Moving from Brooklyn to LA - advise me please? (Los Angeles: real estate, apartment)

[adamgreenberg]

Hey I'm Adam. I'm 21 and live in Brooklyn, NY where I grew up. I have no children but would every ally like to meet someone and change that. I share a 2 bedroom with my brother and his wife but they are pregnant and currently in the process of looking to buy a home in the suburbs. My parents live in Surfside Florida close to Miami Beach. Since I will have to move anyway, this is a shot for me to relocate. I have a great aunt (grandmother's younger sister) who has lived in Los Angeles for 30 years and every visit I have had out there I really enjoy. She said I can stay with her and her husband for as long as I want since their kids have moved out and they have too much room in their home. They live close to the intersection of Olympic and Cienaga.


I am a teller at a bank, they are mostly in the Northeast but have one branch in CA, which is near UC Los Angeles and I am going to transfer there. I am also planning on getting my Real Estate license and doing that eventually.


Here are my questions -

I have a license but have never owned a car. I will get one when I am there but I was wondering if it would be completely impossible or take 3 hours to get from Olympic and Cienaga to UCLA on a bus or train? If that's the case I will purchase a crappy old car off craigslist until I can get a lease for a nice sedan.


Though I will be living with my auntie to start, I would eventually want to get my own apartment. I would like somewhere quiet and suburb like, a little boring and safe. I don't like "hip" or anything like. I was recommended Sherman Oaks but I read that it is now a trendy hipster area which is not anywhere I feel comfortable at all. Can you recommend a good area for what I want? Under $1500 for 1 bedroom



Thanks!

[MordinSolus]

You're 21 and you want to live in a quieter, more boring area than your elderly aunt? It sounds like any place near your job is going to be too lively for you.

That said, you're only like 4 miles from UCLA at your aunt's place so you should be able to take the bus there in an hour or less. You could bike there much quicker though.

[coltoncity]

What an awesome opportunity! Watch out for craigslist cars. I am outside LA in the IE but every time we tried that it was not good. We would pay a mechanic or take a friend who was a mechanic before thinking about buying. A lot of the cars are put back together. There is other areas of the Valley. Sherman Oaks is just a safe place and looks to be an easier drive. I have been looking that way too. Have you thought about Burbank? There are a few in that area for 1 bedroom for 1500. Its safe. And Not trendy

[adamgreenberg]

Yeah I am not really the trendy type and do not groove with "young urban professional" or hipsters crowd. I don't mind chain stores or anything like that. I am kind of conservative in behavior. I have lived in either Manhattan (till age 11) or Brooklyn my whole life and want a spot more suburban and quiet as long as it is a decent commute (45 mins by car). As for biking I wouldn't ever ride a bike to work, talk about dangerous and over exerting!

My aunt lives there because of the Jewish character of the area. She doesn't feel comfortable in areas that aren't mostly Jewish. She also moved there in 1983!

Thanks for the tip about Burbank! Looking into it now!

[saybanana]

From Olympic/La Cienega you just walk up a few blocks up to Wilshire and catch the 20/720 bus to Westwood in 20-40 mins depending on traffic. It comes like every 3-10 minutes in rush hour. You bank is most likely in Westwood Village and you just walk from there. Most of the trendy in the valley is on Ventura Blvd. Not hipster just upscale socal lifestyle. Closer to westwood are places like Westchester/Playa del rey. El segundo too.

[MordinSolus]

Originally Posted by adamgreenberg

As for biking I wouldn't ever ride a bike to work, talk about dangerous and over exerting!

Biking in Los Angeles isn't as hinky as biking in New York. I ride my bike all the time and for much longer distances and it's fine.

[adamgreenberg]

Originally Posted by MordinSolus

Biking in Los Angeles isn't as hinky as biking in New York. I ride my bike all the time and for much longer distances and it's fine.

I don't even like walking the 8 blocks to the store to buy cigarettes on Saturday (the bodega across the street from me is closed on Saturday for shabbos - my area is about 2/3 Hasidic jews) so I take the bus...I would smell like a locker room LMAO

As for the person who recommended I live on Ventura Blvd...can anyone recommend some nice complexes (or tell me ones to stay away from?) in that area..

[nightlysparrow]

Originally Posted by adamgreenberg

I don't even like walking the 8 blocks to the store to buy cigarettes

Note: California is #2 in the US for states with the most non-smokers. You can't smoke on the beach, in restaurants, in bars, and even many apartment buildings are nonsmoking. Some jobs screen for nicotine, as they don't want smokers on their health plans. You will get dirty looks from people, sorry to say.

Smoking will also be a major turn-off in the dating pool.

[adamgreenberg]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

Note: California is #2 in the US for states with the most non-smokers. You can't smoke on the beach, in restaurants, in bars, and even many apartment buildings are nonsmoking. Some jobs screen for nicotine, as they don't want smokers on their health plans. You will get dirty looks from people, sorry to say.

Smoking will also be a major turn-off in the dating pool.

Thank you for that information. Laws are similar in NYC as well. I will be living with my auntie to start and she smokes in her home so that won't be a problem. I will have plenty of time to look for a place as I will be living rent free with no deadline. I obviously will only move to an apartment that allows smoking in it. Don't go to the beach much don't like all the crazy wild life and sand in my crotch. As for jobs I don't think that's legal lol and even if I will be bringing a job with me and my health insurance is not via my job it's blue cross from my dad's Union (he's retired) and I have it for life. As for dating, I only date girls who smoke anyways. And re:dirty looks, they will get returned and I will breathe on them. That's so judgmental lol.

[MordinSolus]

Originally Posted by adamgreenberg

I don't even like walking the 8 blocks to the store to buy cigarettes on Saturday (the bodega across the street from me is closed on Saturday for shabbos - my area is about 2/3 Hasidic jews) so I take the bus...I would smell like a locker room LMAO

It's pretty rare to be so out of shape and adverse to walking short distances in NYC. Eight blocks is too far? Yeesh.

Originally Posted by adamgreenberg

Thank you for that information. Laws are similar in NYC as well. I will be living with my auntie to start and she smokes in her home so that won't be a problem. I will have plenty of time to look for a place as I will be living rent free with no deadline. I obviously will only move to an apartment that allows smoking in it. Don't go to the beach much don't like all the crazy wild life and sand in my crotch. As for jobs I don't think that's legal lol and even if I will be bringing a job with me and my health insurance is not via my job it's blue cross from my dad's Union (he's retired) and I have it for life. As for dating, I only date girls who smoke anyways. And re:dirty looks, they will get returned and I will breathe on them. That's so judgmental lol.

You're pretty unusual, dude. FYI, hardly any women in LA smoke cigarettes. I don't think I've seen a single attractive young woman smoking cigarettes since I've been here. Los Angeles is more health conscious than your average city. People don't even want to smoke weed here. We turn it into vapor to avoid carcinogens and lung damage.