What do I need to know about moving to Los Angeles?

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Obviousman

We see this every day in this forum: Everyone wants to move here, and is looking for â€œcheap/affordable and safe". However, such a place just doesnâ€™t exist; the two terms are mutually exclusive. It's all about supply and demand: If it's in SoCal, then it's not going to be cheap to begin with. If it's a safe area, then it's more expensive. If you need good schools, add a couple hundred bucks a month on top of it.

If you want to live here and enjoy the weather, then you have to pay for it. You put up with the smog and the traffic, enjoy the weather and pay your rent or mortgage. My advice is to start checking out craigslist, rent.com, and apartments.com if you are looking to rent. Youâ€™ll quickly see that the minimum rent for a non-war zone is about $1,000-$1,200 per month for a studio or 1BR. Really nice areas (like the West LA area) easily run $3,000 or more. Want to live near the beach? Expect to pay a premium.

"LA" is such a big place, there are so many neighborhoods/cities where you can live. Of course, even within a city or neighborhood, there are safer sections and less-safe sections.
In Los Angeles, some nice sections are West LA, Brentwood, Westwood, Marina Del Rey, Playa Del Rey, Los Feliz, Silverlake, Eagle Rock, Encino, Tarzana, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Granada Hills, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, West Hills, Chatsworth.

To the east: South Pasadena, parts of Pasadena, Altadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Glendora, San Dimas, Laverne, Azusa, Rancho Cucamonga.

Along the beach: Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Playa Del Rey, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes, Rancho PV.

In Orange County aka "The OC": Seal Beach , Huntington Beach , Newport Beach , Corona Del Mar , Laguna Beach , Dana Point , Capistrano Beach , San Clemente , Brea, Yorba Linda, Orange, Tustin, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Forest

To the west: Agoura, Calabasas, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Simi Valley, Moorpark.

This is not an all-inclusive list, but it's a start.

Mary & Mike

I hate to be a wet blanket, but OMG, where do I start?!

Whitney, out front, I am going to try and discourage you from this quest of yours; of which I completely understand the passion that flames it.

I've worked in the industry for quite some time, and please believe me when I say how rare it is when an outsider breaks in without nepotism being involved. Truly, it is who you know.

There are so many tricksters in L.A. and more-so in the entertainment business. You'll never be able to hang on to your morals, integrity or character... And Still come out with literally nothing!

Odds are you will be separated from that 10k as soon as word gets out you're sitting on it. This will happen in any of a half-dozen ways. Some of which will be from those who say they are agents, they need head-shots, you need this or that... Acting lessons from 'the best' (lol), or even those who will have business cards made up saying they are producers of a known or unknown studio. It's all bullchit...there are NO free lunches in places like L.A. or N.Y.

Add to this the state of our economy, everything is pared down right now. You wouldn't believe how expensive housing is in a decent area (one where u won't be raped or killed), food, gas & smog is the highest in the country here in L.A., Frisco being close. We have near 8 percent out of work, NOT INCLUDING THE FILM IND.) I could go on forever, but it's past my bed time.
Odds of someone breaking in are a thousand to one at best. Please, stay alive, stay put!!!

Sincerely.

Jessi Z

you WILL need a roomate because the average rent for an apartment in la is over 1000 dollars a month! A friend of mine moved out there and there were 5 people living in a 2 bedroom apartment just to make ends meet. Everything in LA is expensive! Stay away from the area around the chinese theatre. That area isn't so good!

chuckles951

Please come and join the other 1,000,000 in LA trying to get into acting. We call many of these people waiters. Remember the average income of a SAG member from acting is about $8,000 and that average includes what the big stars make.

As well another 1,000,000 are trying to sell a screen play. We call many of these people parking valets. The other 13,000,000 of us here in LA are not actively looking but are open to offers if a casting director liked us.

And all the areas of LA are safe except those where you see houses with bars on ground floor windows.

And $750 will let you live in a 1 bedroom apartment provided you can find a roommate spending the same amount.

Javier G

And I want a pony. I hope you will be smart enough to believe all the people here in L.A. that are telling you to stay where you are presently living, and get a job there.

If you come here you will just be another face in the crowd. With the highest unemployment in L.A. for decades you probably won't find any other jobs to sustain your "acting" search, and I'll bet there are some people still laughing about the $750 a month for rent idea. Try $1100 and up for a dumpy place in a bad area. As others have informed you , the entertaining industry is one in which you need connections in order to break into.

Please save your money, and stay where you are. We're not lying to you.

elky

its dirty!! well not alot of places are safe there . try goignt o a white community maybe .la is not a good place i dont care what anyone says

Chelsie surf

$10,000 is not going to last you more than a few months, even if you have a job to supplement it. If you get a roommate then it may be possible, but definitely not in Hollywood or Westwood. The valley is a little cheaper.

Neighborhoods to avoid would be Compton, East LA, Watts, and so on. Don't listen to all the spam about getting guns and all, the majority of LA is actually quite safe. You're not going to be able to afford a very nice area with your money. I would suggest looking into Glendale, Burbank, the San Fernando Valley, or maybe Pasadena.

Phoenix

Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, and West Hollywood are all good places to stay. Stay away from pretty much anywhere else. Don't get shot.

snow kid

that 911 is the emergency number in the united states.

Jorgie_Porgie

make sure to have lots of pepper spray and maybe a tazer.

Damien L

buy at least two handguns and get the permits to carry them concealed on your person. if you can afford it, also buy a kevlar vest and wear it under your coat.

West of Encino

sure, plenty of acting jobs available. If you don't land a part, You can always become a socialite and get your name on the A list to all the happing events in town

TreeFrog

You should check out some places in Compton. They are relatively inexpensive and you'll find lots of nice neighbors who can help you get started on your career.

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