So it's official, my fiance just took a job in Burbank. Now what? (Glendale: apartments, rentals)

[barbieart]

Ok, so my fiance just accepted a job in Burbank, CA. Our official move date is October 1st of this year. He is originally from Orange County and I am from St. Louis so neither one of us are at all familiar with the Burbank area. Any tips on where to live, vehicle registration, and just long distance moves in general will be greatly appreciated. My head is spinning, not sure where to begin.

[uptown_urbanist]

What kind of neighborhood do you want? Burbank is nice, and generally has a lot to offer to a wide range of people. It's a fairly safe area, has a nice downtown, some relatively affordable housing options, etc. I'd start by looking there. Might as well make life easy and eliminate a long commute!

Landlords in LA generally seem to want tenants who can move in very quickly, so you probably won't be able to actually find a place until sometime in September. If you're hiring a company to move you, you'll probably want to make arrangements before you know your exact final address.

[barbieart]

Are there any areas of Burbank that you would recommend staying away from? Our monthly budget is 2,500 for rent, from the research I've been doing this seems quite feasible. We are actually going the first week of September to hopefully secure something.

P.S. Is westside rentals worth it?

[LABornandRaised]

I tend to find a lot of the same listings that Westside rentals has on Craigslist. Honestly, the best way to find an apartment is to drive in the area you want to be in and just drive slowly up and down the streets looking for those "For Rent" signs. I'd say the most popular parts of Burbank will be the area close to the LA City border in Toluca Lake or the Burbank Downtown area. Magnolia Park is also nice.

[uptown_urbanist]

I don't know Burbank enough to know what, if any, areas you should stay away from; I have several friends who lived or live within walking distance of downtown, and they all really enjoy it there (and I have enjoyed visiting them!) You should have no problems with that budget. I know there are others on here with more Burbank-specific experience, so hopefully they'll chime in here. There's a mix of housing; apartments, single family houses, bungalow courts, etc., so for that price you should be able to find something you like in a convenient, safe location.

People seem to hold strong opinions for or against westside rentals. We paid for it about four years ago when we were last renting a place, and ended up finding something on Craigslist instead, although we did look at some westside rental listings. The cost is pretty low, so if you have a little extra money and want the peace of mind and ease that comes with being able to easily search their rentals online I'd join. I think that's probably especially true since you're coming in from somewhere else with limited time and need to be able to easily and quickly sift through your options. I haven't checked lately, but I think their price includes a credit check; in that case if you get something through them and don't have to pay an additional credit check fee you'll come out even in the end, anyway. So yes, I think in your case especially it's probably worth it, but you can also certainly find good options without going through them, too.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by barbieart

Ok, so my fiance just accepted a job in Burbank, CA. Our official move date is October 1st of this year. He is originally from Orange County and I am from St. Louis so neither one of us are at all familiar with the Burbank area. Any tips on where to live, vehicle registration, and just long distance moves in general will be greatly appreciated. My head is spinning, not sure where to begin.

Congrats to your husband. There are lots of possible places to live and Burbank itself is one. If is hard to suggest locations when we don't have any clue what your housing allowance will be, if you will be working and if you choose a house or an apartment.

As for long distance moves, we have done it many times, you may want to start by checking with the moving companies outright, then consider if it is better to start from scratch and forget about moving furniture etc or do you want to hire it done? Yes, you can do the "move yourself" thing, just remember when you add the cost of the moving van, the gas, etc, it sometimes isn't all that much savings. This is something only you can decide. For some, it is better to just move your personal belongings and start over. It is fun also.

Things like car registrations, I would get on line and do some research. You probably will be a little surprised at the high cost, depending on where you are coming from.

Good luck and congratulations to your fiance.

Nita

[SoCal35]

I would look into Pasadena...close to Burbank and a very nice area to live.

Lots of charm and character. Good restaurants, shopping, culture, nightlife, etc.

[Lovetheoutdoors]

I like Burbank a lot. As to where, I think you guys would need to check out the area. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any places to avoid, except for its neighbor, Glendale. LOL!

Like what's been mentioned, Magnoalia Park is nice and so are the areas of Toluca Lake/LA proper.

I've even seen some nice developments in "NoHo" (North Hollywood).

[GrafxLvr]

Originally Posted by SoCal35

I would look into Pasadena...close to Burbank and a very nice area to live.

Lots of charm and character. Good restaurants, shopping, culture, nightlife, etc.

I love Pasadena; primarily Old Town and surrounding neighborhoods. However, the commute from Pasadena to Burbank contains traffic — approximately a 25-minute commute from door-to-door.

Overall, Burbank is a very nice town with very few undesirable areas. Some people prefer to live North of Glenoaks; whereas some prefer to be adjacent of Toluca Lake. Both areas are nice.

[barbieart]

Thanks for the helpful info, I will update when we find a place. Getting excited!