Relocating to Los Angeles area.... (1 Viewer)

[Brent_H]

Its still a year off, but I like planning ahead and knowing what I will be doing. I am 21 and live in Minnesota. I want to go to UCLA but I need to start at the community college level first. Either way, I am probably going to live there for six months to a year before I attempt to go back to school. I don't really care what area I live in really...just so its not ghetto or too expensive. I really liked the Santa Monica area when I visited there, but then again, I never got the chance to explore Orange County....I guess what I am seeking advice on are apartment finders, roommate finders etc etc. Maybe recommendations as to what areas of LA to look at. Anything would be great. One more thing, if anyone thinks they may need a roommate by next summer, keep me in mind

 

[Scott_lb]

Are you the same person who asked for advice when visiting UCLA a few months ago? Just curious. If so, you'd be hard pressed to find something nice and yet affordable in the Santa Monica area. I would shoot for something in the Valley or closer to the Pasadena area. I think Orange County is really nice, but likely out of your budget. However, I've only been out here a few years so there are other members who have more extensive knowledge of the L.A. area.

 

[Khoa Tran]

expensive expensive expensive....studio apartment here in OC and anywhere near LA is 1000+, you're likely heading out to pasadena or valley area to find something...

 

[Jack Briggs]

Orange County is not even in the Los Angeles area.

And unless your parents are supporting you (and are well off to boot), relocating to Los Angeles without the benefit of gainful employment is about as dicey as it gets. Are you even remotely aware of what the cost of living is in California? And the issue of affordable housing is a political hot potato (affordable housing is not abundant here).

Santa Monica? How does a $1,300 one-bedroom apartment sound?

The Koreatown section is the most densely populated urban area in the nation outside Manhattan. Until recently it was considered a "fair to bad" area of town. But now there's a relocation boom going on. Result? You could find a reasonably decent single or studio apartment with relatively few cockroaches for, oh, around $1,100 a month.

A total POS one-bedroom apartment in the seediest part of Hollywood will also fetch $1,100 minimum.

Forget what you're used to in Minnesota.

UCLA admissions, btw, are pretty difficult. In-state students already in the University of California system, armed with 4.0 GPAs, have the odds against them when it comes to the largest campus in the system. That's why they go to UC Santa Barbara and other campuses. (Santa Barbara, btw, is also unaffordable.)

 

[Chris Lockwood]

I hear Malibu is nice. :b

 

[SteveA]

What about Compton?

 

[Jack Briggs]

Sure it is. It's beautiful. And to live there you have to be rich. (Um, beachfront property, you know, ain't cheap.)

And Compton is in Central/South Central. High crime, poor police coverage/protection, an example of what it's like to live in L.A. when one is impoverished.

I can't get over the notion of just upping and moving to California. When it comes to cost of living, there's California and New York and, then, the rest of the country. Don't even entertain the notion of moving here unless your living arrangements have been determined.

One way to move to California is to have relatives already living here who will let you live with them until you're established. But, remember, this is a down economy in the midst of a so-called "jobless recovery," and that California is laboring under a $38 billion budget deficit that's squeezing the very life out of services, utilities, schools, police departments, etc., etc.

Life in the big city, baby.

 

[Zen Butler]

Long Beach would be a welcome alternative. There are very decent pockets here. You could stay near the CSULB area (for an added cost) and commute to one of two community college campuses with anticipation of transfering.

There are many studios in Long Beach(some areas)/Signal Hill in the $500-700 range. Like I mentioned, for additional cash, you could stay in the more east/mid-town area near the University. Keep in mind as you progress south of 7th St. (CA22 for reference), so does the rent. Most past 2nd st. fetching $1200-$1700 mo +

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Brent, I'm a little confused. Have you already been accepted by UCLA and are going to take a year's acceptance deferral?

 

[Yoshi Sugawara]

I think he means that he's going to a community college and then transfer after 2 years to UCLA.

If you're going that route, Brent, I heard Santa Monica College has the highest transfer rates to UCLA.

I'm a UCLA alum myself, good luck!

 

[Carlo_M]

UCLA admissions, btw, are pretty difficult. In-state students already in the University of California system, armed with 4.0 GPAs, have the odds against them when it comes to the largest campus in the system. That's why they go to UC Santa Barbara and other campuses. (Santa Barbara, btw, is also unaffordable.)

And it's getting worse. Next year for the first time (due to the budgetary crisis in California, we absorbed a $410 million reduction to the UC Budget), UCs will have caps. They will not be able to fulfill the UC charter stating that we will provide education to the top 12.5% of in-state candidates.

(BTW, UCLA Alum too)

Best of luck to you! There are going to be some affordable places in the nice areas you've been asking about--but you have to luck into them. They won't be advertised. Like knowing someone in Brentwood who is renting a room out. The economy going south has helped. I have a 1BR in a place that was $1400 last year, I got it for $995. I'm not renewing my lease (moving in with my SO to cut rent) and the next person is renting it for $1200.

Like I said. Good luck!

 

[Brent_H]

wow, loads of advice...thanks a ton guys! I don't really plan on getting into UCLA, but yeah, I am going to go the CC route with hopes of getting in. If not, I will settle for a different UC college. I just want to be in LA. Thats where my career path is taking me. My parents won't be supporting me except for some of the school cost, I am doing this on my own. I will obviously need a roommate or two to survive. I know all the stories about the cost of living and what not, and well, thats a sacrifice I will have to deal with. If anything, I can always move back to MN. To answer someone elses question, yes, I am the same guy from before who was asking about UCLA. Yup

Anyways, keep the comments comin. woo. If anyone wants to rent out their basement too me for a rock bottom price, that would suffice also.. I will share my Panny 53WX42 with ya

 

[Pamela]

The Pasadena area is really nice and the prices aren't as high as the west side of town. They also have a decent CC. Check out The Pasadena Star News to get an idea of prices.

 

[KeithAP]

Torrance might be worth a shot. My 1 bedroom apt. is $1,000 per month and it is in a pretty nice complex. Far from cheap but a little better than what else is being reported. Plus it is close to to coast (at least where I am in Torrance) so it doesn't get real warm in the summer.

-Keith

 

[Scott_lb]

Brent- Just curious, but what specific industry or line of work is bringing you out to L.A.? I moved out here from Wisconsin for grad school and will likely be moving back next month to start my "real job" back home. Here's the lowdown on the places I've lived and how much I've paid:

First year, I lived in San Gabriel (near Pasadena) which I did not like at all. I lived in a two bedroom/two bath apartment (nice building) for my half of the rent ($482.50) plus bills. Oh yeah, I also got my amp and sub stolen from my car which was really nice.

Second year, I lived in a complete dump in Long Beach that would never pass the housing laws. However, I didn't have to pay extra for our "pets" (our family of cockroaches that lived near the frige) so that was cool. It was a four bedroom/one bath for $1,000 month including bills. I therefore had two rooms and paid $500 a month. Cheap, but a horrible standard of living and I would never do it again. I also had my car vandalized when parking it on the street which cost me $200.00 to fix.

Third year, I lived (and still do) in a guest house in Venice about four blocks from the beach. My "landlord" is a friend of mine and I get an absolute steal on the rent because I help out taking care of the house and the dogs. Easily the best place I've seen in SoCal. I will certainly miss it if and when I leave next month.

My best apartment in Wisconsin: right before I moved out here, I lived with a good friend in a HUGE apartment about 15 minutes outside of downtown Milwaukee and less than five minutes from every amenity (sp?) you could imagine. We had a two bedroom, two bath with a master bath attached to the masterbedroom. The masterbedroom also had a walk-in closet and private den/office. We had two patios, a large kitchen, and the largest living room I've ever seen in an apartment. Price= $750.00 for the whole thing. Since that time the rent has increased to $800.00 per month. I cannot wait to get back into that place again when I return!

I will admit that I have a personal interest in your post, as it reminds me of when I first moved out here. All in all, I can say that I had a great experience out here but I much prefer the quality of living in Wisconsin more (sorry if this upsets any one from SoCal!).

 

[Jason Merrick]

Check out http://losangeles.craigslist.org for rentals and rooms for rent... there were quite a few in Westwood last time I looked.

 

[Carlo_M]

All in all, I can say that I had a great experience out here but I much prefer the quality of living in Wisconsin more (sorry if this upsets any one from SoCal!).

Not offended at all! I am a transplant too (small nor-cal city) and came to LA at 17 to go to UCLA. Been here for what is going on my thirteenth year. As a "young adult" who hasn't hit middle age yet, L.A.'s lifestyle if great. As an aspiring writer and musician (amateur, I have a day job), the area is very appealing and stimulating.

But man, if I settled down "back home" (nor-cal) with the same salary I'm making now? I wouldn't be sharing a 2BR apt, I'd be owning my own medium-sized house. :frowning:

 

[Seth--L]

My brother's P.O.S. 2 bedroom apartment in Hermosa Beach (the 2nd bedroom is at best a guest room) costs him $2k+ a month - not to mention that his land-lord (slum-lord) pays for nothing, such as the two times his plumbing needed to be fixed in the last year.

 

[Jack Briggs]

About ten years ago I had a girlfriend who lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Hermosa Beach. The "bathroom" had only a shower stall, and total square footage was about the size of an executive's corner office. Quite cozy. And the price then was well in excess of $1,200, simply because if you craned your neck hard enough when looking out her kitchen window, you could see a small sliver of ocean. The wood-burning stove in the living room was atmospheric, though.

 

[Seth--L]

Yeah, it's quite small. As you guessed, near the beach. He can't see it, but it's only 3 blocks away (5 min walk).