moving to CA on $63K can I make it? HELP!!! (Long Beach: sales, sublets)

[kryswithak]

How well or bad can I live on $63K? I am working in El Segundo and really want to live near the beach with no roommate. Or I want to live in a nice area where I won't be in a lot of traffic. Is this possible? What areas should I look at not too far from El Segundo?

[artichoke63]

Plan on $1500 a month in rent.

[killer2021]

wait, 63k/year? or 63k savings? I'll assume 63k/year and with that amount you can live there, probably renting. You just have to buy within your means and live within a budget. Buying a house will be a different story.

[eeka]

My wife and I are in a similar situation. I'm considering a job for $79K in El Segundo, want to live in a beach community, etc. Here's some of what we've learned:
- Playa del Rey is a little cheaper than other areas, but you get some noise from LAX.
- Not a lot of apartments accept pets, or they require a significant deposit ($500 or so per pet)
- $1500 is probably the minimum you'll pay for a 1 bedroom apartment
- Auto and rental insurance are more expensive than most other places, so make sure you budget for that.
- Taxes are higher than other places. We're coming from Idaho, where we have 6% sales tax and low state income taxes. We'll be paying an extra couple percent in income tax, and an extra couple percent in sales tax.
- Auto registration cost can be surprising depending on what vehicle you drive, so check that out at the DMV site.

We're not planning to buy a house, but are saving money so we can relocate after a few years and put a down payment on a house in a place we'd rather live long-term.

I'd be interested to hear what your research has shown you so far. I think we'll be looking to live in Playa del Rey, Long Beach, Redondo Beach, or, lord willing, Manhattan Beach, although MB is expensive and there don't seem to be many available rentals.

One last thought, we've found there are a lot of sublets on the market, and many of them are looking for a 1+ year commitment and come unfurnished. This could be a good way to get into a rental house at a good price. A lot of the sublets we've seen run between $1000 and $1500 per month.

Good luck!

[kryswithak]

So it sounds like Playa del Ray is the only affordable area to live with not a long commute to El Segundo. So if I pay around $1500 a month for rent, will this get me close to the beach? It sounds like on a $63k a year income I will be on a strict budget.

[cgmaetc]

Are yall kidding? Playa is expensive. Where is Playa do you find apts under $1500? Please tell me, I live in Culver City and pay $1300 for a one bedroom POS.

You could move to Culver City, Westchester, or the Venice/Palms area for that price or less. Torrance/South Bay may be a good place to look as well. Don't be fooled, traffic is MINIMAL headed towards ElSegundo. You looking at a 15-30 minute commute. I should know, I take my nephew to school to ElSegundo from Inglewood in 15-20 minutes. And the commute from Manhattan Beach or Redondo Beach my be 20-30 mins on the 405 freeway.

[cgmaetc]

also, 'close to the beach' is a moot point on LA. EVERYTHING is pretty close to the beach! The areas I mentioned above are within a 10 minute drive.

If you want to live ON the beach, be prepared to either up your rent budget or live in less than 600 sqaure feet of space.

[Sorcerer68]

63k a year and single? You'll do sensational! Look around Venice and Santa Monica. If you life life neater and cleaner and more vanilla, look in Redondo/Hermosa/Mahnattan Bch. You don't need a big place.

[kryswithak]

Thank you all so much for your input. I feel as if I would do fine being single with that salary BUT I do want to have a little left to play with so I will look at all the places above. Also coming from Atlanta living in a 740 square foot apartment paying only $640 a month, I might need to stay not so close to the beach so I can stretch out in my apartment a little.

[eeka]

Originally Posted by cgmaetc

Are yall kidding? Playa is expensive. Where is Playa do you find apts under $1500? Please tell me, I live in Culver City and pay $1300 for a one bedroom POS.

Originally Posted by cgmaetc

also, 'close to the beach' is a moot point on LA. EVERYTHING is pretty close to the beach! The areas I mentioned above are within a 10 minute drive.

If you want to live ON the beach, be prepared to either up your rent budget or live in less than 600 sqaure feet of space.

Cgmaetc,

Hey there...

No way did we mean that you'd be paying, tops, 1500mo. for rent...My husband meant you'd be paying minimum (NO less than) 1500mo. for rent for a small studio or one bedroom.

So, what we were told about Playa Del Rey being a bit cheaper is not correct? I'm not sure if any of the cities right ON the beach could be considered 'cheaper'...although MB is NOT 'cheaper'.

Since that post we've settled more so on Marina Del Rey, and have chosen to budget up to 2500mo for rent rather than 2000mo to up our odds of getting a place within walking distance to the beach (and yeah...it would be a DREAM to live one block from the beach--except the weekends when the masses come out). Even 10 blocks from the beach is great and is 'walking' distance (I've done it...takes 20m. or so, but it was in MB where's it's really safe), but for a once in a lifetime experience we want to live as close as we can. ON the beach would be those mansions that have sand as their front yards...yeah, not sure who can afford to purchase much less rent those. And OF COURSE everything west of the 405 and north of the 5 is 'close to the beach', but there ARE areas of LA that are NOT too close! Pasadena is a drive that can take a fair bit of time...Covina the same thing. We were talking 'in relation' to the Inland Empire vs closer areas regarding being "close to the beach". : )

Sorry if we confused anyone, especially the person trying to move to El Segundo area on 63K...yes, what we meant was you're looking at a minimum of at least 1500mo. for a studio or a very small 1b. But, really, with the ocean to stretch your legs, and getting to live in a safer area of town, you don't need a ton of space for living. We're more of the mindset of living in as small of a place as we can...we value not taking up more space than we need and trying to lead a simple life. Finding simplicity in LA may be an effort, but whatever the situation throws our way, we're going to make our the best of our few years in LA and find the good in things (even if there are things about LA we don't 'love'--like materialism, fast pace, traffic, cost, etc.).

All the best to everyone! We'll be there in a few weeks!!! YIKES! Please wish us well. : )

-eeka