The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls is one of Simi Valley's distinct sub-neighborhoods, with its own builder history, lot size profile, school zone, and price band. This page covers what The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls is, who built it, what homes there typically trade for, the HOA and Mello-Roos exposure, the schools serving it, and the inspection items that come up most often in resale. The data is current as of May 2026.
Where The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls sits in Simi Valley
Santa Susana Knolls (often called "The Knolls") is one of the most distinctive neighborhoods in Simi Valley — hillside lots, winding streets, no HOA, no Mello-Roos, and an architectural variety that runs from 1940s cabins to brand-new modern rebuilds. The neighborhood sits at the east end of Simi Valley on the slopes above Kuehner Drive and Katherine Road. Many lots are on septic rather than sewer, and several still rely on private wells. CAL FIRE has the higher Knolls slopes designated as High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) — that affects insurance availability and may require defensible-space inspections.
The neighborhood is approximately at coordinates 34.275, -118.700. Major roads providing access include the 118 freeway, Erringer Road, Madera Road, or Tapo Canyon Road depending on entry point. Drive time to the LA basin is roughly 35–40 minutes off-peak via the 118 to the 405 or 101.
The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls is part of the City of Simi Valley, in Ventura County. The City handles trash, street maintenance, and public safety; SVUSD handles K–12 schools for this neighborhood: Mountain View Elementary, Hillside Middle, and Royal High.
Builder, era, and floor plans
The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls was built primarily by Various, mostly custom and semi-custom on hillside parcels between 1940s–present (wide range). Floor plans typically run Highly varied — original cabins, mid-century, modern rebuilds. The community is on roughly Highly variable — 6,000 sqft to 1+ acres lots.
What this tells you in resale: homes from this era typically have post-tension slab foundations (verify with the foundation report), dual-pane windows, and concrete or composition roofing. Original kitchens may still be in place or may have been remodeled — review the property's disclosure history.
For new buyers, the key inspection items by era are typical: roof condition, HVAC age, water heater (look for tankless replacements in homes built before tankless was standard), and any galvanized supply lines on the older end of the build range.
Recent sale comps — what The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls has been trading at
As of May 2026, the median price in The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls is approximately $985,000 (May 2026, very wide range), with the typical range running $700K–$1.5M. Days on market in the neighborhood tracks the broader Simi Valley average of ~18 days, sometimes slightly faster for well-priced single-story product.
Price-per-square-foot generally falls in the same band as broader Simi Valley, though hillside lots, view corridors, and remodeled kitchens push the upper end. Cosmetic-condition homes in original 1990s finishes typically trade at a 5–8% discount to remodeled comps.
| Plan size | Typical sale range | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1,200–1,800 sqft (single-story) | $700,000–$800,000 | Often quickest to sell |
| 1,800–2,400 sqft (two-story) | Mid-band of price range | Most common product |
| 2,400–3,000 sqft | Upper-band of price range | Larger lots premium |
| 3,000+ sqft | Top of range, view lots premium | Limited inventory |
HOA, Mello-Roos, and ongoing costs
HOA: None. Mello-Roos: None. Always verify the current Mello-Roos assessment via the Ventura County Assessor before contingency removal — the assessment varies by parcel and can change as bonds are paid down.
Property tax in The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls is the standard Ventura County 1% Prop 13 base plus voter-approved bonds (typically pushing the effective rate to ~1.15–1.30%) plus Mello-Roos if applicable. On the median The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls home, the total monthly property tax impound runs roughly $950–$1,300/mo depending on the Mello-Roos status.
Schools serving this neighborhood
The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls feeds into the Simi Valley Unified School District (SVUSD): Mountain View Elementary for elementary, Hillside Middle for middle, and Royal High for high school. School zoning by address can change with boundary adjustments — verify the specific address using the SVUSD Find My School tool before relying on the assignment.
Per the CA School Dashboard's 2024 rating year, the SVUSD schools serving Simi Valley range from "Medium" to "High" performance across English Language Arts, Math, and Chronic Absenteeism indicators. Each school has its own profile — the CA Dashboard at caschooldashboard.org has the detail.
For families considering private school as an alternative, the nearest options include Grace Brethren Junior High & High School, Faith Baptist Christian School, and St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in central Simi.
Common buyer scenarios for The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls
The Knolls fits buyers who want character, architectural freedom, and privacy. The trade-offs are real: septic system inspection and pump-out history, well capacity and water quality testing, slope stability and drainage, wildfire defensible space, and insurance availability (some carriers won't write the upper FHSZ lots — confirm before going under contract).
Other typical scenarios that come up: commuters who work in the LA basin and want a 35–40 minute reverse-commute via the 118; move-up buyers who built equity in starter Simi product and want larger floor plans; downsizers from larger Simi or Conejo product who want lower maintenance; relocators from the SFV (Northridge, Granada Hills, Porter Ranch) who want similar climate and SVUSD instead of LAUSD.
For each scenario, the specific neighborhood within Simi that fits best depends on the trade-offs the buyer is making — yard size, HOA, Mello-Roos, walkability, view, age of home, and condition.
Inspection items specific to this era of build
For The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls homes built in the 1940s–present (wide range) era, the inspection items that come up most often are: roof condition (concrete tile is typically 50+ years; composition shingle is 20–25); HVAC age (units from the late 1990s/early 2000s are at end of life by 2026); original water heater (replace with tankless if not already done); slab moisture; original pool equipment if applicable; and any signs of slab settling in homes on post-tension foundations.
Older end of the build range (1985–1995): check for original galvanized supply lines (rare but worth checking), original electrical panels (FPE Stab-Lok panels are a known fire hazard — replacement quotes are $2,500–$4,500), and original sewer lateral (clay tile is failure-prone; cast iron is better).
Newer end (2010+): check the post-tension slab certificate, builder warranty status, and any active CFD assessment changes.
What I tell clients shopping The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls
What I tell clients: The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls is a real neighborhood with real trade-offs. If the trade-offs match what you want — the lot size, the school zone, the HOA structure, the price range — then it's the right fit. If you're stretching the budget to get into a tract that doesn't actually fit how you live, you'll regret it inside two years.
I work with buyers and sellers on these decisions every day. The best meetings are the ones where we walk through the trade-offs honestly and you decide based on what fits your situation, not on what the listing sheet says.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median home price in The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls?
As of May 2026, the median home price in The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls is approximately $985,000 (May 2026, very wide range). The typical sale range is $700K–$1.5M depending on floor plan size, lot, and condition. Verify current pricing with a live MLS search at the time you're shopping.
Does The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls have an HOA?
HOA in The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls: None. Verify the current HOA dues amount and the most recent reserve study via the listing agent before contingency removal — HOA dues can adjust annually based on the reserve and operating budget.
Does The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls have Mello-Roos?
Mello-Roos in The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls: None. The exact CFD assessment varies by parcel and can change as bonds are paid down. Always verify via the Ventura County Assessor or the current property tax bill before going under contract.
What schools serve The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls?
The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls feeds into SVUSD: Mountain View Elementary · Hillside Middle · Royal High. School zoning by specific address can change with boundary adjustments — use the SVUSD Find My School tool at simivalleyusd.org for the authoritative address-level assignment.
When was The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls built?
The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls was built primarily by Various, mostly custom and semi-custom on hillside parcels between 1940s–present (wide range). Floor plans typically run Highly varied — original cabins, mid-century, modern rebuilds. The era of build affects what inspection items come up most often in resale.
What is the typical lot size in The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls?
Lots in The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls are typically Highly variable — 6,000 sqft to 1+ acres. Lot size affects price meaningfully — larger lots, especially view lots, trade at a 10–25% premium over standard tract lots in the same floor plan.
Is The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls a good fit for a first-time buyer?
The Knolls fits buyers who want character, architectural freedom, and privacy. The trade-offs are real: septic system inspection and pump-out history, well capacity and water quality testing, slope stability and drainage, wildfire defensible space, and insurance availability (some carriers won't write the upper FHSZ lots — confirm before going under contract).
How long do homes in The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls take to sell?
Days on market in The Knolls / Santa Susana Knolls tracks the broader Simi Valley average of ~18 days as of May 2026. Single-story product and remodeled kitchens typically sell faster; original-condition homes in the upper price band may take 30–45 days.
