants, shopping opportunities and holidays. Weekends mean choosing between a major city holiday, festival, boat show or concert in the park. You simply cannot do it all.
Not everything in Ventura County is roses however. Homes are expensive. The average single family home has a median price of over 600 thousand dollars! There are not enough of them and many people are forced to commute to work from less expensive areas outside the county. First time homebuyers often learn they must lower their expectations if they want to live here. Buy something less just to get into the market.
For more information on Ventura County, visit my Resource Center. Here you will find links to all the Ventura County and Conejo Valley towns, as well as additional local school and community information. Listen to more specific home buying information on your 24 hour free recorded HomeFinder Service at (866) 345-7028. Move here if you dare. We'll keep a light on.
Mark Thorngren
ZIP Code: 93010
Approximate Location Boundaries: Ventura County is best understood by picturing a horseshoe with it's open end facing West toward the Pacific Ocean. The other 3 sides of the horseshoe are various mountain ranges surrounding paradise. Ventura County lies to the North and West of Los Angeles, and to the South East of Santa Barbara. Drive 50 miles directly East from Ventura County and you are in the high desert where America Tests it's most secret and advanced military aricraft. Go directly North and you will encounter the sparsely wooded Los Padres National Forest - a huge, wilderness area inhabited by bear, coyote and the great California Condor. Mountains reach over 8800 feet within a couple hours drive from the ocean.
Location Characteristics: Ventura County stretches from the Pacific Ocean across the flat Oxnard Plain and on East and North into Mountain Wilderness. Listen to the early Beach Boys Music where they sing about the Ventura Freeway, Good Vibrations, and their Little Deuce Coup. They were in a Ventura County state of mind. Ventura is California's resort playground. God never made a more perfect climate for fun and adventure. Outdoor activities never end, golf courses rarely close and people who live here forgot long ago that Winter means more than the "Parade of Lights" yacht parade in Ventura Harbor. Some of the world's premier strawberries, lemons and oranges grow amongst avocado, and pumpkin fields. If you don't have a view of the Pacific Ocean or the mountains, then you don't live in Ventura County.
