Owning a Ferrari in LA

Add San Marino to your list as well.

BH is a very safe area and your Ferrari will not get a second glance unless it is an Enzo. Lots of nice cars driving around this area all the time.

Pasadena and La C are nice areas with great schools, but very hot in the summer. Also lots of smog to deal with.

Sounds like you will be working in downtown from the choices you have presented. Another good area to consider is Manhattan Beach, great city and great school system. My sister has kids there. The commute to downtown is pretty easy.

 

There are lots of movie industry people living in the beach cities (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach.) Palos Verdes is also another great place. All are full of people with exotic cars or classics (all worth around the same)

They all have great schools + the beach....

Also you can look into Malibu too.

 

The daily commute from PV to Burbank and back would feel like coming from the UK.

There are nice areas in the valley you could consider, like (pretty much anywhere along the southern side Studio City, Sherman Oaks all the way out to Calabasas/Hidden Hills.

You'd be looking at an easier commute but wouldn't get the milder city climate. From your choices, Bel Air seems ideal. The daily run up to and along Mulholland, dropping down thru Barham to Burbank wont kill ya.

 

OK makes sense. Yes the drive from the beach cities is a pain to Burbank if you have 9-5 hours. Also anything west of the 405 is going to be tough in the morning.

Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Toluca Lake (make sure you are South of Ventura Blvd, trust me everyone will ask you if you are North or South and you do not want to be "North of Ventura....") are great places in the "818" but you might have to send the kids to private schools. Also there may be waiting lists for certain private schools. I have heard tuition is around 18-30k a year for top schools.

Bel Air and Beverly Hills are great "310" areas not sure on public or private schools in the area.

La Canada, Pasadena and Altadena have great neighborhoods and amazing public schools. Take note if your kid(s) are not gifted they will be "B" students at best in these districts. A 4.0 is only average in this district and will only have your child in the top 25% you need a 4.5+ to be top of your class. I have a few friends with kids there. Great education but tough to get scholarships based on grades.

All the areas above are considered "safe" by LA standards and no issues driving a Ferrari. I just got my Ferrari so not sure on the Ferrari club activities.

 

Rent "Waiting for Superman" watch with your wife - and then make a decision on public or private.

 

If you consider Westwood as an option, there is a LAUSD area between Sunset, B. Glen, Hilgard and Wilshire ( The N-Eastern part of which known as Little Holmby) that is very nice and does have a rare/good public school (Warner Ave).

 

Probably better off having a daily driver beater than driving your F-car if that's what you're thinking about. Just make sure it stays garaged when not being used.

 

I've lived in La Canada for over 12 years and found it to be a great area. The schools are superb, the neighborhood beautiful and quiet with winding streets and mature trees.

The area is very affluent so many residents own expensive and/or collector vehicles from Veyrons to original factory competition Cobras (a neighbor owns 2 of the 6 ever made) and everything in between. In short, your Ferrari would be safe in La Canada.

I work in the entertainment industry near Burbank and my commute in the morning (6:15am) takes 15 to 20 minutes while at night (6 to 6;30pm) takes around a half hour.

Hope this helps you reach a decision.

 

If 30K for private school shocks you, Beverly Hills is an eye opener. The average rental house is $18,000 a month and houses sell for an average of 2.2 million. You must live in BH to send your kids there.

The enclaves you are considering are some of the nicest places to live in LA (near the studios) and also expensive (partly because they are near the studios).

There are a lot of nice places to live that are not this expensive in LA but you will have to suffer a longer commute to work and/or have to send your kids to private school (if education is a high priority) or lower your housing standards.

With looming budget cuts LAUSD and other public schools are only going to get worse not better in the coming years. LAUSD does have a few great schools but they are difficult to get into and the housing around those areas are expensive. Hence why private schools can charge 18-30K and have waiting lists.

My wife and I moved within LA not to long ago and did a similar search that you are doing now. I hope this helps.

 

If you're considering Pasadena, San Marino shouldn't be a problem.

Toluca Lake for the shorter commute.

 

My suggestions:

1) Live in Calabasas, send kids to Oaks Christian Prep School

2) Live in Porter Ranch, send kids to Harvard-Westlake

Both scenarios are pretty expensive, but that is the reality of living in a good area with good private schools nearby.

Good luck on your search!

 

Theres crips scattered all over beverly hills, better watch out for those people who burgled paris hilton's house!

keep a gun in your ferrari, and dont go our for midnight strolls, not even in Whiltshire or Bel Air.

 

Just so that we are clear, a "public" school in the U.S. is one operated by the government and financed by taxes. If you are looking for a short commute and decent government run schools, I'd concentrate on La Canada or San Marino or go over Coldwater to Beverly Hills. If you are open to private schools, there are very desirable pockets all over the San Fernando Valley.

 

Porter Ranch and Chatsworth are fine. There are highly rated private schools, Hillcrest, Sierra Canyon, Chaminade, Chatsworth Hills Acadamy and one other that a lot of Hollywood sends their kids (Will Smith and others) can not remember the name.

 

Commuting can be a nightmare in LA; the freeways are easily overwhelmed and there are limited alternate routes because of topography. I'd advise you to make your commute route a priority in any choice.I suggest you also look at the Los Feliz and Griffith Park areas of LA. Very nice areas both. Your commute to Burbank will be easier because you'd be going opposite to most to the commuting traffic into LA.

 

Roscomare rd elementry is top for lausd elementry for bel air. But as far as middle school and high school that would be Emerson than university high. Not that good anymore. And as my wife says Beverly high is not that good either. You have buckley private school down the hill but will run you about 28k a year..

 

Really? Wow thanks for the heads up..

 

Yeah, really... Whiltshire can be a zoo this time of year.

 

If you're working in Burbank, the Los Feliz / Griffith Park area is very close. Malibu, Palos Verdes, Manahattan Beach and others mentioned are too far for a daily commute. I too am in the movie industry (producer) and live next to the park in the hills of Los Feliz. Very central especially for the many meetings I have to attend.

 

It's great asking for advice, but it would be even better to come and see for yourself. The traffic can be very bad at certain times of the day and it's worth spending some time getting a feel for things before making any decisions. Lots of good Fchaters in the area to help.

Good Luck