I've been in LA for two weeks. My initial reactions... (Los Angeles: rentals, landlords)

[goldenglory18]

Ok, now that I've been here for a full two weeks, I have some initial opinions and reactions of Los Angeles.

1) The cost of living. Gas is more (and I use more of it,) food is more (but it's better,) and alcohol is more (but the service and eye candy are top-of-the-line.) So yes, it's expensive, but there is an exponential amount of things to do/see and everything is of high quality. Definitely get what you pay for.
2) Landlords are dickbags. I had three ****ty experiences trying to lease places I was perfectly qualified for before I leased my 1 bed with parking in WeHo, and even this LL wasn't exactly "nice." Oh, and the LL's will ask for an arm and a leg if they can. I had one quote me $150 extra per dog per month, and a $1500 nonrefundable pet deposit. Hahaha, ok dude, GTFO. Do yourself a favor and know the law before you get taken by a greedy owner.
3) Parking sucks. Especially if you have an older suv that's steering and suspension is crapping out. I have to two and three point turn just about every time I park, and a lot of places I don't even try (I cant park this vehicle in my rentals designated spot.) Oh yeah, downtown parking lots are EXPENSIVE...
4) Always keep cash on you. Three times I've gone to places and their card reading system was out of order. Super frustrating when you are one that almost never has cash.
5) The day to day pace of the area is very similar to NYC. It's keep up or move over. I like it, but I'm not sure how my wife will over time (she is still in AZ.)
6) I work A LOT (10-12 hour days and at least one day on the weekend) so I haven't had a chance to see much of the sights yet, but the city is very accessible via vehicle after 2 am. I do a lot of my driving around and exploring in the wee hours of the AM (Beverly Hills is especially beautiful at night.) This week I plan on driving the whole sunset strip and possibly exploring downtown. That should be fun.

So, overall, I like the area, I just think it will take a little more time to get adjusted. It's a big change from SoAZ and with this job being a little less-than-expected (different post for a different forum) it may be a harder living situation than planned. But hey, that's LA.

[seain dublin]

LA is NOTHING like the pace of NYC, I was born in NYC and was back there less than 6 months ago.

Night and day compared to LA.

I can see the difference between AZ and LA, but NYC? Not even close.

Depending on where you go parking can be very easy. As far as downtown parking being expensive, what large city in America has low cost downtown parking?

[disgruntled la native]

Originally Posted by goldenglory18

Ok, now that I've been here for a full two weeks, I have some initial opinions and reactions of Los Angeles.

1) The cost of living. Gas is more (and I use more of it,) food is more (but it's better,) and alcohol is more (but the service and eye candy are top-of-the-line.) So yes, it's expensive, but there is an exponential amount of things to do/see and everything is of high quality. Definitely get what you pay for.
2) Landlords are dickbags. I had three ****ty experiences trying to lease places I was perfectly qualified for before I leased my 1 bed with parking in WeHo, and even this LL wasn't exactly "nice." Oh, and the LL's will ask for an arm and a leg if they can. I had one quote me $150 extra per dog per month, and a $1500 nonrefundable pet deposit. Hahaha, ok dude, GTFO. Do yourself a favor and know the law before you get taken by a greedy owner.
3) Parking sucks. Especially if you have an older suv that's steering and suspension is crapping out. I have to two and three point turn just about every time I park, and a lot of places I don't even try (I cant park this vehicle in my rentals designated spot.) Oh yeah, downtown parking lots are EXPENSIVE...
4) Always keep cash on you. Three times I've gone to places and their card reading system was out of order. Super frustrating when you are one that almost never has cash.
5) The day to day pace of the area is very similar to NYC. It's keep up or move over. I like it, but I'm not sure how my wife will over time (she is still in AZ.)
6) I work A LOT (10-12 hour days and at least one day on the weekend) so I haven't had a chance to see much of the sights yet, but the city is very accessible via vehicle after 2 am. I do a lot of my driving around and exploring in the wee hours of the AM (Beverly Hills is especially beautiful at night.) This week I plan on driving the whole sunset strip and possibly exploring downtown. That should be fun.

So, overall, I like the area, I just think it will take a little more time to get adjusted. It's a big change from SoAZ and with this job being a little less-than-expected (different post for a different forum) it may be a harder living situation than planned. But hey, that's LA.

1. Yes, COL is high here. Gas and food certainly. Alcohol? We're cheaper here in CA than most states and its more accessible. I'm surprised you think service and eye candy is prevalent here too.

2. It's a landlord's market.

3. Yes, definitely.

4. More and more you can go cashless now. But in any place it's always good to have some case.

5. No, not at all.

6. Yeah, the city is best in the middle of the night.

[tjasse]

Actually NYC chilled out a lot over the past 10 years and LA got a lot more expensive, so I could see the general stress levels possibly converging.

[John_marts]

Where are you from that the COL is more? I'm from north jersey where its already expensive, so I cant imagine it being that much more.

[UB50]

Food should not cost more. Check Yelp and Chowhound for low cost options. We find food to be extremely inexpensive here!

[MordinSolus]

Driving around Los Angeles at night is awesome indeed. But like others have pointed out, Los Angeles is really nothing like NYC. I lived in NYC and couldn't stand the way the fast pace made people behave. Everyone acts like they're always in a hurry and it's everyone else's fault. In Los Angeles even if you are late you're always right on time.

[socal88]

Every place has its pros and cons and your initial reactions are reasonable. Yes, traffic / parking / cost of living are some definite downsides but there is a reason why LA has been expensive and continues to become more expensive. That being said, it also depends on where you live in LA. Lots of beautiful areas and lots of not so beautiful areas to put it nicely. Some places can be busy and frenetic (e.g. Hollywood) while some areas are a bit more low key (e.g. the Valley). Depending on what you like to do, it can be a great city. Soak in the nightlife, try various cuisines, and explore the mountains and beaches.
You just got to let LA marinate for a bit.

And yes, driving in LA at night is great. Taking Sunset all the way from the ocean through Hollywood at a late hour when it's not congested on a warm night is a nice drive.

[jtamay3]

I think what you're experiencing, is the negatives of moving to a bigger city. The same stuff you're experiencing is the same that you would experience moving to SF, Chicago, New York or Miami.

[IM90046]

Originally Posted by goldenglory18

Ok, now that I've been here for a full two weeks, I have some initial opinions and reactions of Los Angeles.

1) The cost of living. Gas is more (and I use more of it,) food is more (but it's better,) and alcohol is more (but the service and eye candy are top-of-the-line.) So yes, it's expensive, but there is an exponential amount of things to do/see and everything is of high quality. Definitely get what you pay for.
2) Landlords are dickbags. I had three ****ty experiences trying to lease places I was perfectly qualified for before I leased my 1 bed with parking in WeHo, and even this LL wasn't exactly "nice." Oh, and the LL's will ask for an arm and a leg if they can. I had one quote me $150 extra per dog per month, and a $1500 nonrefundable pet deposit. Hahaha, ok dude, GTFO. Do yourself a favor and know the law before you get taken by a greedy owner.
3) Parking sucks. Especially if you have an older suv that's steering and suspension is crapping out. I have to two and three point turn just about every time I park, and a lot of places I don't even try (I cant park this vehicle in my rentals designated spot.) Oh yeah, downtown parking lots are EXPENSIVE...
4) Always keep cash on you. Three times I've gone to places and their card reading system was out of order. Super frustrating when you are one that almost never has cash.
5) The day to day pace of the area is very similar to NYC. It's keep up or move over. I like it, but I'm not sure how my wife will over time (she is still in AZ.)
6) I work A LOT (10-12 hour days and at least one day on the weekend) so I haven't had a chance to see much of the sights yet, but the city is very accessible via vehicle after 2 am. I do a lot of my driving around and exploring in the wee hours of the AM (Beverly Hills is especially beautiful at night.) This week I plan on driving the whole sunset strip and possibly exploring downtown. That should be fun.

So, overall, I like the area, I just think it will take a little more time to get adjusted. It's a big change from SoAZ and with this job being a little less-than-expected (different post for a different forum) it may be a harder living situation than planned. But hey, that's LA.

Interesting initial insight from a non native. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds like getting a new car will help your #1 and #3