CT to LA? Advice?
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DevinDavis
Active member
I just did it in July with my wife and two dogs to attend USC. Here are my thoughts:
Rent in Roanoke vs Rent in LA = 400-600/month vs. 1,400-2,700/month
Gas is about the same.
Public transportation exists out here - you can ride all day for five bucks, but buses aren't totally reliable. The subways are, though.
Traffic out here is absurd. It's every bit as bad as everyone makes it out to be. The least amount of traffic I've been involved in is the same as rush hour back home. And it takes a while ot get oriented. Once you do, you can figure out back ways around traffic, but I've been here for four months and still can't do it very well.
I live downtown, and the homeless population is rediculous, but they've left us alone for the most part. The greater LA area is huge, too. If you include Venice and Orange County, it's a good three hour drive with no traffic to get from one end of the city to the next.
Sit down restaurants are pretty expensive, I've found, but the abundance of fast food kinda trumps that. Groceries are pretty expensive, too.
It's very very very liberal out here. If you're a republican, you'll do a lot of steaming.
Neighborhoods are hit or miss too. You might be in the ghetto and gang central and like three blocks down you're in multimillion dollar homes. That's kinda weird.
Oh.. and it doesn't rain, apparently ever. Not one drop yet.
Rent in Roanoke vs Rent in LA = 400-600/month vs. 1,400-2,700/month
Gas is about the same.
Public transportation exists out here - you can ride all day for five bucks, but buses aren't totally reliable. The subways are, though.
Traffic out here is absurd. It's every bit as bad as everyone makes it out to be. The least amount of traffic I've been involved in is the same as rush hour back home. And it takes a while ot get oriented. Once you do, you can figure out back ways around traffic, but I've been here for four months and still can't do it very well.
I live downtown, and the homeless population is rediculous, but they've left us alone for the most part. The greater LA area is huge, too. If you include Venice and Orange County, it's a good three hour drive with no traffic to get from one end of the city to the next.
Sit down restaurants are pretty expensive, I've found, but the abundance of fast food kinda trumps that. Groceries are pretty expensive, too.
It's very very very liberal out here. If you're a republican, you'll do a lot of steaming.
Neighborhoods are hit or miss too. You might be in the ghetto and gang central and like three blocks down you're in multimillion dollar homes. That's kinda weird.
Oh.. and it doesn't rain, apparently ever. Not one drop yet.
Thanks for the reply. I'd be working right across the street from the Staples Center if I am fortunate enough to get the job offer. I hate traffic as much as everyone but I guess if everyone out there has to deal with it what can you do..
Rent also scares me big time..as well as cost of living.
Rent also scares me big time..as well as cost of living.
DevinDavis
Active member
Where would you be working?
There's an apartment complex on Figuroa that we looked pretty hard at. It's one of the few places downtown that actually has grass surrounding it. Staples Center, if you live downtown, it cakewalk to get to. I drive past it everyday (it about 4 blocks over and ten blocks up) and its my halfway point to school. It takes me about ten minutes to get to teh Staples Center from the Bank District.
If living downtown isn't scary for you, there are tons and tons of options. Most lofts that have enough sq. footage to house a married couple go for 2,000-2,400 depending on location. Ours is 1,800 and about 750 sq. ft. There are a lot of two bedroom apts. and bigger lofts available too.
Alos, most people will tell you to go through WestSideRentals.com to find your place but if you're looking for downtown, save the cash and just drive around or check out theloftguys.com They've got a pretty good database. But really, just driving around downtown, you hardly ever pass a block without spaces for rent.
Expensive: 7th and flower to 3rd and grand can be a bit pricey. Everything youfind on Fig between 1st and the Staples Center is very expensive. Old bank District is pretty decent. Fashion District is too. all that area is cool.
We're in the pelofts.com Pacfic Electric building and its one of the better dog freidly places. Lofts go for anywhere between 1,400 (600ish sq ft. studio) and 3,500 (two bedroom, or two story penthouse with a view) a month. There's a dog run on the roof and a pool, etc. Secured parking. You've got about 700 neighbors in the building right now, too.
If downtown isn't for you, or if you're looking to rent a house, Pasadena is a good area, as is Altadina (we found a two br flipped house for rent for 2k or sale at 350,000 which is pretty good in LA).
Silverlake and Echo Park (where Doger Stadium is) are relatively hip areas and hous a bunch of college kids, as does Westlake (UCLA). Anaheim is an option, but is a sizeable trafficcy commute.
And there's some apartments to be found at the beach - Marina Del RAy, Long Beach (which can be a bit gang ish), Redondo Beach, or SantaMonica if you have a trust fund.
SF Valley isn't terrible, bu the commute can be to downtown during rush hour. But there are subway stops from Studio City to Hollyweird that can kill some of that commute. Simi Valley is almost out of the question. Its expensive and far.
Hope some of that helps.
There's an apartment complex on Figuroa that we looked pretty hard at. It's one of the few places downtown that actually has grass surrounding it. Staples Center, if you live downtown, it cakewalk to get to. I drive past it everyday (it about 4 blocks over and ten blocks up) and its my halfway point to school. It takes me about ten minutes to get to teh Staples Center from the Bank District.
If living downtown isn't scary for you, there are tons and tons of options. Most lofts that have enough sq. footage to house a married couple go for 2,000-2,400 depending on location. Ours is 1,800 and about 750 sq. ft. There are a lot of two bedroom apts. and bigger lofts available too.
Alos, most people will tell you to go through WestSideRentals.com to find your place but if you're looking for downtown, save the cash and just drive around or check out theloftguys.com They've got a pretty good database. But really, just driving around downtown, you hardly ever pass a block without spaces for rent.
Expensive: 7th and flower to 3rd and grand can be a bit pricey. Everything youfind on Fig between 1st and the Staples Center is very expensive. Old bank District is pretty decent. Fashion District is too. all that area is cool.
We're in the pelofts.com Pacfic Electric building and its one of the better dog freidly places. Lofts go for anywhere between 1,400 (600ish sq ft. studio) and 3,500 (two bedroom, or two story penthouse with a view) a month. There's a dog run on the roof and a pool, etc. Secured parking. You've got about 700 neighbors in the building right now, too.
If downtown isn't for you, or if you're looking to rent a house, Pasadena is a good area, as is Altadina (we found a two br flipped house for rent for 2k or sale at 350,000 which is pretty good in LA).
Silverlake and Echo Park (where Doger Stadium is) are relatively hip areas and hous a bunch of college kids, as does Westlake (UCLA). Anaheim is an option, but is a sizeable trafficcy commute.
And there's some apartments to be found at the beach - Marina Del RAy, Long Beach (which can be a bit gang ish), Redondo Beach, or SantaMonica if you have a trust fund.
SF Valley isn't terrible, bu the commute can be to downtown during rush hour. But there are subway stops from Studio City to Hollyweird that can kill some of that commute. Simi Valley is almost out of the question. Its expensive and far.
Hope some of that helps.
Beg to Differ my Friend.
I take a serious amount out of bristol every year without so much as a whimper..
I take a serious amount out of bristol every year without so much as a whimper..
Thanks I really appreciate all this information. If I do go out there I will definitely take some of this advice. We'll see I've been from CT my whole life college included so this whole thing is a bit scary but I want to be as educated as possible..I do like the pros of weather and things to do out there.
DevinDavis
Active member
Don't let it stress you. I grew up in Hurricane, WV and ended up in RAdford, VA. Neither have more than 10k people in them.
It's a bit scary at first, especially when you feel the amount of people here. But it's really not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. We're in a real scary place because we have zero income right now as the HR job market is killing my wife and the student loans are just barely covering tuition. Having a big nest egg was nice coming out here..
A little more advise about cash. Most places ask for a security deposit and first month's rent, which is essentially first and last month's rent. That's not a big deal when you're rent is 500 bucks back home but it's half a Kia, basically, to move in. And moving companies charge a ton too. We went with Relocube from ABF (kind of like a P.O.D.s) and a lot of our stuff got broken because yours truly sucks at packing. I'd keep that in mind and if you've got replaceable stuff, or just college stuff, it's almost as cheap to sell it all in a yard sell, and start out new out here...
Ikea is less than twenty minutes from downtown and you can realizstically refurnish you're whole place for less than 2,500. Jennifer Convertible's has any kind of couch and sofabed you could want for less than 1,000. It's pretty easy to take the 1,300 - 3,000 it coasts to move your stuff out here, and just buy new.
Also, car emissions such out here. if your car is less than 7 years old, or has less than x amount of miles on it, its subject to having to pass emissions standards. At very least, it's gotta pass a smog check. Most out of state cars don't pass the emissions part, though.
The smog is about 30 bucks, registration for car is about 100 or so, and you've got a huge cushion of ten days once you move in to get your license changed over before you're subject to a 500 dollar fine if pulled over...yay...
It's a bit scary at first, especially when you feel the amount of people here. But it's really not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. We're in a real scary place because we have zero income right now as the HR job market is killing my wife and the student loans are just barely covering tuition. Having a big nest egg was nice coming out here..
A little more advise about cash. Most places ask for a security deposit and first month's rent, which is essentially first and last month's rent. That's not a big deal when you're rent is 500 bucks back home but it's half a Kia, basically, to move in. And moving companies charge a ton too. We went with Relocube from ABF (kind of like a P.O.D.s) and a lot of our stuff got broken because yours truly sucks at packing. I'd keep that in mind and if you've got replaceable stuff, or just college stuff, it's almost as cheap to sell it all in a yard sell, and start out new out here...
Ikea is less than twenty minutes from downtown and you can realizstically refurnish you're whole place for less than 2,500. Jennifer Convertible's has any kind of couch and sofabed you could want for less than 1,000. It's pretty easy to take the 1,300 - 3,000 it coasts to move your stuff out here, and just buy new.
Also, car emissions such out here. if your car is less than 7 years old, or has less than x amount of miles on it, its subject to having to pass emissions standards. At very least, it's gotta pass a smog check. Most out of state cars don't pass the emissions part, though.
The smog is about 30 bucks, registration for car is about 100 or so, and you've got a huge cushion of ten days once you move in to get your license changed over before you're subject to a 500 dollar fine if pulled over...yay...
Disney gives a great relocation package so I'm set with moving my car and all my stuff..
Ikea sounds cool I've been to one and felt lost though..It's a store like non other.
I've got a 2004 car so I'm sure I'll need to do emissions again even though I JUST did them a month ago here in CT!
Ikea sounds cool I've been to one and felt lost though..It's a store like non other.
I've got a 2004 car so I'm sure I'll need to do emissions again even though I JUST did them a month ago here in CT!
The Thing on The Sticks
Well-known member
Having recently moved from CT (grew up in Farmington next to Bristol.) I can say that the cost of living shouldn't be that different especially considering my last apartment in rocky hill which was 1br and one of the cheapest in the state (that is if you didn't want to live in frog hollow and dodge bullets), was costing me 1200. As long as you will be making a little more money go for it. If they give you even a minor cost of living adjustment for moving to California you should come out ahead since you will not need to drive as much if you can take rail to work.
code20photog
Well-known member
There are more places to live in Los Angeles than downtown. You couldn't pay me to live downtown. No offense to Devin, but they're putting lipstick on a pig with all the new lofts. We did a live shot on Skid Row once, and a half block away, they were trying to sell 750,000 condos.
We live in the South Bay, which is a bit priceier, but also a bit safer and only a few minutes from the beach. We're paying $1,110 for a decent size one-bedroom 2 1/2 miles from the beach. You can get a 2-bed for about $1,500 in the same area. Closer to the water, the more you'll pay. Plus, the drive just to get to the freeway will take a half an hour in the morning.
You also have to consider the shifts you will be mainly working. Last summer, I was working in Hollywood, we can see the Hollywood sign from our apartment on a clear day. Dayside shifts, took upwards of 2 hours to get to work. Nightside, never more than 45 mins. The traffic obviously is bad at rush hour, and the 110 through downtown is never great, but if you're working afternoons, evenings, a bit of a commute isn't going to be bad. I used to have an hour commute at my old shop, and it was nice to have some time to myself, listen to music, and unwind after work. I was pretty much diffused by the time I got home and never once punted the dog across the living room.
If you have the money and credit, you can buy a house for about half of what you could a year ago. Might be a good idea...
There's a metro station right where you'll be working. It's not as efficient as other big cities, but it can be done. Realistically, you could live in Santa Clarita, take the Metrolink into Union Station, (It's safe, I've taken it many times), transfer to the red line, then to the blue and it will drop you off right at Staples. (Might be quicker to walk from Union Station at times)
One of the other things that people don't often take into account is the weather. It was 95 today, in the middle of October. If you're used to seasons, they don't exist here. Basically there's summer, and what would amount to spring for most other areas of the country. We haven't had rain in a couple of years, my friend who moved here from Albany about 4 years ago and hasn't yet broken out a jacket.
As Depeche Mode once said "People are People." There are a lot of bad things said about Los Angeles, the people are plastic and fake, George Carlin used to say L.A. is like granola, what's not fruits and nuts are flakes. But really, I don't see any difference between LA and most other cities I've visited or lived in. You will hear A LOT of Spanish though. Name a culture, it's here.
We live in the South Bay, which is a bit priceier, but also a bit safer and only a few minutes from the beach. We're paying $1,110 for a decent size one-bedroom 2 1/2 miles from the beach. You can get a 2-bed for about $1,500 in the same area. Closer to the water, the more you'll pay. Plus, the drive just to get to the freeway will take a half an hour in the morning.
You also have to consider the shifts you will be mainly working. Last summer, I was working in Hollywood, we can see the Hollywood sign from our apartment on a clear day. Dayside shifts, took upwards of 2 hours to get to work. Nightside, never more than 45 mins. The traffic obviously is bad at rush hour, and the 110 through downtown is never great, but if you're working afternoons, evenings, a bit of a commute isn't going to be bad. I used to have an hour commute at my old shop, and it was nice to have some time to myself, listen to music, and unwind after work. I was pretty much diffused by the time I got home and never once punted the dog across the living room.
If you have the money and credit, you can buy a house for about half of what you could a year ago. Might be a good idea...
There's a metro station right where you'll be working. It's not as efficient as other big cities, but it can be done. Realistically, you could live in Santa Clarita, take the Metrolink into Union Station, (It's safe, I've taken it many times), transfer to the red line, then to the blue and it will drop you off right at Staples. (Might be quicker to walk from Union Station at times)
One of the other things that people don't often take into account is the weather. It was 95 today, in the middle of October. If you're used to seasons, they don't exist here. Basically there's summer, and what would amount to spring for most other areas of the country. We haven't had rain in a couple of years, my friend who moved here from Albany about 4 years ago and hasn't yet broken out a jacket.
As Depeche Mode once said "People are People." There are a lot of bad things said about Los Angeles, the people are plastic and fake, George Carlin used to say L.A. is like granola, what's not fruits and nuts are flakes. But really, I don't see any difference between LA and most other cities I've visited or lived in. You will hear A LOT of Spanish though. Name a culture, it's here.
I'd be working probably 4pm-12am covering west coast games mostly as the 1am Sportscenter is the big show going out there right now. I've heard both good and bad about living downtown.
I've never been to LA so I can only go on word of mouth and research. But the South Bay area sounds nice I had not heard about that before.
I've never been to LA so I can only go on word of mouth and research. But the South Bay area sounds nice I had not heard about that before.
DevinDavis
Active member
I like living in Downtown.
I moved from a tiny town and figured if I was gonna move to LA, I might as well move to LA. If was gonna move to NYC, I'd want to live in NYC. So, I live downtown. I like it. Art walk is a cool thing. Dog walk is a cool thing. And if I could afford it, the food is pretty cool.
And, we're right at the edge of skid row, and there's no lipstick on the pig we're living in. We've got a lot of entertainment industry people living here. And the building's been renovated, and the 15 foot ceiling in my loft is pretty cool...
It's definitely an experience. Will I live downtown my whole life? My wife says no, but I'd be perfectly happy in a loft downtown till I'm dead.
I moved from a tiny town and figured if I was gonna move to LA, I might as well move to LA. If was gonna move to NYC, I'd want to live in NYC. So, I live downtown. I like it. Art walk is a cool thing. Dog walk is a cool thing. And if I could afford it, the food is pretty cool.
And, we're right at the edge of skid row, and there's no lipstick on the pig we're living in. We've got a lot of entertainment industry people living here. And the building's been renovated, and the 15 foot ceiling in my loft is pretty cool...
It's definitely an experience. Will I live downtown my whole life? My wife says no, but I'd be perfectly happy in a loft downtown till I'm dead.
code20photog
Well-known member
I really like the South Bay, albiet you pay a bit of a premium to live there, but not so much more than other areas of Los Angeles. There are lots of little beach cities all packed toegther, lots of apartments, that can be a bit pricey, but the further from the water, the cheaper they get. There are a couple of issues that I won't get into, nothing that would keep me from living there, but enough to keep my eyes open. Personally, I think the traffic's fine, it's the parking that's tough. Definately take that into consideration wherever you live. Becuase we have only one parking spot and the neighborhood our complex is in is R2, if I get home anywhere after 9pm, I can literally end up parking a mile away. (Not kidding, the mrs has to drive me to my car in the morning every so often.)
From there to Staples, it's a straight shot up the 110 fwy. We just went to Staples the other night for a 6pm show, and it took a bit over a half an hour. You can get off at Adams, go to Figueroa and right to where you'd be working and miss a lot of the downtown slot traffic. The way home, you'd be the only car on the road.
You also have to take into account your lifestyle. I'm somewhat of an out-doorsey kinda guy, so having the beach and the bike trail there is a big plus for me. I wouldn't want to live downtown becuase it's not condusive to pedestrian or bicycle living, and I just don't dig the concrete jungle sort of thing. (Originally from NY< could never live in the city) The beach cities are great for that lifestyle. Go to Santa Clarita for sprawling suburbia and mini-van driving soccer moms. The Valley is the bedroom community of yesteryear. Apartment living would be quite dense, they're complexes everywhere packed into every nook and crany, but the homes come with a good chunk of property. Great for kids or a dog. Mid city, not to disrespect anyone there, but I can see you're proffecient in English, so not where you want to settle down.
Best bet, figure out your budget, what you're willing to spend for rent. Gas is running about $3.65 last I filled up, so factor that into a commute, then start seeing what that will get you working outwards from your gig.
From there to Staples, it's a straight shot up the 110 fwy. We just went to Staples the other night for a 6pm show, and it took a bit over a half an hour. You can get off at Adams, go to Figueroa and right to where you'd be working and miss a lot of the downtown slot traffic. The way home, you'd be the only car on the road.
You also have to take into account your lifestyle. I'm somewhat of an out-doorsey kinda guy, so having the beach and the bike trail there is a big plus for me. I wouldn't want to live downtown becuase it's not condusive to pedestrian or bicycle living, and I just don't dig the concrete jungle sort of thing. (Originally from NY< could never live in the city) The beach cities are great for that lifestyle. Go to Santa Clarita for sprawling suburbia and mini-van driving soccer moms. The Valley is the bedroom community of yesteryear. Apartment living would be quite dense, they're complexes everywhere packed into every nook and crany, but the homes come with a good chunk of property. Great for kids or a dog. Mid city, not to disrespect anyone there, but I can see you're proffecient in English, so not where you want to settle down.
Best bet, figure out your budget, what you're willing to spend for rent. Gas is running about $3.65 last I filled up, so factor that into a commute, then start seeing what that will get you working outwards from your gig.
The Thing on The Sticks
Well-known member
Mike I just noticed your profile says springfield. Are you the same mike I worked with in Springfield before he went to espn?\
Geoff
Geoff
The Thing on The Sticks
Well-known member
Yes that would be mike g that I am thinking of. I worked with him when he was a photographer at WWLP. Funny how small a world it is in the north east.