There is PLENTY of affordable housing in LA- you just have to make sacrifices. (Glendale: waterpark, buying a home)

[jeffredo]

Originally Posted by yamota

let's face, not everybody in LA can afford to live in a multi-bedroom house with a pool in a mostly white neighborhood

That's basically the story anywhere. There is affordable housing in the Bay Area too - but you have to live around working class or poor Latinos and blacks to get it. Many whites and Asians don't want to do that.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by jeffredo

That's basically the story anywhere. There is affordable housing in the Bay Area too - but you have to live around working class or poor Latinos and blacks to get it. Many whites and Asians don't want to do that.

Maybe many of those Latinos and blacks don't want to live around uppity whites and Asians either.

[5thgenSF]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Solution: Don't breed. Less people to support.

exactly. and less people competing for the non-existent jobs!

[Sedona Wildflower]

Originally Posted by Outragedous

Just looking in the valley there are quite a few small homes for 200,000-300,000 in Burbank and Glendale. Only 700-900 sq ft. but yes it is possible to find affordable housing in the valley.

I seriously thought you were joking when I first read this. Coming from Phoenix .......... I'm speechless that a 900 sq ft home would cost you $300K. I won't even bore you with what you could currently get in Scottsdale for that much money.

I've always owned my own home but I'm definitely going to have to rent for awhile it seems.

Yikes.

[Elle Oh Elle]

There are houses like that in El Monte, too. Especially since 2010 or so the prices have been dropping slightly. But if you wanted a good neighborhood and good schools and all that? Nope, you'd have to fork up at least $600K on average.

Originally Posted by Sedona Wildflower

I seriously thought you were joking when I first read this. Coming from Phoenix .......... I'm speechless that a 900 sq ft home would cost you $300K. I won't even bore you with what you could currently get in Scottsdale for that much money.

I've always owned my own home but I'm definitely going to have to rent for awhile it seems.

Yikes.

Yeah, that's the case in Texas as well. You can buy a 2000 square foot in Houston for only $70,000 or so. Mansions that cost like $30 million in LA would be only $1 mil there. I've seen $100,000 houses that boast eight rooms, a pool, and furniture. The downside is that they don't offer the variety of jobs California does and you don't make as much money.

[Tasksgirl]

Glendale is not the valley it's Glendale..

We used to live in Glendale and now currently own a townhouse in the valley and know it very, very well. My husband and I go on drives to look at houses and check out neighborhoods several times a week for fun. We are looking to upgrade to a real house soon.


These are all in decent-nice neighborhoods in the SFV:

15201 SAN JOSE St, Mission Hills San Fernando, CA 91345 | MLS# F12085573
16706 Tribune Street, Granada Hills CA - Trulia
15855 Rayen Street, North Hills CA - Trulia
15555 LUDLOW ST, MISSION HILLS, CA Property Listing - For Sale - MLS# F12059422 - ZipRealty (a 6 car garage! wtf?)
9333 Wystone Ave, Northridge, CA 91324 MLS# F12045908 - Zillow
8830 Gothic Ave, North Hills, CA 91343 MLS# S694896 - Zillow * (One of my favorites. We have driven by this one. GORGEOUS and quiet area and street. Lots of families. Saw the homeowners working on their house.)

If you can go up to 350k your options get even better:

9312 Monogram Ave, North Hills, CA 91343 MLS# F12065508 - Zillow
15037 Mayall St, Mission Hills, CA 91345 MLS# F12081685 - Zillow
16012 Calahan St, North Hills, CA 91343 MLS# F12075899 - Zillow *(Another personal favorite of mine)
19239 Malden St, Northridge, CA 91324 MLS# 12606497 - Zillow *(How awesome is that backyard?)


The only downsides to these areas listed above is that they can be bland & suburban. Some a bit "ghetto adjacent" but isolated in nice pockets of nice homes with pools & homeowners that care and happy kids riding their bikes around the streets. Some of the homes may need a little TLC. But as you can see many of those links were for pretty awesome houses.


Being in a bit of a "boring" neighborhood is the trade off some people choose to make for their families.
It is not impossible to pay 250-325k and get an *updated* house AND even get a pool in a nice area. Probably not a hipster area (unless you are willing to bide your time and wait and snatch up a 800sq ft Short Sale or something) but a nice quiet family area.

Do a search and see for yourself.

Houses above not your scene?

Encino close to Ventura - 5836 Encino Ave, Encino, CA 91316 MLS# 12-592865 - Zillow
NOHO fixer - 11462 Albers St, North Hollywood, CA 91601 MLS# S694058 - Zillow

If anyone has a question about a specific street or area let me know. The valley is funny like that. For example: There are EXTREMELY ghetto neighborhoods off of Parthenia littered with cheap apartments but go the other direction past the freeway for about 5-10 minutes and there are some extremely nice neighborhoods with houses even going up to 1 million on huge lots with guest homes & a backyard oasis.


*I should be a real estate agent considering how much time I waste looking at houses.. LOL*

[nighthouse66]

when i saw the title of this thread i thought, "cool! someone talking about really living cheap!" but OH. you mean, cheap like, middle class. does that still exist? how about starving artist, busted-azz, really really cheap? i have been living like that here for years.

right now i live in a bus (roomy, comfortable, with electricity) in a latino neighborhood behind a victorian with alot of other weirdo artists. we put on shows and have sometimes 150 people crammed into this space. the cops come by sometimes, but they don't really care. if we were in some more desirable area of L.A., we'd been shut down after the first show. i don't have to go anywhere for a party or to see great live music or see films being made in my front lawn. i sacrifice my own bathroom, desire for quiet, and my own kitchen for the splendor of having money left over for things like food and phone bills. i pay 550 a month including utilities (wi fi too). my price range does not even entertain things like a mortgage, health insurance, or brand names. i buy all my clothes at the st vincent store, which i walk to through some of the ugliest neighborhoods this side of hades because i don't have a car. my neighbors are nice, but i don't speak spanish, so we just smile and wave and they call me "gringa". i buy two-for-a-buck pastries at the pan dulce case at the supermarket where everyone is nice but which smells like raw chicken and has pinantas hanging everywhere. i have learned to enjoy chili powder on every damn thing you can name. i STILL hate ranchera music, but occasionally hear obscure soul classics pouring out of fantastic old metal-flake hot rods (headed to lincoln park or down whittier boulevard, no doubt). i have seen people shoot up a few blocks from here in broad daylight at a crosswalk, eat out of garbage cans, and turn tricks in the wooded spot next to the gas station almost next to my house. i have NEVER been accosted, fondled, nor so much as been treated rudely by anyone other than the crazy schizo bag lady who screamed out at me one day, "you ******* *******!" which i found hilarious. i am as white as the driven snow. so was she. i take it as a compliment, that i am blending into my neighborhood. i ran into more sketch and more problems near the beach than i ever have here. there are gangs here (they are EVERYWHERE in L.a.) but they mostly drink beer and hang out on front porches. never heard a gunshot here once.
i am five minutes from downtown, chinatown, and echo park. i am safe. and i love my neighborhood. and its CHEAP.

[Elle Oh Elle]

Originally Posted by nighthouse66

when i saw the title of this thread i thought, "cool! someone talking about really living cheap!" but OH. you mean, cheap like, middle class. does that still exist? how about starving artist, busted-azz, really really cheap? i have been living like that here for years.

right now i live in a bus (roomy, comfortable, with electricity) in a latino neighborhood behind a victorian with alot of other weirdo artists. we put on shows and have sometimes 150 people crammed into this space. the cops come by sometimes, but they don't really care. if we were in some more desirable area of L.A., we'd been shut down after the first show. i don't have to go anywhere for a party or to see great live music or see films being made in my front lawn. i sacrifice my own bathroom, desire for quiet, and my own kitchen for the splendor of having money left over for things like food and phone bills. i pay 550 a month including utilities (wi fi too). my price range does not even entertain things like a mortgage, health insurance, or brand names. i buy all my clothes at the st vincent store, which i walk to through some of the ugliest neighborhoods this side of hades because i don't have a car. my neighbors are nice, but i don't speak spanish, so we just smile and wave and they call me "gringa". i buy two-for-a-buck pastries at the pan dulce case at the supermarket where everyone is nice but which smells like raw chicken and has pinantas hanging everywhere. i have learned to enjoy chili powder on every damn thing you can name. i STILL hate ranchera music, but occasionally hear obscure soul classics pouring out of fantastic old metal-flake hot rods (headed to lincoln park or down whittier boulevard, no doubt). i have seen people shoot up a few blocks from here in broad daylight at a crosswalk, eat out of garbage cans, and turn tricks in the wooded spot next to the gas station almost next to my house. i have NEVER been accosted, fondled, nor so much as been treated rudely by anyone other than the crazy schizo bag lady who screamed out at me one day, "you ******* *******!" which i found hilarious. i am as white as the driven snow. so was she. i take it as a compliment, that i am blending into my neighborhood. i ran into more sketch and more problems near the beach than i ever have here. there are gangs here (they are EVERYWHERE in L.a.) but they mostly drink beer and hang out on front porches. never heard a gunshot here once.
i am five minutes from downtown, chinatown, and echo park. i am safe. and i love my neighborhood. and its CHEAP.

Wouldn't surprise me. Have you ever toured a college? There are many students (and probably some staff, too) who live like this. Hell, I've met teens who had to live with dozens of people in a small house. They claim it's cheaper than being charged by their parents. They basically live off frozen or prepackaged meals.

However, depending where you live, it doesn't always work out. There are people who live like this and get caught.

[GregHenry]

Originally Posted by Outragedous

Just looking in the valley there are quite a few small homes for 200,000-300,000 in Burbank and Glendale. Only 700-900 sq ft. but yes it is possible to find affordable housing in the valley.

300K should buy you a 4,000 sq. ft. mansion with a two-car garage on an acre of land.

[DewDropInn]

Originally Posted by nighthouse66

when i saw the title of this thread i thought, "cool! someone talking about really living cheap!" but OH. you mean, cheap like, middle class. does that still exist? how about starving artist, busted-azz, really really cheap? i have been living like that here for years.

right now i live in a bus (roomy, comfortable, with electricity) in a latino neighborhood behind a victorian with alot of other weirdo artists. we put on shows and have sometimes 150 people crammed into this space. the cops come by sometimes, but they don't really care. if we were in some more desirable area of L.A., we'd been shut down after the first show. i don't have to go anywhere for a party or to see great live music or see films being made in my front lawn. i sacrifice my own bathroom, desire for quiet, and my own kitchen for the splendor of having money left over for things like food and phone bills. i pay 550 a month including utilities (wi fi too). my price range does not even entertain things like a mortgage, health insurance, or brand names. i buy all my clothes at the st vincent store, which i walk to through some of the ugliest neighborhoods this side of hades because i don't have a car. my neighbors are nice, but i don't speak spanish, so we just smile and wave and they call me "gringa". i buy two-for-a-buck pastries at the pan dulce case at the supermarket where everyone is nice but which smells like raw chicken and has pinantas hanging everywhere. i have learned to enjoy chili powder on every damn thing you can name. i STILL hate ranchera music, but occasionally hear obscure soul classics pouring out of fantastic old metal-flake hot rods (headed to lincoln park or down whittier boulevard, no doubt). i have seen people shoot up a few blocks from here in broad daylight at a crosswalk, eat out of garbage cans, and turn tricks in the wooded spot next to the gas station almost next to my house. i have NEVER been accosted, fondled, nor so much as been treated rudely by anyone other than the crazy schizo bag lady who screamed out at me one day, "you ******* *******!" which i found hilarious. i am as white as the driven snow. so was she. i take it as a compliment, that i am blending into my neighborhood. i ran into more sketch and more problems near the beach than i ever have here. there are gangs here (they are EVERYWHERE in L.a.) but they mostly drink beer and hang out on front porches. never heard a gunshot here once.
i am five minutes from downtown, chinatown, and echo park. i am safe. and i love my neighborhood. and its CHEAP.

This is a great post. The L.A. experience in a nut shell.

You either get it or you don't. Viva Los Angeles!