Apartment Hunting Strategies: DTLA and Pasadena (Los Angeles, Lincoln: lofts, safest, nightlife)

[Bartleby9]

looking for a place in Koreatown but there's not much on hotpads.com or padmapper. Am I better off driving around the area?

Also...my price range for a studio is 700-900. I've found a couple in the 700 range but ideally I'd like something as close to Wilshire as possible.

[kasuga888]

Originally Posted by Bartleby9

looking for a place in Koreatown but there's not much on hotpads.com or padmapper. Am I better off driving around the area?

Also...my price range for a studio is 700-900. I've found a couple in the 700 range but ideally I'd like something as close to Wilshire as possible.

Move up your budget by a little more. I once walked around and try calling the numbers outside the apartments. I don't think anyone ever answered or returned my calls except for the bigger complexes which had real leasing offices. But maybe other people have had diffrent experiences.

[True Freedom]

Originally Posted by munchitup

Actually probably not. Rush hour in Pasadena is almost DTLA-esque on the surface streets, especially in that "downtown Pasadena" area I described in my post above. It is certainly worse than Hollywood surface traffic, maybe other than Franklin approaching the 5 and 101 freeways.

For instance, my wife and I drove to Eaton Canyon last Friday at about 4PM and it took us almost a half an hour to drive 3-4 miles - worst of all the traffic didn't get better once we got north of 210 like I assumed it would, it was gridlocked all the way to Washington Blvd.

My street (El Molino) is typically grid-locked during the morning and evening rush hours. Pasadena is a fairly large job center and while there is rail transit, it is not really convenient to a lot of the jobs (which are about 1/2 a mile from most stations). Plus I think most office buildings have ample parking, which offers an incentive for workers to drive.

We should probably build more high density housing here in Pasadena. That will make El Molino nice and free flowing.

[jamills21]

Think about Highland park as well

[HyperionGap]

Originally Posted by True Freedom

We should probably build more high density housing here in Pasadena. That will make El Molino nice and free flowing.

:[ endless construction along Pasadena ave. More complexes going up every year.

I wish they would try and put more incentives to redevelop/rehab the Washington corridor.

[Bartleby9]

Originally Posted by kasuga888

Move up your budget by a little more. I once walked around and try calling the numbers outside the apartments. I don't think anyone ever answered or returned my calls except for the bigger complexes which had real leasing offices. But maybe other people have had diffrent experiences.

Why? Do you know something about Koreatown studio apartments that you'd like to share?

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by True Freedom

We should probably build more high density housing here in Pasadena. That will make El Molino nice and free flowing.

I don't really care about the bad traffic. I walk for 75%+ of my trips. There isn't anywhere along El Molino for more construction anyways (other than the current construction). The traffic is more a result of people coming and going from work, not locals.

[woodsart]

I looked at DTLA apts -- you really want to check out the locations, reviews, and tour each one. My experience was the high end luxury buildings are nice, though outside their borders it is still often pretty grimy and at times with not much to do after hours. LA is odd in that the DT area is still revitalizing and gentrifying, so the cool loft buildings aren't near a lot of the night life or basic amenities like grocery stores. I can say I have rented with Equity Apts in Seattle, a national company, and toured some of their DTLA buildings. I liked them and they had a lot of amenities and good design. They run about $1800-2k for a studio or one bedroom though. In my experience, you kind of get what you pay for. Little Tokyo has nice high rises too from what I hear.

A friend of mine just moved to Old Town pasadena, which has a ton of everything you need (cleaners, a variety of restaurants, shops, and tons of people milling about) but it doesn't have high rise or loft living and luxury apts are more or less comparable in rent. Though you can find decent older apts that are cheaper and bigger, just not right on top of Old Town itself... Like walking distance away.

I settled in a cottage in south pas, and am two blocks from the metro so I just go into DTLA whenever I want for the events, but avoided the high cost and the grime. I love high rise urban living and have done this in Seattle, but I just didn't find DTLA developed enough in amenities and it still has a lot of homelessness, grit, drugs, etc. just wasn't what I was looking for. But it might work for you if you love ultra urban and don't mind it a bit more gritty. I loved WEHO and it is very walkable, but doesn't have high rise living and the commuting and parking sucked so far as I could tell.

I lived in highland park for a year and wouldn't bother, if i were you. It is pretty suburban (as is most of LA).

On finding places -- Craigslist is full of scams and wasted tons of my time. I would do a combo of walk around (gives you a feel for how gritty some parts are and how other parts are nicer) and grab the number or talk to the doorman at places you like the vibe of plus look online through large apt company searches and your those places. The rents often change day to day in large buildings but they often can put you on a waiting list if you don't like what is available, and they often know a month out when something will come open. In Pasadena, you can find the smaller apt buildings best through driving or walking around. Walking is great because you get a sense of how close you are to desireable bars, restaurants, etc.

I have found good places on west side rentals, but not for the large apt buildings, just places like my cottage. I found the $60 worth it to not waste my time on people illegally subletting, people who wanted insane costs for credit checks (I.e., making money off the prospective renters), etc.

Do be prepared to fork over money for a deposit on the spot for anything you really want and to make decisions quickly. Anything good tends to go within days of listing. I have never had to do a cashiers check though, but then I am local. But literally, a really good place will often rent the day it is listed. To get into my cottage, which is in a very desirable location, I asked to see the place early while the tenants were still in it (charmed my way in) and took it on the spot, providing my deposit about 2 weeks before the other people were moving out. The cottage next to mine rented the first day it was shown. A great place that isn't in a large building with periodic openings practically has sharks swimming around it the moment it is advertised, at least that has been what I have seen with houses in eagle rock and south pas (apts in south pas too).

[Bartleby9]

what about questionable credit score? I paid off my debts but those paid debts still show up on my credit report.

If I offered to pay four months upfront for an apt would that negate a not-so-great credit score in the eyes of a landlord?

[woodsart]

I have had no problem with renting despite a past bankruptcy. They cared more about my job situation (I now work for a State U so it is very secure). None were large complexes, though. If you have letters stating the debts are paid in full, that will help. I would also challenge the items on your credit report so that they are corrected.