Community Feature: Westlake Village

Westlake Village is a premier planned community situated right alongside the Ventura County and Los Angeles County line and provides residents with a wide array of delicious eateries and upscale shopping centers that are just minutes away.

This community is surrounded by open space, making it the perfect destination for nature lovers, as it provides you with hiking and horse trails as well as numerous parks and recreational facilities. Members of this community enjoy spending time at the local golf courses and country clubs, including the Westlake Golf Course and Sherwood Country Club, while the pleasant climate of 70-80 degree highs during the summer cause residents to spend much of their time outdoors.

When searching for a home in Westlake Village, the properties available to you vary substantially, providing you with access to townhouses and condos as well as spacious single-family residences and custom estate homes. Many of these homes offer sizable lots, luxurious amenities, and stylish furnishings, allowing you to select a home that has exactly what you’re looking for and at any budget.

While you’re searching for your next dream home, gaining a deeper understanding of the Westlake Village community and why it’s so highly regarded will assist with your home search.

Westlake Village Homes for Sale

Westlake Village plays host to a large variety of home types, including smaller townhouses and condominiums as well as single-family residences and estate homes, the latter of which are typically custom built. Many of these homes consist of open floor plans for a better utilization of space as well as outdoor swimming pools and gazebos for relaxation. These homes come in many different styles, allowing you to locate one that fits your specific criteria. When it comes to square footage, you can find homes in Westlake Village with floor plans that range from 1,500 to over 10,000 sq. ft.

A great way to learn more about the Westlake Village real estate market is by brushing up on the latest trends. The median listing price of a house in the community is right around $1.13 million, which is a $140,000 increase from the same time last year, although the average listing prices for the months of May-July were sitting at just under $1.05 million, which means that the current prices might be on the high end of what the market is going to be seeing over the next year. The relative consistency of the market means that you don’t need to worry about rapidly fluctuating prices that could cause you to spend much more than you should for the home of your dreams.

Another way to look at the latest market trends is by taking a glimpse at the median listing price per sq. ft., which is currently sitting at $437, a small $15 increase from October of last year. With this knowledge about the average listing price per sq. ft., you should be able to determine if the home you’re looking at is priced fairly.

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As for the median days on the market, Westlake Village is a very popular community among prospective homeowners, which is why homes tend to stay on the market for only a small period of time. The current average amount of time that a home stays on the market is around 60 days, although July saw a three year low of 42 days on the market, which indicates that the market is highly competitive.

Although the median listing price is just under $1.25 million, the average closing price is decidedly lower and is currently situated at just over $850,000, which means that you should have room to reduce the price during negotiations with the current homeowner.

History of Westlake Village

The lengthy history of Westlake Village begins with the Chumash Indians, who were the first to settle in the area that is now Westlake Village, where they lived in a settlement known as Hipuk.

The area remained as a home to the Chumash for thousands of years until the arrival of Spanish missionaries and explorers in early 1770. Much of the area became a part of one of the initial Spanish land grants of Rancho Simi in 1795, although this land reverted to Mexican ownership once Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821. Over the next century, the land would switch hands several times, eventually being used as a location for the filming of TV shows and films such as Robin Hood, Tarzan, Gunsmoke, and Bonanza in the early to mid 1900’s.

The development for the planned community of Westlake Village didn’t start until 1963 when a 12,000-acre ranch was bought by a businessman named Daniel K. Ludwig, who partnered with Prudential Insurance Company and commissioned the preparation of the community, which was intended to be designed as a suburban community with a small amount of commercial areas and vast swaths of open space.

In 1981, the portion of the Westlake Village master community that existed within Los Angeles County was incorporated into the City of Westlake Village. Since that time, Westlake Village has developed into a bustling community that is the cultural center of the Conejo Valley.

Westlake Village Schools & Education

There are two school districts that serve the residents of this community, including the Las Virgenes Unified School District and the Conejo Valley Unified School District, both of which are known for their exemplary standards.

The schools open to residents of this community include Acacia Elementary, Banyan Elementary, Conejo Elementary, Ladera Elementary, Lang Ranch Elementary, Weathersfield Elementary, Westlake Elementary, Westlake Hills Elementary, White Oak Elementary, Colina Middle, Lindero Canyon Middle, Los Cerritos Middle, Sequoia Middle, Agoura High, Thousand Oaks High, and Westlake High, although the exact schools that your child is set to attend all depends on the specific area in Westlake Village that you live.

Almost every school within the Las Virgenes and Conejo Unified School Districts has received a substantial amount of awards and recognitions over the years for the high test scores that their students obtain as well as many additional accomplishments. For instance, Westlake Hills Elementary, White Oak Elementary, and Lindero Canyon Middle are just a few of the schools to have obtained the Distinguished School Award as well as the National Blue Ribbon School Award on several occasions. Lindero Canyon Middle has also been a recipient of the California Golf Ribbon School award as has Agoura High, which displays the fact that these schools are great places for your child to attend in their formative years.

Many of the high schools open to residents of Westlake Village provide your children with the ability to sign up for an advanced course during their high school years, as these courses help to provide your child with the assistance they need to be ready for college.

Agoura High, for example, offers three art courses, seven foreign language courses such as Chinese and French, six social science courses that span subjects like psychology and the theory of knowledge, and two English courses. Nearly a dozen STEM courses are also available if your child is interested in preparing for a STEM major in college, ranging from subjects like calculus and physics to statistics and advanced geometry.

Westlake Village Dining, Shopping & Entertainment

Westlake Village plays host to a wide array of dining, shopping, and entertainment destinations that are regarded as some of the best of their kind in Southern California, providing you with places to enjoy the day (or a night out) that are just minutes away from where you live. Whether you’re traveling with a large family or wish to take a couple’s night out, the community of Westlake Village has something to offer for everyone!

Casa Nostra Ristorante is an eatery that specializes in authentic Italian cuisine, providing visitors with fantastic customer service and a spacious outdoor patio with romantic lighting and live music on many occasions. When you’re dining at this restaurant, the chicken Parmesan is known to be one of the most sought-after dishes, while their wine list includes dozens of red and white varietals as well as several Chiantis. The place is open solely for dinner and has a menu that’s separated into starters, salads, soups, pasta, and entrees like the sauteed chicken breast with steamed vegetables or the roasted lamb chops with rosemary potatoes. If you’re considering visiting this restaurant, you should definitely make a reservation beforehand, as they are open from 5:00PM-10:00PM Monday through Thursday, 5:00PM-10:30PM Friday and Saturday, and 5:00PM-9:30PM on Sunday.

Moody Rooster is an upscale restaurant in Westlake Village that focuses on locally sourced ingredients of the highest quality. Their menu is small but comprised of sumptuous dishes like beef brisket, crispy gnocchi, sauteed Spanish octopus, and a grilled hanger steak. For dessert, you might want to try the butterscotch budino or Fuji apple and persimmon almond crisp. The atmosphere is cozy and intimate, allowing you to relax as you eat, while the restaurant itself is open from 11:30AM-9:00PM Monday through Thursday, 11:30AM-10:00PM on Friday, and 5:00PM-10:00PM on Saturday.

Shoppes at Westlake Village is the go-to shopping mall for many in the Conejo Valley who are searching for dining, style, and wellness destinations. There are a total of 35 stories and boutiques within this shopping center that have been chosen to provide a wide range of experiences, including Guitar Center, Seasons, Kirk Jewelers, and Tilly’s. If you’re spending a day at the Shoppes at Westlake Village, consider stopping by Hook Burger, the Los Agaves Restaurant, or TIFA Chocolate & Gelato to pick up something to eat.

The Getty Center is a half-hour drive from the heart of Westlake Village and is a great place to visit if you love art, both contemporary and traditional in nature. The spacious grounds at the Getty Center provide you with access to one of the largest art organizations in the world and contain numerous art collections, changing exhibitions, and outdoor art for you to view. The interior of the museum is divided into four sections, including the North, East, West, and South pavilions, giving you access to medieval art, 17th-century Baroque art, 18th century paintings from around the world, and Italian decorative arts respectively.

The Westlake Golf Course is a beautiful 18-hole golf course in the center of Westlake Village that’s open to the public and offers a wide range of amenities for you to make use of as you golf, such as a 40-stall night lighted driving range, a fully-stocked wet bar and snack bar, and a pro shop with everything you need when taking to the course.

Need help finding your Westlake Village dream home?

If you’re interested in buying a home, selling a property, or would like to learn more about the Westlake Village community, contact Nicki & Karen of Ewing & Associates Sotheby’s international Realty today!