Heading to So Cal - Advice Sought

Good Afternoon Planeteers.

I am heading to California to interview with a company located outside of LA.

I'm pretty sure I'll accept their offer and start the process of moving my East Coast tail westwards.

So, being a life long East Coaster and never having been to LA I was hoping some of you SoCal Planeteers could give me some suggestions.

Where do I want to live? Looking at spending about $750/mo. for rent and I'd like to be able to work on my cars if possible where I am renting
What should I look out for?
Any other random words of advice?

Pretty stoked that I'll be able to enjoy the first season of SST in 2013, that I'll be able to drive some legendary race tracks like Sears Point, Laguna Seca, Thunderhill, Buttonwillow, and Willow Springs, visit some great surf breaks, and also RG's Offroad Shop is in Anaheim.

Thanks in advance!

Keith

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike Kenyon on June 16, 2012 at 4:00pm

Keith, what city is the company located outside of LA? Don't believe the SoCal'rs that tell you everything is 15 minutes away.

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Permalink Reply by Ghost on June 16, 2012 at 4:11pm

Mike, the company is located in Compton...yes, I said Compton.

I'm coming from Northern VA so the same lies are told here.

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Permalink Reply by Vlad Rogers on June 16, 2012 at 6:51pm

Unless you want to live in Compton, you better add a 1 to the front of that $750.

Basically, Compton is the center of the worst part of California, the farther away from Compton the better. I personally wouldnt live anywhere near that. Unless you are OK with gang violence, be cautious.

Buena Park, Whittier, La Habra, Los ALamitos and SOME parts of Long Beach are all about 30 minutes away from Compton in traffic and theyre decent areas to live. I havent shopped for apartments in any of those areas, but I really think youre going to spend at LEAST $1200 for a decent 1 bedroom. I live in Yorba Linda, rents are over $1500 for a 1 bedroom.

Go to Apartment Guide and find a few places. Once you find something in your budget, post the cross streets and I, or another member can tell you what the areas like.

When you get here to interview, I suggest you spend a day driving around all the areas you may want to live to see if youre up for the culture shock. Being from NC, the areas around Compton may blow you away.

EDIT, Im looking in Compton, the lowest I see is $850

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Permalink Reply by Ed Fifield on June 16, 2012 at 7:39pm

Wow. Compton. I went to a hazardous waste site their once, which was fitting. I saw people getting arrested on the way into the plant. On the way out, I saw four dudes walking out with their hands up and a bunch of cop cars around the store. Good luck. However, yes, Buena Park or Whittier would be the best in my opinion. Also, they are not lies about Compton.

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Permalink Reply by Ghost on June 16, 2012 at 7:55pm

Thanks so far so the insight.

I took a look at the place on Google Street View (why is there a bullet hole in the cam?)

The place is located right off the Gardenia Freeway and looks like a big industrial area.

I still won't wear blue or red around there.

I looked at Apartments.com, Rent.com, and Craigslist to get an idea about the market, I'm hoping not to have to crank out $1,000 for an apartment there and will take the advice to do a bit of a recon of the area - the safer parts - as well.

Thanks so far.

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Permalink Reply by Vlad Rogers on June 16, 2012 at 8:12pm

1000 is going to be hard. Feel free to inbox me if you want advice on particular areas.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Evans on June 16, 2012 at 8:17pm

OK, If you took the place in compton for $850 make sure it is month to month, after 1 month you WILL WANT OUT. Close to the freeway is good, again so you can get the hell out. Most of the low budget apts are too packed with people, you will only have 1 parking spot, you will not have a place to work on a car. On second thought, I guess you would be working on your car, working on finding it after it stolen.

Any place under $1200 is not a place you will want to be. The beach communities to the west 20 mins from Compton are very nice. Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, parts of Long Beach, are nice but I'm sure we are talking $1700 minimum.

How long are you will to commute daily? (Notice I said how long - not how far) 20 miles in LA rush hour traffic = at lest 1 hr. 1-2 hrs out to the east is nice (only 40-50 miles, but long slow miles in traffic) cities such as Anaheim, Corona, would be good, but again I'm sure we're taking min of $1200 a month.

I have lived here all my life and do service calls for a living so I know most of the areas quite well. Feel free to ask about anything else you might run across while on your search.

Sorry, I dont meen to scare you off or anything, so cal is great. It's the expectation on $750 rent that bothers me. I'm thinking double (or even triple) that for anything you would be proud to call home.

Thanks Paul

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Permalink Reply by Ghost on June 16, 2012 at 8:27pm

Thanks guys, I'll pick your grey matter when I return and have a better idea what is going on and what I can do. I now know I'll probably have to adjust the budget for the rent up significantly.