Yes it’s true, the Conejo Valley comes with a handful of cons…
But c’mon, to appreciate the good in anything we must acknowledge the not so good, right? And even in the Conejo Valley there are a few things that make the cons list.
Usually, we let our bias show and cover all the things we love about the Conejo Valley – The Lifestyle. The Fun Things to Do. The Neighborhoods.
But in the spirit of honesty, we are ready to shed a little light on the not so good about the Conejo Valley.
So, without further adieu, let’s get started…
What’s Not to Love about The Conejo Valley
It gets pricey
The perks of the Conejo Valley come at a cost. It falls right into the range of the upper-middle class of Southern California. Not at the same expense of Beverly Hills or Malibu, but the average single family home runs at a rough $1 mil+. Even the entry level townhomes start around $500k.
Not meant for the single and ready to mingle
The Conejo Valley’s largest demographics are families with kids and empty nesters – we were built with families at the top of mind. Most activities are centered around the community’s youngsters and their school functions, i.e. soccer, basketball or football games. You won’t find a lot of twenty-something year olds running around town (unless they’re living at home).
It’s most common for kids to grow up here and then move to Santa Monica or the Westside until they have a family of their own and head back to the Conejo Valley – that’s what I did 🙂
LA traffic
Fortunately, traffic is pretty much a non-issue in the Conejo Valley, but if you need to venture south towards Downtown L.A. or Hollywood, prepare yourself for some brutal traffic. A 30 mile drive will take 90 minutes or more depending on the time of day.
The lack of culture
If you’re looking for something a little more cultured than Ted Nugent at the local Agoura Hills Canyon Club, plan on driving downtown. The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza brings some culture to the Conejo Valley with comedians, music acts and distinguished speakers, but you’ll find bigger productions towards the downtown LA area.
It’s can be a little sleepy
Conejo Valley restaurants and bars close early most days of the week. Don’t be surprised if you’re kicked out before 10:00 P.M. on a weeknight. And to be honest, the same goes for weekends with a few exceptions open past midnight.
Aged shopping centers
No need to pick on any center in particular, but they know who they are. They’re stuck in the 70s and 80s with no signs of a makeover. The addition of newer and more aesthetically pleasing centers have made the older ones easier to avoid… but it doesn’t mean they go missed as you are driving down the street.
Many neighborhoods are tract style
The vast majority of the Conejo Valley is made up of planned communities. But hey, some like it, some don’t. If tract style homes aren’t your thing, you’ll have a tough time finding a truly unique home in the Conejo Valley – unless you have a few million or more to spend.
It can get hot…too hot for our taste
We’re in a valley. Even though we’re only a few miles from Malibu, the Santa Monica Mountains block the sea breeze in most areas. Overall, the weather is pretty mild, but we’ll hit triple digits on some summer days which makes for a good excuse to take a trip towards the coast.
