Would I be OK living in LA? (Los Angeles, Downey: appointed, apartments)

[John_marts]

Hey, new here and this is my first post. I've been frequenting the LA forums for awhile now.

Anyway, I am completely dead set on moving out here. I'm from NJ. Basically I'm tired of the winters, humid summers, rude attitudes, and simply the whole "jersey" vibe. I absolutely love summer weather and beaches. I admire scenery, which I feel is vastly underrated as a reason to move. I also have a sense that their are much healthier places to eat in LA compared to NJ. (Vegan although I am not) it seems to just suit me.

I recently acquired a job that could potentially allow me ~$50k a year and ~30k a year on a smaller position. I know it's not a lot but I'm asking, if I were to move out here on a job transfer making around $30k a year in a studio, would I be ok?

I have radpad, and have been looking up apartments and crunching numbers left and right and I think I'd be ok living here on that income with a studio from $800-10000/month. For the local natives, is that sufficient?

I plan on coming here this winter on vacation to scope out some areas. Noho, west Hollywood, westlake, echo park, Downey, etc. Are these places you'd recommend? And are there any places you'd recommend with that rent ballpark?

BTW: the area I live in currently is pretty identical in terms of apartment rent and other overall expenses. NJ ain't cheap, so I might as well go somewhere beautiful for a similar price while I'm still young.

[theraven24]

Have you ever visited Los Angeles?

[dexter14]

You aren't going to get anywhere close to the beach on $30k a year and that cheap of rent. You would be looking at the Inland empire or the desert.

[John_marts]

Originally Posted by theraven24

Have you ever visited Los Angeles?

As a child. A few months ago I was in SF which made me want to live on this side of the country. But SoCal is more my thing.

Originally Posted by mbell75

You aren't going to get anywhere close to the beach on $30k a year and that cheap of rent. You would be looking at the Inland empire or the desert.

I'm not trying to live by the beach, just anywhere in LA. This is the bare minimum for me anyway. If I could, I'd move out here on $30k solo. But I'm assuming $50k would be ok? It's a shame how much it costs to live nowadays.

[theraven24]

Originally Posted by John_marts

As a child. A few months ago I was in SF which made me want to live on this side of the country. But SoCal is more my thing.




I'm not trying to live by the beach, just anywhere in LA. This is the bare minimum for me anyway. If I could, I'd move out here on $30k solo. But I'm assuming $50k would be ok? It's a shame how much it costs to live nowadays.

I would suggest visiting again before setting your mind on living here.

Los Angeles is very expensive, but obviously for a reason. Thirty grand is nothing. Fifty grand a year a doable, but don't expect to live in a really nice area and apartment. That income would go further in other cities besides an upscale city like Los Angeles. Don't forget taxes.

[John_marts]

I'd be happy in a decent place. I'm not trying to move here with hopes of living in the hills of Hollywood or by marina del ray. This may even just be something of an experience for me and not necessarily a long term future.

I am going to come here to fully confirm it though. I'm not just going to move here on some assumption, nor would I ever move out here without a guaranteed job. I'll just have to see how expensive it really is here. Although where I am now, it sure is a lot anyway.

[theraven24]

Originally Posted by John_marts

I am going to come here to fully confirm it though. I'm not just going to move here on some assumption, nor would I ever move out here without a guaranteed job. I'll just have to see how expensive it really is here. Although where I am now, it sure is a lot anyway.

Good. There are lots of people that move here basically without a plan and totally unprepared. They are usually the ones that end up with the shorter end of the stick.

Los Angeles, and California in general, is a dream world for a lot of the non-natives. Make sure you get a full and complete sense of this state before making the plunge. Reality sets in for those who move here and they become disappointed, sometimes. Sometimes moving here turns out good for others.

[John_marts]

Originally Posted by theraven24

Good. There are lots of people that move here basically without a plan and totally unprepared. They are usually the ones that end up with the shorter end of the stick.

Los Angeles, and California in general, is a dream world for a lot of the non-natives. Make sure you get a full and complete sense of this state before making the plunge. Reality sets in for those who move here and they become disappointed, sometimes. Sometimes moving here turns out good for others.

Thanks. I plan to make the best out of it as this is my goal and dream... Or at the very least my short term goal and dream. From the research I've done I really admire this city. It seems like nothing else, and I'm not expecting it to be all fancy and glittery at all. I'm not just some guy trying to "make it". I simply want to live here with a steady paying job to enjoy the weather and admire the beauty of it.

[theraven24]

Originally Posted by John_marts

Thanks. I plan to make the best out of it as this is my goal and dream... Or at the very least my short term goal and dream. From the research I've done I really admire this city. It seems like nothing else, and I'm not expecting it to be all fancy and glittery at all. I'm not just some guy trying to "make it". I simply want to live here with a steady paying job to enjoy the weather and admire the beauty of it.

I understand your intentions. Still, there are people who have this image of Los Angeles/California, thanks to the media, and they get here and it's not what they expected.

[Nafster]

Originally Posted by mbell75

You aren't going to get anywhere close to the beach on $30k a year and that cheap of rent. You would be looking at the Inland empire or the desert.

That is not true at all.

Perhaps you are right about a studio..... those are always difficult to find cheap nowadays no matter where you live.

If the OP is willing to accept the fact that a roommate may be needed, there are definitely places near the beach that can be rented for 1000-1100 a month, even cheaper depending on how many roommates.

You have to use West Side Rentals. It's the best.