safest apartment rentals close to los angeles (Orange, Mission Viejo: apartment complexes, condos)

[centurycity]

Hi,
I have landed a job in century city. i would like to know the safest areas to rent apartments close to century city. Do let me know the areas as well as aparment names. i understand santa monica,torrrance,marina del ray, redondo beach are good places but reviews say east torrance is bad , while west torrance is good. i want to be absolutely sure as to which apartments are really safe. i am looking for apartments with rental value not exceeding 1800 if they are in santa monica,LA etc.Please let me know.
Thanks,

[katenik]

there are plenty of rentals in your price range in great neighborhoods located minutes from century city (which is mostly condos and commercial space). why are you even thinking about torrance, which is close to an hour away at rush hour? i suggest looking from westwood and west hollywood. to the south, you can go east to carthay (roughly, olympic and crescent heights) and be in very safe territory. beyond that, it's harder to generalize.

if the beach is what you're after, santa monica has very few neighborhoods that one could characterize as unsafe, but you will be crawling along santa monica blvd or a similarly congested thoroughfare at the rate of about one mile every fifteen minutes twice a day. for sanity's sake, i would live closer to work.

[centurycity]

Hi,
Thanks for the info, could you be a bit more precise and jot down the apartment communities by name that you consider safe in westwood and west hollywood? i prefer gated communities.are they close to costco,grocery stores . santa monica had lots of homeless along the santa monica pier and surrounding roads, so i don't really know which places to consider in santa monica. please let me know the apartments/zip codes. i really want to zero in and i greatly appreciate your help

[centurycity]

the link i found shows just 3 apartments in westwood and their rent is close to 2000$ actually which i cannot afford.
Apartments.com - Search Results

[katenik]

Originally Posted by centurycity

Hi,
Thanks for the info, could you be a bit more precise and jot down the apartment communities by name that you consider safe in westwood and west hollywood? i prefer gated communities.are they close to costco,grocery stores . santa monica had lots of homeless along the santa monica pier and surrounding roads, so i don't really know which places to consider in santa monica. please let me know the apartments/zip codes. i really want to zero in and i greatly appreciate your help

i'm afraid i don't have the time to conduct your apartment search for you. perhaps someone else will oblige. alternatively, you can do it yourself and post your findings for feedback from other posters who are familiar with particular streets and apartment complexes. try looking through the listings at westsiderentals.com. even without paying for a membership, you will usually be able to determine the major cross-streets near properties that interest you, and you can ask here about the location. keep in mind that once you become familiar with the few areas to avoid on the west side, choosing a neighborhood becomes a matter of price and preference, as there is very little on that side of town that is unsafe by urban standards. if you can afford $1800/mo. for accommodation for a single person (you didn't mention family.), you will have many options.

the areas i mentioned don't have "gated communities" in the sense that the streets are accessible only to residents, but many apartment complexes all over town have secured entry. almost all of the larger ones do, and because it's a desirable amenity, the rental ad will mention it if applicable.

costcos are few and far between here, but grocery stores are abundant. unless you live in the hills or the ghetto, you will have plenty of options within a a few blocks to a few miles.

[katenik]

Originally Posted by centurycity

the link i found shows just 3 apartments in westwood and their rent is close to 2000$ actually which i cannot afford.
Apartments.com - Search Results

palazzo properties are resort-style complexes. there are many places that are MUCH more affordable if you aren't trying to live at club med. keep looking.

[TheRealAngelion]

Century City is surrounded by nice areas. There are tons of apartment buildings to consider that are relatively close by. You have to drive around and see the listings for yourself to make a decision about what's right for you. That can't be done over the Internet.

Check Craigslist and apartments.com too. Check for listings in areas like Century City, Westwood, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Miracle Mile, West Hollywood, and West LA.

[centurycity]

Katenik,
i didnt understand the statement.
.gated communities" in the sense that the streets are accessible only to residents, but many apartment complexes all over town have secured entry.'
how are the streets accessible only to residents?
Also please let me know wat you consider safe by urban standards? does that include 1-2 shootouts/month?
i have not lived in high crime areas. i am currently in Mission Viejo Orange county which is quite safe. but i wanna know LA crime standards and crimes around the areas in century city.

[katenik]

Originally Posted by centurycity

Katenik,
i didnt understand the statement.
.gated communities" in the sense that the streets are accessible only to residents, but many apartment complexes all over town have secured entry.'
how are the streets accessible only to residents?
Also please let me know wat you consider safe by urban standards? does that include 1-2 shootouts/month?
i have not lived in high crime areas. i am currently in Mission Viejo Orange county which is quite safe. but i wanna know LA crime standards and crimes around the areas in century city.

you must be kidding! i thought you were out-of-state, and really needed help getting the lay of the land. get in your car, and see for yourself. i'm done!

[jessemh431]

Originally Posted by katenik

you must be kidding! i thought you were out-of-state, and really needed help getting the lay of the land. get in your car, and see for yourself. i'm done!

Not being rude, but I agree. I'll tell you this. If you are single, like a little fun, but don't need major partying or anything, try Westwood, which is my favorite area of LA. Check out Craigslist.com and drive around the area. It should be much easier for you than most other people because they can't actually see an area until they visit. You live right here in the OC. Come take a visit to your neighbor up north and look through the areas of eastern Santa Monica, Westwood, Brentwood, Century City, and West Hollywood if you don't mind gay people and like to party. Westwood is zip code 90024. 90210-self explanatory. 90036. 90212. 90211. 90025. Do some of your own research, return back here with your favorite listings, and we'll tell you if those are good choices.