Need Advice (Los Angeles: real estate, to rent, sex offenders)

[dfw2lax]

Hello All,

I am doing some research on the net about LA. I will be moving to LA from Dallas soon. My workplace will be in downtown LA. What would be a good place to live nearby, maybe a 10 mile radius. Also, if I would consider to buy a house, which area would be good for a middle income household.

Thank you
dfw2lax

[timelesschild]

What is your budget?
Do you need good schools?
What sort of lifestyle do you prefer to live?
(nightlife important? family safety? urban? suburban?)

[dfw2lax]

Hello timelesschild,

Thank you for your reply.

-Good schools not a factor yet since I will be renting.
-Nightlife - not a major factor
-Family Safety - v important
-to rent in Urban area (currently I i live in the suburb, may think of buying a house in LA in the suburbs later)


Thanks
dfw2lax

[BennyPhoenix]

10 miles is not the way we measure distance out here.
We measure in time.
10 miles commute time to and from downtown would be anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour depending on direction and time of day.

[premier soccer fan]

Good schools should be factor whether you rent or are purchasing. Usually better schools are in better, safer areas.

Before renting/leasing/purchasing ANYWHERE, check to see where the sex offenders are. You can go to this link and search by city, zip code, street address, etc. California Megan's Law - California Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General

To gauge how long it's going to take you to get around, try this (I use it to take the kids to auditions)... Go to Google Maps for directions. Enter in your "from" location and you "to" location. It will tell you the estimated travel time, DOUBLE that and you will be there on time, if not a bit early. Also, if you don't currently have a GPS Navigation device, get one. That way when you have to exit the freeway due to traffic conditions, it will lead you back to the freeway. I've saved lots of valuable time this way!

Here is a link to the City of Los Angeles. City of Los Angeles You should be able to contact someone within the City to find out what utility companies are used in the area you'll be considering. You'll need to know what telephone, television, natural gas, water/sewer/trash, electricity, etc. Then contact those companies to find out what to expect monthly bill-wise (you can tell them the number of people in the home, approximate square footage, etc). They're usually pretty good about giving you an estimate.

Here's a link to the Los Angeles Police Department. Check the website for crime stats, crime maps, etc in the area(s) you're considering. Contact the Division that handles your area of the city for more specifics on crime stats and see if they can assist you in making a safe decision. official website of THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT

Lastly, contact a realtor in the downtown area to see if they can provide you assistance. Most are very knowledgeable about the area in which they work. They'll help you for free (hoping that you'll rent or purchase from them). I did a search for you on "downtown los angeles realtors" and came up with this site. I'm sure there are more, if this doesn't help you enough. Downtown Los Angeles | Downtown Los Angeles Restaurants | Downtown Los Angeles Real Estate

Stay safe.