I want to move to LA...?

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Obviousman

Every year, just after New Years, we get a surge of people wanting to move to LA. Perhaps it’s the Rose Parade coverage. Maybe it’s a New Year’s resolution. Maybe people are tired of cold weather. Some people just want to start over. Whatever the reason, we get a bunch of questions around this time of year, asking what it’s like in LA in order to move here.

First of all, I'll tell you what it's NOT like: It's not like anything on TV. There aren’t running gun battles in the street. There aren’t shootouts every day. Also, you don’t see celebrities just walking down the street. We don't go surfing during lunch hour. Some part of LA are really nice, others are “ghetto”.

LA doesn’t have an effective public transportation like New York or San Francisco. One reason is that LA is larger in area than either of those, without a central hub where everything is. Back in the 1960’s, we might have done it. But by the time local governments got their act together, it was much more difficult to make a working public transit system. Also, unlike NY, we have earthquakes, which makes it a little more difficult to built underground.

You NEED a car to live in Southern California. Deal with it.

The freeway traffic in LA is probably the worst thing about living here. The 405 is the worst. Know why they call it the 405? Because you go 4 o' 5 miles per hour, and it takes 4 o' 5 hours to get where you're going. Freeway Traffic is bad from 6-10 AM and bad from 3-7 PM. I don't know why they call it rush hour. It's more than an hour, and nobody's rushing, that's for sure.

The gangs in LA are the cause of many rumors. Keep in mind that there are gangs in any large town, in every part of the country. In LA, the gangs aren't really downtown, they are in South LA, East LA, and north Long Beach (an extension of the South LA gangs, actually). And here's the deal: Mostly, they just kill each other.

Gas is expensive in California. Currently, it's about $3.20, on average.

Yes, gas and real estate are very expensive in SoCal. However, this would be the best time to BUY a house because it's a buyer's market right now. There are a lot of foreclosures, and too many houses on the market. So if you have cash, it's a great time to buy. Unfortunately, most of us don't have a half-mil just lying around. Perhaps Paris Hilton (regular poster here)?

Yep, freeways are a drag, it's smoggy in summer, and expensive to live here. Yet, if it's so bad, why do we have thousands and thousands of people moving here?

Weather
Activities
Weather
Plenty of jobs
Weather
Beaches, mountains, deserts all within driving distance
Weather!

Here's my final point on the weather. In colder parts of the country, people keep their cars in their garages all winter. Kids get snow toys for Christmas. Here, kids get BIKES, scooters, and skateboards. 10 AM Christmas morning, the streets are FULL of kids on their new bikes, scooters, etc. We have a play set from Costco in the back yard. I installed a light in the yard and our youngest plays on it (sometimes with friends) at night during the “winter”, from the time homework and dinner are done until bed time. You can't do THAT in the snow.

The job market is good here, mainly because there are SO many people here that it creates its own job market. Then there are MANY industries, including tourism, entertainment, shipping, manufacturing, etc. It’s an incredible economy.

However, LA is not for everyone. Every time someone posts this question, you get the LA haters who post their bile and venom. A lot of them don’t know what they are talking about. Maybe they had cousin Ernie visit once, and he was plumb disappointed when he got to Hollywood and found it weren’t pretty like on TV. Of course, he told all his kinfolk, and now they’re LA experts. Some of them are people who actually visited once, and found out it wasn’t like it was on TV, and it certainly wasn’t Mayberry. And some actually lived here, and couldn’t deal with the expense, the traffic, or the rather impersonal nature of living in a large metropolis. (You know, the kind who like to drop in on their neighbors unannounced, open the (unlocked) door, and let themselves in. Well, it’s not like that here, for better or worse. To those I would say “good luck” to you wherever you are, but please don’t spew your venom in this forum.

In a nutshell, LA a HUGE metropolis. I live in one of the nicer suburbs, but the commute is no fun, often 1-2 hours each way each day. However, 340+ days of sunshine really helps. Yeah, it's expensive. Mrs. Obviousman and I both have to work to pay the mortgage. But is it worth it? You bet!

Marissajz

Cost of living is SUPER expensive.

Edit: Obviousman's summation rocks. And its about 100% accurate.

CarlisleGirl

There is always work for those who apply themselves. But LA is very expensive, so be forewarned. That said, LA is GREAT!!!!!

?Lem?ny?

It is extremely expensive to live here in California! The job market is very open for restaurant work..it's just hard to make a living doing that. I make $14 an hour (not much..but not minimum) and I can't live on my own. Luckily I'm married! Be prepared to live in a dumpy apartment and have a ton of roommates. If you're young and don't care...go for it! I hope to move OUT of LA soon!

da.wezal

the job market is fine but very expensive to live in L.A......Watch yourself in Cali from the Pros & Cons in the LA area, if your not quick on your feet by the fast pace of the city then your bound too get trampled over.......

Lydster

if you want to move there then move there!!
but yeah you should be able to get a pretty decent job!
its a great city.

fbianchi70

Can I move there with you?

:))

jhereg07

Just go for it. The job market is the same no matter where you go. 90 percent of it is your own personality and what you are willing to do. Work in a restaurant, bar, etc. The experience alone will pay its way until you can find something in your own career.

racerwesu

The job market is pretty much the same as the rest of the country. Remember the cost of living, rent, food, etc. is higher here than Baltimore

Goodbye

Job market is decent, however it's rather expensive to live here in LA, you will likely need to save a good chunk of change to survive on until you can get a decent job. Average living expenses to rent a studio apartment, pay the bills, and eat are close to $2500 or so a month. Car insurance is more expensive out here in this area, and for a studio apartment monthly you are looking at 895-1200 a month starting for anywhere decent and not in the ghetto.

gnomie

Hon, you DO NOT want to move to L.A, rethink your decsion! Trust me on this one, I am not trying to tell you what tot do with your life or anything, but LA just isn't a good place!

Melissa S

I recently moved to LA and found it very easy to find a job. I think employers are crying out for people that can speak fluent English and write/spell. Don't be put off by all of the posts on her - if you want to try something in life, go for it. The worst thing that can happen is you run out of money and have to go home!

on a limb

Do some research. Know what you want to do before you get there and do a search on-line to tell you what's available. I"m sure the worst think about LA is the high cost of living and the risk of earthquakes. It's also going to be very competitive. If you aren't moving there to work and your just going there because of the glory, brace yourself, you may find yourself on the streets. Don't be foolish. If you want this bad enough you will WORK for it....Like anything else in life.

CRSP

Its horrible, stay away!!! Don't come here ever.

Well L.A. is a fun place...there's always something to do however, that's if you have friends. If you're coming by yourself....L.A. can be a pretty lonely/cruel place. The people can be very superficial...and even when you think you know them...they some how back stab you....coming from personal experience. Anyway, there's lots of jobs out here, but there's also a lot of competition so be prepared to hustle! Also, the cost of living is SUPER high...and I doubt you can make it on your own....unless you already have money. With your experience....I see you making no more than $11 an hour...that's if you get lucky. So if I were you I'd think twice....also, L.A. isn't all that it's cracked up to be...it's ghetto! If I were you I'd move to the Valley.

GambitGrrl

I can't think of any Pros.

California is just terribly expensive no matter where you go.

Do you know someone there you can live with? Even if you can find a job, you probably won't make enough to live on your own.

A Friend of mine plays guitar and knew some of his fellow musicians that moved there to try to get noticed. They all lived in friends apartments sleeping on floors mostly and eventually had to move back home.

Your car probably isn't up to their strict laws regarding emissions. They are pretty strict about it there.

I don't know about the job market there. But I know that it's densely populated so the good paying jobs are probably slim. And even the jobs that seem to pay well, don't pay enough.

Another friend and her husband looked a moving there because he could make $100,000 a year doing IT work. But when the price of a 2 bedroom house is in a questionable area is $250,000 or more, it's just not enough money. That's what they were paying for their 4 bedroom house in an affluent upper middle class neighborhood already! I would have been a step down for them.

I'd try to go out there on a week or two vacation first to see if you even like it there. In the mean time, do some job searches on the net for LA, and look at apartment availability an cost.

Oh and you have to worry about earthquakes.

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