I know, I know, in my previous blog I said that the lack of traffic is something you will love about the Conejo Valley… but if you are commuting to LA for work, that commute can suck.  If you are working remote, or working a flex schedule, this may not be a problem for you.  My friends out here who work in LA recommend leaving the house by 6am and joining a gym near the office, so you can beat the traffic and hit the gym before work.  For a shorter commute, you’ll want to consider living in Agoura Hills or Westlake… or if you work in the San Fernando Valley, Moorpark and Simi Valley are convenient.

#3 Small Town Vibe

Despite having a population of about 400,000 residents (at the time this was written), the towns in the Conejo Valley all tend to have their own small-town vibe. You might like this and you might not.  In the first week that I lived here, I ran into 4 people I knew… and I only knew like 6 people. If you think you can quickly run into the market in your PJ’s to grab some milk, thinking no one will see you.  Think again.  You see people you know everytime you go out. And if you’re in a rush, I guarantee people will stop you and want to chat.  Happens all the time.

#4 Wildlife

Be prepared to be one with nature! As the name of our valley suggests, there are bunnies… everywhere! While it’s cute to see bunnies hopping around your yard, it’s not cute when they poop on your grass and eat up your garden. You will also see racoons, bobcats, snakes, owls, hawks, and the occasional mountain lion.  Last year we even had a bear sighting!  

But the biggest shock to me moving here was the coyotes. One of our first nights in our new home, we slept with the windows open so we could enjoy the wonderful ocean breeze.  Well, I was woken in the night to the coyotes howling nearby. It sounded like 20 coyotes, and it scared the crap out of me. I was ready to sell the house and move back to the city.  What I learned is apparently 2 coyotes can sound like 7 or 8 animals. It took a little to get used to, but now I actually enjoy the sounds of their howls.

Now, If you have little dogs, you won’t want to let them out by themselves – always keep them close, as coyotes can jump over your 6 foot fence.

Also I highly highly recommend installing rabbit and snake fencing on your property. I am happy to share with you the company that I used.

#5 Fire Season

This is a BIG consideration.

Part of living in California with lots of open space, means fires when those Santa Ana Winds come through. In 2018 the Woolsey Fire devastated our valley and destroyed 1,643 structures and prompted the evacuation of 295,000 people (granted these stats include LA county as well) 

The hill behind my house caught fire and burned all the way down to our property line, before going out.  It was so scary thinking we might lose our home, and it prompted us to research how to better protect ourselves.

So here are some things to consider if you buy a house here:

You’ll obviously need insurance and depending on where you live, there may only be a couple insurance companies who will cover you.

Consider having fireproof vents installed in your attic.  Most homes catch fire when embers get sucked into the attic. These fireproof vents keep embers from entering your attic..

Have the more flammable vegetation on your property sprayed with a fire retardant just before fire season, because certain trees can go up like a roman candle if they catch fire.

If you’re considering a move…

If you’re considering moving to the Conejo Valley, take these drawbacks into consideration and make sure you are OK with all that comes with living here.  Should you decide to make the move, I am more than happy to help you navigate the downsides to living here. 

Please get in touch!

emilyberdonRE@gmail.com

CALBRE# 02166248

Aviara Real Estate