If you are from NYC, the traffic is probably no worse here. If you leave by 5:30 - 6:00 a.m. the commute should be 30-40 minutes, maybe even a bit less. If you leave later, add another 15-30+ minutes to the time; afternoons/evenings are 45-60 minutes home. The train could be an option but unfortunately, it's not as easy as back east.
I have buyers that I'm working with right now looking in South Pasadena for the very reason that you should consider - excellent commute w/many public transportation options as well as only being 5-9 miles from downtown. In addition, the South Pasadena school system is excellent.
If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me. I live in the neighboring town to Calabasas.
Lauren Case, Realtor
Keller Williams
(818) 974-8722

Awful. Ok so that's an exageration. It depends on your departure time and traffic. You can get there without traffic in 25 minutes. It can also take 3 hours. the drawback to Calabasas is that the only way to go is the 101 freeway. If you Live 10 minutes further east in Westlake or Thousand Oaks, you can take the 23 to the 118 Ronald Reagan to the interste 5 and get there in an hour - hour ten consistantly.

It will be bad as the others have said. Take the train. Or if you must drive, you might want to consider going over a canyon road then taking PCH to the 10.

I agree with looking into Pasadena.

The commute can take up to three hours! Traffic on the 101 freeway is horrendous during rush hour. I would recommend looking into the Mount Washington or Highland Park area in the hills. It is much more central and very desireable, lots of historic homes. Culver City is also very close and good for families. Best of luck!

You can do a map search and find out the distance from where you want to live and where you will work—whatever Google maps say the commute time will be multiple it by 3 (if it says 30mins most likely it will be 1 ½ hr). Good luck with your move and if you would like to search the all the available properties in and around Los Angeles please go to my website: reoLicensedSpecialist.com . You might consider other areas that are comparable but not as far and probably get a better price. Pasadena is very nice—check it out.

Welcome to LA,
Calabasas Is desired neighborhood/city, driving to downtown LA during rush hours is close but less traffic as Manhattan and on the freeway barely get to posted speed, which will take about 55 min. in heavy traffic.
In normal traffic it will take around 35min from on ramp to off ramp in downtown LA.
There are several other cities that have their upscale neighborhoods that will contribute in cutting driving time, such as Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Encino, Sherman Oaks. These small cities are adjacent to the freeway leading to downtown LA.
These cities are also within my work area, so if you have any other question i'll be glad to answer you.
Truly Yours.

Hi there LJ. This would depend on the times when you are driving. It can be not good before 8am and after 4. So 10-3 are the bestc communte times in this area. There are some back roads that you can take which may redcue the time

Kind Regards
Michael Barron
First Team Real Estate
(714) 552-6817
michael-barron@sbcglobal.net

Depending on your commute times, that would be a brutal trip. You would be taking the 101 to and from downtown and that is a parking lot during rush hour around downtown. I would be surprised if you could make the commute in less than 1 or 1 1/2 hours EACH WAY during general commute times (7 - 9am 4 - 6 pm). The alternative 101-405-10 would be worse. But who knows, if gas starts reaching $8 a gallon like they pay in Europe, perhaps the freeways will open up.

Best of Luck,
NewportFiji