Can you tell me where to find an apartment? (Los Angeles: lease, home) - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

simensays · 09-12-2010, 10:27 PM

I live in atlanta, I just graduated from UGA and I want to move to Los Angeles. I really want to live in Hollywood but I can't afford it. Where is a good place to live that's a short distance from there that's more affordable?
I'm looking to pay no more than $1k a month. Space isn't a problem, I don't plan on being indoors a lot, I just don't want to live far because LA is famous for its bad traffic.
Heck if you know places in Hollywood that will rent a studio apartment for $1000 let me know too. Because I don't live there I don't know the ins and outs, I only know what craigslist offers.
I have a car but it's a gas guzzler so i don't want to do a lot of commuting.

nighthouse66 · 09-12-2010, 10:38 PM

where will you be commuting? and why do you want to live in hollyweird?
i would look in silverlake, round the virgil village area. its the backside of silverlake and not terribly fantastic. but its close to hollywood.
avoid "north hollywood". its in the valley. i guess as the crow flies its north of hollywood, but.......
you do need to give more info as to where you will be working, and "not far" from hollywood- how far is too far?

simensays · 09-12-2010, 11:01 PM

Thanks for the reply. The thing is, I'm not actually working per se. I'm taking a break since I graduated and want to live in Los Angeles for a year. I've saved so I can afford $1000 a month rent. I'm a writer and want would like to be in the industry so i guessed living in/near hollywood/weird would be a good bet.
This distance from hollywood really only matters if theres traffic. I don't mind living 25miles away if that area doesn't get 1.5 hours of traffic a day. In Georgia everything is far, it takes me 15minutes to get to walmart while when i lived in Toronto everything was walking distance. If 25miles means it takes me 30minutes to get into Hollywood on any given day then PERFECT.
Let me know if I clarified everything. Also if you can recommend apartment buildings that is a greater plus

uptown_urbanist · 09-12-2010, 11:35 PM

I actually would suggest North Hollywood as a good option. I prefer Hollywood myself, but think North Hollywood is cheaper. And the "industry" is spread out all over. "Hollywood" the industry doesn't necessarily directly correlate with Hollywood the neighborhood.

You should be able to find a studio in Hollywood for under $1000, though. It probably won't come with parking, though, so if you're planning on bringing a car you'll want to factor in cost of a parking spot (or time spent circling trying to find one on the street).

Ceece · 09-13-2010, 03:02 AM

You can definitely find a studio, with parking, in the Hollywood area for $1000 or so.

nighthouse66 · 09-13-2010, 11:02 AM

yeah, you can find a studio for 1000 in hollywood but if i were you i wouldn't do north hollywood, its a matter of taste really, i personally don't like it there, but one of the other posters had it right when he said the industry is spread out all over. there are so many areas- if i had my druthers i would live in fairfax village or west hollywood, its a bit chi chi but its also alot more walkable than some areas of LA.

VLWH · 09-13-2010, 04:42 PM

Try Oakwood in Toluca Hills. They have studios and are a 5 min trip to Hollywood.

HarryKerry · 09-13-2010, 10:51 PM

As one poster suggested, "The Industry" is spread around from Miracle Mile to Santa Monica to Burbank to Culver City to North Hollywood and a fair amount of the San Fernando Valley to even Lancaster. Get a map and see how disconnected some of those locations are from each other. Hollywood proper, (a district of the City of Los Angeles) was the original location for the old radio and TV networks, no longer has a single radio station nor TV station. I believe the last radio station was KNX that left about 3 years ago, and KCBS finally left for North Hollywood about 2 years ago.

However, there is a renaissance occurring in Hollywood proper. Not just the tons of clubs and restaurants, but several production companies (like the company that produces the office--most likely for whom you may be working should you find a job) are relocating to Hollywood because it is much less expensive to lease office space, and lots of it, in what was old abandoned Hollywood.

Hollywood is still a good central location for just about all the palaces mentioned that have Industry hubs and good public transit, including the Red Line Subway. However, you should accept that if you want a decent neighborhood (meaning reasonably safe) you may have to room with at least one other person. So, consider being or getting a roommate to make up the difference in the rent you will need beyond the $1K, if you don't want to get robbed or mugged.

nighthouse66 · 09-13-2010, 11:57 PM

and anyway, you are in LA so it isn't going to matter. it makes me laugh (btw i am from GA as well) when natives here complain out being out "in the sticks" because they live in Thousand Oaks. You are 30-45 minutes away from Ground Zero of the entertainment industry, you are never going to be out in the sticks in california, anywhere, even in the Mojave. Its not like you are out in the middle of Texas where you have to drive two hours to the grocery store! : P
Harry Kerry that is really interesting about Hollywood not having any more radio and tv networks. i had no idea!

simensays · 09-14-2010, 01:26 AM

I guess I'll have to see the place before I can make a decision on where to live. I appreciate all the response. As long as people aren't getting mugged at gunpoint I'm not worried. It looks like I'm going to take the plunge and drive coast to coast seeing as I'm sure a car is definitely needed. I may go the roommate route but the ads on craigslist look REALLY sketchy. People are sharing bedrooms over there lol, I must really be an outsider.
I hope I fit right in and feel at home