moving to LA...my job is in Santa Monica..husband's job is in Seal Beach..not sure where to live commute wise.. (Torrance: rentals)

[matiaboo]

My husband's job is moving from Seattle, WA to Seal Beach, my job will most likely be in Santa Monica. We are trying to find an area to live where our commutes are not too terrible (~45 minutes for both of us). From my research is appears commuting north to Santa Monica (from say Torrance for example) is harder than commuting south to Seal Beach. We are looking to spend about $3000 +/- $200 for rent, however we need a garage which is making housing options scarce.

Could we get some suggestions as to places to look at to live? We don't need to live exactly between the two places we work, just looking to have even commutes. So if that means he drives more miles but opposite traffic, then we would consider that too. Also looking for a safe neighborhood and some walkability.

Thanks!!

[BRinSM]

Maybe el Segundo. I'm not sure you'll find a locale that's less than 45 minutes from your two destinations.

[nyctransplant27]

Torrance.

[JohnG72]

SM will be about an hour from torrance most mornings although being closer to the freeway will help some.

Your budget is right for a house or modernized townhome in Torrance, which should have a garage. El Segundo is appreciably closer to Santa Monica, but might be rougher on the rental market.

[IM90046]

The nicer areas of Torrance (west and south) are far from the freeway. How about North Redondo Beach, or West Hawthorne. Both are in your budget you will get more bang for buck in West Hawthorne.

[JohnG72]

After reviewing the traffic map(630 on a Wednesday morning), it shows almost no traffic going south on the 405. However afternoons going north on the 405 can be more of a problem. So Torrance or El Segundo might be your best choices. The drive north to Santa Monica from the middle of Torrance shows as 35 minutes at that same time, but I think that's a bit optimistic and involves half of the drive on surface streets.

[Iorina]

Heading north on the 405 in the mornings is an absolute hot mess. Take this from someone who takes that south in the mornings and has a cackle or two while zooming past the people that are essentially "parked" on the freeway for what seems like forever. Perhaps Culver City? That way they'd be heading south on the 405 and then you can do some surface streets into Santa Monica, but traffic overall in Santa Monica is a disaster, IMO.

There's also the suggestions of El Segundo or Torrance, which are good ones - but I would highly recommend NOT taking Lincoln into Santa Monica because that's just gnarly. Same for heading north on Sepulveda as that is backed up as well in the mornings.

[matiaboo]

Thank you all for taking the time to help us out....much appreciated! I will be able to have an open start time at my work so I think I would be headed to Santa Monica in the morning about 5:30am. When looking at traffic according to Sigalert at this time (Thurs morning), it calculates the time as 20 minutes (although I know this is not the real time). I am assuming if I leave at 5:30am, I should be to work sometime between 6:00 and 6:15am?

Or does the initial advice stand no matter my "optimism".........that we should live closer to Santa Monica for me, and my husband would commute farther south on 405 to Seal Beach (which seemingly is against traffic mostly)?

We have been looking at rentals online in areas such as Hawthorne, Gardena, Lawndale also........are these "nice" areas?

[thelopez2]

Originally Posted by matiaboo

Thank you all for taking the time to help us out....much appreciated! I will be able to have an open start time at my work so I think I would be headed to Santa Monica in the morning about 5:30am. When looking at traffic according to Sigalert at this time (Thurs morning), it calculates the time as 20 minutes (although I know this is not the real time). I am assuming if I leave at 5:30am, I should be to work sometime between 6:00 and 6:15am?

Or does the initial advice stand no matter my "optimism".........that we should live closer to Santa Monica for me, and my husband would commute farther south on 405 to Seal Beach (which seemingly is against traffic mostly)?

We have been looking at rentals online in areas such as Hawthorne, Gardena, Lawndale also........are these "nice" areas?

The rental prices will reflect how "nice" a neighborhood is. The areas you listed will save you at least $6000 a year for a rental house over the beach cities.

Traffic north in the morning will start at 5:30 but 30 minutes on the freeway is reasonable but then you'll have the street driving.

[JohnG72]

Of Gardena, Hawthorne, and Lawndale, gardena is overall nicest though parts are sketchy(mostly to the north) and parts of hawthorne are very nice.

Gardena has a heavy Japanese influence and population and the stores and restaurants reflect that. I view that as a positive. The rents are lower because the north and east portions can border unsafe neighborhoods and because the schools are horrible. However, much of Gardena is quite nice. And the mix of restaurants is pretty outstanding. Not too many places were you can drive less than ten minutes and have multiple choices of Korean, Japanese, Hawaiian, mexican, and soul food. And a few good seafood places as well.