Looking into relocating to Los Angeles from Jacksonville

[BRinSM]

I would say that $600k would probably get you into a nice neighborhood with decent schools not too far from downtown LA. you'd probably need to be earning around $150k between you and your husband to buy a house for that much. hopef that helps.

[ZenMaster2008]

Cost to live in the best areas? A few million and up.

You could get into a good area (3BR house) for double your budget.

[amhn]

thats great info, thanks gives me a better perspective of what I should expect as the average. Now exactly which neighborhoods would that be, where would you live for that money?

[uptown_urbanist]

The job market is really bad in LA right now, so assuming you move with your husband's job lined up it could still take quite a long time for you to line up work, too, and just to warn you, daycare costs for two young children are going to be very expensive. It could also be difficult to find a place that will have room for them, so you could end up having to hire a nanny. The daycare centers often have waiting lists up to two years for infant daycare (under age 2); it's easier to find an in-home daycare since they don't usually have waiting lists, but you also have to get lucky and find a place that has room for two young kids. Just a warning. I don't know how that compares to where you are now, but it can be sticker shock for many people.

If you could manage $600k for a house you could probably buy something in South Pasadena. "Best area" is pretty subjective, but South Pasadena is certainly popular and has more affordable options than places like adjacent San Marino. If you could afford $700k+ you'd have even more options.

In Pasadena you can get a 3BR house (not luxurious, but nice) for less than $500k now. Probably not much less if you want that size and a unquestionably good neighborhood, but some do exist at that price now. Those would be PUSD schools, though, and not everyone is willing to take that risk (some are very good, so no need to write them off automatically.).

I don't know what prices are like in other family-friendly areas of LA.

[bhcompy]

Long Beach and Lakewood put you along the Blue Line and have pricing in that range in good neighborhoods.

Torrance would be a freeway commute, but has good schools/neighborhoods and should fit that price.

Pasadena is closer.

You could probably look somewhere like Monrovia or Glendale maybe?