As a woman, I would never drive on my own at night. I would think twice before even considering driving an expensive car, as it makes you an immediate target. Not even small gold earrings. Houses must have at least an alarm system. Caracas is no longer a normal large city where you have to careful.
Crime is beyond that.
I never feel safe when I am there. You can get large houses with gardens or nice high rise apartments. There is a large housing market available, but expect to pay very high rents. For security reasons I would highly recommend an apartment. Colegio Campo Alegre has a good reputation, but the Colegio International de Caracas does not, plus it based in a dodgy area of town.