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Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by car-ographer, Aug 6, 2007.

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  1. car-ographer

    car-ographer Karting

    Nov 15, 2005
    137
    homeless in LA :-(
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    Jessica G.
    #1 car-ographer, Aug 6, 2007
    I wasn't sure if this should be posted in SoCal forum or this one....so here it is-if I made a mistake please move me:)

    My boyfriend and I are about to graduate from Photography school in Santa Barbara. Both of us will (hopefully) have jobs in long beach.

    So...we are looking for apartments. I wish there was a nicer way to say it-but we both grew up poor. Living in SB has spoiled us rotten. We would like to find a nice area somewhat similar to Santa Barbara...we have gone down in the south bay area the last couple weekends, but the greater los angeles area is just way too big...i feel like we havn't seen half of it yet.

    So...any help is much appreciated. What are the "good areas" that wouldn't be too far from long beach?? We really love Pasadena and Glendale...but we have been warned that at rush hour it would take a couple hours to get to long beach...so we need something closer. We have looked at Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Hermosa, El Segundo, and Seal Beach...and of course Long Beach. However, it seems like all the good areas are close to the water(expensive) and after that it kind of turns into "bad" areas.

    So I guess my question is if anyone can suggest some other areas to look into? Keep in mind we will be just graduating from college...so we would like to keep the rent under $1100/month. What is Hawthorne like? How about Inglewood? Torrance? We have driven around to so many places it's hard to get our bearings straight...and we need to find an apartment within 30 days.

    Sorry for the long post...hope it wasn't too confusing. Any help in this would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks guys:)
     
  2. jordanair45

    jordanair45 Formula Junior

    Feb 6, 2006
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    #2 jordanair45, Aug 6, 2007
    Move to LA and you will continue to grow up poor.
     
  3. anunakki

    anunakki Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 8, 2005
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    Jerry
    #3 anunakki, Aug 6, 2007
    If you want to keep your commute reasonable stay within 10-15 miles of Long beach or you will seriously regret the drive because it will be bumper to bumper the entire way.

    So just look at a map and draw it out.

    As for $1100 month.. seriously..not trying to be negative but be prepared to either live in a VERY small place or in a VERY dangerous place.

    IMHO I would get a studio in the nicest part of town you can.
     
  4. Qvb

    Qvb F1 Rookie
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    John Dixon
    #4 Qvb, Aug 6, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Torrance is a good bet, but stay West of the red line on the map. There are pockets of good and evil on both sides of the line, but it's a good guideline. So any city West of the red line.
    There are also some nice areas in San Pedro but I don't know the good from the bad there (there is maybe more bad then good). Don't rule out nice areas (close to the beach) some reasonable stuff pops up.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  5. VK430gt

    VK430gt Formula 3
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    VK430GT DUH!!
    #5 VK430gt, Aug 6, 2007
    I personally know that huntington beach is a good area ( one of my half brothers lives out there) but I dont know if you can find anything decent there for 1100 a month.. huntington beach is close but it may be out of your price range.
     
  6. TG

    TG F1 Veteran

    Oct 26, 2004
    6,291
    Newport Beach, CA
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    Taylor
    #6 TG, Aug 6, 2007
    "Southern California living" will be hard to obtain in Southern California at $1100/month. Look around in Seal Beach, even maybe Costa Mesa but still no guarantee's unfortunately.
     
  7. bounty

    bounty F1 Veteran

    Feb 18, 2006
    7,769
    San Diego, CA
    #7 bounty, Aug 6, 2007

    What's wrong with Compton? =)
     
  8. car-ographer

    car-ographer Karting

    Nov 15, 2005
    137
    homeless in LA :-(
    Full Name:
    Jessica G.
    #8 car-ographer, Aug 6, 2007
    thanks for all the replies already guys, i appreciate it.

    The 1100 month is kind of just a starting point. Right now in Santa Barbara we pay $1300 for a 630 sq ft apartment...but we have student loans to help with that.

    I don't have a job yet...there is a possibility I will be getting a paid internship at a well know car magazine...but it's not definate and I'm not sure how much the pay is. My boyfriend is interning at Edmunds.com (paid internship) but he doesn't know if he will be offered a job at the end of it. So basically...we just don't know how much we are going to be making, so for the first few months or so we just want to keep it under $1100...we know it won't be big or beautiful...but as long as it is in a decent area we don't really mind that much.

    Thanks for all who have replied so far...we will definately check those places out.

    -Jess
     
  9. RoWis

    RoWis F1 Rookie

    Apr 19, 2006
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    #9 RoWis, Aug 6, 2007
    haha I was just thinking about that
     
  10. hdpt00

    hdpt00 F1 Rookie

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    #10 hdpt00, Aug 7, 2007
    GOOD LUCK! I don't know if craigslist is popular for finding places in so. cal. but I'd def. check. It is huge in nor cal.
     
  11. Qvb

    Qvb F1 Rookie
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    John Dixon
    #11 Qvb, Aug 7, 2007
    Pasadena is not so bad for getting to Long Beach. The 710 goes straight from S. Pasadena to Long Beach and has some times when it is not so busy.
    Pasadena is nice but it is hot and smoggy.
     
  12. wingfeather

    wingfeather F1 Rookie

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    #12 wingfeather, Aug 8, 2007
    Jessica,

    I moved out of Long Beach earlier this year. Why anyone would willfully choose to move there or work there (especially after living in Santa Barbara) is beyond my comprehension. If you have a guaranteed job working for an auto magazine or something, then I could see the appeal... but still - you'd have to live within that area. Long Beach has been a giant cesspool of humanity since the 70's. It revitalized a little during the recent real estate boom, but once that went cold (2006) I immediately saw more crime, shootings, and the like.

    Your best living will be in Belmont Shore (5 minutes East of downtown LB) or West of downtown in Palos Verdes. You may spend all your income on rent, but you won't kill yourself or get killed. Then, you can transfer to somewhere more beautiful after your resume grows.
     
  13. prudence

    prudence Karting

    May 15, 2007
    159
    Orange County, CA
    #13 prudence, Aug 8, 2007
    You can find a studio in downtown Long Beach, a block from the ocean for about $750. If you will be working in LB and want to stay there, drive up and down 1,2,3rd street between Alamitos Ave. and Belmont Shores. That area will be your best bet for safety and affordability. Parking in this area is always bad, so if you can find a parking spot or garage, believe me it will be worth an extra $100 per month. Costa Mesa could be cheap, but you don't want that drive everyday. Seal Beach is not bad either if LB gives you no luck.
     
  14. car-ographer

    car-ographer Karting

    Nov 15, 2005
    137
    homeless in LA :-(
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    Jessica G.
    #14 car-ographer, Aug 8, 2007
    Thanks again for all the replies. I have heard some pretty bad stuff about Long Beach...but I have been down there a couple times and it seems the the areas closest to the water aren't bad at all (crime-wise). Am I right in this thinking?? I kind of recieved two different views on it from Prudence and Wingfeather...any more insight would be greatly appreciated.

    I found a 1 bed loft, 650 sq. ft. for $1050...it's on 6th and Pine in LB...my boyfriend checked out the area and he said it looked nice...so we'll see. We'll defiantely look into Belmont Shores...we have heard some nice things about that area. I can't really find any listings for Palos Verdes or Rolling Hills...so I might have to get a paper the next time I'm down there.

    Thanks again guys...you really don't know what a huge help you have all been...my boyfriend and I really appreciate it!

    -Jess
     
  15. 350HPMondial

    350HPMondial F1 Veteran
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    #15 350HPMondial, Aug 8, 2007
    Long beach is nice and getting nicer,,,,, errrrr, I mean more expensive.
    (My cousin owns a house on Lime St., ,, , 2600 block..)

    Find something in Long beach, , because there isn't really a beach, thus cheeper,, unlike Marina Del Ray...
    Also,, The rent prices should be cheaper then Santa Barbara..


    Oh, and the Pacific Coast Sundown Express Amtrack train,, goes between Burbank and Santa Barbara,,, it is a nice cheap ride up and down the coast,, with stupendous views..
     
  16. car-ographer

    car-ographer Karting

    Nov 15, 2005
    137
    homeless in LA :-(
    Full Name:
    Jessica G.
    #16 car-ographer, Aug 13, 2007
    Thanks again for all the replies!


    Does anyone know anything about the "Wrigley" area of Long Beach? We went and looked at a LOT of places on Friday...but we stayed pretty much downtown...so not really sure what the northern parts are like(north of PCH)

    Thanks again-EVERYbody's suggesstions have been SO helpful!
     

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