Living and working in SoCal q's.

Nope, It's WORSE!


And I'm not kidding

Check out the current LA traffic...

http://www.sigalert.com/map.asp?Region=Greater+Los+Angeles
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Click that link at 4pm PDT.
Count the Red Triangles....
I will be in one of them (at least)

 

It's absolutely fine. Traffic is a problem however. If you're going to work in Long Beach look into living in that area or even Palos Verdes. The only way Malibu to Long Beach is a short commute is 2 am on a weeknight.

Crime will not be a problem for you. Your biggest concern will be soccer moms on cell phones driving SUVs they cannot see out of. YOu have to be a complete moron to find yourself in South Central or Watts. LA is a VAST city.

Don't know your budget for apartment rental but check www.westsiderentals.com Check Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Westwood and even Malibu if you'll live and work in that area. For Long Beach look into Palos Verdes, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach..if beach living is what you're looking for. These are all rather upscale neighborhoods.

 

As for the women...women are women. The vibe you put out is the vibe you'll get back. This is a town dominated by the entertainment industry so on average the women are far better looking than in any other American city. An average city 8 is probably a 5 here. On the other hand the concentration of wealth insures that there will always be a bigger better deal for them to latch on to if their looks and assets support it.

For getting laid you really can't beat Hermosa Beach or any of the beach towns as they tend to be filled with people unwilling ot relinquish the college lifestyle.

 

I have lived in LA for the past 35 years. I spent some time in Switzerland last summer. Lugano, Gstad. Drove through the country. Went to the Eiger. My question to you is (no...not Deal Or No Deal?), do you want to trade places? I would trade in a heartbeat!

 

true story. hermosa beach is very hard to beat.

 

So, did you click that link above at 4pm?
If you did, what did you think?

 

Yes! THE OTHER ************* DRIVER STUCK ON THE CELL PHONE.

 

Oh yes, if you decide to purchase a house, Palos Verdes Estates / Rancho Palos Verdes / Rolling Hills are great areas, and most have ocean views. A little less pricey, but IMHO a better value and has nice views as well is the Hollywood Riviera at the base of The Hill (Palos Verdes) overlooking Torrance / Redondo Beach.

If you are interested in high-rise condos, Long Beach has been building quite a few along Ocean Blvd.

And don't over look the areas in Orange County - most are very nice. Short commute to Long Beach.

I worked in Switzerland back in the ealy 90s ... loved it. I was camped out in Luzern while I visited suppliers throughout the country. Saw the bear in Bern, was woken up to semi-automatic gun fire often (hotel was near a shooting range / sports park) ... annual marksmanship certification I guess - everyone seemed to be doing it. I realized that the Swiss give out Ph.Ds in wood stacking too. Fun country, all-in-all.

 

Excellent suggestion Norman. A friend of mine just bought a condo in one of the new high rises along Ocean. She has a ocean view from the 9th or 10th floor I think and it's $340 grand to get in. Was appraised at just under $400K before move in which happens next week.

 

basically try to live as close to your work as possible, you'll be alot happier. LA traffic makes sane people go crazy.

i only drive ~10 miles each way each day, and at the end of the 10 miles im usually very disgusted and irate

 

If you are going to work in long beach, I would highly recommend living close to work. Try a short term rental, get a feel for the city and decide what area you prefer.

I was in Switzerland last week and would suggest you take a vacation out here before moving. Shocking difference.

 

see my notes below:

What is living in California like? Mind you I lived most of my life in Switzerland and Montreal.
- i love it, moved down here from san francisco about 3 years ago; can't beat this weather!!!! i also lived in europe for several years and in canada. this is different from montreal - much bigger - but it is also very cosmopolitan

I am not big on houses, too much hassle for me. Are the appartments very expensive? I mean decent ones.
- it is all relative; real estate got REALLY expensive down here over the last few years; it all depends on where you want to live.

What is the crime situation like outside of LA city?
- much better than IN the city... seriously, i do not think it is bad all, it ain't like in the movies!

Is the traffic as bad as they say?
- no, it is not; it is actually much worse than what they say, and it seems to be getting worse by the day. find a residence NEAR your workplace, trust me.

How long to get from Malibu to Long Beach on average?
- how long is a piece of string? it depends; not too bad at 3am, at any other time it could be anything... not a commute i would recommend!

Any tips?
- yes, everywhere and for everything, you must tip everybody! kind of weird coming from europe but you get used to it. and a good thing is that there is valet parking everywhere, parking in this city can be a bit challenging at times ...

 

Ditch LA, try Japan, Osaka, Tokyo Ueno area - Ropongi migh be a tad bit expensive.