09/22/2026
Sherman Oaks is two markets, and Ventura Boulevard is the line between them.
North of Ventura is the flat Valley floor. Street grid, sidewalks, more uniform lots. It’s where most of the public recreation sits — including the Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Recreation Center on Huston Street, with a pool, gymnasium, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, and soccer and football fields. Most of the LAUSD campuses are on this side too.
South of Ventura climbs into the Santa Monica Mountains. Winding streets, larger and more irregular lots, views, and almost no sidewalk. Getting anywhere on foot isn’t really the point up there.
Neither side is better. They’re different products, they price differently, and they sell on different timelines. Comps pulled across the boulevard without adjusting will mislead you.
One thing buyers get wrong constantly: a school being located in Sherman Oaks doesn’t mean a specific house is zoned to it. LAUSD attendance boundaries don’t follow neighborhood lines and they change. Check the actual address with the district before you fall for a listing.
The full breakdown — where the parks are, where the campuses are, and the four inspection findings most likely to reset your numbers on a mid-century house — is on the blog. Link in bio.