Living in Los Angeles

[retronotmetro]

Congrats.

Living near the SC campus would cut your commute significantly, but there's more to do dining and nightlife-wise (not to mention grocery shopping-wise) if you live further away from the downtown core. Pasadena is kind of an odd area for a single 20s-ish single grad/professional school student, because it lacks really good/cool nightlife when you want to blow off steam, yet isn't a low-traffic stress-free zone when you need to buckle down. Traffic on the 110 sucks much of the day, and is particularly nasty coming back to Pasadena from downtown at night. If you have any street smarts at all, taking side streets through Lincoln Heights/Highland Park will save some of that traffic, but many non-urban types blanch at the very thought . . .

Esquire, unless something changed in the last couple of weeks, Jay's Jayburger is gone. Landlord-tenant issues resulted in the owner of the lot fencing in the burger stand, and they appear to be closed for good. Tommy's is only ten minutes away, though. But for the record, I'm more likely to go to up to Yuca's for carnitas or pibil than a chiliburger most days.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

First of all, congratulations.

When I was temporarily relocated to L.A. on business 2 1/2 years ago, I lived on the west side (a few blocks away from the Beverly Center).  I thought it was the ideal location -- a half hour drive to downtown L.A. (bypassed the highway completely) and a half hour drive to Santa Monica.  Plus, it's more exciting than Pasadena, which seemed a bit sterile to me.  Not sure what rents are like, however.

 

[Get Smart]

Not sure what rents are like, however.

i had 2 gal pals that lived about 2 blocks north of Melrose, near Fairfax which isnt far from where you were. they had a 2 bedroom nice apt for $1200 month, this was 2 years ago so the rent is prolly a tad higher now.

 

[drizzt3117]

Yeah, I think if I were going to choose a place to live with easy access to USC, I'd go with Redondo or Manhattan Beach, which would be on the water, but have about a 20 min drive (against traffic) both ways, and also have easy access to downtown. My buddy lived there while going to USC b-school and I believe he and two others rented a pretty new 3 bdrm condo for about $2k.

 

[Renault78law]

A lot of people at USC law live near the beach as well, whether it's Redondo, MB or SM. However, keep in mind that med students may have to drive a bit farther than other grad students, because their hospital is northeast of USC, off the 10 at Soto I believe. Considering that, I guess Pasadena isn't a bad compromise, though you should probably consider Silverlake as well.

 

[Renault78law]

First of all, congratulations.

When I was temporarily relocated to L.A. on business 2 1/2 years ago, I lived on the west side (a few blocks away from the Beverly Center).  I thought it was the ideal location -- a half hour drive to downtown L.A. (bypassed the highway completely) and a half hour drive to Santa Monica.  Plus, it's more exciting than Pasadena, which seemed a bit sterile to me.  Not sure what rents are like, however.

I live in Miracle Mile, at 3rd and La Brea, and I agree that this is a very ideal location. Downtown is a straight shot down surface streets east; Hollywood is 5 minutes north; Beverly Hills is 10 minutes west; the beach and the westside is 30-45 minutes west. Almost perfect. A one bedroom here goes for about 1100 and up. A two bedroom at about 1400 and up.

btw, most consider the 'west side' west of the 405.

 

[drizzt3117]

I think Santa Monica may be a good place given the location of the med school, it's pretty much at the intersection of the 5 and 10 freeways, so probably 20 min commute from Santa Monica if you live close to the 10, perhaps even Venice if you can find a place that's not too ghetto.

 

[LA Guy]

third, why pasadena? if you want the real l.a. experience get a place near campus. it's ugly, but not as dangerous as people think. i'm from the westside but i did live near vermont and sunset for a while. that's a cool, cheap neighborhood; transvestite hookers, drugs on every corner, actors, hippies, models, intellectuals, good mexican food... everything that makes l.a. la la land. pasadena is a boring middle class suburb full of soccer moms and well to do asians: not that there's anything wrong with that.

fourth, you're looking at $1200 and up for a 2 bedroom in pasadena.

fifth, now is not the time to buy a house. the prices are inflated right now and the bubble will burst soon. wait for that.

I lived in Pasadena for 6 years, and agree completely with the above. Renault has an ideal location. Do not buy right now. Very unfavorable terms.

And you *can* find a two bedroom for under $1000 in Pasadena, but probably close to Altadena, which can be *very* ghetto.

 

[hopkins_student]

I chose Pasadena because my student interviewer told me that he chose to live close to the med campus during his first year and chose to move to Pasadena for his second year because that is where all of the other medical students lived, and it is obviously favorable socially to be close to all of one's classmates.

Thanks for your suggestions. Keep them coming, I'm open to anything, especially if saving money is involved.

 

[drizzt3117]

I think personally I'd like to live close to the beach for better air quality and climate, but Pasadena is a nice area as well, I lived there for several years and almost did my undergrad there. I think there are some values in housing right now, my buddy just bought a nice 2 brdm condo off Del Mar, right off the 210, for about 350k.

 

[retronotmetro]

I think personally I'd like to live close to the beach for better air quality and climate, but Pasadena is a nice area as well, I lived there for several years and almost did my undergrad there.  I think there are some values in housing right now, my buddy just bought a nice 2 brdm condo off Del Mar, right off the 210, for about 350k.

Very few values unless you get something in an older building, many of which have maintenance issues. Higher-end condos that sold new for close to $500K four or five years ago and are now being flipped in the mid sixes to low sevens (overlapping with the lower end of single family home prices), and single family houses are themselves pretty pricy unless you go north of the 210 or very far east.

If/when the bubble pops (and that's an entirely different discussion topic going on elsewhere) there is going to be a glut of condos due to the current and continuing rapid pace of condo construction.

I'd say the best choice for a newcomer to LA is probably to sign a 1-year lease close to campus, then move when you figure out what area you like. Miracle Mile area is pretty convenient--I lived in Park La Brea for a couple of years and while I hated the complex, I liked the area a lot.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

I think Santa Monica may be a good place given the location of the med school, it's pretty much at the intersection of the 5 and 10 freeways, so probably 20 min commute from Santa Monica if you live close to the 10, perhaps even Venice if you can find a place that's not too ghetto.

How is this possible?  Isn't the 10 the "world's largest parking lot" during rush hour?  (Or is that the 405?)  I thought Santa Monica was at least 20 miles away from downtown.

I'd say the best choice for a newcomer to LA is probably to sign a 1-year lease close to campus, then move when you figure out what area you like.

I agree.  Helps if you can find a few kindred souls who would like to break free of Pasadena.

 

[drizzt3117]

Yeah, but 10 eastbound in the morning isn't too bad (against traffic) and it's not quite 20 miles, I'd say its probably about 10-12 miles.

I lived in SM for a little while (6 months or so) and I'd be all over the LA area for work, it could take longer than that on some occasions but it's not a bad commute IMO.

 

[retronotmetro]

I lived in Westwood for a couple of years and the commute into downtown on the 10 bugged the hell out of me. I took Olympic, Pico, or Venice much of the time just to stay off the 10. Coming in from Santa Monica would have made me even crazier.

drizz, I'm not sure what time of day you commuted from SM, but the 10 eastbound is not what I'd call "against traffic" in the morning. Both directions are pretty bad.

 

[Get Smart]

The only time the 10 east is "against traffic" in the morning is once you get past downtown into E. LA/Alhambra then past the 710

santa monica---->USC in the morning or going home in afternoon = hell on earth