Braemar Townhomes Neighborhood Guide | Westlake Village, CA Homes

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Quick Facts: Braemar Townhomes at a Glance

Braemar Townhomes is a boutique, late 1980s attached-home community tucked into the North Ranch corridor of Westlake Village, offering one of the most accessible price points in one of Ventura County's most sought-after zip codes.

What Is Braemar Townhomes Known For?

When buyers ask me what makes Braemar Townhomes different from the other attached-home communities in Westlake Village, I give them the same answer I've given for fifteen years: location and volume. You're not buying a townhome in a suburban strip. You're buying into North Ranch, an address that carries real weight in the Conejo Valley, at a price point that is meaningfully below what a single-family home on the same block would cost. Streets like Shadow Canyon Place thread through the community in a quiet cul-de-sac configuration that shields residents from the through-traffic noise that plagues some of the more linear attached complexes in the valley. The bones of the neighborhood are solidly late 1980s California construction, which means you get vaulted ceilings, open-concept great rooms where the living area flows into the kitchen and dining space, and private patios that actually function as outdoor living rooms rather than glorified utility closets.

What Braemar Townhomes is really known for, though, is the caliber of neighbor it attracts. In my experience, buyers here typically fall into two camps: professionals relocating to the Conejo Valley who want a turnkey home in a great school district without the $1.8M price tag of a detached North Ranch house, and longtime Westlake Village homeowners who are downsizing out of a four-bedroom single family and want to stay in the area where they raised their kids. That blend produces a community with real roots. People know their neighbors. The HOA is engaged. The landscaping is maintained with genuine pride. And because the community is only around 60 homes, there is an intimacy here you simply do not find in the larger complexes nearby.

Floor Plans and Home Styles in Braemar Townhomes

Braemar Townhomes was built in 1988, and the architectural vocabulary is distinctly Southern California late-modernist: two-story attached structures with stucco exteriors, tile rooflines, and the signature vaulted ceilings that defined the era. The community is not a cookie-cutter grid. Units are arranged in small clusters around shared greenspace and cul-de-sac driveways, which means end units and corner positions often come with side yard access or outdoor space on multiple exposures. That outdoor variability is one of the things I point out to buyers on first showings, because not all units are created equal on the patio and yard front.

The floor plan range runs roughly 1,400 to 2,000 square feet depending on the specific plan. The smaller two-bedroom configurations typically land in the 1,400 to 1,600 square foot range and are arranged with the main living area, kitchen, powder room, and a dining space on the ground floor, and both bedrooms with full baths upstairs. The separation of living and sleeping floors is something empty-nesters especially appreciate, because it means the main floor functions as a complete daily living environment without stairs. The larger three-bedroom plans push into the 1,700 to 2,000 square foot range and often incorporate a ground-floor flex space that buyers use as a home office, guest suite, or den. In these plans, you typically see the primary bedroom suite upstairs with vaulted ceilings, a walk-in closet, and a bath with a soaking tub or double vanity.

Renovation patterns in this community follow a predictable arc. Homes that changed hands between 2012 and 2019 tend to show quartz countertops, refinished hardwood or luxury vinyl plank flooring, and updated kitchen cabinetry. The most recent wave of upgrades has been in the primary bath, with freestanding tubs and frameless glass showers becoming increasingly common. Fireplaces are standard in the living room. Attached two-car garages are the norm, which is genuinely important in a community where guest parking, while present, can feel limited on busy evenings.

What Is It Like to Live in Braemar Townhomes?

Saturday morning in Braemar Townhomes has a rhythm to it. By 8 a.m. you'll see residents walking dogs on the landscaped paths that connect the clusters of homes, and within fifteen minutes you can be at the North Ranch Shopping Center on East Thousand Oaks Boulevard, where Trader Joe's is reliably crowded and the parking lot operates at its own particular social velocity. The Ralphs at the same center covers anything Trader Joe's misses. Coffee in hand, most residents are back home before 9:30, which tells you something about the pace of this neighborhood. It is genuinely low-key in the best possible way.

The community draws a heavy dog-owner population. The cul-de-sac layout on Shadow Canyon Place and the adjacent greenbelt areas make it a comfortable neighborhood to walk, and you see the same faces and the same dogs on the same routes most mornings. Families with younger children are present but not dominant. This is not a neighborhood where you hear screaming kids in the street at all hours. The atmosphere skews toward couples and smaller households, professionals who value quiet evenings and a short drive to good food. For dinner, Novo Cafe on Russell Ranch Road is a local staple for a relaxed weeknight meal, and The Stonehaus on Agoura Road, a wine-forward gathering spot set in a converted estate, draws the Braemar crowd on weekend evenings. Both are within a three-mile radius.

Traffic inside the community is genuinely minimal. The cul-de-sac configuration means that the only cars on the internal drives belong to residents. The nearest arterial, Thousand Oaks Boulevard, carries some noise during commute hours but the units that back to the interior of the development are insulated from it. The on-site guest parking bays are adequate for weekday evenings but can feel snug when multiple households have visitors on the same Friday night. That is perhaps the one complaint I hear most consistently from residents.

Halloween is legitimate. The neighborhood participates, families from adjacent single-family streets loop through, and the atmosphere is social in a way that surprises first-time buyers who assume attached communities feel transient or anonymous. In fifteen years of showing homes here, the thing that consistently distinguishes Braemar Townhomes from comparable product in the market is the sense that people chose to stay. Turnover is low, and low turnover in a small community is the most honest signal of resident satisfaction I know.

Braemar Townhomes Market Snapshot

Braemar Townhomes sits at the intersection of two powerful market forces: persistent undersupply of attached inventory in North Ranch, and relentless demand from buyers who are priced out of the detached single-family market in Westlake Village but refuse to leave the school district. With a citywide median hovering around $1,650,000 for all residential product, a Braemar home at $950,000 to $1,200,000 represents one of the few genuine value propositions left in this zip code. That dynamic does not correct itself easily, because the community has roughly 60 homes and there is simply no pipeline of new attached construction in North Ranch to absorb demand.

In my experience tracking this specific pocket of the market, Braemar homes that are priced correctly and presented well tend to attract multiple offers within the first ten days. Overpriced listings do sit, sometimes for 45 to 60 days, before sellers recalibrate. The buyer pool here is creditworthy and sophisticated; many are coming from larger markets like Los Angeles or the West Side and are doing value comparisons that favor Braemar favorably against comparable product in Calabasas or Agoura Hills.

This is a seller-tilted market in the attached category, though not as aggressively so as it was in 2021 and 2022. Buyers today have slightly more negotiating room on price than they did three years ago, particularly on homes that need cosmetic work or have been sitting beyond 21 days. Appraisal gaps are less common than they were at the peak, but listings that price aggressively based on a renovated comp in a superior unit position still occasionally create friction at the appraisal stage. Compared to the broader Westlake Village market, where the $1.65M median reflects detached single-family pricing, Braemar Townhomes represents approximately a 30% to 35% discount to the citywide median. That spread has been remarkably consistent over time, which is one reason investors and long-term buyers continue to find the community compelling.

Who Should Look in Braemar Townhomes?

First-time buyers stepping into Westlake Village. If your budget is $950,000 to $1,100,000 and you have been repeatedly told that Westlake Village is out of reach, Braemar Townhomes is the answer to that conversation. You get the CVUSD school district, the North Ranch address, and a home that is appreciably nicer than anything you will find at that price point in adjacent communities. The attached format is the price you pay for the zip code, and for most buyers who have done the math, it is a trade they are glad they made.

Relocating professionals coming from Los Angeles. I have worked with a lot of buyers who arrive from Santa Monica or Brentwood with a budget in the $1.1M to $1.3M range and are genuinely shocked at what they can buy in Braemar relative to what that money buys on the Westside. The commute to Century City or Burbank via the 101 is real, but remote and hybrid work arrangements have made it manageable for many households. The quality of life delta between a one-bedroom condo in West LA and a 1,800 square foot townhome in North Ranch is substantial.

Empty nesters downsizing within Westlake Village. This is the buyer I see most consistently in Braemar. They raised their kids in a four-bedroom single-family home a mile away, those kids are now in college or beyond, and the appeal of maintaining 3,000 square feet on a quarter-acre lot has dissolved. Braemar gives them the North Ranch lifestyle, a home they can lock and leave, and the ability to extract equity from their prior home without leaving the community they love. Many of these buyers are specifically seeking the two-bedroom floor plans for exactly that lock-and-leave quality.

Investors seeking long-term hold property. Braemar Townhomes is not a cash-flow rental play at current prices, to be direct about it. But as a long-term equity hold in a supply-constrained submarket with enduringly strong school district fundamentals, it has historically performed well. Lease rates for comparable product in North Ranch support rents in the $4,500 to $5,500 per month range, which does not pencil as a pure income investment but makes the carry manageable for buyers who plan to occupy eventually or hold for appreciation.

Pros and Cons of Braemar Townhomes

Pros

• North Ranch address with one of the most accessible price points in the corridor
• Zoned to top-rated CVUSD schools including Westlake High School
• Vaulted ceilings and open great-room layouts that live larger than the square footage suggests
• Attached two-car garages included with all units
• Cul-de-sac configuration minimizes cut-through traffic and creates a genuine neighborhood feel
• Walking distance or a very short drive to North Ranch Shopping Center (Trader Joe's, Ralphs)
• Small community of approximately 60 homes means a well-managed HOA with real accountability
• Private patio space on most units, with select units offering outdoor areas on multiple sides

Cons

• Guest parking can be tight on evenings and weekends when multiple households have visitors
• HOA approval is required for exterior modifications, which limits personalization of the facade and patio
• Units facing Thousand Oaks Boulevard or positioned near the community perimeter may experience more ambient traffic noise during peak commute hours
• At $400 per month, the HOA dues add meaningfully to the monthly carrying cost when compared to a single-family home with no HOA

Schools Serving Braemar Townhomes

• Westlake Elementary School (Grades K – 5)
• White Oak Elementary School (Grades K – 5, depending on specific address)
• Lang Ranch Elementary School (Grades K – 5, depending on specific address)
• Colina Middle School (Grades 6 – 8)
• Westlake High School (Grades 9 – 12)
• School District: Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD)

CVUSD is consistently regarded as one of the strongest public school districts in California, and Westlake High in particular carries a reputation that draws families specifically to this part of the valley. The high school offers a comprehensive STEM facility, a robust AP curriculum, and an athletics program that competes at a high level statewide. Colina Middle has a warm, community-oriented culture that parents frequently mention as a standout when I ask them what they value most about choosing Braemar over comparable communities outside the district. For families seeking private options, Viewpoint School in Calabasas and Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village are both within a reasonable driving distance and are popular choices among residents who prefer independent school programs.

Nearby Amenities and Local Favorites

Grocery

• Trader Joe's Westlake Village (North Ranch Shopping Center, approx. 0.8 miles) – The neighborhood anchor for quick grocery runs and weekend staple shopping.
• Ralphs at North Ranch (3963 E Thousand Oaks Blvd, approx. 0.9 miles) – Full-service grocery for everyday needs.

Coffee and Cafes

• Novo Cafe (30770 Russell Ranch Rd, approx. 1.5 miles) – Garden patio, all-day breakfast and lunch, a genuine local favorite for the work-from-home crowd.
• Starbucks at North Ranch (East Thousand Oaks Blvd, approx. 0.9 miles) – The reliable morning drive-through option when you need to keep moving.

Restaurants

• The Stonehaus (32039 Agoura Rd, approx. 2.5 miles) – Outdoor wine bar and gastropub set in a converted estate; the go-to for a relaxed Friday evening in the neighborhood.
• Los Agaves (30750 Russell Ranch Rd, approx. 1.5 miles) – Family-owned Mexican restaurant; consistently excellent and popular with the North Ranch crowd.
• Lure Fish House (30970 Russell Ranch Rd, approx. 1.5 miles) – Upscale seafood, good for date nights or client dinners.

Parks and Trails

• Conejo Recreation and Park District – North Ranch Community Park and North Ranch Playfield are both within one mile and offer baseball, soccer, basketball, playground equipment, and picnic areas. The Conejo Open Space trail network begins nearby and connects to miles of maintained hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains.
• North Ranch Country Club (approx. 0.5 miles) – Private 27-hole golf facility adjacent to the community; not included with HOA but membership is available separately.

Fitness

• Equinox Thousand Oaks (Promenade Shopping Center, approx. 3 miles) – The premium gym option in the market area.
• Multiple boutique fitness studios at North Ranch Shopping Center including Pilates and yoga options within 1 mile.

Medical

• Los Robles Regional Medical Center (Thousand Oaks, approx. 5 miles) – The primary full-service hospital for the Conejo Valley.

What to Expect When Buying in Braemar Townhomes

The buying process in Braemar Townhomes has its own particular texture. Because inventory is genuinely tight, the typical scenario when a well-priced listing hits the market is a flurry of showings in the first weekend followed by multiple offers on the Tuesday after. I have seen correctly priced homes here close at or above list price with escalation clauses triggered. The buyers who win are typically those who have done their homework in advance, meaning pre-approval is complete, they have toured comparable product, and they are not learning about the community for the first time when they submit an offer. The window to act is narrow.

From an inspection standpoint, 1988 construction carries its own list of things to watch. Original roofs in this era should be scrutinized; many have been replaced in the last decade but not all. HVAC systems are another category where deferred replacement is common on resale homes that were not owner-occupied for extended periods. The most important inspection item in any attached community is the shared-wall and shared-roof situation, and buyers should ask specifically about the HOA's reserve study. California law requires HOAs to maintain a reserve fund for major capital expenses, but the adequacy of that reserve varies considerably between communities, and an underfunded reserve is a risk that transfers to the new owner at closing.

HOA due diligence is not optional here. Before you remove contingencies, you want to have reviewed the CC&Rs, the current budget, the reserve study, and the meeting minutes from at least the past 12 months. The minutes in particular will tell you whether there are pending special assessments, active litigation, or ongoing disputes about deferred maintenance that the disclosure documents may not surface clearly. I walk every buyer through this process regardless of how clean the initial disclosure package looks. On the financing side, attached homes in this price range typically require a conventional loan with HOA certification from the lender, and some loan programs have concentration and owner-occupancy requirements for condo and townhome communities that need to be verified early in the transaction.

Frequently Asked Questions About Braemar Townhomes

Is Braemar Townhomes a good investment?

For buyers with a medium to long-term hold horizon, yes, I believe it is. The combination of a supply-constrained submarket, enduringly strong school district fundamentals, and a price point that sits well below the Westlake Village single-family median creates a structural case for appreciation. It is not a cash-flow play at current price and rate levels, but equity builds steadily in a community where demand consistently outpaces available inventory.

What are the HOA fees in Braemar Townhomes?

HOA dues run approximately $400 per month. That figure covers common area maintenance, landscaping of shared spaces, and exterior building insurance, among other line items. Buyers should request a current budget and reserve study during escrow to confirm the specific fee and understand what is and is not covered before closing.

How are the schools in Braemar Townhomes?

Excellent. Braemar Townhomes is served by the Conejo Valley Unified School District, which ranks among the top public school districts in California. Westlake High School in particular is widely regarded as one of the strongest comprehensive high schools in Ventura County, with a rigorous academic curriculum and consistent National Merit recognition. The school district assignment for elementary school can depend on your specific address within the community, so confirm your assignment at the time of purchase.

Is Braemar Townhomes family-friendly?

It is, though it skews toward smaller families and dual-income households rather than large families with multiple children. The community is quiet, well-maintained, and has a genuine neighborhood feel despite being an attached product. The nearby parks, trail access, and proximity to top-rated schools make it a legitimate choice for families. Buyers with multiple kids sometimes prefer the larger floor plans in the community to ensure adequate bedroom separation.

How close is Braemar Townhomes to the 101 Freeway?

The community is approximately 1.5 to 2 miles from the nearest 101 on-ramps via Lindero Canyon Road or Kanan Road. That is a short drive under any traffic conditions. During peak morning commute hours, the local surface streets to the freeway can back up modestly, but nothing approaching the congestion you find in the San Fernando Valley or Los Angeles proper.

What is the commute to Los Angeles from Braemar Townhomes?

The drive to Century City runs approximately 35 to 45 minutes in non-peak conditions via the 101 West. During morning rush hour it can extend to 55 to 70 minutes depending on the day. The Chatsworth Metrolink station, accessible via the 101, is an option for buyers who prefer to commute by train into downtown Los Angeles or Union Station. Most residents I work with who commute regularly to LA have adapted their schedule around the peaks, leaving before 7 a.m. or after 9 a.m., and find the commute very manageable on that basis.

Does Braemar Townhomes allow rentals?

Generally yes, though the CC&Rs govern the specific terms including minimum lease duration and any owner-occupancy requirements. Short-term rentals (Airbnb-style) are typically restricted in attached HOA communities in California. Buyers who intend to lease the property should review the governing documents carefully before closing and confirm with the HOA management company that the rental is compliant with current rules.

How is parking at Braemar Townhomes?

Each unit comes with an attached two-car garage, which handles the daily parking needs for most households. Guest parking is available on-site but the supply is limited relative to demand on busy evenings or weekends. It is the most common quality-of-life friction point I hear from residents, though most long-term owners adapt their habits around it and consider it a minor inconvenience rather than a dealbreaker.

Similar Communities to Braemar Townhomes

Braemar Townhomes occupies a specific niche in the Westlake Village and broader Conejo Valley attached-home market: a well-located, late-1980s community in a premium submarket at a price point below the single-family median. If Braemar is on your list, the communities below are worth understanding, whether because they offer a higher price point and more space, a lower entry price with a different profile, or a different product type entirely. Every one of these communities has its own personality, and part of my job is helping buyers understand exactly where those differences matter.

• Westlake Pointe Townhomes ($1M – $1.5M) – Similar because: also an attached community in Westlake Village with CVUSD schools, but offers lakefront proximity and a slightly higher price ceiling for buyers wanting more square footage.
• Westlake Bay Townhomes ($800K – $1.3M) – Similar because: overlapping price range with Braemar and the same townhome format, but positioned on the south shore of Westlake Lake with water views available on select units.
• Renaissance Homes ($850K – $1M) – Similar because: entry-level pricing in the Westlake Village area for buyers whose budget is at the lower end of the Braemar range, with a detached single-family format that some buyers prefer.
• Southshore Hills ($1.5M – $2.5M) – Similar because: the natural step-up community for Braemar buyers who are ready to move into detached single-family product and have more equity or income to work with.
• Ben Johnson Fairway Duplexes ($1.5M – $2.5M) – Similar because: also an attached product type (duplex format) in the North Ranch corridor, but at a significantly higher price point with golf course proximity.
• The Masters Series ($1.5M – $2.5M) – Similar because: another step-up option from Braemar within North Ranch, offering detached homes for buyers who have outgrown the townhome format.
• Whitehawk Homes ($2M – $4M) – Similar because: positioned in the same general North Ranch geography as Braemar, but for buyers at the luxury single-family tier who want larger lots and custom-level finishes.
• Village Green Townhomes ($550K – $700K) – Similar because: also an attached townhome community in the Westlake Village market area, at a lower price point for buyers who prioritize payment over zip code.
• Westpark Condos ($300K – $600K) – Similar because: the most affordable attached option in the Westlake Village area, offering CVUSD school access at the entry level of the market.
• Lake Sherwood Estates ($3M – $15M+) – Similar because: the aspirational address for Braemar residents looking to understand the upper boundary of what the immediate area offers, with lakefront estate properties that represent the top of the Westlake Village market.

About Davis Bartels

Davis Bartels is the founder of the DB Real Estate Group with Pinnacle Estate Properties (CA DRE #00905345). He has personally closed nearly 1,000 transactions in the Conejo Valley since 2009 and consults on residential sales, investment purchases, 1031 exchanges, and estate-level real estate strategy. DRE #01933814.

Last updated: 2026-04-17

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