Most Calabasas real estate sits behind a gate, on a hillside, or both. The city spreads through the canyons and ridges where the San Fernando Valley meets the Santa Monica Mountains, and the terrain shapes almost every decision a buyer or seller makes here, from insurance to landscaping. Aimee Ghafouri of 951 Properties can be reached at (951) 331-8453 if you would like to talk through a move.
How Calabasas Is Laid Out
Calabasas is an incorporated city in western Los Angeles County, strung along both sides of the 101 freeway. The Woodland Hills district of Los Angeles is to the east, the small gated city of Hidden Hills is to the north, Agoura Hills is to the west, and the unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains, including Topanga, lie to the south. Las Virgenes Road and Malibu Canyon Road lead through the mountains to the coast at Malibu.
The eastern side holds Old Town Calabasas on Calabasas Road, the Commons shopping center and the neighborhoods around Calabasas Lake and the golf course. The western side, around Las Virgenes Road and Lost Hills Road, has its own cluster of housing tracts, condos and shops. Mulholland Highway runs along the southern edge. Public schools belong to the Las Virgenes Unified School District.
Gated Communities and Neighborhoods
People searching Calabasas homes for sale usually search by community name. Some of the best known:
- The Oaks: a large guard-gated community on the north side of the 101, with an inner gated section of estate homes.
- Calabasas Park Estates: guard-gated custom and semi-custom homes in the hills above Parkway Calabasas.
- Calabasas Park: the older planned area around Calabasas Lake, a private lake for association members, and the nearby golf course. It includes houses, townhomes and condos.
- Mountain View Estates and Mulholland Heights: gated neighborhoods toward the south side of the city near Mulholland Highway.
- Saratoga Hills and the Las Virgenes area: tract neighborhoods on the west side, generally without guard gates.
Several rural canyon communities to the south, such as Monte Nido and Cold Creek, use a Calabasas mailing address but are in unincorporated Los Angeles County, so county rather than city rules apply there. Some of those properties rely on septic systems.
HOAs, Gates and What They Mean for Buyers
Because so many houses for sale in Calabasas are inside associations, the documents deserve as much attention as the house.
- Read the CC&Rs, rules, budget and reserve study. Guard staffing, private streets and slope maintenance are real costs that the dues have to cover.
- Some homes sit under more than one association, a master and a sub-association. Confirm every set of dues.
- Ask about architectural review before planning a remodel, a pool or a change of exterior color.
- Check leasing rules if you intend to rent the home out. Short-term rentals are restricted by many associations and by city rules, which you should confirm with the city.
Fire, Insurance and Hillside Rules
Calabasas is brush country. The November 2018 Woolsey Fire led to evacuations here and damaged homes in the wider area, and large parts of the city are mapped in fire hazard severity zones. Treat insurance as a first step, not a last one.
- Get insurance quotes for the specific address during your contingency period. Some owners here rely on the California FAIR Plan plus a supplemental policy.
- Ask the seller for brush clearance and defensible space records, and review the natural hazard disclosure.
- On hillside lots, look at drainage, retaining walls and slope stability, and consider a geotechnical review.
- Confirm tree rules with the city before removing or pruning native oaks, which are protected by ordinance.
- Check water district rules on outdoor watering with the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District.
Fire maps, insurance availability and watering limits all change, so verify the current position with the city, the insurer and the water district.
Calabasas Condos and Townhomes
Not everything here is an estate. Calabasas Park has townhome and condo complexes around the lake and golf course, and the west side has several condo communities off Las Virgenes Road and Lost Hills Road. For attached homes, review the association’s master insurance policy closely, since wildfire exposure affects association premiums as well as individual ones, and ask a lender early whether the complex meets its guidelines.
Selling a Home in Calabasas
Buyers in this market compare communities closely, so a sale should be positioned against the right competition: the same gate, the same view orientation, a similar lot. Useful preparation includes a current insurance history for the property, brush clearance records, permits for pools and additions, and a full set of association documents ready for escrow. Privacy matters to many sellers here, and showing arrangements can be planned around it.
A Calabasas Real Estate Agent Who Keeps You Informed
Aimee Ghafouri is based in Temecula and is licensed to represent clients anywhere in California. She grew up in Murrieta, holds a bachelor’s degree in business and has more than 15 years of sales and marketing experience. She represents buyers, sellers and investors. Send a note through the contact page or call.
Nearby Areas
- Hidden Hills, the gated equestrian city on the northern border.
- Woodland Hills, the Los Angeles neighborhood to the east.
- Agoura Hills, west along the 101.
- Topanga, in the canyon to the southeast.
- Malibu, at the far end of Malibu Canyon Road.
- Westlake Village, further west.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is all of Calabasas gated?
No. Many of the best-known communities, such as The Oaks and Calabasas Park Estates, are guard-gated, but the city also has ungated tract neighborhoods, condos and townhomes. Each association sets its own access rules and dues.
Is Calabasas in a wildfire zone?
Much of the city is mapped in fire hazard severity zones, and the 2018 Woolsey Fire led to evacuations. Check the natural hazard disclosure for the address, confirm the current map with the city or CAL FIRE, and get insurance quotes early.
Are Monte Nido and Cold Creek part of the City of Calabasas?
They generally carry a Calabasas mailing address but are in unincorporated Los Angeles County. That affects which agency handles permits, and some homes there use septic systems, so confirm the jurisdiction for any address.
Which school district serves Calabasas?
The Las Virgenes Unified School District serves the city. Confirm the assigned schools for a specific address directly with the district.
How do I start looking at Calabasas real estate with Aimee?
Call or text Aimee Ghafouri at (951) 331-8453. Share which communities interest you and whether a gate, a view or a single-story plan matters most, and she will build the search from there.
Buying or Selling in Calabasas?
Aimee Ghafouri is a real estate agent based in Temecula who grew up in Murrieta. She is licensed to work anywhere in California and represents buyers, sellers and investors.
Aimee Ghafouri, 951 Properties, CAL DRE #02193341. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Equal Housing Opportunity.