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[Santo]

Alright, I'm only about a month or two away from flying down to Southern California (specifically the Los Angeles/Santa Monica/Westwood areas) to check out some apartments. Can anybody offer some advice on where I should check out or some local hot spots? I'll be commutting to a college in Santa Monica so something within the 1/2 hour driving range is definitely preferred.

Thanks!

 

[Cooper]

When I was looking for apartments in L.A., I mostly just drove around looking for For Rent signs. My main advice is prepare for a depressing experience. I'm not sure where you're coming from, but most of the apartments here are small, old and expensive. Also, a lot of the apartments don't come with a refrigerator, so you might want to add that to your budget. Did you have a price in mind?

 

[ChumsGum]

www.westsiderentals.com

These guys have a near monopoly on the rental market here. Good luck, you and everyone else in the country is trying to find a decent place to stay in Santa Monica.

 

[Santo]

Well the good thing is that price isn't really an issue. Although I'm not looking for a palace, I wouldn't have any beef paying ~$1,300+ per month for a one person apartment.

I'm also wondering where a good area would be to stay? I was considering somewhere in Westwood close to the UCLA campus so I'd be around people my age.

 

[vangace]

Try craiglist.org

I used to live in santa monica when i was going to smc but they removed the price ceiling a few years ago . Most of the students who go UCLA or SMC live around the Palms area. Try go get a roommate though, it will save a lot of cash. I commute everyday to CSUN from West LA.

Good luck

 

[Santo]

Thanks for the info, vangace. What/where exactly is the Palms area? Could you give me a few more details on that?

 

[Dilbert]

Westwood is going to be >30 minutes from SMC, thanks to traffic.

The Palms area can be VERY sketchy in parts, so pay attention if you look for a place there. (Venice is even sketchier, though.)

westsiderentals.com and craigslist.org are the two obvious places to look. You might also stop by the UCLA campus and grab a copy of the Daily Bruin to see if there are people looking for roommates in Westwood.

 

[Santo]

Westwood is going to be >30 minutes from SMC, thanks to traffic.

The Palms area can be VERY sketchy in parts, so pay attention if you look for a place there. (Venice is even sketchier, though.)

westsiderentals.com and craigslist.org are the two obvious places to look. You might also stop by the UCLA campus and grab a copy of the Daily Bruin to see if there are people looking for roommates in Westwood.

Yeah, I've been to Venice and can see how there are some areas I'd want to avoid. Do you know what the housing situation is like close to UCLA? Craigslist looks to have quite a few great (at least considering how much I was thinking it would cost) deals on places in Orange County; are there any parts of (looks like southern, mainly) OC that are within close driving distance to SMC?

Thanks again, I really appreciate all the help.

 

[ChumsGum]

The OC is way to far to commute.

 

[videogamer]

The OC is way to far to commute.

At rush hour, it's just faster to take the bus+metrolink+bus than to drive oneself. This is just central OC. South OC has really shitty bus service. On the other hand, the cities in south OC tend to be very clean and safe. Irvine and Mission Viejo rank among the country's safest cities. I've never seen a homeless person there, and graffiti is limited to sporatic sprayings at some school.

Well the good thing is that price isn't really an issue. Although I'm not looking for a palace, I wouldn't have any beef paying ~$1,300+ per month for a one person apartment.

:jaw drops:

 

[Santo]

Any kind of ballpark on time it would take to get from south OC to SMC (either driving or via public transportation.. I'll have my own car so either way will suffice)?

Seems like Craigslist has more than enough great looking deals on apartments in the OC, can't believe that they would be less expensive than those in Westwood/SM.

 

[Vibri]

Actually Westwood to Santa Monica is about 10 minutes, maybe 20 in bad traffic (i.e. rush hour). It's pretty close for LA. The good thing about Westwood is that there are lots of student-priced awesome restaurants and shops and its still quite trendy. It's also 15 mins from SM and Hollywood, 5 mins from Bel Air and Beverly Hills and Venice - i.e. right in the centre of anywhere you want to go on the west side.

The problem with Westwood is that it's just as expensive as SM due to all the colledge students - I have friends with their own apartments there for around $1500-$1600. About $1000 if you want to share.

I highly recommend the Venice area off main street, very young and happening, right in SM, less expensive (still pricey) and within 5 mins of the beach.

 

[videogamer]

Any kind of ballpark on time it would take to get from south OC to SMC (either driving or via public transportation.. I'll have my own car so either way will suffice)?

Non-rushhour driving: about 1hr
Rush hour: Never done it, but the fact that people would rather take public transportation says something about how bad it can get.

Seems like Craigslist has more than enough great looking deals on apartments in the OC, can't believe that they would be less expensive than those in Westwood/SM.

Well, it's suburbia, so not everything is going to be spread out. Pedestrian unfriendly territory. What cities exactly are you looking at right now? Generally, the further south and inland, the more boring it gets.

 

[Santo]

Non-rushhour driving: about 1hr
Rush hour: Never done it, but the fact that people would rather take public transportation says something about how bad it can get.

Well, it's suburbia, so not everything is going to be spread out. Pedestrian unfriendly territory. What cities exactly are you looking at right now? Generally, the further south and inland, the more boring it gets.

Ah, alright. Well if the drive is that long it wouldn't make a lot of sense to live in that area. I'm considering Westwood & Santa Monica right now. I really want to find the place that has a lot of young/college students around so it will be easier to meet people. Of course, a safer, cleaner area would be ideal over something a little shady. The big thing for me isn't price, so that should definitely give me more options.

 

[fart]

NNNOOOOOOOOOOO DON'T DO IT
SAVE YOURSELF

 

[musicplustv]

Anything in the Westwood and Santa Monica area is going to be more expensive then elsewhere. I had a small studio in Palms a few years ago, and it cost me 650 a month but it was tiny. Now I live in Hollywood where I live in a 2 bedroom apartment where for one room its 625 and much bigger. Unfortunately LA traffic sucks, so if you live anywhere else other than SM or the westside, it'll be a long commute, even if its only 10 miles away.

 

[cubanb]

DON'T DO IT, IT'S A TRAP!