Moving from germany to LA.... (Los Angeles, Riverside: apartment, health insurance, credit)

[mischbeck]

hey,

I'M michael and i'm going to move to LA beginning of next year to work there...
I'm starting now to studying the city and how life there.. many of your comments sounds very great and I'm more and more convinced of my decision.

But I've some question and it would be a great if you could give me some answers...

I will start to work in corona, out of LA. My colleague recommended me to life in LA and drive every day for work to LA for one hour. Do you agree with him?
In that case I will move directly to LA, where is the best way to life in LA, in order to look for my daily way to corona... ?

I also got the tip to move in a apartment sharing community to get a better contact to the peoples in LA. Do you agree with it? If yes, what is the best way to find a apartment in LA, if I can't visit LA before moving?

How expensive is living in LA, if I would like to life in state of middle class?
What duties do you have to pay in US? What private insurancies, for example for health preventation...?

It would be great to get some answers.

greets..
Michael

[heidihameed]

I'M michael and i'm going to move to LA beginning of next year to work there...

Hi, Michael. Welcome to America.

I'm starting now to studying the city and how life there.. many of your comments sounds very great and I'm more and more convinced of my decision.

Be honest in your search, Michael. Los Angeles isn't necessarily what it appears to be.

But I've some question and it would be a great if you could give me some answers...

I will start to work in corona, out of LA. My colleague recommended me to life in LA and drive every day for work to LA for one hour. Do you agree with him?
In that case I will move directly to LA, where is the best way to life in LA, in order to look for my daily way to corona... ?

You should move to the most affordable place and screw the car- use public transportation. If you must have a car (which you don't need), use that on the weekends and buy bus passes for 17/week instead of gas to get stuck in traffic. Think smart or making it will be difficult.

I also got the tip to move in a apartment sharing community to get a better contact to the peoples in LA. Do you agree with it? If yes, what is the best way to find a apartment in LA, if I can't visit LA before moving?

Check Craigslist and see what housing is available, especially if you are single/unattached. Sharing is a good idea, but again, be smart- you don't want to be end up getting screwed and your credit messed up.

How expensive is living in LA, if I would like to life in state of middle class?
What duties do you have to pay in US? What private insurancies, for example for health preventation...?

Living in LA is horrendously expensive. For a 1 bedroom apt, you're talking over 1,000/month, and that's just that aspect. Depending on where you go, you have utilities/air conditioning/etc. Gas prices are through the roof and as Far as health insurance is concerned- your guess is as good as mine- although if your BOSS has insurance, that's always good. Then you can get something like Kaiser Permanente or something like that.

If you come; welcome to America- but think about it hard before you do it- America is America and I love America, but I'm not blind to her glaringly obvious problems either.

[katenik]

i think it is misleading and irresponsible to tell someone that he doesn't need a car in LA. some people manage to get where they need to go on public transportation, but the vast majority do not and could not.

[jessemh431]

how much will you be making at this new job? how much will you spend on an apt per month? to live at least in the lower middle class, you need to make at least 50,000 dollars per year. that still wont get you that far, but you wont live in the ghetto by any means with a salary of 50,000.

go onto craigslist.com, click on Los Angeles under cities. then, click on apt/housing under housing. then, locals, correct me if im wrong, but you should look for places in the san gabriel valley.

[TheRealAngelion]

You will be working in Corona? Living in LA would be a very bad idea. Especially for someone moving here for the first time. You should stay in Riverside area or maybe Orange County, but definitely not LA. Your commute will be horrible between LA and Corona. You can do LA on weekends.

[mischbeck]

thanks very much for your answers..
yes, I'm going to begin in spring time to work in corona.. if you would recomment to life at orange county or riverside, i will take a look for it. I really happy about recommendation for guy like you... you life there and you know it... I'm a, let me say, beginner ;-)
my salary will be about 5,000 usd/month+ Accommodation allowance about 1000 usd/month + car.... Is that enough to life in middle class ???
At that moment I'm in a position to discuss about my salary and additional conditions...

If you give me some more information about life in LA or other county, it would be great to be in better position. You know what a mean ?!...

thank a lot for your help

[CamaroGuy]

Welcome to America Mishbeck! I hope you like Los Angeles. The one thing you may not like though is the lack of German restaurants here.:-(

I wish to God that more of you Germans would come to Los Angeles and open up some good German restaurants.

[mischbeck]

perhaps one day I will work for a cook and will open the biggest german restaurant ever seen in LA !!!
You will see.... let the dream come true....

[TheRealAngelion]

In Orange County, look at cities like Irvine and Newport Beach to possibly live. You can certainly do a trial run of commuting to Corona from LA when you get here, but I think you will quickly see that it's very time consuming and draining.