Advice Needed: Moving from Tampa Bay, FL to Los Angeles, CA? (Glendale: transplants, 2014)

[papajawn]

Hello all!


We are originally from Tampa and grew up here all of our lives (fiancé born in Cuba but moved here at 5 yrs old)

We just recently graduated from USF with our business degrees and have the urge/craving to move to LA!

(we’ve visited twice and love the lifestyle, west coast vibes and feeling of how real of a real metropolitan city it is compared to Tampa)


We are both 24 years old, young professionals in the financial services field.


My fiancé has a potential job offer in LA but it is only around $45k a year (personal banker in Glendale).


Right now he makes $42k a year here in Tampa. (HR recruiter for large national bank)


I make $45k here in Tampa (credit union supervisor) but have no potential job offers in LA.



We both have a new home built in 2014 in Riverview area and pay only around $1300 for a 4bed/3bath.


We live pretty comfortably and are somewhat financially stable.


We are a little scared to make the move because of how comfortable we are here in Tampa, but also want to take that young risk of experience of exploring a new city!



Looking into L.A I can’t find any apartments or even studios that are decent anywhere near that price?!


A studio is around $1900 starting. Geographically, I have no idea where to search? North Hollywood, Burbank?


Questions:

If he is working in Glendale, where would be a decent areas to live nearby with an average apartment around $1500 (we don’t mind a studio or 1 bedroom) no more than 30 minutes from Glendale?



What are some major corporations or how easy is it to land a job in the financial services field in LA?

Do you know of any safe temporary shared living services or apartments that you can live in while finding a job and getting settled into LA?


Any other advice offered… 


Thanks in advance!

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by papajawn

My fiancé has a potential job offer in LA but it is onlyaround $45k a year (personal banker in Glendale).[/SIZE][/font]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE][font=Calibri][SIZE=3]Right now he makes $42k a year here in Tampa. (HR recruiterfor large national bank)

Stay in Tampa. 45K per year in LA is like 22K a year in Tampa.

Originally Posted by papajawn

Any other advice offered…

Retype your original post so people can actually read it.

[papajawn]

Originally Posted by capoeira

Stay in Tampa. 45K per year in LA is like 22K a year in Tampa.



Retype your original post so people can actually read it.

sorry about that! fixed it. thanks for the salary comparison!

[ryanms3030]

You should be able to fin a 1 bedroom in Glendale for around $1500. I would stick to Glendale or Burbank if job is in Glendale. Easy commute, safe, reasonably affordable.

[socal88]

I second ryanms3030 on trying to find a place in Glendale or Burbank. Pasadena or Studio City are also possibilities.

The first thing I will say is that you need to prepare for the fact that you have to significantly downsize in LA. It sounds like you have a good-sized home so you'll definitely be sacrificing a fair amount of comfort since $1,300/month gets you an older 1-bedroom apartment in a so-so neighborhood now.

Assuming you are able to eventually find a job around the same pay level, I'd say based on your combined incomes, you could afford an apartment up to $1,800/month (assuming you don't have a lot of student debt), which will get you a pretty decent studio or 1-bedroom in the areas mentioned. There are a fair number of banking and finance jobs in the greater LA area, so I think there are definitely some opportunities.

Given that you both are just in your early/mid-20s with no kids, I'd say to come out and give LA a shot. This is the time to take a risk. It will be a little tough in the beginning if you're both just dependent on your fiance's income. But if you are both outdoors people, there are a lot of great activities such as hiking, biking, and going to the beach that don't cost very much. Los Angeles does have a high cost of living, but if you can live within your means by eating at home most of the time and not going out to overpriced bars/nightclubs, it can be done.

At least we don't have hurricanes!

[PDF]

Lived in both at one point. Personally liked LA better. Not cheap though.

[BucFan]

Lived near LA - Torrance. Really bad traffic, congested, crime (grocery store multiple murders) earthquake tremors. Only lived there due to work. Prefer Tampa. Lower cost of living, has everything I need but less people to have to share it with.

[Mr_Geek]

I've lived in both and prefer Tampa. My reasons are very subjective though, as I actually enjoy rain and thunderstorms and don't mind humidity.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by Mr_Geek

I've lived in both and prefer Tampa. My reasons are very subjective though, as I actually enjoy rain and thunderstorms and don't mind humidity.

LOL...prefer Tampa. Yes, the weather is LOVELY.

For those who haven't experienced it's a sauna most of the time. Lot's of rude northern transplants mixed in with FL rednecks and some of the worst driving you will see in your life.

Mr. Geek you might not mind humidity, most do, and in FL it is BRUTAL most of the year.

OP, don't know where you looking to find $1,900 for a studio apt. As mentioned you can find a decent one bedroom for around $1,500. If you have a lot of student loan debt, car notes, etc. I wouldn't do it. And do you own or rent the house in FL that you're in? Why did you even need a house if it's just the two of you and your fresh out of college? I know houses in FL are cheap(especially where you are), but there's a reason for that.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by BucFan

Lived near LA - Torrance. Really bad traffic, congested, crime (grocery store multiple murders) earthquake tremors. Only lived there due to work. Prefer Tampa. Lower cost of living, has everything I need but less people to have to share it with.

Thanks for the laugh, Tampa has no crime.....LOL.

Of course Tampa has a lower COL, it will be 93 today with 70% humidity. It will be like that well into November.

Tampa has nice weather from Dec into early March, the rest of the time it's miserable.