L.A. is the most unaffordable city in the nation for buying OR renting! (Los Angeles: section 8, for rent)

[jm1982]

I think you see the same thing in L.A too
A lot of people want to move here and live in the most expensive areas

Some people don't mind sharing with others but I discovered in college it's not my thing

Never lived in NYC but it seems like Brooklyn is becoming for desirable and I heard a lot of brooklyn is more than manhattan now

Seems similar to how the hipsters now prefer echo park , silver lake , downtown over The Westside communities .

In cities like LA or NYC ( metro area) it seems like it just a matter of time before every area gets gentrified .

Just years ago people would laugh at you if you told them Downtown was going to be the hippest spot in LA .

Of course things happen slowly with rent control and anti development measures .

The projects usually get developed anyways just years and years later

[J_E_R]

L.A. can be frustrating for new comers.

First, you'll be perplexed as how all your neighbors can afford the rent. You'll find out they have been there for years and are under rent control, paying much less than you just signed a lease for.

Second, you'll wonder how all these entertainment industry young people have so much free time to spend at the pool. You'll find out that most of the people in the entertainment industry in L.A. float on and off of unemployment for decades. In a sense, they are only working half to two thirds of the year. As soon as one gig ends, they get right back on unemployment and head to Big Bear for some snow boarding. They wait for another gig to come along and rinse and repeat.

[jm1982]

Yeah I think it's pretty unfair .

We shouldn't be subsidizing their choice to work in the industry

I remember when I found out that people do that and was thinking no wonder places are busy in the middle of the day .

[infinitekid]

Originally Posted by J_E_R

L.A. can be frustrating for new comers.

First, you'll be perplexed as how all your neighbors can afford the rent. You'll find out they have been there for years and are under rent control, paying much less than you just signed a lease for.

Second, you'll wonder how all these entertainment industry young people have so much free time to spend at the pool. You'll find out that most of the people in the entertainment industry in L.A. float on and off of unemployment for decades. In a sense, they are only working half to two thirds of the year. As soon as one gig ends, they get right back on unemployment and head to Big Bear for some snow boarding. They wait for another gig to come along and rinse and repeat.

Weird i can't say ive experienced your two points much. Maybe it depends on where you live. I lived in Central LA area for years and in LA generally.

I am not a newcomer though but here's my experiences.

First, i was not perplexed about people affording rent. Most have typical office jobs around LA, are students using all their student loan money to pay rent, or lived with others to share rent so their coffee house job can actually pay rent.

Second, i don't know many people working in the "industry". A lot of those "people working in the industry" are just a subset of people with office jobs who also take side jobs when they can. Scraping together two paychecks until they "make it big." I've seen a lot of those people eventually go back to wherever they came from. The ones that go quickest are the ones without jobs who "focus" on the "industry" usually using their parent's money or whatever they've squirreled away.

[infinitekid]

I will agree it is pretty unaffordable for the average joe. for instance, getting a normal 1 bedroom apartment will easily run you $1200 + (not even in a great area). That's probably half of a lot of people's take home pay even if they work full time at an average job. Don't think LA pays much better than less costly cities because there are so many people applying here because they want to live here. tons of competition.

Then you put in car insurance, food, gas driving all over the LA area, cable and cell phone, and you're not gonna have much left for savings, entertainment or whatever else you might want. Can you survive? sure but you'll be spinning your wheels if you're an average joe. Some people would rather spin their wheels in LA rather than building their checking acct balance in say Saint Louis or whatever.

[oping00]

Housing Woes Worse in L.A. Than New York, San Francisco

Housing Woes Worse in L.A. Than New York, San Francisco - Bloomberg

Anybody who thinks LA quality of life is better than other big cities should read this.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by oping00

Housing Woes Worse in L.A. Than New York, San Francisco

Housing Woes Worse in L.A. Than New York, San Francisco - Bloomberg

Anybody who thinks LA quality of life is better than other big cities should read this.

Because life's all about comparisons to other peoples' perspectives rather than simply on how you feel as you live wherever you are.

[jamills21]

Originally Posted by oping00

Housing Woes Worse in L.A. Than New York, San Francisco

Housing Woes Worse in L.A. Than New York, San Francisco - Bloomberg

Anybody who thinks LA quality of life is better than other big cities should read this.

I like Atlanta a lot, but your kidding yourself if ATL doesn't have serious issues as well.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by infinitekid

I will agree it is pretty unaffordable for the average joe. for instance, getting a normal 1 bedroom apartment will easily run you $1200 + (not even in a great area). That's probably half of a lot of people's take home pay even if they work full time at an average job. Don't think LA pays much better than less costly cities because there are so many people applying here because they want to live here. tons of competition.

Then you put in car insurance, food, gas driving all over the LA area, cable and cell phone, and you're not gonna have much left for savings, entertainment or whatever else you might want. Can you survive? sure but you'll be spinning your wheels if you're an average joe. Some people would rather spin their wheels in LA rather than building their checking acct balance in say Saint Louis or whatever.

So, than you can do a roommate situation and live in a two bed/two bath. For around $700 you can live in a nice place in a decent area.

Who the hell would want to live in St. Louis, the weather is absolutely brutal in the summer. It is also high in crime. Much higher than LA per capita.

You have to be able to have a quality of life and enjoy where you live.

BTW, if you take a look at rents in Orlando, FL and figure in the much lower salaries there, you can be struggling more there than you would in LA.

You could easily pay a $1,000 for a one bedroom in Orlando, yet you're looking at much lower salaries.

Now factor in God awful heat and humidity most of the year, one freeway which is constantly jammed, no mountains, the theme parks are considered culture, and despite being in FL the ocean is about 90 minutes away. No thank you.

What you described is happening all over America in regards to people putting away for savings.

When someone moves from say the NYC area leaving a salary of 60K a year to go Tampa, FL and they make 35K a year, despite the lower COL, they can find themselves in worse financial shape. Because they lowered their salary more than the COL.

[radiolibre99]

The only problem I find with LA is that the wages aren't keeping pace with the NYC/SF level of prices. At least the latter cities offer more pay to somewhat offset the high rents. LA's wages are really bad even in comparison to some booming cities like Houston where the wages keep pace with the COL.