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We met some people last night who should not have moved here. They didn't do any research. They moved out of a $900 a month 3 bedroom house in another state to LA -- where the cheapest 3 bedroom house they can find is $2500 a month.
They don't have jobs. They heard salaries are better in LA. They are driving a U-Haul yet they are turning up their noses to less expensive hotels in LA. (Motel 6 isn't good enough, they need a Westin.)
I don't think they will last here.
In other states, new rental housing is cheap. LA doesn't have that luxury. It's really hard for a lot of people to get over their housing expectations.
Wow, I just found this forum last night in doing L.A. Real estate research. Amazing, educational stuff here.
With all the posts here discouraging young hopefuls from pursuing their dreams of working in entertainment and moving to L.A. At a young age, I wanted to share my story to show the flip side of the coin.
I was born and raised in the suburbs of NYC. I dint remember a time in my childhood that I didn't dream of living in L.A. I was discouraged my entire youth, and of course not taken seriously by my parents. But I had a dream and there was nothing getting in my way.
Looking back I'm really glad that I was too young and stupid to occur to be scared. And kind of glad the Internet had really just gotten started, so there was nothing to scare me off.
I went to college as a tv production major at small school in upstate NY. I knew that I wanted to work in tv, and live in Los Angeles. That was all. After graduation I over back with my parents for 2 years to save money, I moved out here 24 years old, about $6,000 in savings and a drivers license. Started out at a studio apartment in Burbank, no job or leads.
I worked really hard, spent the first 10 years of my life out here **** poor. I really didn't care though. I knew this city was my home.
I've worked in and out of the entertainment industry over the years. I started out doing entertainment pr in the 90's, got burnt out on the industry and moved into the dot com works - which is ultimately what got me back into the business, where I am now in a middle management position working in online at a major studio.
My point being, its not all doom and gloom to just pick up at a young age and start from scratch. Now, I never would have come out here without a college degree and employable skills. I started off temping and in my younger years did that on and off in between jobs.
I killed my credit during the broke years,and sometimes I barely had money for gas, food and rent. But. I always lived on my own, in safe neighborhoods. It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. And I have no regrets.
L.A. Is my home, I was meant to live here in a way I cannot describe. The idea of not following my dream was never an option on the table for me.
I just wanted to share my story, as an alternative to all the advise I am seeing to young hopefulls of not even trying. Some of the just out of school kids asking these questions remind me a lot of me.
It is always good to hear the other side of the story, but remember, it isn't good to give young people false hope. You were 1-lucky and 2-it wasn't today and 3-maybe you really had ideas and plans, some of these kids are simply dreaming with little or no preparation behind them and they do not come form NYC>
You said yourself, you started out temping, that isn't a good option today as the job market is so bad.
i don't think anyone's stories of how they made it circa 2005 are applicable in this climate. i moved to this state never even having visited. i slept in my van. i cooked on a propane stove and showered in a sink. this was in 2006. there were jobs. there was always something out there. now employers are getting something like 300-400 resumes per job on average. this is the reality. it is not a matter of only being tough enough, or being smart enough, or special enough. its now a numbers game and the odds are against anyone moving here. i am from the east, the southeast, and i am always the sort to say "screw it, come on out! you can make it!!; and even i have had to change my tune as i have seen countless friends scurrying back to their home state. those who stress caution and the horrible truth of LA's economy are not doomsayers. if your house is on fire, and you are telling your neighbor to watch out, is that doomsaying? no, its recognizing the realities of the situation. and i can pretty much promise you that every poster who says "aw, they just don't want you to move here" or "they just like thinking they live in the hardest city in the US" or "they are just being no-hopers" etc. etc. are folks who have NEVER had to sleep in their cars. don't know what its like to have an empty cupboard and five dollars to feed you for the next week (if you are lucky). we aren't talking about "oh you won't be able to buy a home in a good neighborhood"-level tough, i'm talking "can't eat" kinda tough. and the ones that can look those challenges square in the eye and say, "i'm coming anyway...." well, we NEED people that tough. so do it. but don't whine like a primadonna if it isn't like "The Rock of Love" or "O.C.".
Yep, things were completely different when my husband and I first moved to LA in 2005 from Florida. I wanted to work in entertainment publicity and I already had some great experience and studio contacts from Miami. Even back then, with that experience, it was tough. The thing is that I had TONS of interviews for jobs in my field. I sometimes had two interviews a day, every day of the week. Competition was FIERCE because it was entertainment but at least I had a chance. I ended up temping at several studios before landing a full-time job at Warner Bros. in early 2006. The job was nothing like I had dreamed it would be and I decided to become a full-time writer instead. I was lucky in that I had a chance to live my dream and discover that it wasn't for me after all. I don't think I would have that opportunity if I was trying to break into the studios and entertainment today. Now there are probably less jobs and even more people applying to them. In 2005 and 2006, HR recruiters would often tell me that they received at least 500 resumes for each entertainment pr position. I would still say "go for it" if it is your dream, though. It's just going to be much harder to catch a break. Although I no longer want to work in entertainment, I developed a major love for LA and will always consider it my home. I've lived all over and LA is the worth the struggle for me. My husband and I have no desire to buy a house so this city works for us!
Wow, I just found this forum last night in doing L.A. Real estate research. Amazing, educational stuff here.
With all the posts here discouraging young hopefuls from pursuing their dreams of working in entertainment and moving to L.A. At a young age, I wanted to share my story to show the flip side of the coin.
I was born and raised in the suburbs of NYC. I dint remember a time in my childhood that I didn't dream of living in L.A. I was discouraged my entire youth, and of course not taken seriously by my parents. But I had a dream and there was nothing getting in my way.
Looking back I'm really glad that I was too young and stupid to occur to be scared. And kind of glad the Internet had really just gotten started, so there was nothing to scare me off.
I went to college as a tv production major at small school in upstate NY. I knew that I wanted to work in tv, and live in Los Angeles. That was all. After graduation I over back with my parents for 2 years to save money, I moved out here 24 years old, about $6,000 in savings and a drivers license. Started out at a studio apartment in Burbank, no job or leads.
I worked really hard, spent the first 10 years of my life out here **** poor. I really didn't care though. I knew this city was my home.
I've worked in and out of the entertainment industry over the years. I started out doing entertainment pr in the 90's, got burnt out on the industry and moved into the dot com works - which is ultimately what got me back into the business, where I am now in a middle management position working in online at a major studio.
My point being, its not all doom and gloom to just pick up at a young age and start from scratch. Now, I never would have come out here without a college degree and employable skills. I started off temping and in my younger years did that on and off in between jobs.
I killed my credit during the broke years,and sometimes I barely had money for gas, food and rent. But. I always lived on my own, in safe neighborhoods. It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. And I have no regrets.
L.A. Is my home, I was meant to live here in a way I cannot describe. The idea of not following my dream was never an option on the table for me.
I just wanted to share my story, as an alternative to all the advise I am seeing to young hopefulls of not even trying. Some of the just out of school kids asking these questions remind me a lot of me.
So what you're saying is that you've suffered a lot to live in Los Angeles and that's supposed to encourage others who want to live here?
Maybe it's better to separate "the industry" from the rest of LA in terms of the job market. Yes, the economy is bad. But it's bad everywhere. LA also has a constant migration of people in their post college years seeking to land the industry job. Separate that out, I bet unemployment and underemployment is much lower.
To be honest, I've found LA's rental housing market among the most diverse in terms of housing stock anywhere. Way better than Chicago and NYC. You can find a solid one bedroom in a good neighborhood for similar to Chicago and don't have to pay parking.
For some people, LA is great, particularly people in their 20s and 30s. For others who desire a 4 bed, 2 1/2 bath house, probably not unless they clear $200K a year in salary. It's all about priorities.
Thank you for your post and sharing your story!
My son is 21 and he is relocating to Long Beach from Pennsylvania to attend college at WyoTech and pursue his dream. I found most of the posts on here extremely helpful. Here is an example, my son found a studio apt advertised on the Gazette in North Longbeach...after finding this forum I learned that he should avoid the 90805 zip code and look downtown for a studio apt. Thanks again!
Wow, I just found this forum last night in doing L.A. Real estate research. Amazing, educational stuff here.
With all the posts here discouraging young hopefuls from pursuing their dreams of working in entertainment and moving to L.A. At a young age, I wanted to share my story to show the flip side of the coin.
I was born and raised in the suburbs of NYC. I dint remember a time in my childhood that I didn't dream of living in L.A. I was discouraged my entire youth, and of course not taken seriously by my parents. But I had a dream and there was nothing getting in my way.
Looking back I'm really glad that I was too young and stupid to occur to be scared. And kind of glad the Internet had really just gotten started, so there was nothing to scare me off.
I went to college as a tv production major at small school in upstate NY. I knew that I wanted to work in tv, and live in Los Angeles. That was all. After graduation I over back with my parents for 2 years to save money, I moved out here 24 years old, about $6,000 in savings and a drivers license. Started out at a studio apartment in Burbank, no job or leads.
I worked really hard, spent the first 10 years of my life out here **** poor. I really didn't care though. I knew this city was my home.
I've worked in and out of the entertainment industry over the years. I started out doing entertainment pr in the 90's, got burnt out on the industry and moved into the dot com works - which is ultimately what got me back into the business, where I am now in a middle management position working in online at a major studio.
My point being, its not all doom and gloom to just pick up at a young age and start from scratch. Now, I never would have come out here without a college degree and employable skills. I started off temping and in my younger years did that on and off in between jobs.
I killed my credit during the broke years,and sometimes I barely had money for gas, food and rent. But. I always lived on my own, in safe neighborhoods. It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. And I have no regrets.
L.A. Is my home, I was meant to live here in a way I cannot describe. The idea of not following my dream was never an option on the table for me.
I just wanted to share my story, as an alternative to all the advise I am seeing to young hopefulls of not even trying. Some of the just out of school kids asking these questions remind me a lot of me.
I think you just did a damn good job of horrifying most daydreamers.
It is always good to hear the other side of the story, but remember, it isn't good to give young people false hope. You were 1-lucky and 2-it wasn't today and 3-maybe you really had ideas and plans, some of these kids are simply dreaming with little or no preparation behind them and they do not come form NYC>
You said yourself, you started out temping, that isn't a good option today as the job market is so bad.
Nita
I understand what you are saying - however I don't believe that luck was the primary force of my success. I worked incredibly hard to make this happen. The thought of giving up was never in the cards. I came out here with an action plan and job skills. I wouldn't have done so, of course, without those two very important things.
Also to the poster who thought it was funny that I am so proud of how much I struggled and that it us a positive thing that I lived like that - you bet your
bottom dollar I am. I wouldn't be the person I am today without that experience. I am completely responsible for my success, and for the most
part I did it on my own. Is there a reason I shouldn't be proud of this?
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