Alright! Let’s talk about the Pros & Cons of living in Agoura Hills.
If you’ve read any of my other Pros and Cons blogs, you know that I don’t sugarcoat anything. I give it to you straight. And I’m willing to dive into some uncomfortable topics that most Realtors don’t want to bring up… you know, because they just want to sell you the house.
Agoura (or Aguura as some people pronounce it), is a popular spot for people looking to get out of the congestion of the city and settle in for a quiet suburban life.
In this blog, I’m going to cover 3 pros and 3 cons of living in Agoura Hills, so you can decide if this is the town for you. Be sure to also watch my videos on the Pros & Cons of living in Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, and Newbury Park, so you can get an idea of the differences between the different Conejo Valley towns.
If you don’t already know me, my name is Emily Berdon and I’m a residential Realtor in the Conejo Valley, which includes the town of Agoura Hills. I get people reaching out to me all the time about relocating to this area. Reach out if you’re considering a move, I’d be happy to help you.
Let’s dive in!
PRO #1 LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
One thing you cannot change about your house, is the location.
Agoura Hills has the BEST location out of all the Conejo Valley towns. It’s the closest town to Los Angeles. It’s got the shortest drive to some of the most desirable beaches. It’s neighbor to the north is Oak Park (which we will dive more into during Pro #3). It’s neighbor to the west is Westlake Village, which if you read my Pros/Cons of living in Westlake blog, you’ll know that’s where all the best restaurants are (although Agoura actually has 2 of my favorites). And it’s neighbors to the east are Calabasas and Hidden Hills, so if you’re hoping to have a celebrity encounter (think: running into a Kardashian while you’re out and about), it’s more likely to happen if you are living in Agoura.
PRO #2 IT HAS A VIBE
Unlike most suburbs that just feel like, well, suburbs, Agoura Hills has a rustic old-world vibe that is reminiscent of the time when California was the wild west. Some notable things you’ll find:
- Horse properties, and people riding horses down the streets of Old Agoura
- Old Agoura Park – feels like a large ranch with lots of mature trees and hoses walking around. This park hosts numerous community events throughout the year.
- The Old Place – a popular community staple that is tucked away in the hills of Agoura. It’s an ex-general store, turned restaurant that offers a one-of-a-king dining experience in a setting that feels like something out of an old Western film.
- Canyon Club – an intimate music venue known for featuring many of your old-school favorite bands. They get all genres of musical acts, as well as tribute bands. If you’re into country music, complete with line-dancing and mechanical bulls, check out “Country Night” on Wednesdays.
PRO #3 SCHOOLS
The Las Virgenes School District in Agoura Hills is a big draw for many families who want to get out of the LA School District. But what makes it even better is Agoura sits right up against Oak Park, a small community of about 14,000 residents, with its own highly regarded school district. The schools in Oak Park are very sought-after, but enrollment is low because it’s such a small town, with an aging population. As a result, it’s easy to apply for “school of choice” into the Oak Park schools, and living in Agoura Hills makes it a convenient choice as you’re so close to Oak Park.
Now before I get into the Cons, I’ll give you one that’s right down the middle:
Its a small town with a small town vibe. Agoura Hills offers a strong sense of community – probably more so than the other Conejo Valley towns. They have numerous community events throughout the year, including movie nights in the park during the summer. All that being said, get ready to run into people you know, everywhere you go.
CON #1 AGOURA GETS HOT!!
Temperatures across the Conejo Valley can vary by 10-15 degrees during the summer months. Agoura Hills is going to be the hottest of all the Conejo Valley towns. The temperatures start dropping the further west you go – With Agoura being the hottest town, and Newbury Park being the coolest. In the summer, expect temperatures to consistently hit the mid-high 90’s with many days reaching triple digits. The ocean breeze that I talked about in my Newbury Park blog – you’re not going to get that in Agoura (despite being so close to the ocean). The air feels dry & stale in the summers.
CON #2 IT'S PRICEY
Agoura is one of the more expensive areas in the Conejo Valley. Only 2nd to the prestigious Westlake Village. Why? This goes back to Pro #1 – Location. The closer you are to Los Angeles, the more expensive the real estate gets. Let’s compare apples to apples. Let’s look at what an approx 2500sqft home sold for in the last year (this blog was written June 2023).
In Agoura, the median home price was $1,390,000.
2nd to Westlake Village homes at $1,551,500
Oak Park was neck and neck with Agoura at $1,340,000
Thousand Oaks came in at $1,250,000 and Newbury Park at $1,097,500
Now, when we’re assessing the value of an area, there’s more to consider than just the price. We also need to factor in the condition of the homes. This brings me to Con #3.
CON #3 DATED ARCHITECTURE
Agoura homes were almost all built between the 60’s and 80’s, and are reminiscent of that time. And most of these homes are going to need some work to bring them into the 21st century.
Agoura has everything from small condos, to modest homes, to large homes, to grand estates! But most of the homes (even the really nice ones) are in tract style neighborhoods that have a repetitive look and feel. Now, I will give one caveat and that is that in my opinion, Agoura did a good job with their tract style housing. It’s cookie cutter, but not too cookie-cutter:)
The Old Agoura neighborhood is an exception to this, with more custom style homes built as early as the 1930’s, and homes that have been recently rebuilt. But you won’t find any newer developments in Agoura, like you’ll find in Westlake, Thousand Oaks, and Newbury Park.
BONUS CON! You’re still in LA!
I wanted to give one more Bonus Con – and not because I think Agoura has more Cons than Pros, but just because it’s worth mentioning: when you live in Agoura Hills, you’re still in LA County, not Ventura County. A lot of folks move out to the Conejo Valley to get away from Los Angeles, but when you buy a home in Agoura, you’re still in LA County. You’ll be paying LA County taxes and you’ll be subject to LA County regulations.
Reach out to me if you’re thinking about purchasing a home in or around Agoura Hills, it would be my pleasure to help you find the perfect home and neighborhood for YOU.
I look forward to connecting with you.
emilyberdonRE@gmail.com
CALBRE #02166248
Aviara Real Estate
