The Colony Duplexes Neighborhood Guide | Westlake Village, CA Homes

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Quick Facts: The Colony Duplexes at a Glance

The Colony Duplexes offer one of the only entry points into gated Westlake Village real estate at or below the $1 million mark, with a private pool, spa, and tennis court included in a low monthly HOA.

What Is The Colony Duplexes Known For?

In my 15-plus years selling Westlake Village real estate, The Colony Duplexes occupy a very specific and valuable niche: they are the most affordable gated address in the city, period. That combination, a private gate, a pool and spa, a tennis court, and an actual Westlake Village postal address, is genuinely rare at this price point. The community sits just off Lindero Canyon Road, tucked behind the gate in a way that feels far more private than the proximity to the Westlake Marketplace and Russell Ranch retail corridor would suggest. You are two minutes from a Starbucks and a Smart and Final, but once you pull through the gate you would not know it. That contrast is exactly what drives buyer demand here year after year.

The architecture is the first thing buyers comment on during a showing. The Cape Cod styling stands out immediately in a region where Mediterranean and Spanish Revival dominate. The steeply pitched rooflines, the dormers, the neutral painted exteriors with shuttered windows. It reads as East Coast coastal in a Southern California hill town, and it works. The community was built in 1985, which puts it squarely in the era of solid wood framing, before the tract building shortcuts of the 1990s. In my experience, buyers here are typically first-time homeowners ready to step out of renting in Thousand Oaks or Agoura Hills, young professionals or couples who want a Westlake Village address and school district access without a $1.6 million price tag, and the occasional investor who understands the rental demand in this ZIP code. The gated entry, the shared amenities, and the relative scarcity of roughly 40 units make turnover infrequent and buyer competition real when something does hit the market.

Floor Plans and Home Styles in The Colony Duplexes

Every unit at The Colony is a Cape Cod style duplex built on a tri-level layout. That means your entry level typically holds the main living area, kitchen, and a powder room or half bath. The second level carries the primary bedroom and secondary bedroom along with a full bath, and the lower level or garage level often includes additional storage, a laundry area, and the direct-access two-car garage. Living square footage runs from approximately 1,200 square feet on the smaller plans up to around 1,700 square feet on the larger ones, with most units falling in the 1,400 to 1,550 square foot sweet spot. The tri-level configuration does mean stairs throughout the home, which is worth mentioning to buyers with mobility concerns, but for everyone else the layout creates a natural separation between living and sleeping spaces that feels more like a detached single family home than a traditional condo.

The kitchens and bathrooms in unrenovated units still carry the original 1985 finishes: oak cabinetry, tile countertops, and older fixtures. I have shown units here at both ends of the renovation spectrum. The fully updated ones with quartz counters, recessed lighting, and LVP flooring show beautifully and close fast. The unrenovated ones price out lower but attract buyers who want to put their own stamp on the space, and given the trajectory of Westlake Village values, the renovation cost is almost always recovered at resale. Private patio or yard space varies by unit location within the complex, but most ground-level units have a fenced patio that feels genuinely private, a feature you rarely get in similarly priced attached product elsewhere in the Conejo Valley.

Parking inside The Colony is generally handled by the individual unit garages, with limited guest parking on interior streets. Buyers coming from detached neighborhoods should plan for a more compact footprint than they may be used to, but the square footage is used efficiently and the outdoor spaces, both the private patios and the shared pool area, extend the functional living area considerably.

What Is It Like to Live in The Colony Duplexes?

Saturday morning at The Colony has a rhythm to it. By 8:00 a.m. you will see dogs being walked on the interior paths, kids on bikes near the pool area, and at least a few residents headed out the gate toward the Westlake Village Marketplace for coffee. The Bonibi Coffee at 32123 Lindero Canyon Road is the local independent option of the moment, a short drive from the gate and worth the five minutes. Toastique on Russell Ranch Road has become the post-hike crowd's spot, with cold-pressed juices and avocado toast filling the patio most weekend mornings. For a proper sit-down, Zin Bistro Americana at 32131 Lindero Canyon Road pulls residents in for weekend brunch and lakeside dinners. The entire dining and shopping corridor is within two miles of the gate, which means Colony residents enjoy a walkability to errands and dining that most Westlake Village neighborhoods at this price point simply cannot match.

The community itself is quiet during the week. The residents skew toward working professionals and families with school-age children. You will not find a loud party crowd here. The gate creates an inherent filter, and the HOA has enough rules around exterior upkeep and guest parking to maintain a consistent standard. On weekday evenings the pool area sees light use, a few lap swimmers, maybe a couple of kids. On weekend afternoons in summer it fills up. The tennis court draws a consistent group of regulars. Halloween is legitimately fun here because the gated layout creates a contained, safe trick-or-treating circuit that parents appreciate, and turnout from the kid-heavy households is reliably strong. The community has a close-knit feel that is increasingly rare in attached housing, partly because the small size, around 40 units, keeps it from feeling anonymous.

The tree canopy inside The Colony is mature for a 1985 construction, with established oaks and ornamental plantings softening the walkways between units. It is notably greener and quieter than what the surrounding retail corridor would suggest from the outside. Noise from Lindero Canyon Road is essentially inaudible from the interior of the community. The only audible traffic pattern worth mentioning is during morning and afternoon school runs, when Lindero sees heavier flow. It clears quickly.

For weekend recreation, the access to open space is exceptional. Triunfo Creek Park, the 600-acre Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy property just south of Lindero Canyon Road, is literally minutes from the gate. The Pentachaeta Trail and Westlake Vista Trail systems start from the Triunfo Canyon Road trailhead, and the views back toward Westlake Lake from the ridge are exactly the kind of thing that makes people fall in love with living here and never leave. The Wishbone Trail above the Westlake Village Community Park is another local favorite. Residents of The Colony have fast access to some of the best open-space trail systems in Southern California, which is something you cannot put a number on.

The Colony Duplexes Market Snapshot

The Colony Duplexes trade in a narrow band relative to the broader Westlake Village market, which is exactly what makes them interesting from an investment standpoint. The Westlake Village citywide median sits at approximately $1,650,000. Colony units, currently priced in the $800,000 to $1,000,000 range, represent roughly half that median. When rate environments shift and buyers who were priced out of the $1.2 million to $1.4 million detached market start looking for alternatives with a real address and real schools, The Colony absorbs that demand fast. Inventory here is structurally tight. With approximately 40 units in the complex, active listings at any given moment are typically one or zero. When something comes on properly priced, it does not sit.

Buyers considering The Colony should also understand the comp structure. Because the complex is small and sales are infrequent, appraisers sometimes have to pull from Triunfo West or other attached product in the 91362 ZIP to support value. This can create friction in financed transactions if the purchase price pushes beyond recent comp support. I have navigated this a number of times at The Colony and adjacent complexes. The solution is typically a clean pre-approval, a strong earnest money position, and a listing agent who has done their homework on the appraisal package. Cash offers, when they surface, close without that friction.

This is a seller-leaning micro-market. The scarcity of inventory and sustained buyer demand from people who want a Westlake Village address without a $1.6 million price tag keeps negotiating leverage tilted toward sellers on well-maintained units. Buyers can sometimes find a bit of room on units that need full renovation or have been sitting with pricing above the most recent comparable sales, but the days of deep discounting here are rare. Relative to the broader Westlake Village market, Colony units trade at a significant discount on a price-per-square-foot basis, which is one reason investors continue to pay attention to this address.

Who Should Look in The Colony Duplexes?

First-time buyers priced out of detached Westlake Village. If your budget is $850,000 to $975,000 and you want a Westlake Village address, access to CVUSD schools, and a gated community with real amenities, The Colony is the most logical destination in the entire city. You get more than an apartment or a small condo. You get a functional two or three-bedroom home with a garage, a patio, and access to a pool and tennis court. The lifestyle matches the address, and the school district alone justifies the premium over similar product in neighboring cities.

Young families who want schools before square footage. Westlake Elementary and Westlake High School are the draw. Families who prioritize school quality above all else and understand that 1,400 to 1,700 square feet is a reasonable trade for access to one of the top public school systems in California will find The Colony a smart move. I have worked with dozens of families who made exactly this calculation and have zero regrets. The community is genuinely family-friendly, the gate provides a layer of security, and the neighbors tend to be in similar life stages.

Empty nesters downsizing from larger Westlake Village homes. If you have been in a 3,000 square foot home in Westlake Hills or North Ranch and the maintenance has become the job you did not sign up for, The Colony offers a low-maintenance alternative without leaving the city. The HOA handles exterior upkeep. The pool and spa are there when you want them without the cost of owning one. The location to shopping and dining is excellent. A surprising number of my downsizer clients end up here and find the transition far easier than they expected.

Investors looking for steady long-term rental demand. The Westlake Village rental market is chronically undersupplied at the $3,000 to $4,500 per month range for attached homes. Colony units in good condition rent reliably to professional tenants who want the school district and the address. The HOA needs to be reviewed for any rental restrictions before closing, and current rules should be confirmed during escrow, but Colony units have historically accommodated non-owner-occupied rentals. At the purchase price range, the math on long-term appreciation has consistently worked for patient investors in this ZIP code.

Pros and Cons of The Colony Duplexes

• Pro: Gated entry in a city where gated communities typically start at $1.2 million and above.
• Pro: Private pool, spa, and tennis court included in the HOA at approximately $250/month, a very competitive rate for what is provided.
• Pro: Conejo Valley Unified School District access, including Westlake Elementary and Westlake High School.
• Pro: Distinctive Cape Cod architecture that gives each unit genuine visual character in a market dominated by Mediterranean and Spanish stucco.
• Pro: Location within walking distance or a very short drive of the Westlake Marketplace, Russell Ranch retail, lakeside dining, and multiple trailheads.
• Pro: Approximately 40-unit size keeps the community tight-knit and prevents the anonymous feel of larger HOA complexes.
• Pro: Strong resale demand driven by structural scarcity. When Colony units come to market properly priced, they move.
• Pro: Mature landscaping and a genuine sense of privacy from the street despite being adjacent to a major retail corridor.
• Con: Tri-level layout means stairs throughout the home. Not suitable for buyers with mobility limitations.
• Con: Guest parking within the community is limited, which can be noticeable during gatherings or on busy weekends.
• Con: HOA approval is typically required for any exterior modifications, including paint color changes and patio improvements. Buyers who want full design autonomy should note this constraint.
• Con: Thin comparable sales volume means appraisal support on financed purchases can be a friction point, particularly when prices push into the upper range of the bracket. Cash buyers or buyers with strong down payments navigate this most smoothly.

Schools Serving The Colony Duplexes

• Westlake Elementary School (K to 5) | westlakeelementaryschool.com
• White Oak Elementary School (K to 5)
• Lang Ranch Elementary School (K to 5)
• Colina Middle School (6 to 8)
• Westlake High School (9 to 12) | whs.conejousd.org
• School District: Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD)

CVUSD is the reason a large portion of Colony buyers make the purchase they do. Westlake High School has been named to the College Board's AP School Honor Roll and its athletic and performing arts programs are consistently among the strongest in Ventura County. Parents who move here for the schools tend to stay for the community. The district also provides Honors, AP, and International Baccalaureate coursework at the secondary level, and the elementary schools have strong parent involvement cultures. For private school consideration, Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village and Viewpoint School in Calabasas are both within a reasonable drive for families who want to explore those options alongside the public school track.

Nearby Amenities and Local Favorites

Grocery

• Smart and Final at 5770 Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village. Approximately 0.4 miles. Everyday staples, bulk items, quick runs.
• Sprouts Farmers Market at 1012 S. Westlake Blvd. Approximately 1.5 miles. Organic produce, bulk foods, clean eating staples.
• Pavilions at 1135 Lindero Canyon Road, Oak Park. Approximately 2 miles. Full-service grocery with a deli and pharmacy.

Coffee and Cafes

• Bonibi Coffee at 32123 Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village. Approximately 0.5 miles. bonibicoffee.com. Stumptown specialty coffee and local Bloom honey. The independent option for those who skip the chain.
• Starbucks at 5770 Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village Marketplace. Approximately 0.4 miles. Opened January 2025. High-volume drive-through and in-store seating.
• Toastique at 30760 Russell Ranch Road, Suite B. Approximately 0.6 miles. toastique.com. Cold-pressed juices, smoothie bowls, espresso. The post-hike crowd's natural habitat.

Restaurants

• Zin Bistro Americana at 32131 Lindero Canyon Road, Suite 111. Approximately 0.5 miles. Lakeside New American with an extensive wine list and live music. Date night standard for Colony residents.
• The Landing Grill and Sushi Bar at 32123 W. Lindero Canyon Road, Suite 109. Approximately 0.5 miles. Lakeside patio, sushi and American. The most requested spot when out-of-town guests visit.
• The Stonehaus at 32039 Agoura Road. Approximately 1 mile. thestonehauswine.com. Boutique wine bar and enoteca on the grounds of the Westlake Village Inn. Sunday afternoons here are a Westlake Village institution.
• Sushi AI at 5790 Lindero Canyon Road, Suite 2A. Approximately 0.4 miles. Neighborhood sushi spot within walking distance of the gate.

Parks and Trails

• Triunfo Creek Park. Approximately 1 mile south via Lindero Canyon Road. mrca.ca.gov. 600 acres of oak woodland, the Pentachaeta Trail, and the Westlake Vista Trail with views to the lake. One of the best public open spaces in the greater Los Angeles area, full stop.
• Westlake Village Community Park and Wishbone Trail. Approximately 1.5 miles. Managed by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency. Accessible hiking directly from the community park parking lot.

Fitness

• Equinox Westlake Village at the Four Seasons, Westlake Village. Approximately 1.5 miles. Premium fitness club for those whose workout needs exceed the community tennis court.
• Earthbar Westlake Village at the Westlake Village Inn area. Approximately 1 mile. Smoothies, supplements, and a health-focused retail bar.

Medical

• Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks. Approximately 5 miles via the 101. Full-service regional hospital. The primary acute-care facility for Westlake Village residents.

What to Expect When Buying in The Colony Duplexes

The Colony is not a high-volume market. When I am representing a buyer here, the first conversation we have is about timing and readiness. Units come up infrequently, and the ones that are priced correctly, staged well, and marketed to the right audience move in two to three weeks. If you are financing the purchase, I want you fully pre-approved before we walk through the first showing. Not just pre-qualified. A full underwritten pre-approval from a local lender who knows Conejo Valley attached product. The appraisal dynamics I mentioned earlier are real. Small HOA communities with limited recent sales can produce appraisal gaps on financed deals if the purchase price is pushed to the top of the range. A larger down payment or a cash offer eliminates that risk entirely.

On the inspection side, homes built in 1985 have a predictable checklist. I always recommend a thorough home inspection, a sewer lateral scope, and a review of the HOA documents including the reserve study. Roofs in the community vary by the last HOA assessment cycle and individual owner maintenance history. Original plumbing in 1985 Westlake Village construction is typically copper, which is a better situation than galvanized, but fixtures and water heaters at this age are worth scrutinizing. The HOA covers exterior maintenance and the shared amenities, so the question for buyers is how well-funded the reserve is for items like pool resurfacing, tennis court maintenance, and gate system replacement. I walk every buyer through the financials of the HOA during the disclosure review period. It is one of the most important parts of the due diligence on any attached property purchase.

Commission structure and closing costs in California for a transaction in this price range typically run 1.5 to 2 percent of the purchase price on the buyer's side for loan and title costs. Property taxes in Los Angeles County where The Colony is located run approximately 1.25 percent of the assessed purchase price annually. First-year ownership costs should be modeled with taxes, HOA dues, and any deferred maintenance in mind. Buyers who come in with realistic financial modeling and clean offers tend to win here. The seller pool at The Colony is small and motivated, but they know the market and they are not giving homes away.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Colony Duplexes

Is The Colony Duplexes a good investment?

Yes, particularly for buyers with a 5 to 10-year time horizon. The structural scarcity of the community, the Westlake Village address, and consistent demand from buyers who want CVUSD schools without a $1.6 million purchase price create a durable floor under values. Rental income from a Colony unit in good condition in the current market is competitive with similar attached product in the ZIP code. As with any real estate investment, timing, purchase price discipline, and renovation level all affect returns.

What are the HOA fees in The Colony Duplexes?

HOA dues run approximately $250 per month. The monthly fee covers the gated entry, community pool and spa maintenance, tennis court upkeep, exterior common area landscaping, and building exterior maintenance. As with all HOAs, dues are subject to change with board votes, and the reserve fund balance should be reviewed during escrow. Confirm the current monthly figure directly with the HOA management company during the due diligence period.

How are the schools in The Colony Duplexes?

Excellent. The Colony feeds into the Conejo Valley Unified School District, which serves Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, and Newbury Park. Westlake High School has been named to the College Board AP School Honor Roll and is consistently recognized for academic, athletic, and performing arts programs. CVUSD also offers IB coursework, honors tracks, and strong elementary-level parent involvement cultures. For many buyers, the school district assignment alone justifies the purchase.

Is The Colony Duplexes family-friendly?

Very much so. The gated entry, the low traffic interior streets, the pool and recreational amenities, and the proximity to excellent public schools make it a natural fit for families with young children. The tri-level floor plan does mean stairs throughout, which is worth considering for households with very young children or elderly family members. But the broader community feel is welcoming, safe, and community-oriented.

How close is The Colony Duplexes to the 101 Freeway?

The Lindero Canyon Road on-ramp to the 101 is approximately 1 mile from the community entrance. In practical terms, you are 5 minutes from freeway access with no light in your way under typical conditions. This proximity is one of the reasons Colony residents can commute to the San Fernando Valley, Woodland Hills, or West Los Angeles and still return to a genuinely quiet gated community at the end of the day.

What is the commute to Los Angeles from The Colony Duplexes?

The drive to Woodland Hills and Warner Center runs approximately 20 to 30 minutes in normal conditions. The drive to Century City or Santa Monica is 35 to 50 minutes depending on time of day. The 101 interchange at Lindero Canyon Road provides the fastest on-ramp access. Like all 101 corridor commutes, it is heavily dependent on departure time. Many Colony residents stagger their hours or work hybrid schedules, which has made the commute significantly more manageable than it was in the full five-day in-office era.

What makes The Colony Duplexes different from other attached communities in Westlake Village?

Three things: the gated entry at a sub-$1 million price point, the Cape Cod architectural character, and the small community size. Most comparable attached product in Westlake Village either lacks a gate, sits in a much larger HOA complex that feels impersonal, or prices into a higher bracket. The Colony is the only place in the city where all three of those qualities converge at this price level.

Can I rent out a unit in The Colony Duplexes?

Colony units have historically been available for non-owner-occupied rentals, but rental rules within HOAs can change over time. During escrow, buyers should request and review the current CC&Rs, HOA rules and regulations, and any rental restriction policies directly from the HOA management company. This is standard due diligence on any HOA purchase and is especially important for buyers purchasing as an investment. Do not rely on verbal representations. Get it in writing during the contingency period.

Similar Communities to The Colony Duplexes

The Colony Duplexes occupy a specific price tier and product type that has few true comparables inside Westlake Village. If you are considering The Colony but want to explore adjacent options, the communities below range from similarly priced attached product to larger single-family and estate homes depending on your budget and lifestyle goals. Each has a meaningfully different character.

• Triunfo West Townhomes - Similar because the price range overlaps at $800K to $1.1M and attached product with HOA amenities, though Triunfo West is not gated.
• Westlake Pointe Townhomes - Similar because it is attached Westlake Village living at a step up in price ($1M to $1.5M) with a more modern construction profile.
• Lakeshore Homes - Similar because the entry price ($950K to $2M) overlaps the upper Colony range and both communities benefit from the same walkable lakeside location.
• Westlake Hills - Similar because it is a natural step-up destination ($1.1M to $1.7M) for Colony owners who have built equity and are ready for detached single-family living in the same city.
• Foxmoor Cove - Similar because Foxmoor Cove ($1.25M to $2M) attracts buyers who started in communities like The Colony and are moving up within Westlake Village rather than leaving it.
• Majestic Oaks - Similar because Majestic Oaks ($2M to $2.5M) represents the premium Westlake Village product that Colony buyers often aspire toward as a longer-term upgrade.
• Bridgehaven - Similar because both are gated Westlake Village communities, though Bridgehaven ($2M to $3M) is single-family and serves a significantly different buyer profile.
• North Shore Homes - Similar because North Shore ($2M to $3M) sits at the lakeside premium tier that Colony buyers frequently track as a long-term destination within the same city.
• Signature Collection - Similar because Signature Collection ($2M to $3.25M) is the logical comparison point for Colony buyers evaluating luxury Westlake Village options and confirming the entry-level value proposition.
• North Ranch Custom Estates - Similar because North Ranch ($2.5M to $5M+) represents the top of the Conejo Valley market, a useful benchmark for buyers doing