Agoura Hills, CA. Sometimes it looks like a fairy tale.
When I married my husband, he already owned his own house, so I assumed ownership too but it never felt quite real. After going through the whole process of selling that house and buying our new one (with the help of our awesome REALTOR® who walked us through everything and cared for my emotions, too!), I became a bonafide happy California homeowner. Happy because we love our new town and our house, quirks and all.
The listing photo. It still looks almost exactly the same.
Four years ago Stewart and I moved our family from the San Fernando Valley to “The Bubble,” as Agoura Hills and some of the surrounding towns are called. This area still has a small-town feeling even though it’s on the edge of Los Angeles. There’s one public high school, one middle school, and 4 elementary schools. We know the people who work at the grocery store. We run into our friends at church, at sports games, at one of the many beautiful parks, and at restaurants.
Pedalers Fork in nearby Calabasas, CA
And getting from one side of town to the other? Never more than 10 minutes.
I don’t think we would have ended up in this town if it wasn’t for our REALTOR®, Myrna Tollett. We thought we couldn’t afford a house in Agoura Hills, but she encouraged us to look and she found homes that were in our price range. Plus, we got our favorite house of the ones we saw, even though at first it went to a different buyer. Myrna was so on top of things that when the first buyer pulled out, she jumped right back on the case and secured the deal for us.
Flag football at the foot of Ladyface Mountain.
There are other ways to sell and buy a house, but the only one we ever considered was working with a REALTOR®. A good friend of mine is also a REALTOR®, and his favorite part of the job is connecting people with the home of their dreams. What starts with one California REALTOR® benefits all of California. That’s the underlying sentiment of the California Association of REALTORS® (CAR) integrated consumer ad campaign called ‘Ripple.’ One home purchase (and we were part of TWO) stimulates the economy by $60K. One job is generated for every two home sales. So not only were we improving the lives of our family, but we were also helping all of California! Go us!
We are so happy here. For both my husband and me, it reminds us of the smaller communities we grew up in. It’s quick and easy to make our weekly trips to the Agoura Hills Library, one of our favorite places in town.
The beautiful Craftsman style Agoura Hills library and community center.
He is pretending to read at Westlake Village library, which is also close by.
While the kids are in school and Stewart is at work, I work from home with such a beautiful view of the mountains that I am tempted to “play hooky” at least once a week and go hiking on one of the countless trails that take me up to beautiful views of the Conejo Valley or the Pacific Ocean.
Top O’Topanga (Topanga Canyon, CA)
Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, CA.
When it gets really hot, which it does often, we suit up and walk around the corner to the country club, where we are summer members so we can use the pool. Or we pack up the car and head to the beach in Malibu, which is just a 20 minute drive. Plus, the city runs a shuttle bus for $2 per person, so when the kids are in their teens they can go with their friends without relying on rides from Mom or Dad.
I’m fairly informed about events and programs in the city as a blogger – soon after we moved I started Agoura Hills Mom because I noticed that the URL wasn’t taken. And then I figured I’d better get some content up there. And then I enjoyed it so much that kept going!
Our town’s own Lake Lindero, a view on my daily walk.
But now that both of our kids are going to the local public elementary school, I’m more informed as a parent, too. Still there are so many new things the people of this great little city provide and produce for us to take part in that there’s always something new to discover and new friends to make.
Residents await the Reyes Adobe Days parade during Agoura Hills’ annual festival.
We love staying close to home, but we can still be part of the big city adventures that the Los Angeles area has in store for us. As long as we budget enough time for traffic.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
This post just reminded me why I never moved away.
Why I raise my kids here.
How lucky I am.
julie gardner recently posted…On Being Heard
You are a wonderful spokesperson for the real estate profession! I bet the folks at CAR are going to love this post.
Donna recently posted…April Was the Cruelest Month
Donna, I don’t know if you remember this but I was so fascinated and moved by the whole process that I wrote a column about it on a site that isn’t up anymore, but it was a real estate site called Roost. My column was called Diary of a Moving Mom. It made me fantasize (for about 10 seconds) about becoming a REALTOR® myself!
I want to live in that happy beautiful bubble with you! ☺️
It ALMOST makes me want to live there but alas, I am a true urbanite at heart. Not a word, “urbanite”? It is now.
Amazing isn’t it? But let’s not ell too many people! 😉
Andie recently posted…Free Birds
Love this town! This captures Agoura perfectly!
It’s so weird but I love that I run into people I know everywhere I go around here. I didn’t know it was called the Bubble. I love our little bubble.
Rina recently posted…Write On!…..(Why I Write)
What a fun (and beautiful) place to live! I’m a Northern California girl myself, and love all it has to offer. I spent quite a few summers in the Los Angeles area and absolutely love it there too.
It’s wonderful to hear how becoming a homeowner in Agoura Hills has brought so much happiness to you and your family. Your REALTOR® Myrna Tollett played a crucial role in making it happen, and it’s inspiring to see how she went above and beyond to find you a home within your price range. It’s heartwarming to see the strong sense of community in Agoura Hills and how it reminds you of the smaller towns you grew up in. The beautiful views of the mountains and easy access to amenities like the library and country club make it an ideal place to live. It’s also fantastic to know that your home purchase not only improved your family’s lives but also contributed to the economy and job creation in California. Overall, it’s clear that Agoura Hills is the perfect place for you, combining the charm of a small town with the proximity to exciting city adventures.