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Christian Castillo
housing
Is it worth buying in Simi Valley?
So, The unemployment rate is 3.0%, which is pretty low. What neighborhoods would you suggest?
33 upvotes
12 Replies
Aubrey Rogers
Hot take but I love the pace of life here. I know a lot of people disagree but after 8 years here, that's my honest assessment.
40 upvotes
Waylon Jackson
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a physical therapist, 53, moved here 4 years ago from Portland. I've lived in Eastside and The Heights, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Good schools in most areas
2. Four distinct seasons
3. Diverse dining options
4. The people are generally pretty good - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Summers can be brutally hot
2. Limited shopping options
3. The safety situation is growing and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Eastside: Great for couples. tough vibes, walkable.
- The Heights: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Portland, everything felt improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is pricey. You can live comfortably on $50K-$80K here.
**Final verdict:**
Definitely worth checking out.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
Background: I'm a physical therapist, 53, moved here 4 years ago from Portland. I've lived in Eastside and The Heights, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Good schools in most areas
2. Four distinct seasons
3. Diverse dining options
4. The people are generally pretty good - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Summers can be brutally hot
2. Limited shopping options
3. The safety situation is growing and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Eastside: Great for couples. tough vibes, walkable.
- The Heights: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Portland, everything felt improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is pricey. You can live comfortably on $50K-$80K here.
**Final verdict:**
Definitely worth checking out.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
31 upvotes
Jace R.
spot on
31 upvotes
Caleb Edwards
Public transit is challenging here. You'll probably need a car for most things. I genuinely enjoy living here.
30 upvotes
Jordan Castillo
honestly same experience here
26 upvotes
William Williams
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a marketing manager, 53, moved here 2 years ago from Tampa. I've lived in West and Uptown, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Great outdoor activities nearby
2. Lots of new development happening
3. Affordable housing options
4. The people are generally pretty good - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Not very walkable outside downtown
2. Dating scene is rough
3. The public transit situation is stable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- West: Great for singles. better than expected vibes, walkable.
- Uptown: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Tampa, everything felt improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are manageable. Gas is wild. You can live comfortably on $50K-$90K here.
**Final verdict:**
Happy to answer more specific questions.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
Background: I'm a marketing manager, 53, moved here 2 years ago from Tampa. I've lived in West and Uptown, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Great outdoor activities nearby
2. Lots of new development happening
3. Affordable housing options
4. The people are generally pretty good - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Not very walkable outside downtown
2. Dating scene is rough
3. The public transit situation is stable and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- West: Great for singles. better than expected vibes, walkable.
- Uptown: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Tampa, everything felt improving. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are manageable. Gas is wild. You can live comfortably on $50K-$90K here.
**Final verdict:**
Happy to answer more specific questions.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
23 upvotes
Camila
Used to live on the North side, now on the Highland side. Completely different vibe. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now.
11 upvotes
real_avery19
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a electrician who relocated here from Dallas about 15 years ago. The main reasons were my partner's job and retirement.
Pros I've experienced:
- Decent public transit for the size
- Strong job market in several industries
- Affordable housing options
Cons that are real:
- Summers can be brutally hot
- Not very walkable outside downtown
Financially, we've found it average compared to where we came from. If you look outside the main areas you can find deals. Groceries are wild, gas is tough.
Socially, it's been a really good experience overall. Definitely worth checking out..
I'm a electrician who relocated here from Dallas about 15 years ago. The main reasons were my partner's job and retirement.
Pros I've experienced:
- Decent public transit for the size
- Strong job market in several industries
- Affordable housing options
Cons that are real:
- Summers can be brutally hot
- Not very walkable outside downtown
Financially, we've found it average compared to where we came from. If you look outside the main areas you can find deals. Groceries are wild, gas is tough.
Socially, it's been a really good experience overall. Definitely worth checking out..
6 upvotes
William Reed
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 6 years ago from Denver and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in Uptown. It's pretty good for what you get.
Jobs: The market is manageable right now, especially in legal. If you're in consulting you might struggle.
People: Generally challenging. It took about 8 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: decent. Tons of options if you like Mexican.
Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in Uptown. It's pretty good for what you get.
Jobs: The market is manageable right now, especially in legal. If you're in consulting you might struggle.
People: Generally challenging. It took about 8 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: decent. Tons of options if you like Mexican.
Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
3 upvotes
Ryan Cox
My experience has been mostly positive. there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. The only thing I'd watch out for is community vibe. Other than that, It's not for everyone but it works for us..
3 upvotes
Landon Lewis
bump
2 upvotes
Jaxon Reed
Public transit is surprisingly good here. You'll probably need a car for most things. I'm still on the fence after all this time.
1 upvotes