San Fernando Valley - Northwestern portion of LA.
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10/2/2009
I have lived in the San Fernando Valley practically my entire life. This is a part of Los Angeles that is far enough from the bustling downtown areas yet still with plenty to do. And the climate is unbeatable. However, it is expensive to live here: high State income tax, high sales taxes; generally, the cost of living is very high here with exception of property taxes which were capped at 1% by prop. 13 many years ago.
Best of all is the variety of things to do and places to go. It takes about a half hour to get to some of the best beaches in the US. During the winter, great snow skiing is less than an hour away. The high deserts are close also. Culturally speaking, there is almost nothing missing here. Many actors and musicians live in this general area and we sometimes see them here and there. If you want to check out some of the nicest estates in the US, Beverly Hills and many other exclusive areas are nearby. I love it here, but as I approach retirement (I'm 56 yrs old now), I wonder if my retirement savings should be spent somewhere where they will go farther. I've checked out many places in the US but I don't think my wife and I can leave all this behind. Oh yes, and the hills, ocean, desert, etc are absolutely beautiful especially since the air quality is now superb in most areas.
Jaris | Los Angeles, CA