Hillcrest Gardens is a single quiet street of about 45 attached townhomes, built in 1996 and 1997, tucked off East Hillcrest Drive near the Westlake Village border. It suits a buyer who wants three real bedrooms and a Westlake High address at a townhome price, and who prefers a small complex to a sprawling one. The only recorded sale in recent years closed at $815,000 in June 2025, dues are about $649 a month, and listings are rare enough that patient buyers should be ready to move when one appears.
Avenida de Royale is the kind of street you only find if you are looking for it. Turn off East Hillcrest Drive, along the same corridor as Colina Middle School, and you are on a short street of attached townhomes with only about 45 front doors on it. The setting is east Thousand Oaks, right up against the Westlake Village line, with Westlake Boulevard and the Hillcrest Drive shopping corridor both close at hand.
| Homes | About 45 attached townhomes on one street |
|---|---|
| Built | 1996 and 1997 |
| Price | One recorded sale, $815,000 in June 2025 |
| Size | 3 bedrooms, roughly 1,750 to 1,830 sq ft |
| HOA | About $649 per month, managed by Ross Morgan & Company |
| Gated | No |
| Schools | Conejo Academy, Colina Middle, Westlake High |
| Getting around | Off East Hillcrest Drive near Westlake Boulevard |
Life on Avenida de Royale
With only about 45 homes on one street, Hillcrest Gardens runs more like a block than a complex. The association footprint is about 5.73 acres, so the whole community is compact and easy to walk end to end.
The setting is the real draw. East Hillcrest Drive is the spine of this part of town, and this stretch of it sits near the Westlake Village line. You get the east side of Thousand Oaks, Colina Middle School on the same street corridor, and the rest of Thousand Oaks and Westlake both a short drive away.
Both for sale and rental homes appear on this street, though not every address on Avenida de Royale belongs to this association. Homes in Hillcrest Gardens itself trade rarely, so the ones that do list tend to draw attention quickly.
The homes: late 1990s townhomes with three real bedrooms
Hillcrest Gardens was built in two phases, 19 homes in 1996 and 26 in 1997, which makes it about a decade newer than the two older Hillcrest complexes to the west. The three bedroom plans run about 1,750 to 1,830 square feet, and the examples we have seen carry three baths. End units get one fewer shared wall.
Lots are townhome footprints, one unit on the street measured about 1,614 square feet, so outdoor space is modest. Ask what the dues cover and how parking is assigned, since those details are not documented publicly.
If you are weighing this against the older Hillcrest product, our guides to Hillcrest Park and Hillcrest Terrace show what the 1980s complexes offer, usually at a lower price for a smaller plan. Las Flores Villas is another attached option worth a look for buyers shopping this price band in Thousand Oaks.
Schools: Conejo Academy, Colina and Westlake High
This is one of the quieter advantages of the location. Hillcrest Gardens feeds Westlake High, rated 10 out of 10 on GreatSchools, graded A+ by Niche and ranked the number two public high school in Ventura County. For many families that alone puts the street on the short list.
Colina Middle sits at 1500 East Hillcrest Drive, on the same street corridor. It serves about 830 students from both Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village, scores 6 out of 10 on GreatSchools and ranks above state averages among California middle schools.
The assigned elementary is Conejo Academy of Leadership and Language Immersion, a small K through 5 campus of roughly 250 students with a student to teacher ratio near 18 to 1. Niche grades it B minus. Elementary assignments were confirmed only at the center of the community, so check the assignment for a specific unit with Conejo Valley Unified before you write an offer.
Getting around and what is nearby
Hillcrest Drive carries you toward much of what you need. Head west along the corridor and you reach The Oaks regional mall at 350 West Hillcrest Drive, along with Janss Marketplace. Head east a few minutes and you are near the Promenade at Westlake and The Lakes, where much of the Westlake Village shopping and dining sits.
Westlake Boulevard runs close by and is the main route south toward the 101. Commute times, traffic noise and nearby parks and trailheads are worth checking in person for the specific unit you are considering, since we have not been able to document them.
Who it suits and what to know before buying
Hillcrest Gardens fits a first time buyer or a downsizer who wants a three bedroom home with Westlake High, a low key street and a lock and leave lifestyle. It is less of a fit for anyone who needs a yard or a large amenity package. This is a small, simple community, and that is the point.
A few things we tell buyers here:
- The name is confusing. Thousand Oaks has Hillcrest Park, Hillcrest Terrace and Hillcrest Townhomes as well, and not every home on Avenida de Royale belongs to this association. At least one neighboring community shares the street. Confirm which association a unit sits in before you rely on any dues figure.
- Dues deserve a close read. The one recorded sale showed about $649 a month, while other public figures are lower and look stale. With only about 45 homes, each owner carries a meaningful share of any big repair. Get the current budget, the reserve study and any pending assessment notice during your inspection period.
- Comparable sales are scarce. With one recorded sale in three years, an appraiser will usually look beyond the street. Pricing an offer well means understanding the broader east side market, which our Thousand Oaks home values page tracks.
- Jurisdiction is Thousand Oaks. The Westlake Village line is close, but these homes read as inside the City of Thousand Oaks and Ventura County.
- Check the standard disclosures. Fire hazard zone designation, any special district assessments and insurance availability should be pulled per address, as we have not verified them for this community.
Owning in Hillcrest Gardens
What a typical home costs to own
About $5,903/month
- Principal and interest$4,498
- Property tax (about 1.1% of price, Ventura County)$756
- HOA$649
Estimate for a $825K home, near the middle of the recent range here, with 20% down at 7.24% (30 year fixed, Freddie Mac, October 29, 2026). Homeowners insurance is extra and varies with fire zone, so get a quote early. Your lender's figures will differ.
Thousand Oaks market, latest data
- Median sale price$1.13M
- Change over 12 months-5.0%
- Typical days on market34
Citywide, three months ending May 2026. Thousand Oaks home values
Our experience here
We sell across this part of the Conejo Valley, including the neighborhoods around Hillcrest Gardens, and are glad to talk through how it compares.
Thousand Oaks home prices, the last five years
Questions people ask about Hillcrest Gardens
How much do homes in Hillcrest Gardens cost?
The only recorded sale in the three years to late 2026 was 339 Avenida de Royale, a 3 bedroom of 1,827 square feet that closed at $815,000 in June 2025. Sales are infrequent, so expect pricing to lean on comparable attached homes across east Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village rather than on the street itself.
What are the HOA dues at Hillcrest Gardens?
The one recorded sale showed dues of about $649 per month, and the association is managed by Ross Morgan & Company. Because the community has only about 45 homes, confirm current dues, what they cover and the reserve balance directly with the HOA before removing contingencies.
Is Hillcrest Gardens a gated community?
No. Hillcrest Gardens is an open street of attached townhomes on Avenida de Royale, off East Hillcrest Drive. The small size gives it a private feel, but there is no gate or guard.
Which schools serve Hillcrest Gardens?
Homes here are assigned to Conejo Academy of Leadership and Language Immersion for elementary, Colina Middle on East Hillcrest Drive, and Westlake High, which rates 10 out of 10 on GreatSchools. Verify the elementary assignment for a specific address with Conejo Valley Unified.
Is Hillcrest Gardens the same as Hillcrest Park or Hillcrest Terrace?
No. Hillcrest Park and Hillcrest Terrace are separate 1980s complexes to the west, with smaller plans and different associations. Hillcrest Gardens is newer, built in 1996 and 1997, with larger three bedroom townhomes on Avenida de Royale.
Is Hillcrest Gardens in Thousand Oaks or Westlake Village?
It is in the City of Thousand Oaks, in Ventura County, with a 91362 postal code. The Westlake Village border is nearby, which is why the area shares Westlake High and sits minutes from the Promenade at Westlake while remaining under Thousand Oaks jurisdiction.
Thinking about Hillcrest Gardens?
Whether you are weighing a move here or wondering what your home would bring, Davis and the team are happy to talk it through, street by street. No obligation.
Sources
- City of Thousand Oaks HOA registry
- City of Thousand Oaks parcel layer
- Conejo Valley Unified attendance boundaries
- Westlake High School, Niche
- Colina Middle School, GreatSchools
- Colina Middle School, SchoolDigger
- Conejo Academy of Leadership and Language Immersion, U.S. News
- Conejo Academy, Niche
- The Oaks shopping center
- Ross Morgan & Company
Facts checked October 2026.
