From NY/NJ to LA/SF... (Los Angeles, San Diego: environment, relocate, real estate)

[mtny]

Hello,

I'm hoping to get some solid advice as to where to relocate to after I do my stint in Manhattan.

I'm 24 yrs old, college educated, money in the bank, several years experience in real estate development/sales & architecture, very supportive family (mentally & financially).

Interested in only San Francisco and the Los Angeles area (maybe even Orange County). I did the whole San Francisco to San Diego excursion and fell in love with it.

I'm looking for neighborhoods with a younger vibe, gay social scene, love palm trees and warm weather but also love the fog and cooler weather. It would be ideal to be located near some mass transit and see if I can live without a car. I know this is more possible in SF than LA, but one can hope.

I have friends in San Francisco, Sherman Oaks, and Laguna Beach, and each of them highly praise their city... so it would be nice to hear other peoples opinions...

San Francisco's social scene seems just plain odd... and if I was 10 years older, I'd probably settle on Laguna Beach... I absolutely love it there, but don't think it's a place for a 24 yr old to start out.

Thanks in advance for anyone's input.

[SaintLaurent]

Originally Posted by mtny

Hello,

I'm hoping to get some solid advice as to where to relocate to after I do my stint in Manhattan.

I'm 24 yrs old, college educated, money in the bank, several years experience in real estate development/sales & architecture, very supportive family (mentally & financially).

Interested in only San Francisco and the Los Angeles area (maybe even Orange County). I did the whole San Francisco to San Diego excursion and fell in love with it.

I'm looking for neighborhoods with a younger vibe, gay social scene, love palm trees and warm weather but also love the fog and cooler weather. It would be ideal to be located near some mass transit and see if I can live without a car. I know this is more possible in SF than LA, but one can hope.

I have friends in San Francisco, Sherman Oaks, and Laguna Beach, and each of them highly praise their city... so it would be nice to hear other peoples opinions...

San Francisco's social scene seems just plain odd... and if I was 10 years older, I'd probably settle on Laguna Beach... I absolutely love it there, but don't think it's a place for a 24 yr old to start out.

Thanks in advance for anyone's input.

Ehhh. Cross the entire Orange County out..., including Laguna and Newport. Way too boring for a 24 year old. I honestly hate those places. I only consider it an option when you have kids and want to get out out L.A.

San Francisco? It's a nice place, much, much, MUCH prettier than L.A. but many people see it as a hippie town. It's a nice place to visit, but the weather becomes quite irritating. I could see someone from Manhattan liking San Francisco, but you seem to live in the suburbs of NY, so L.A. would be my suggestion.

I would suggest you move to the beautiful West LA. Just avoid the rest of the run-down city of L.A. and look into the Westside; areas like West Hollywood, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Pacific Palisades, Hollywood Hills, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Bel Air, Westwood, Venice, Holmby Hills, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Marina Del Ray. With the emphasis on West Hollywood since interested in the gay scene. These areas are all nice looking and vibrant. You can't go wrong with any.

[TheRealAngelion]

I highly recommend West Hollywood for you. You seem like you fit the prototype. And, I don't mean that in a negataive way. I don't know about the public transportation thing though. That's not very LA and may hender your dating prospects. Young gay man in LA with no car will read slacker to some people. Plus, life in LA and in Socal in general with no car is just not practical.

[SaintLaurent]

I agree with Angelion,

Do not come to L.A. without a car!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mtny]

Thank you guys, I really do appreciate your input!

I do agree that San Francisco is ~much~ prettier than LA, but LA just seems a lot more realistic to me... (If that makes any sense whatsoever)... plus the fact that I could go hiking in the mountains, hang out at the beach, yet still enjoy a cosmopolitan environment definitely appeals to me. There's hardly any nature here in the NY area... just organized suburbia with tiny park preserves.

One thing that would probably annoy me is that LA is so celebrity-driven... the closest I come to interacting with celebrities is having Queen Latifah's (Dana Owens) mother as a neighbor in the lake community where my family lives in North Jersey. That's basically it.

I am just hoping to explore my horizons more and experiment with California, otherwise its back to the NYC area for me... and honestly, I'm hoping to stay in California...!

[mtny]

And yes... I'm going to have to start looking into environmentally-friendly cars!

That's one major thing I'm going to miss about Manhattan. Not having to drive anywhere and worry about parking/car insurance.