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Old 04-14-2014, 09:11 AM
 
Location: Playa Vista
327 posts, read 766,911 times
Reputation: 322

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Hi guys and gals. My girlfriend and I are looking for an apartment in Los Angeles and our budget is $2000/month. I'll be moving from Austin and my girlfriend currently resides in Long Beach. She's fed up with the fear of something happening to her there and I don't want to deal with it either, so we're wanting to move into a nicer area. I'll be moving without a job in hand and she is in the process of getting her Master's degree at CSU Long Beach. I'll be living off savings of around $30k and plan on obtaining employment in tech. She recommended the Los Feliz area - is this a good area?

Our concerns:
1) Safety
2) Affordability
3) Location

Also, if it's worth mentioning:
*I am 30 and she is 24.
*I'm an avid road cyclist, runner, and mountain biker. I'm also into stunt kiting.
*We both love communities that are like Austin. If you have never been to Austin, Portland, or Seattle, then don't worry about it. It really can't be explained.
*I am pursuing a position in iOS development. I hear Santa Monica is the closest thing to Silicon Valley in the LA area. How accurate is this?
*We are an interracial couple: I am Black (African-American) and she is Mexican.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Old 04-14-2014, 09:39 AM
 
Location: New Orleans
2,322 posts, read 2,992,528 times
Reputation: 1606
If she is going to school in Long Beach, she should stay in Long Beach. Maybe move to a safer area of Long Beach? She really will not like going from Los Feliz or Santa Monica all the way to LBC every day through traffic. What part of Long Beach is she in?
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Old 04-14-2014, 09:51 AM
 
Location: Playa Vista
327 posts, read 766,911 times
Reputation: 322
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamills21 View Post
If she is going to school in Long Beach, she should stay in Long Beach. Maybe move to a safer area of Long Beach? She really will not like going from Los Feliz or Santa Monica all the way to LBC every day through traffic. What part of Long Beach is she in?
She's maybe a block or two away from the beach. 1st Street and fairly close to the 1900 Ocean Condo highrise. I spoke to her earlier to make sure if this was a good idea and I think she's had a change of heart. We are now seeking a nice(r) area of Long Beach, or anywhere within, say, a 20-mile radius, that fits the criteria mentioned in the original post. Thanks for your input!
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Old 04-14-2014, 10:00 AM
 
925 posts, read 1,333,690 times
Reputation: 616
Its known as the Hipster area so its pretty safe compare to most parts of Long Beach. You may see some random homeless person but nothing like the thuggish characters you see around parts of Long Beach. 2k will get you something good especially if its a 1bd. The only problem is that you might encounter is income to rent ratio if your gf does not make enough and you have not yet gotten employment.

LF will be around 1 hr commute to SM or CSU during the day. Santa Monica is nicknamed "silicon beach". I have not had to look for a job so I have no idea how the market is like there.
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Old 04-14-2014, 10:50 AM
 
Location: West Hollywood, CA
1,238 posts, read 1,830,409 times
Reputation: 987
All the cute interracial couples live in Venice. Extraneous information for the win.
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Old 04-14-2014, 12:30 PM
 
Location: Playa Vista
327 posts, read 766,911 times
Reputation: 322
Quote:
Originally Posted by bpeeps View Post
All the cute interracial couples live in Venice. Extraneous information for the win.
Is this a recommendation or? I checked into the distance and it looks to be abutted to Santa Monica, which doesn't help too much on the commute.

As noted before, we have decided to stick around the Long Beach area. I've looked into Costa Mesa, Seal Beach, and Huntington Beach and have found a few winners. I found a unit in Costa Mesa that fits the budget and has fantastic ratings and the distance doesn't look as bad - about 20 minutes from CSULB.

I forgot to mention that I have been to the LA area (just visiting my girlfriend) several times and I'm familiar with Long Beach and Seal Beach the most. Seal Beach seems like a nice area, but I wasn't able to find any decent apartments there for rent. I'm assuming it's a rather small city? Thanks.
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Old 04-14-2014, 12:55 PM
 
1,940 posts, read 3,564,103 times
Reputation: 2121
There are so many nice areas close to Long Beach state! And in that 2000/mo budget, you can find something really nice, even for less. There are condos near Bellflower and PCH that usually rent. Stony Brook. There are multiple properties for rent there right now on hot pads dot com between 1400 and 1700 for 1 or 2 bedrooms. They're privately owned and rented, but they're pretty quiet and have a lot of nice amenities. That's just an example. East Long Beach has a ton of nice rentals and your range will get you good space close to the marina with lots of good bike routes.

BUT!! If you're working in tech, find a place closer to your job! Silicon Beach is up the coast from LBC and the commute is insanely horrific! Going from Long Beach to Manhattan Beach or West LA would be a miserable daily existence. The other tech centers are Irvine and the OC which isn't a horrible commute from LBC, but definitely not enviable.

So yes, please find a place closer to your job! commuting to Long Beach state in the morning during odd hours would be quick and easy for the most part.
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Old 04-14-2014, 01:28 PM
 
Location: Playa Vista
327 posts, read 766,911 times
Reputation: 322
Quote:
Originally Posted by timtemtym View Post
There are so many nice areas close to Long Beach state! And in that 2000/mo budget, you can find something really nice, even for less. There are condos near Bellflower and PCH that usually rent. Stony Brook. There are multiple properties for rent there right now on hot pads dot com between 1400 and 1700 for 1 or 2 bedrooms. They're privately owned and rented, but they're pretty quiet and have a lot of nice amenities. That's just an example. East Long Beach has a ton of nice rentals and your range will get you good space close to the marina with lots of good bike routes.

BUT!! If you're working in tech, find a place closer to your job! Silicon Beach is up the coast from LBC and the commute is insanely horrific! Going from Long Beach to Manhattan Beach or West LA would be a miserable daily existence. The other tech centers are Irvine and the OC which isn't a horrible commute from LBC, but definitely not enviable.

So yes, please find a place closer to your job! commuting to Long Beach state in the morning during odd hours would be quick and easy for the most part.
This is excellent. Thanks! We will look into this.
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Old 04-14-2014, 01:34 PM
 
1,940 posts, read 3,564,103 times
Reputation: 2121
And please go for a private rental over a complex. There are several apartment complexes in Long Beach and you will pay a LOT more to live in them with fewer amenities than a comparably priced condo rental. I live in a complex without W/D and right next door is the Palms condos on Hathaway. They are newer, nicer, have washers/dryers in the units, and they are often priced below what I pay. If I had done my homework before moving here, I would have picked a private rental. But live and learn! I came from Texas where a renter lives in a complex unless you want a single family home.
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Old 04-14-2014, 02:53 PM
 
7 posts, read 7,928 times
Reputation: 13
I too am moving to that very area....my bf lives in the gardena area now...with roommates so we will be looking for a place that is interracially friendly and safe for me as I will often be home alone...as his job keeps him in the "field"....any suggestions for private apt versus managed? we have an issue with our credit score....who doesn't....but not because of an eviction or rental problem....any suggestions in that area would greatly be appreciated...thanks...
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