Commute to LAAFB from east of the 605 (Brea, Rowland Heights) (Los Angeles: rentals, houses)

[LAAFB bound]

Never lived in LA...I'm getting assigned to Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB), Can someone please help with getting a good gage on the commute time from somewhere east of the 605 (Brea, Rowland Heights..etc) to LAAFB? Pretty much trying to arrive by 6:30 a.m and detarting sometime around 4:00 p.m.

We are a family of five (three kids 2 of them in school first and fourth grade when we arrive) so schools are important to us as well a good size home. It looks like after lots of searching the homes around this area meet our budget.

Thanks appreciate your help...Any comments on this area would also be appreciated and recommendations would be great.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[bhcompy]

heck of a drive, but ill give it a shot.

if you're closer to the 91, id figure 45min or so at 630, maybe an hour, to get to LAAFB. i believe 630 gets you ahead of traffic, otherwise double it i would say. at 4pm, traffic going the other way can be pretty bad, so i'd figure 90minutes at least.

if you're closer to the 60, i couldnt tell you because i dont know the traffic patterns on the 60 in the morning

that is assuming a route of 57 to 60/91 to 605 to 105 west, and im guestimating a little bit because its been a while since i made a commute like that

honestly, there are other areas with good size houses and good schools closer to LAAFB that may be better choices, but to each their own

[JTGJR]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

honestly, there are other areas with good size houses and good schools closer to LAAFB that may be better choices, but to each their own

Absolutely. What kind of housing budget do you have? Also, take a look at the metrolink maps. You should consider areas with access as there is one very close to the LAAFB.

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by JTGJR

Absolutely. What kind of housing budget do you have? Also, take a look at the metrolink maps. You should consider areas with access as there is one very close to the LAAFB.

the green line(la metro) runs near there, but not metrolink. and unfortunately, the green line doesnt cross metrolink anywhere. the closest they get is the norwalk station and i dont know if they have a bus that runs between the two stations(both are in norwalk, so ill assume norwalk transit will have one). the fullerton metrolink station isnt too far from brea

the best areas near the green line in norwalk with the best schools would be cerritos(closest, excellent schools including test-in Whitney HS), cypress(excellent schools including test-in Oxford Academy[top in the state]), los alamitos/rossmoor(excellent schools), parts of la mirada and fullerton, parts of lakewood, east long beach, and seal beach.

[JTGJR]

Sorry, I'm pretty metro illiterate. I just know there's an elevated, electrical thingy that runs on rails and looks sort of like a train, nearby.

[LAAFB bound]

Thanks for replies....I'll take all your inputs and look....my budget is about 2700 for rent...need 3-4 bedrooms and a garage..I never looked in cerritos and the other cities you mentioned...let me look at those. Thanks again

[irvine]

I believe Brea was ranked as one of the best places to live according to Money Magazine or a similar publication a couple years ago. Both Brea and nearby Fullerton have excellent schools and are nice communities. Fullerton has an attractive older town center, while Brea's downtown was recently redeveloped. You'd take the 91 freeway west to the 405 to work. If you leave for work at 6:30, you'll beat the morning traffic on the 91. At 4pm the 405 backs up as does the 91.

(Rowland Heights is a bit out of the way.)

But I'd take a serious look much closer to LAAFB. Look at the South Bay Communities of Torrance, El Segundo, Redondo Beach, and Manhattan Beach. All have excellent public schools, and should have rentals in your price range. No need to commute 25-30 miles to work.