Whats life like in Los Angeles?

Question

I'm considering a move to Los Angeles from New York City. Just "Considering", meaning I haven't actually made any strides in planning anything really.

So I'd just like to find out how the weather over there is, the quality of life?

I know there are quite a few areas normal people should just avoid and stay out of, but are there nice places too? if so, what are they?

I lived in New York most of my life since immigrating here as a child from Russia but I never really liked it here. Its way too overrated. The summers here are unbearably hot and humid and the winters are just fickle and snowfall is too sporadic throughout the winter months.

Anyway, So whats it really like overall? Naming negatives as well as positives would be great. :)

Answer 1

When I first saw that you were from NYC I was about to say NO because everyone who loves NYC hates Los Angeles.. BUT then I saw that you don't like NYC ..So you would love Los Angeles.

Coming from NYC Los Angeles will actually seem cheap to you.

Whoever you are, whatever you are - there's something for you here and you'll love it.


Gas Prices
Currently $3.40 - $3.90

Rent
1 bedroom ranges from $700 - 1400 depending on area
2 bedroom ranges from $900 - 2200 depending on area
Average 1 bedroom is probably $1100, average 2 bedroom probably $1500
To rent a house ranges from $1400-$3000
Use www.craigslist.org
Be sure to get one with central A/C and heat as well as some sort of parking. Parking is important in L.A.

Real Estate
Condos average from $300,000 - $600,000. I have seen some condos for $150,000 - $300,000 but in worse areas or they are something called "co-ops which I am not exactly sure what that is. HOA fees for condos range from $150-500 depending.
Houses also average from $450,000 - $800,000 depending on the neighborhood. In more ghetto areas houses are $300,000-450,000 (or it's a smaller or run-down house). Use www.craigslist.org and www.ziprealty.com to find housing.

Bills
Are suposed to be a little higher than average but I'm not really sure

Traffic
HORRIBLE TERRIBLE HORRIBLE . Taking the bus is many times better - and cheaper. $52 bucks a month gets you unlimited rides. And if you are going to be at UCLA and on the Westside alot then another $60 for the Santa Monica bus. IF you have a car, parking at UCLA is alot. And of course gas and insurance both are terribly expensive out here.



Neighborhoods
I reccomend Glendale area. Glendale is a bit cheaper than the average but also very nice and very safe. Glendale / Burbank / Pasadena is the best area to live in with regards to both price and quality. Glendale has a local bus for a quarter, rent for 1 bedroom is $800-1000 with Pasadena and Burbank being about $900-1200.

Hollywood is nice if you want a bit more excitement and flavor. Hollywood ranges from really cheap to really expensive. North hollywood is really cheap $700 apartment.



Entertainment
Hundreds of clubs, bars, strip clubs, restaurants, malls, movie theatres, complexs, fairs, festivals, events, etc.etc. It is literally IMPOSSIBLE to be bored in Los Angeles. Whatever type of person you are there is something for you. There are hundreds of different neighborhoods and they are all different in some way. Whatever race you are, whatever weird activities you like, whatever music you like - you will never feel weird or alone in Los Angeles. It is a very exciting place to live. BUT the right area can still be good for families. It is possible to raise good well-rounded kids here if you live in the right area and raise them right.

If you are young or going here for college or don't have kids yet, you'll LOVE it here. It is just a paradise to be young in Los Angeles.

The buses run everywhere so despite what you hear you don't really need a car in L.A. It helps of course but it's so expensive these days to drive that it's nice to always have the bus there to fight traffic for you.


Weather
It gets somewhat hot here but I am from Texas and Texas is worse. The winter doesn't get too bad and obviously it doesn't snow except high in the mountains. Many apartments don't have central air and heat they have A/C in the wall like in NYC but be sure to look a bit harder for an apartment with central A/C and heat it's well worth it. It only rains in the winter months. In the summer it hardly ever rains. When I moved here I went like 6 months without seeing rain. Where I grew up in Houston it usually rains at least once a week no matter what time of year. In Los Angeles we have a "rainy season" which is from about November - March. Sometimes it will rain off and on for days at a time. But once March comes you start to miss the rain. Better than having tornandos. There is rarely thunder and lightening. It's really gentle rains not really storms. No hurricanes. Earthquakes occur often but most are so tiny you can't feel them and most are out of the city and don't cause any damage.


Russians
Since you are Russian I am sure you would find a Russian community here to associate with. Churches, stores, etc. Los Angeles has every race. Unfortunately I am not sure where these communities would be. I know where the Armenian communities are (Glendale and parts of Hollywood) but they are not really the same race right?


Job Market
There are always job opportunities out here. Minimum wage is $6.75 .. Average working-class job is $8-10/ hour (restaurants, coffee shops, stores, etc.) Most office jobs starting entry level pay at least $30,000. My job pays $12/hour in a nice office. To find jobs try www.craigslist.org Use them also for apartments.

Answer 2

California is a nice place. It is pretty much 70 degrees all year. Even in the winter it is not that cold.
In California most of the time to do stuff you need to have money. Money is a key factor. Also transportation is not good. The buses take a long time. It is easier to have a car. However the cost of living will balance out with it cost to live in New York. Most people here are more chill than in New York.
California is also overrated everything is not perfect. People do not go to the beach everyday and most people do not go to the beach.
The club life in California is pretty good, especially if it is in downtown LA or the Wilshire area. The restaurants are really good there is a variety to choose from. Also the Santa Monica area is pretty good for clubbing and there is also Beverly Hills. The OC is a pretty cool place.

Answer 3

I have lived in LA before. That place is awesome if and only if you have lots of money. If you are broke, like what I used to be when I was there (still am), then it could be a living hell. If you are from another country, this place won't make you feel like a stranger cause it's got many ethnics, e.g. Mexicans, blacks, Philipinos, Chinese, Japanese, Arabs, Jews... you name it, LA's got it. If you are wealthy, wow! all the power to you. Fancy cars, living in Palos Verdes or Beverly Hills, gorgeous chicks/guys, entertainment, shopping malls and whatever not. Anyway, I still miss that place.

Answer 4

Boring..... not much you can do here. Lots of place close way too early. Especially on sat and sun, place close earlier then week day. What's the point??!! I'm pretty sure there were more things to do in NY then here. If you want to try new place, try move to Hong Kong... you'll love there.

Answer 5

LA is a concrete jungle, literally. I used to live near LA. Sure, there are nice places in LA but it has one of the most congested freeway systems in the US, people can seem cold, and there is a ton of smog. As far as the weather, it's nice. Personally, I wouldn't want to live in LA. Way too overcrowded.

Answer 6

LA is the perfect place to live......i used to live there rite next to the "hollywood hills" lol......pretty nice life.....if ur rich...its even better!!!......might just run into a star=).....but since im a traveleri had to move=(

Answer 7

Hey Zorrow, nice racial slam, and if you think the weather is lousy, you're an idiot. Why do think Los Angeles is so overcrowded?

Answer 8

Its not all its cracked up to be. If you like Mexicans, you'll find more than enough. Its a poor educational city. Way too crowded with vehicles, everyone in a rush to go somewhere, weather is lousy, many streets with cracks & pot holes, too noisy at times, weather is way too hot for many.

Answer 9

Great City, crowded, crazy, best sites, food, expensive. lots of traffic, mixed bag of People.

Answer 10

Methodically aggravated.