Hollywood Hills or Manhattan Beach? (Malibu: renting, condo, lawyers)

[kchui1028]

Which place is better for a well-to-do mid 20 guy to live in?

I understand the obvious that Hollywood Hills provides more privacy and the hillside view over LA, and Manhattan Beach with less privacy but ocean view.

I'd like to know if there's any more factors between the two areas that'd be a deciding factor for a mid 20 single guy to move into. I'm more inclined to living in hollywood hills at this time due to the trend that most celebrities chose their homes there, so it's gotta be something special right? On the other hand, I love the ocean, but moving to Malibu is just too far and isolated for me at this point in my life.

P.S. im not renting, Im looking to buy a house in the range of 400k to 800k and will settle for longer than 10 years.

[BRinSM]

you're priced out of both areas for single family homes, but you may be able to find a smallish condo.

[kchui1028]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

you're priced out of both areas for single family homes, but you may be able to find a smallish condo.

actually there's quite a few single family homes i saw on realtor.com that fit my budget just fine.. maybe a bit high-end on my budget, but it's within my budget still... under 1M.

[kchui1028]

anyone can share some experience?

[smokingGun]

I've got a couple friends/colleagues who've moved to Manhattan Beach after living on the westside. They're doctors & lawyers and from what I gather, most of their neighbors are either similar 30~40 something graduate-educated highly skilled professionals, or older retirees who bought in decades earlier. In all honesty, the nightlife in Manhattan Beach can't compare to Hollywood, especially if you're single & love the whole bar/lounge/club scene. In fact I only know 1 person who's bought up in the Hollywood Hills and he's a record exec and feels like he needs to be in that area to keep his finger on the pulse of the industry.

[kchui1028]

Originally Posted by smokingGun

I've got a couple friends/colleagues who've moved to Manhattan Beach after living on the westside. They're doctors & lawyers and from what I gather, most of their neighbors are either similar 30~40 something graduate-educated highly skilled professionals, or older retirees who bought in decades earlier. In all honesty, the nightlife in Manhattan Beach can't compare to Hollywood, especially if you're single & love the whole bar/lounge/club scene. In fact I only know 1 person who's bought up in the Hollywood Hills and he's a record exec and feels like he needs to be in that area to keep his finger on the pulse of the industry.

that's interesting.. I got most of my money from a tech industry in my early twenty and money still coming in every month for me, so i pretty much don't have to worry much about employment or job for long term.

i guess i won't be choosing manhattan beach as a 20-something guy, if i do, i'd choose malibu over it anyway.

However, i do not want to settle in a neighborhood when i could afford to live in a much nicer place, i guess my choice would be Hollywood Hills, and yet while i like party, im not a party animal, but i guess it's easy for me to throw a house party and invite people i like to meet when i own a house up in the hills.