I'm ready to finally move to california... i think (Los Angeles: crime, home)

[uptown_urbanist]

I'll defend Craigslist, too. The scams are usually pretty obvious: if it look to be good to be true, it probably is. I've now used Craigslist to rent several places (tried Westside Rentals, too, but ended up having better luck with CL). My friends have also done so, all with great success. (also have friends who have successfully found roommates that way, too) It's really no different than an ad in the paper, although I suppose there are a few more scammers because it's easier, cheaper, and faster to put up an ad online than it is through the LA Times or somewhere. Craigslist is a great resource, both for getting an overall sense of what going rates are like, as well as for actually finding a place once you're ready. It's really no different than finding a place (or a roommate) through seeing an ad in print or on a bulletin board. Just don't throw your common sense out the window and use the same precautions you would in any other similar situation.

[stuffavail]

Welcome to CA!
You are not here yet but welcome anyway!
You must have transportation, a roof over your head, decent credit, and be willing to work at whatever you can do.

If you have friends you can stay with for 6-12 months, see about that.

To the extent you can, lining up work is key. If not, you could race thru your $6000 with an apt deposit.Can you save more before making a break for it.

This is LA. People still flood here with show biz dreams.

Then there are people like yourself who just want a change of scenery and opportunity, the ability to get to the ocean, a diverse culture of all kinds of people and foods and art and music.

What is your line of work?

[sarahkate_m]

Originally Posted by sarahkate_m

If I were you, I'd pick a location near a college. However, the vacancies are hot, so it'd be a real challenge.

I think the areas near colleges are probably going to be the least risky, for craigslist. Those places are usually efficiency apartments with low rent & easy utilities or just roomie situations.

Good luck!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by sarahkate_m

I think the areas near colleges are probably going to be the least risky, for craigslist. Those places are usually efficiency apartments with low rent & easy utilities or just roomie situations.

Good luck!

think you are probably about right. I am obviously in the minority when it comes to Craigslist but I have personal experience with several scams. Yes, some or most are obvious, but certainly not all of them. For all those who are supporters of Craigslist, I respect your views, but for many they aren't worth the risk, especially for someone who knows nothing about the area, is moving from someplace many miles away, is young and doesn't realize what they might be getting themselves into. There are many ways of checking rentals or jobs opportunities better than Craigslist in my view. I am only giving my opinion.

Nita

[Latchkey Kid]

I wouldn't use Craigslist for finding a job. But where else is she going to find out about rooms (rather than apts) for rent or roommate situations besides Craigslist? Nobody is going to pay for a print ad for that nor go thru a rental agency. Couldn't you tell us what specific scams you are concerned about on Craigslist?

[uptown_urbanist]

I wouldn't rent unseen from Craigslist, but then again, I wouldn't rent sight-unseen from most places.

I actually got a temp job through Craigslist once, and my work has hired people from CL. It's not the best place to list a job, but it worked fine for our needs at the time.

Craiglist is no different from any other place when it comes to scams. It's a good resource, and as long as one realizes what it is and how it works -- essentially an online bulletin board -- it's perfectly safe, or at least as safe as anything else where you don't know the people from personal experience.

[lilnightowl]

OP, I'm just like you. I'm your age, and I think about moving to LA when I'm in bed trying to sleep at night, and I wake up thinking about it. =/ I've been to LA before and there's no where else that feels like home to me. I've moved around a lot...
I'm saving up some money and I'm set on doing this, even though everyone I know thinks I won't make it. I applied to school there for next year and have some savings. My brother will probably come with and be my roommate...so we'll have each other's company. But that means we need to save more. I am so depressed living where I live right now. It's sucking the life out of me. I have to do this for myself! You should too =]

[Walk In Beauty]

Listen, kid, I grew up in West L.A. I've lived all over southern CA., including Catalina Island. I left So. Cal 20 years ago and I NEVER travel south of Santa Barbara.

Oh, it was nice growing up there, but because there's so many people there, it's become over-regulated, and over-priced!

All the water in So. CA. is polluted - DON'T DRINK THE WATER!! AND DON'T DRINK ANYTHING MADE WITH THE WATER!! All of So. Cal increased the amount of fluoride in the water to CDC maximums. If you don't know about the detrimental effects of fluoride, go to Fluoride Action Network

L.A. traffic sucks.

Don't move to the valley - it's hotter than hell during the summer.

Gangs have always been present and are growing.

Sexual perversion of every sort is rampant.

Most people in those "luxury cars" are nothing but pretentious shallow debtors who would hop in bed with anything just to tell about it - more pretentiousness.

Most judges are totally corrupt and on the take.

The police are corrupt and can be totally brutal. Watch "The Largest Street Gang In America" at The Largest Street Gang in America Video by BoilingFrogs - MySpace Video

If your desire is to get into the movies, take your place in the back of the line, which already has thousands in front of you.

People will smile and lie to you as they totally rip of you off, and not have any concept that what they've done is in any way wrong. I kid you not.

What was once a really cool place to live has now become a pit of hypocritical "liberal" do-gooders, who would have you do as they say, and have you pay for it, too - in other words, they have absolutely no regard for the foundational law of this country - the U.S. Constitution, which is why this country, once the "last bastion of freedom", is going down the tubes - fast.

If, as you say, every time you have the $$, something comes up to prevent you from moving to L.A., I'd say it may be something greater than you trying to protect you and stop you from doing something stupid. And I suggest you LISTEN UP, 'cause lots of people move to L.A. and end up living their lives as just another insignificant rat, caught up in the race that someone else imposed on them, never finding who they really are, what their real purpose is, or even real LOVE; and end up merely existing as shallow ghosts of what they could have been.

Don't believe what you see in the movies - there's nothing "glamorous" about L.A. - it's all hype.

[Latchkey Kid]

Originally Posted by Walk In Beauty

Listen, kid, I grew up in West L.A. I've lived all over southern CA., including Catalina Island. I left So. Cal 20 years ago and I NEVER travel south of Santa Barbara.

If you haven't been to LA in 20 years, where are earth are you coming up with this stuff? Sexual perversion is rampant? What on earth are you talking about? Being balanced and realistic about expectations is one thing, but for goodness sake, it's hardly Sodom and Gamorrah!

[ijustcantwait]

Originally Posted by stuffavail

Welcome to CA!
You are not here yet but welcome anyway!
You must have transportation, a roof over your head, decent credit, and be willing to work at whatever you can do.

If you have friends you can stay with for 6-12 months, see about that.

To the extent you can, lining up work is key. If not, you could race thru your $6000 with an apt deposit.Can you save more before making a break for it.

This is LA. People still flood here with show biz dreams.

Then there are people like yourself who just want a change of scenery and opportunity, the ability to get to the ocean, a diverse culture of all kinds of people and foods and art and music.

What is your line of work?

I currently work in a shoe store and in customer service at jc penny for the past 2 years, oh and will definietly not agree to anything on craigslist unless i deal with it in person, i'm actually very thankful that so many ppl are concerned about it. Thanks everyone!