picking the right neighborhood (Highland, West Hollywood: real estate, apartments, rentals)

[achenn]

I'm moving to LA in a little less than a month, pretty much site unseen(never been, but have been researching the **** out of it). I'll have 2-3 days to find a place to live once I'm there, so I need to be as efficient as possible in my searches. So far, it seems West Hollywood(Hollywood in general?) and Silverlake/Echo Park/Los Feliz will be the best fit, but I'm unsure.

I want: a walkable neighborhood, good restaurants, good nightlife.
I am: a early 20's creative moving with my partner who is an early 20's hair stylist(higher end), we have 2 dogs, and are looking at $1000-1200 for a 1+ bed/1 bath.

Questions:
- What's the difference between Silverlake, Echo Park, and Los Feliz(location, lifestyle, etc.)?
- Your thoughts on Koreatown?
- Is downtown really still a "no-live zone"? I've read mixed things and lofts there seem to be really inexpensive.(I live in Dallas, and I very much consider downtown Dallas to be a "no-live zone" for it's lack of grocery stores, good restaurants, nightlife, etc.)


Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

[Blue Skies]

The areas you listed sound like good fits for what you posted, but look on Craigslist first for rentals. Finding something for $1,200 will be hard, but finding something for $1,200 with two dogs will be almost impossible.

Los Feliz will be the most expensive of the areas you have listed. Most of W. Hollywood is rent controlled, which will help. But again, look for a rental first before moving here, as having two dogs will be the biggest challenge.

Good luck, and welcome to California!

[achenn]

Originally Posted by Blue Skies

The areas you listed sound like good fits for what you posted, but look on Craigslist first for rentals. Finding something for $1,200 will be hard, but finding something for $1,200 with two dogs will be almost impossible.

Los Feliz will be the most expensive of the areas you have listed. Most of W. Hollywood is rent controlled, which will help. But again, look for a rental first before moving here, as having two dogs will be the biggest challenge.

Good luck, and welcome to California!

Thanks, Blue Skies. I've been searching Craigslist like crazy over the past few days and have noticed a decent selection within our price range. Well, according to their images at least. (Images and real-life can sometimes be wildly different, unfortunately.)

Hopefully the fact that my dogs are relatively small(~20lbs each) helps!

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by achenn

I'm moving to LA in a little less than a month, pretty much site unseen(never been, but have been researching the **** out of it). I'll have 2-3 days to find a place to live once I'm there, so I need to be as efficient as possible in my searches. So far, it seems West Hollywood(Hollywood in general?) and Silverlake/Echo Park/Los Feliz will be the best fit, but I'm unsure.

I want: a walkable neighborhood, good restaurants, good nightlife.
I am: a early 20's creative moving with my partner who is an early 20's hair stylist(higher end), we have 2 dogs, and are looking at $1000-1200 for a 1+ bed/1 bath.

Questions:
- What's the difference between Silverlake, Echo Park, and Los Feliz(location, lifestyle, etc.)?
- Your thoughts on Koreatown?
- Is downtown really still a "no-live zone"? I've read mixed things and lofts there seem to be really inexpensive.(I live in Dallas, and I very much consider downtown Dallas to be a "no-live zone" for it's lack of grocery stores, good restaurants, nightlife, etc.)


Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

I wouldn't call DTLA a "no-live" zone anymore - It has a Ralph's (major grocer), a CityTarget, trendy neighborhoods like Historic Core, Arts District (though more isolated) and South Park, as well as a handful of others. Probably the hottest restaurant scene in the city, lots of bars and a lot of positive momentum in the neighborhood - it is only going to get better, and quickly.

Echo Park is the most "urban" of those three, probably the least gentrified. Silverlake is between Echo Park and Los Feliz geographically and in terms of gentrification. Los Feliz is the cleanest and most gentrified with some areas that are extremely expensive - it also has the closest access to the Red Line at Sunset and Vermont. Honestly the differences between these neighborhoods are very slim, all pretty desirable, artistic-minded communities.

Koreatown and Hollywood are very similar, gritty, very urban great transit access. The biggest difference is Hollywood has a huge tourism draw which has made a few areas "sterile" like Hollywood and Highland and has probably pushed it along the gentrification train a little more quickly than Koreatown. For those that enjoy urban environments they are good areas to live but those that prefer things a little cleaner, these areas kind seem a little scary or "ghetto". These areas are also where a lot of the nightlife goes on, lots of clubs, bars and lounges. Note that they are both very large neighborhoods geographically so some blocks are safer and more "liveable" than others.

West Hollywood strikes me as a blend of Hollywood and Los Feliz, a little bit of grit, a little bit of pretentiousness, but overall a pretty well-gentrified area (i.e. not over-gentrified). Not the best transit access and fairly far from any freeways, so that is the biggest drawback to Weho for me.

[achenn]

Originally Posted by munchitup

I wouldn't call DTLA a "no-live" zone anymore - It has a Ralph's (major grocer), a CityTarget, trendy neighborhoods like Historic Core, Arts District (though more isolated) and South Park, as well as a handful of others.

Echo Park is the most "urban" of those three, probably the least gentrified. Silverlake is between Echo Park and Los Feliz geographically and in terms of gentrification. Los Feliz is the cleanest and most gentrified with some areas that are extremely expensive - it also has the closest access to the Red Line at Sunset and Vermont. Honestly the differences between these neighborhoods are very slim, all pretty desirable, artistic-minded communities.

Koreatown and Hollywood are very similar, gritty, very urban great transit access. The biggest difference is Hollywood has a huge tourism draw which has made a few areas "sterile" like Hollywood and Highland and has probably pushed it along the gentrification train a little more quickly than Koreatown. For those that enjoy urban environments they are good areas to live but those that prefer things a little cleaner, these areas kind seem a little scary or "ghetto".

West Hollywood strikes me as a blend of Hollywood and Los Feliz, a little bit of grit, a little bit of pretentiousness, but overall a pretty well-gentrified area (i.e. not over-gentrified). Not the best transit access and fairly far from any freeways, so that is the biggest drawback to Weho for me.

Thank you for your thoughtful response! I live in a fairly gritty, 'up and coming' neighborhood now so that is definitely something I'm used to.. and actually, really enjoy. I'm curious about life in DTLA.. it's looking more and more promising, especially for the cost.

I've seen rentals listed as being in "Hollywood" and "Hollywood Hills"- is there a difference? (If so, what are the differences?)

[BRinSM]

silverlake is all the rage right now and from what i hear dumpy apartments are demanding very high rents. it's also not very walkable unless you live very close to sunset blvd. echo park is pretty much the same deal, but not as gentrified (read: more latinos and more crime). both los feliz and west hollywood will offer a more established urban environment. downtown is the most urban in the traditional sense, but the amenities are still catching up to the growing population. having said that, it is pretty lively and i wouldn't remove it from consideration.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by achenn

Thank you for your thoughtful response! I live in a fairly gritty, 'up and coming' neighborhood now so that is definitely something I'm used to.. and actually, really enjoy. I'm curious about life in DTLA.. it's looking more and more promising, especially for the cost.

I've seen rentals listed as being in "Hollywood" and "Hollywood Hills"- is there a difference? (If so, what are the differences?)

Hollywood Hills is generally anything north of Franklin Ave - but real estate agents probably use the "hills" tag to make it seem more appealing. Sometimes Los Feliz is referred to as Hollywood also. There is a big difference between Hollywood Hills and the rest of Hollywood, as the hills is mostly houses with very few apartments, while Hollywood is almost exclusively apartments.