Where to live if working in Sherman Oaks? (Burbank: apartment, to rent)

[marquisofsadness]

I'm living in TO right now, but my parents are moving abroad and selling their house. I work in Sherman Oaks, making a bit more than 45K. It's not a lot, but I don't mind living with roommates, in the ghetto, wherever. I'm pretty low maintenance. TO isn't cheap, and the daily commute isn't horrible but it isn't great either so if I'm already paying to move out, I'd rather live closer. I'm also 22, so it would be nice to move out of the suburbs, as well.

Any ideas? Ideally, I'd live in a studio apartment by myself, but whatever is cheap and as long as I have my own bedroom, I won't complain.

[marquisofsadness]

Originally Posted by munchmeat

Sherman Oaks, of course

Yeah, that would be the best option, wouldn't it? It's doable if I rent a room out of someone's house, but definitely still a bit pricey considering it seems the average room price is $900-1000. My take-home pay is only about $3,000.

[SandyCo]

You could also go north, like Van Nuys above Burbank Blvd. You just have to be very picky about the area, because it varies street by street.

[socal88]

If you prefer to have your own studio, you're going to need to look into areas such as Van Nuys, Lake Balboa, and Reseda to find something more "affordable." You'll still have pay more than $1,000/month though unless you find some sort of steal not listed online. These aren't the most desirable areas, but it is what it is. And your commute will be short.

If you want to be in a nicer area such as Sherman Oaks or Studio City, then you'll need to find a roommate or two or maybe find an older home where someone is willing to rent out a back guest for cheap. Otherwise, at your salary, almost all your money is going to go toward rent and utilities with very little to enjoy a nice meal out or local nightlife.

Given that you're only 22, unless you're a complete homebody who needs his/her own space, I recommend finding something cheaper where you can save money now even if it's not that nice. You want to spend your time out, meeting/networking with people, and working hard to get your career off the ground. And as you note, while TO is a nice place, it's good during your 20s especially to get out of the burbs and experience the city for at least a few years. While the Valley is more suburban unlike other parts of LA, there's still a fair amount of action.