A note for people moving to LA, on Areas and Thanks (Los Angeles: transplants, for sale)

[Anteater]

Hi,
First off I would like to thank everybody who pointed me in the right direction when I wanted to move to LA. This forum was extremely useful and made it all a lot less stressful.
I just thought I'd post this as there are so many questions about moving to LA and although it's obviously just my opinion, I think a lot of people should find it helpful.
I had asked on here about several areas, all of which I had found at random in wikipedia. I first went to investigate down town. It is very different from areas like West Hollywood, but I loved it and thought it was a really cool, vibrant place. I wouldn't advise it particularly for families, but if you like a neighborhood that isn't as polished, this is your place. Great for places to eat, drink and interesting culture pockets. Best part is if you really look hard you can find a horrible studio apartment for under 300k in a not so great area, but personally I would give an arm to live in LA so if you are willing to make sacrifices then you don't have to be rich to live there. South Park, Arts district and Little Tokyo are all nice places, you can pick up a decent apartment (one where you can't touch all the walls at once) for around 700k.
Very useful sites for apartments:
TheDowntownMLS.com
High Rise Condos, High Rise Apartments and Lofts For Sale and For Lease Worldwide

I then went to the Hollywood Hills area, definitely one of the most surprisingly cheap areas for such a nice place. You can pick up a really decent house for between 1 and 2 mill and appartments for 700k+.
I visited a cool real estate agents place that does home as art. Great if you're a fan of modern architecture like me. They were called Deasy and Penner I think, I'm not sure if they have a site. Hollywood Hills is a really nice area if you are looking for somewhere slightly safer and more expensive than downtown and the people are really friendly.
I'm sure a lot of people would like Santa Monica, but it just didn't do it for me, much to suburban like I found south Pasadena, although it was also very nice. Neighboring Venice and San Marino was nice enough although I thought it was comparatively boring, although the bit where people go roller blading is nice and definitely a nice place to go for coffee and ice cream. Great restaurants and bars. Malibu was extremely nice and although I didn't experience many of the people who lived there, it is one of the most scenic places in the LA area. Definitely great if you have a lot of money (3-4 mil for a decent house) and a family. The beaches are beautiful, particularly at sunrise. One thing to note is that if you have to commute to the Hollywood area like me (or in fact many places in that direction) this will be absolute hell.
I visited Topanga and Sherman Oaks, nice but not really my thing. They are very different, but I'm just lumping them together to keep this short. Topanga was amazingly peaceful for somewhere so near a sprawl of concrete.
I loved Beverley hills and West Hollywood, great shopping amazing houses etc. Pretty expensive, but no where near as bad as I was expecting. I am by no means wealthy, but the expense of living in LA is definitely overdone. Sure it's expensive if you need a 4000sqft mansion near the sunset strip, but it is affordable if you have a reasonable job lined up.
All I can say is I thoroughly enjoyed visiting (and now living) in LA. I have absolutely no idea why people are moaning about it and leaving. There are even pockets of ultra suburbanness if you like that sort of thing. For me it was truly amazing, the people were charming, the weather was nice and there is a never-ending list of things to visit and do.
I apologize to anybody who has reached this point as i definitely have been incoherently rambling for ages.
I would be really interested to hear of any great areas that I ought to go to/ stuff to do. Also if people leaving LA have actually visited some of the other cities they are talking about moving to, I really can't understand the flood of people apparently leaving.
Take care

[Jakehorror]

Here in Indiana we have seen alot of CA transplants flooding the area. We have also witnessed many of them pack up and go back to CA after a winter or 2, so I think the reason many people leave is the high cost of living as opposed to the midwest. The mental/culture shock usually leaves them scrambling for a plane ticket back home. Not always, But I have seen it a few times. Here you can get (literally) a mansion on the river and 2 gardeners (not that you need them, it's usually gloomy outside) for about 250K. So to sum it up, I agree with YOU. Yes it's expensive. You get what you pay for. Glad you like L.A.!!!

[siegret44]

im leavin long beach for atlanta- yes itcosts too much here- but i have stayed in atlanta and like it. Long Beach is really laid back, that's probably why i also like georgia

[motoman]

Originally Posted by Anteater

Hi,
First off I would like to thank everybody who pointed me in the right direction when I wanted to move to LA. This forum was extremely useful and made it all a lot less stressful.
I just thought I'd post this as there are so many questions about moving to LA and although it's obviously just my opinion, I think a lot of people should find it helpful.
I had asked on here about several areas, all of which I had found at random in wikipedia. I first went to investigate down town. It is very different from areas like West Hollywood, but I loved it and thought it was a really cool, vibrant place. I wouldn't advise it particularly for families, but if you like a neighborhood that isn't as polished, this is your place. Great for places to eat, drink and interesting culture pockets. Best part is if you really look hard you can find a horrible studio apartment for under 300k in a not so great area, but personally I would give an arm to live in LA so if you are willing to make sacrifices then you don't have to be rich to live there. South Park, Arts district and Little Tokyo are all nice places, you can pick up a decent apartment (one where you can't touch all the walls at once) for around 700k.
Very useful sites for apartments:
TheDowntownMLS.com
High Rise Condos, High Rise Apartments and Lofts For Sale and For Lease Worldwide

I then went to the Hollywood Hills area, definitely one of the most surprisingly cheap areas for such a nice place. You can pick up a really decent house for between 1 and 2 mill and appartments for 700k+.
I visited a cool real estate agents place that does home as art. Great if you're a fan of modern architecture like me. They were called Deasy and Penner I think, I'm not sure if they have a site. Hollywood Hills is a really nice area if you are looking for somewhere slightly safer and more expensive than downtown and the people are really friendly.
I'm sure a lot of people would like Santa Monica, but it just didn't do it for me, much to suburban like I found south Pasadena, although it was also very nice. Neighboring Venice and San Marino was nice enough although I thought it was comparatively boring, although the bit where people go roller blading is nice and definitely a nice place to go for coffee and ice cream. Great restaurants and bars. Malibu was extremely nice and although I didn't experience many of the people who lived there, it is one of the most scenic places in the LA area. Definitely great if you have a lot of money (3-4 mil for a decent house) and a family. The beaches are beautiful, particularly at sunrise. One thing to note is that if you have to commute to the Hollywood area like me (or in fact many places in that direction) this will be absolute hell.
I visited Topanga and Sherman Oaks, nice but not really my thing. They are very different, but I'm just lumping them together to keep this short. Topanga was amazingly peaceful for somewhere so near a sprawl of concrete.
I loved Beverley hills and West Hollywood, great shopping amazing houses etc. Pretty expensive, but no where near as bad as I was expecting. I am by no means wealthy, but the expense of living in LA is definitely overdone. Sure it's expensive if you need a 4000sqft mansion near the sunset strip, but it is affordable if you have a reasonable job lined up.
All I can say is I thoroughly enjoyed visiting (and now living) in LA. I have absolutely no idea why people are moaning about it and leaving. There are even pockets of ultra suburbanness if you like that sort of thing. For me it was truly amazing, the people were charming, the weather was nice and there is a never-ending list of things to visit and do.
I apologize to anybody who has reached this point as i definitely have been incoherently rambling for ages.
I would be really interested to hear of any great areas that I ought to go to/ stuff to do. Also if people leaving LA have actually visited some of the other cities they are talking about moving to, I really can't understand the flood of people apparently leaving.
Take care

I am not trying to rain on your parade, but since when did $700,000 for an apartment become reasonable and affordable? How much do you think you have to make to afford something like that? Do you really have any idea?

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by motoman

I am not trying to rain on your parade, but since when did $700,000 for an apartment become reasonable and affordable? How much do you think you have to make to afford something like that? Do you really have any idea?

You can't make 200k in Topeka Kansas.

[Another_Screenwriter]

I am not trying to rain on your parade, but since when did $700,000 for an apartment become reasonable and affordable? How much do you think you have to make to afford something like that? Do you really have any idea?

Ditto. Stating those numbers matter of factly is pretty amusing.

I'd venture a guess that 85% of people in this country can't even come close to affording that.

[LuckyGem]

Just another reason why moving out of Los Angeles in order to afford to buy a house is looking better and better.

[motoman]

Originally Posted by Another_Screenwriter

Ditto. Stating those numbers matter of factly is pretty amusing.

I'd venture a guess that 85% of people in this country can't even come close to affording that.

Actually, based on income distribution data, and being rather generous, 95% of households in the entire country cannot afford that.

[stevorilla]

95% of the households in L.A. or Cali can't afford that. That's the reason why this is one of the states with the largest foreclosures. LOL. Look at census.gov and you'll see the median HOUSEHOLD income for many neighborhoods in L.A. is 50-60k (excluding Beverly Hills and Hidden Hills). Burbank = 60k household, for example. It's a big joke, and the general public in L.A. will be the bud of the joke. Massive foreclosures now and in the future...

[dreamfollower]

Those who choose to leave LA are probably not in the income bracket to afford a $700,000 condo in the absolute lush mystique of a place called West Hollywood. It is fantastic, as well as all the other eclectic niches throughout this magical state.

For those who only have the choice of typical suburbia, the choices become slim because it becomes a test to find areas of affordable housing without a circumspect crime element attached. This lurking element is the most unforgivable evolution of this state and why it exists to the degree it does is baffling.

Ca is a wonder of a place and I can understand it being very hard to leave, but I guess some have to make that choice. May they be lucky to find the same wonder elsewhere.