Glendale, Burbank, Eagle Rock, for $675 you might be able to get a two bedroom one bath fixer, in a very old, probably dumpy neighborhood, with very crappy schools, with congestion that will drive you mad, etc. These areas are just expensive for what you get. I bought my first house in La Crescenta, it is nice, but now it is also too expensive. I was in Valencia yesterday and thought to myself how nice it was to raise my kids there and the city has continued to improve itself. You can take the Metrolink (train) right to downtown. Valencia is family oriented with endless programs for youth. It is very competitive so you have to also work hard to keep your kids up to the challenge in schools, sports, etc.
