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So I'm gonna be going to CSULB in the fall. I've been there on day trips so I know my way around but I know nothing about the city. If all else fails, my only solid plan of living is with my friend in Harbor City. She lives around W 263rd St Los Angeles, CA 90710. She said going to school from there isn't too bad, but I'm possibly gonna be transferring to a restaurant for work, which is 901 S Coast Dr Costa Mesa, CA 92626 and it says about 35 miles from where I would live, and she said that's gonna be a ***** of a drive off the 405. However, at this point, she's only charging me 500 for rent, including utilities, no deposit, and obviously would be better than living with strangers or just picking an apartment complex at random and moving in. Her surrounding neighborhood is fairly nice, but it's funny, when you get out of her area, it's fairly ****ty just down the street.
So my question is this. 500/month for rent is hella good including everything without deposit, my only concern is that it's kinda far from school and pretty far from work. So I wanted to know from anyone, hopefully CSULB attendees, where reasonably good and somewhat cheap areas are to live. In san diego, 900/month gets you a decent 1bd/1ba apartment, including utilities and onsite laundry, and parking area, in older but good areas, close to grocery stores and **** like that. I'm assuming 900/month is an average asking price for decent apartments as well? I have looked online and seen where the more expensive areas are to live. Some people have recommended apartments just north of Ocean blvd and east of downtown. But I don't know the area at all so I don't know where is liveable, where to stay away from (as far as safety wise), where is cheap, expensive, etc. I don't live by the beach in san diego so I don't need to live close to the beach up there, just a place that's within hopefully 20 miles of school, and/or work if possible, somewhat cheap and safe. If I don't live with my friend, I would be living on my own so for a short skinny white boy safety is kind of my concern. I would be looking for probably a studio, I don't have much to take with me, but a 1bd/1ba if possible if it's cheaper.
I was also just looking at CSULB's off campus housing website and they gave me a few links to some apartments and this one California State University Long Beach - Official Off Campus Student Housing Directory in Long Beach, California. Now I don't know this area, but even by san diego standards, $695 is pretty damn cheap, so that leads me to believe that either this is a bad neighborhood or it's not that good of a place. I mean it is only 300 square feet, which I don't care, it would just be myself. But it sounds iffy.
To sum up.
I would like information of good areas to live close to school (or to stay away from if known)
If not super close, where would be good areas that are within commuting distance
Thanks for any help!!
Last edited by dave davidson; 05-15-2013 at 12:10 AM..
So I'm gonna be going to CSULB in the fall. I've been there on day trips so I know my way around but I know nothing about the city. If all else fails, my only solid plan of living is with my friend in Harbor City. She lives around W 263rd St Los Angeles, CA 90710. She said going to school from there isn't too bad, but I'm possibly gonna be transferring to a restaurant for work, which is 901 S Coast Dr Costa Mesa, CA 92626 and it says about 35 miles from where I would live, and she said that's gonna be a ***** of a drive off the 405. However, at this point, she's only charging me 500 for rent, including utilities, no deposit, and obviously would be better than living with strangers or just picking an apartment complex at random and moving in. Her surrounding neighborhood is fairly nice, but it's funny, when you get out of her area, it's fairly ****ty just down the street.
So my question is this. 500/month for rent is hella good including everything without deposit, my only concern is that it's kinda far from school and pretty far from work. So I wanted to know from anyone, hopefully CSULB attendees, where reasonably good and somewhat cheap areas are to live. In san diego, 900/month gets you a decent 1bd/1ba apartment, including utilities and onsite laundry, and parking area, in older but good areas, close to grocery stores and **** like that. I'm assuming 900/month is an average asking price for decent apartments as well? I have looked online and seen where the more expensive areas are to live. Some people have recommended apartments just north of Ocean blvd and east of downtown. But I don't know the area at all so I don't know where is liveable, where to stay away from (as far as safety wise), where is cheap, expensive, etc. I don't live by the beach in san diego so I don't need to live close to the beach up there, just a place that's within hopefully 20 miles of school, and/or work if possible, somewhat cheap and safe. If I don't live with my friend, I would be living on my own so for a short skinny white boy safety is kind of my concern. I would be looking for probably a studio, I don't have much to take with me, but a 1bd/1ba if possible if it's cheaper.
I was also just looking at CSULB's off campus housing website and they gave me a few links to some apartments and this one California State University Long Beach - Official Off Campus Student Housing Directory in Long Beach, California. Now I don't know this area, but even by san diego standards, $695 is pretty damn cheap, so that leads me to believe that either this is a bad neighborhood or it's not that good of a place. I mean it is only 300 square feet, which I don't care, it would just be myself. But it sounds iffy.
To sum up.
I would like information of good areas to live close to school (or to stay away from if known)
If not super close, where would be good areas that are within commuting distance
Thanks for any help!!
I'd do that school housing option. It's pretty safe around there. Plus, you're pretty close to Downtown LB & the mini arts district along 4th street
Atlantic and 10th I'm pretty sure is pretty dumpy. I used to live by 3rd and Atlantic and it was fairly dumpy, but when you go north of there it's really dumpy--I could be wrong but I'd definitely drive by and spend some time in the area before signing a lease. Plus it's not really close to CSULB.
I'd look at eastern LB, like around CSULB, or around Alamitos Beach and Bluff Park. The area around 3rd and Atlantic where I used to live was alright but there's definitely some ghetto characters there and downtown. Really depends on how comfortable you are living in a big city, LB is really a nice town in a lot of ways but it does have some big city problems--quite a few homeless people, and quite a bit of poverty. It's generally nicer than areas further north like around Compton though.
I'd do that school housing option. It's pretty safe around there. Plus, you're pretty close to Downtown LB & the mini arts district along 4th street
Well this was just a suggestion from their website. But the price is what scares me. Like I said, 695 is almost what I'm paying for rent now and this is with two roommates and slightly inland, away from the beaches, in a decent part of town, but not like a downtown or desired area. I'd expect something close to downtown to be way expensive. There definitely are parts close to downtown san diego that aren't places I'd want to live at and usually don't go to because they're old and run down, lot of bums and ****, not a generally good area but it is if you're poor, hence crime and whatnot. So that's why this place I'm like I don't know...
Quote:
Originally Posted by mayorhaggar
Atlantic and 10th I'm pretty sure is pretty dumpy. I used to live by 3rd and Atlantic and it was fairly dumpy, but when you go north of there it's really dumpy--I could be wrong but I'd definitely drive by and spend some time in the area before signing a lease. Plus it's not really close to CSULB.
I'd look at eastern LB, like around CSULB, or around Alamitos Beach and Bluff Park. The area around 3rd and Atlantic where I used to live was alright but there's definitely some ghetto characters there and downtown. Really depends on how comfortable you are living in a big city, LB is really a nice town in a lot of ways but it does have some big city problems--quite a few homeless people, and quite a bit of poverty. It's generally nicer than areas further north like around Compton though.
What exactly do you consider eastern LB? Like I said as well, I don't really know the area, but I will look into Alamitos Beach and Bluff Park. Well, I live in SD which isn't a giant city like SF or quite like LA, but I'm used to the city life, I don't really know anything else. And going to school in CSULB, I think I'm gonna have to get used to the city life of LA in general so where I live doesn't matter, but I do want to live in a place that's not entirely ghetto or scared to walk from my car to my apartment at night. But realistically, it'd have to be somewhat close to school. And from what I saw on google maps, that link that I have above is fairly close to CSULB, within 15 miles. Then again, it is 695 for rent so....
But I kind of don't want to be too entirely far from hollywood/la either. I'm sure once I move up I'll be going to concerts more since I'll be closer but usually when I drive up from SD, I listen to metal so I'm usually going to ones off sunset or somewhere in downtown LA so I was hoping to find a medium between school and hollywood.
I think the area around 904 Atlantic, where the apartment you mention is, is just fine. Last year I took the bus to within one block of there every week for my cancer treatments and thought it wasn't a bad area at all. The reason some of the prices in the downtown area of Long Beach are lower than you might expect is because there are quite a few buildings that are on the somewhat older side. The ones that are well-maintained can be a real bargain. Does this place have off-street parking? Did you take a look at the building on Google streetview? The sign on the building says they are studio apartments. But at 300 sq. ft. at least it's not a small studio.
Here are some property management websites who list places in Long Beach, some with inside photos. I have direct experience with two of them and found them to be a good source of apartment listings. You still may very well be able to find an apartment, even a one bedroom, that you can afford in a location that's good for you.
So I'm gonna be going to CSULB in the fall. I've been there on day trips so I know my way around but I know nothing about the city. If all else fails, my only solid plan of living is with my friend in Harbor City. She lives around W 263rd St Los Angeles, CA 90710. She said going to school from there isn't too bad, but I'm possibly gonna be transferring to a restaurant for work, which is 901 S Coast Dr Costa Mesa, CA 92626 and it says about 35 miles from where I would live, and she said that's gonna be a ***** of a drive off the 405. However, at this point, she's only charging me 500 for rent, including utilities, no deposit, and obviously would be better than living with strangers or just picking an apartment complex at random and moving in. Her surrounding neighborhood is fairly nice, but it's funny, when you get out of her area, it's fairly ****ty just down the street.
So my question is this. 500/month for rent is hella good including everything without deposit, my only concern is that it's kinda far from school and pretty far from work. So I wanted to know from anyone, hopefully CSULB attendees, where reasonably good and somewhat cheap areas are to live. In san diego, 900/month gets you a decent 1bd/1ba apartment, including utilities and onsite laundry, and parking area, in older but good areas, close to grocery stores and **** like that. I'm assuming 900/month is an average asking price for decent apartments as well? I have looked online and seen where the more expensive areas are to live. Some people have recommended apartments just north of Ocean blvd and east of downtown. But I don't know the area at all so I don't know where is liveable, where to stay away from (as far as safety wise), where is cheap, expensive, etc. I don't live by the beach in san diego so I don't need to live close to the beach up there, just a place that's within hopefully 20 miles of school, and/or work if possible, somewhat cheap and safe. If I don't live with my friend, I would be living on my own so for a short skinny white boy safety is kind of my concern. I would be looking for probably a studio, I don't have much to take with me, but a 1bd/1ba if possible if it's cheaper.
I was also just looking at CSULB's off campus housing website and they gave me a few links to some apartments and this one California State University Long Beach - Official Off Campus Student Housing Directory in Long Beach, California. Now I don't know this area, but even by san diego standards, $695 is pretty damn cheap, so that leads me to believe that either this is a bad neighborhood or it's not that good of a place. I mean it is only 300 square feet, which I don't care, it would just be myself. But it sounds iffy.
To sum up.
I would like information of good areas to live close to school (or to stay away from if known)
If not super close, where would be good areas that are within commuting distance
So I just called that place and I knew it was too good to be true. That 695 price listing is for a place in los angeles and that one in LB is supposed to be priced at $850.
I'm probably not even gonna be able to afford these 1 bedrooms unless I literally live paycheck to paycheck and god forbid anythign else happen outside of my expenses because I won't be able to afford and I've never lived like that, but I'm just afraid I'm gonna be sitting in 2 hours of traffic each way just to get to work.
Which companies do you have experience with and which apartment complexes did you live at?
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