North Bakman Ave, Granada Hills

North Granada Hills covers the section of the Granada Hills that reaches up into the Santa Susanna mountains above the Ronald Reagan Freeway (Highway 118) and stretches towards the Antelope Valley Freeway and the water treatment plant that borders Granada Hills on the north side. This is the more expensive part of Granada Hills. Because the peak of the Granada Hills’ fame came in the 1970’s, the homes here are mostly in the Brady Bunch kind of architecture that was popular during those less than energy conscious days. In other words, you will find lot’s of large homes, often with two stories and high attic spaces (remember how Greg moved into the attic even though Marsha wanted to?). Most homes in North Granada hills have pools, garages, and large driveways. (They were made, after all, for the large gas guzzlers of that era.)

One of the pleasant aspects of this seventies aesthetic, as opposed to the uniformity of the next door Porter Ranch for example, is that the homes are each unique. Although they are all large, they were all clearly allowed to develop in an organic manner according to the dictates of the architect or future homeowner. This makes it much easier to find the home of your dreams.

This is still, of course, a neighborhood with upper middle class ambitions and so you must have the mandatory golf course that stretches through the community at its eastern end.

One of the central attractions of North Granada Hills, however is O’Melveny Park, one of the largest parks in the LA Area. O’Melveny has great hiking trails and a wonderful view of the Valley which is clear once the Santa Anas sweep out the smog. However, you should be aware that this is a truly wild park. Cougar attacks and encounters with rattlers are not that uncommon.

All in all, this is a great place to live and to raise kids, although it does tend to skew a little bit on the old side because so many of the households have been here since the 70’s.