Downtown LA firm -- cheapest/best housing + where to live? Forum

[sonyvaio18]

Hey everyone,

I've been looking at craigslist but there don't seem to be many affordable options. Anyone have any suggestions about where to find housing and where to live?

Thanks!

[KD35]

What do you consider affordable and how far away from work are you willing to be?

[sonyvaio18]

I'd prefer to be as close as possible, but I'm wondering how much of a price differential there would be.

I'd like to pay less than $1k/mo.

[almondjoy]

Wow under 1k in downtown might be pretty tough.

[jess]

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[TTTooKewl]

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[cookiejar1]

I'll also be working in downtown LA. I would never live downtown though. It's so dead during off hours and kind of sketchy.

I like Santa Monica. I hope they hurry up with building the expo line. Culver City also isnt a bad commute.

There are some parts of DTLA that are reminiscent of a real city (and is actually extremely fun albeit slighty hipster on weeknights/weekends) but you won't be living in those areas for under <$1,000/month.

[Anonymous User]

1K per month won't get you very far near downtown. Maybe Chinatown? Parts of Koreatown/Westlake? Some areas near USC? These aren't really areas I'd want to live in but I'm sure you'll survive.

ETA: this is HLSPerson1111

[leslieknope]

Yeah, your options are basically either to live with the hipsters in Echo Park or something like that, or to commute from somewhere like Culver City. Neither are going to be cheap.

[KM2016]

You will never find anything downtown around or under $1k/month, unless you want to have an address that is literally on skid row. DTLA is going through a major renaissance right now with very expensive luxury constructions going up everywhere. It used to be that no one would be caught in DTLA after 5:00PM, but now there are certain neighborhoods that are extremely active at all hours, have great restaurants, bars, etc. South Park is by far the most desirable part of DTLA with tons of new apartments and condos, steps from LA Live and the Staples Center, and it borders the Financial District, so you can walk to where all the firms are. The Arts District is also very up-and-coming. It's extremely hipster, but if you're into that it's really cool. Lots of cafes, restaurants, gastro pubs, etc. Some people also love Bunker Hill, but I'm of the opinion that it's still a bit sketchy/run down. But I digress.

Outside of DTLA, there are literally endless options. Most young people/working professionals live in Central LA or the West Side. Central LA meaning Miracle Mile, Hancock Park, Larchmont Village, and Mid-Wilshire. Miracle Mile is personally my favorite, with an endless supply of nightlife, restaurants, young people, etc. It's also where all of the museums are, if you're into that. Most of these communities are also on the expensive side, but you could get away with a mediocre 1BR apartment for around $1500, depending on where you are in relation to Wilshire Blvd. On the less luxurious side, KTown is also part of Central LA, and has its nice parts. It's more affordable, but you're definitely limited in options when it comes to restaurants and nightlife, as pretty much EVERYTHING is Korean BBQ and Karaoke.

The West Side is also awesome, including Santa Monica, Westwood, Brentwood, etc. However, the commute is a bitch. It can be a dealbreaker for a lot of people. But others love the beach, the nightlife, and everything that comes with the West Side so they chose to suck it up.

If you're looking to really get a lot of bang for your buck, look into neighborhoods like Echo Park, Los Feliz, and Silverlake. Echo Park definitely has rough parts, and you have to be careful about where you live. But, there are some decent parts that are pretty affordable. Los Feliz is really neat, it's a neighborhood in LA that actually feels like a neighborhood. Kind of hipster, but a lot of people love it. Silverlake is hipster heaven. It's all fair trade coffee shops, open mic poetry cafes, art galleries, etc. It's kind of grungy, but some people love it. All three of these communities will require a short commute to work, anywhere from 10-20 minutes, depending on how deep into them you live.

If you're a stickler for around $1k/month, check out Echo Park/Loz Feliz/Silverlake. It's close to DTLA, but also affordable and trendy.

If you want to ask more pointed questions, feel free to PM me. Happy to help.

[lacrossebrother]

Do oldtown Pasadena

[brokenconundrum]

Yeah, you're gonna have to live in Koreatown.

[Anonymous User]

Live near USC and you can get away with $800-$900. There won't be anything to do nearby though (w/o a car).

[KM2016]

Live near USC and you can get away with $800-$900. There won't be anything to do nearby though (w/o a car).

Live near USC is synonymous with put your life at risk every time you step outside. Don't live there, it's a very rough area.

[Hand]

Live near USC and you can get away with $800-$900. There won't be anything to do nearby though (w/o a car).

Live near USC is synonymous with put your life at risk every time you step outside. Don't live there, it's a very rough area.

Yeah don't live there if you like being alive. Live in K-town if you want to live cheap and close to DTLA.

[jess]

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[KM2016]

Is koreatown sketchy? A lot of the houses have security bars on the windows.

Depends on where in KTown. Anywhere within 3 blocks north or south of Wilshire (between Vermont and Western) is actually pretty nice (very reminiscent of Miracle Mile).

[PvblivsScipio]

Housing rates are skyrocketing.

[sonyvaio18]

Thanks so much everyone for the informative thoughts!

For those who've found their places -- was it just through craigslist?

For June openings, would more spots open up around March or April? I haven't seen much now.

[almondjoy]

Thanks so much everyone for the informative thoughts!

For those who've found their places -- was it just through craigslist?

For June openings, would more spots open up around March or April? I haven't seen much now.

Westside Rentals. It's like $60 to sign up but they pretty much own the rental listing scene.

[KM2016]

Thanks so much everyone for the informative thoughts!

For those who've found their places -- was it just through craigslist?

For June openings, would more spots open up around March or April? I haven't seen much now.

Westside Rentals. It's like $60 to sign up but they pretty much own the rental listing scene.

Westside Rentals has a lot of listings, but I find that it's not very easy to use in terms of really narrowing your search parameters. If you're already in LA, or have the ability to do take some time to look, I honestly think driving through your desired neighborhood and calling the numbers on the buildings is one of the best ways to find an apartment in LA.

Craigslist is also pretty helpful, but with all of the different neighborhoods in LA it can be a pain to sift through.

All things considered, don't waste money on a broker or agent; it's much easier to find good deals in LA than NYC.

[brokenconundrum]

Thanks so much everyone for the informative thoughts!

For those who've found their places -- was it just through craigslist?

For June openings, would more spots open up around March or April? I haven't seen much now.

I've always tried Craigslist anytime I've moved in LA (I have done so quite a bit) and I've never found anything off of it. Everything I've looked at from online or via Westside Rentals, at least in my experience, ends up being a dump. It's a pain in the ass, but you really just need to drive around in the neighborhoods you're willing to live in. My recommendation for Ktown is to stay west of Normandie (or Vermont, if you must) and north of Wilshire if you can.