r/MovingToLosAngeles

I've lived in NELA for the past 10 years and recently got an offer for a role in Malibu, near Pepperdine. It is a dream job, and while the pay is great ($130,000), I still can't afford Malibu rent ($4k for a 1bed!).

So it seems like my options are either Calabasas/Agoura Hills, which are too suburban and far from everything, or Palisades/Santa Monica, which are better but still require a 30-40 minute commute.

I guess I'm kind of shouting into the void here because there is literally a mountain range/ocean blocking me from living anywhere else. How do people do it? Maybe I am somehow missing something?

I consider myself a decent/good driver but I’m also fairly new to driving. Only been doing it for about a year. Is it really stressful to drive out there? The family I have from there say it’s horrible and would eat me alive but I don’t know how much of this is fear mongering and how much is factual.

No I can’t park. We’ll revisit that later. One thing at a time.

I have about $5,000 saved up. I don’t actually have transferable experience besides working in retail. I have zero education. It’s always been a dream of mine to move to LA and I know that sooo many people have made it with nothing! I’ve dreamed of becoming an actress or film producer but actually don’t have any experience whatsoever but I remember hearing Brad Pitt lived in his car while starting out so why not!? 🤗 I think I can afford about $900 a month in rent and I’ve always dreamed of living in West Hollywood or Santa Monica! I’m from a very small town and I have zero street smarts so there’s absolutely no way I’ll be fake advantage of! I did work at my local Applebees for six months a couple years ago so I know it’ll be SO easy for me to walk in and get a hospitality job right?? Should I take the plunge and move to LA!!?? Also not looking for negativity, just reassurance that everything will go my way and I’m making a great decision!!

/s

You guys /s means sarcasm lol.

friend just moved out here from Chicago for a job at one of the studios. found a 1BR on FB marketplace, gorgeous listing, $2100/mo which is nuts for that area. landlord had a whole story aka "out of the country", "trust-based leasing," would send keys by fedex after deposit + first + last hit his Zelle.

she was hours away from sending it. i told her to pay someone $50++ on TaskRabbit to just walk by the building. turned out the address was a vacant unit above a nail salon that had been listed by three different "landlords" in six months. photos were scraped from a Redfin sold listing in DTLA.

she got the money back because she hadn't sent it yet BUT we know some other people experience similar thing without getting their money back.

anyway just posting because i keep meeting people who almost did this. if you're moving here sight unseen do NOT wire anything until someone with eyes verifies the address is real.

Moving to Los Angeles soon and potentially lined up a job with a studio that would require me to go on runs. I have a drivers license but don’t drive super regularly because I lived in a walkable city the last three years. Additionally, I have a coordination/processing disorder that can mess with my spatial awareness sometimes. I adapted while driving in my hometown and was fine. But I tended to avoid highways. I know LA is mostly freeways so worried it will be more of an issue here. Any tips for getting more comfortable driving in LA? How much of an adjustment will it be for someone used to driving in the Midwest?

I make around 300k a year and my current house in Prosper cost 1.2mil. Do you think I can afford to live in LA and Winnetka?

Reason for move: Bored of Dallas Forth Worth. Want to see LA has to offer. What do you think?

I’m 26 & my fiancé is 29 and we are saving to buy a home but don’t know where we want to live. Realistically I don’t see us being able to afford Los Angeles on a regular basis, so it’s not an option for our first home. However, I have built up quite a savings and would love take a month out of my time and stay at a hotel, air bnb, or rental and work. I’m a server/bartender so I would still want to work to get the social interaction with people and make some money while learning about the area and making connections. I was thinking about spending $3-4k for a month long stay, and using the money earned to replenish that back into my savings. I know I wouldn’t earn all of it back, but I’m really not concerned because I’d be spending a month in LA. My job is flexible with leaves & my fiancé works from home and can work anywhere. His job covers our bills back home so I am not worried about that either.

Is this insane to do? Is it difficult to I have always dreamed of living in LA & visited last year and I loved it. l feel like this is a way to get a taste of it without fully committing financially. Is it difficult to get a serving job in LA? I am not leaning to one area over another.

Edit: I wanna add that I do have a job currently that can be transferred back and forth. The company is flexible with transfers and I have been with the company for a while in good standing. If I am unable to find work, this is an option.

edit: I now realize my post implied I wanted to spend $3-4k for my entire trip, which is not what I meant. I specifically mean $3-4k on accommodations like hotels or airbnb’s!! Also, I am okay with enjoying my time and not working! I literally said I want to work because I enjoy the job. If it’s not an option, that is okay!!

one more thing !! i just want all of you think about this. if you do not like cold & have ever experienced ohio or any state with snow or cold weather, you could possibly understand why i want to spend a month away from ohio during the winter months 😅

Hi !! I am moving to LA in the near future but with enough time to plan, so I want to make sure I find the best deal possible and just generally how to stay informed in my negotiations.

Thank you all in advance, and if you’re looking to make new friends in LA, I’d love to grab coffee sometime !

Hello. My partner and I are moving to LA October 1st for work. We are going this weekend for a long weekend to tour a bunch of apartments. Is it likely that we will be able to sign a lease for 10/01 this far in advance? We are coming from an area where you can sign a lease months in advance but we know it’s not like that in LA. We will be a little over a month from move in when we tour all these places so we wanna know what our expectations should be!

Hi everyone, I’m a 25-year-old guy moving to Southern California after accepting a job near Irvine Spectrum. I’ll be working in-office and am trying to choose where to live.

My priorities are:
• A realistic commute to Irvine Spectrum: ideally 25–30 minutes in typical peak traffic, though I understand traffic can be unpredictable.
• A 1-bedroom/1-bathroom apartment with parking included, around $2,300–$2,500 per month.
• A neighborhood where it is reasonably easy to meet people in their 20s and have a social life. I don’t know many people locally yet.
• Access within roughly 15–20 minutes to tennis, pickleball, and padel, indoor or outdoor, public or paid is fine.
• Being able to get to LA occasionally to see friends in Santa Monica, Venice, and Hollywood. I know living closer to LA may make the Irvine commute much worse, so I’m trying to find the best compromise.

I’m currently considering Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, and possibly Long Beach.

My questions:

1. Which of these areas is the best fit for a single 25-year-old who wants an active social life but works near Irvine Spectrum?
2. Is Costa Mesa the strongest option for nightlife, restaurants, meeting people, and a manageable commute or are there better alternatives?
3. Is a decent 1BR with parking realistically available in my $2,300–$2,500 budget in these areas, or should I adjust my expectations?
4. How bad are the real rush-hour commutes from Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Costa Mesa to Irvine Spectrum?
5. Which neighborhoods or apartment complexes would you specifically recommend or avoid?
6. Where would you live if you wanted the best balance of work commute, social life, sports access, and occasional (twice a week types) trips to LA?

Thanks in advance especially interested in advice from people who have made a similar move or commute to Irvine Spectrum.

Queer woman, late thirties, two cats and a six figure income(130k) fully remote job. I have a little nest egg saved up for moving.

I know it’s probably just a fantasy, but would like a walkable neighborhood and/or would love to be close to the water. If not, at least be easy to get there on the weekend. I’m planning a visit just to scope things out and look at places.

I also play sports and would like find a community to stay fit and active.

Budget: up to $2500

I currently live in Baltimore Maryland and after visiting LA for the first time a few months ago, it made me realize how much better it is there. I can’t deal with being in Baltimore much longer and this might sound crazy but I’m considering moving to LA and possibly living in my car for awhile until I figure everything out. I’d rather be unhoused in somewhere like California than anywhere on the east coast. The opportunity cost seems worth it.

Hi❤️ I’m moving to LA from Philly and my girlfriend is meeting me out there to move in with me in April so I’ll only have to pay the bills by myself for 6 months. I also have a small dog and a catBudget is $1,800 for a one bedroom in either NoHo or Koreatown, is this possible? I’ve found a few places but the reviews and photos come off a bit sketch. Anyone know of any actual reputable leasing offices or apt buildings or private landlords? Thanks❤️

Considering moving to Glendale, Ca. Do you think it’s feasible for a family with two kids to live in Glendale, CA, on a $100K gross household income, with health insurance for the whole family provided by the employer and a monthly rent of about $3,600 at a workforce and moderate-income housing community.
Thanks!

EDIT: WOW! I didn’t expect SO many comments in just a few hours. Thank you VERY much for sharing your perspectives. They’ve really helped me a lot to get a better sense of how our life in Glendale would be like.
It appears our first goal is reaching $150k a year, which should be feasible after the first year or so.
Thanks!

So I am planning a move to Los Angeles?

I will be moving there in the next 3 months! So in January. I wish I could just leave in the middle of winter, So I can leave faster.

Only thing is. I will only have $600, But. I will be transferring with my job. They said that I can transfer at any time when I am ready! It will just take 3 weeks to transfer, Which isn’t bad.

So. What’s it like to be homeless there?

yo whats up everybody im moving to LA with a friend at the end of this year can you guys tell me anything about the area this apartment is in or the apartment if you live/lived in ir "AVA Hollywood at La Pietra Place"

Im from Fresno, CA but moved to Vegas for a job and now im coming back after getting a much needed job on my resume (thank god) thank you hope you all are doing well:)

I currently just got a pay increase at my job & want to move near it due to the horrible traffic I have been dealing with for the past few years (1 1/2 - 2hr commute back home). I was born & raised near Compton & honestly I have only been around southern LA (Cerritos, Gardena, Palos Verde, San Pedro etc..).

I plan on going to law school next year which would be near my job in Beverly Hills. My budget for rent is $1,800. Any areas where I can reasonably afford a studio / 1br with parking & laundry.

I was thinking in K-town but honestly, I do not think I would enjoy living there. Looking for any suggestions on where to look at! Also was looking into Crenshaw since its not too far but honestly, as long as I can be home within 20-30min in peak traffic time I will be fine.

Ideally I would like to still be a reasonable distance from LAX as well because I travel a lot. But I am open to suggestions for other areas.

Everyone’s knee jerk response is that an apartment like that will just be in a slum inner neighborhood but I believe its possible and I have seen anecdotes. Does anyone know like an actual apartment recommendation (via website or just name.)

I’m planning to move my entire 2BHK from Miami to LA and looking for a reliable moving company that can handle everything door to door, including packing, loading, transportation and unloading.

I’ve already got quotes from several companies, but honestly, most of them seem quite overpriced. I’m looking for something reasonably priced, but at the same time I don’t want to compromise on trust or the safety of my belongings.

Would really appreciate recommendations from people who have actually used a moving company for a similar long-distance move. Please share your experience and the company you used, along with the approximate cost if you remember.

Since it’s my entire household shipment, so I’d prefer recommendations based on personal experience.

Moving to hacienda heights where to make friends and what to look out for. male in his mid 20s :)