Got an offer to work down in Southern CA. I need some advice/help!

[decay]

i've lived kinda in that area since i got home from iraq.

you might find a living situation for that much... further inland. i go to school in Torrance, and it's not a terrible neighborhood IMO.

the 405 sucks. traffic is a fact of life, in general. sometimes there is traffic at 5am, or midnight, or whenever; that's just how LA is.

good luck on the concealed-carry. i'm in the military and have heard it's such a giant pain in the ass that i haven't bothered asking.

[Sean]

Thanks a lot for the advice. I guess I didn't really think 30 miles was that far - but the more I think about it, the more it would suck.

I made a quick map of south LA county - blue are areas I'm looking at living and red are the areas I won't touch with a 10 ft pole. The A is where I will work.

Does this look accurate? I hear if you get 5-6 blocks from the coast in Long Beach, that you'll hear gunshots often?



So after thinking about it more, I'm leaning towards Torrance, San Pedro, coastal Long Beach, Westminster, Redondo Beach, and Seal Beach. A quick search found some decent places for 1000-1200 with one with a 2-car garage. However, it was really close to the 405/110 intersection - is that getting too close to Compton?

[IRON-E]

Believe or not Carson itself is not bad, as long as you stay East of the 110 fwy you shouldn't even worry about your car or rent. You'll be away from beach front properties but your savings will make up for it.


Just my 0.02 cents

[Farbin Kaiber]

Fullerton is not blue, but has lots of lower cost college style housing options. Look into it, also it means there are lots of hot college girls too.

Brea is a big "Bro" city. If that's your thing.

[Sean]

Really? I'll have to consider Carson, then. I figured it was a rough city, but I guess it isn't, huh? So I take it it should look more like the updated map above. I made the green areas the ones that were likely to be more pricey than the rest. What about the stuff I hear about northern Long Beach?

Thanks, Farbin, I'm totally a bro!! LOL haha I did consider Fullerton, but I'm thinking I want a be a bit closer to work and not have to commute that far. Or, would that not make much of a difference?

[e34john]

As long as you have a license from the state you're from, I don't think there is a problem unless you run into the same officer a few times. I've been pulled for my NJ plates, but every time the "oh I just got here officer and I'm leaving in a few weeks" has worked for me.

Yea don't register or get an ID here. My friend is from AZ and since they have something like a 50 year drivers license renewal, shes been using her AZ one for like 5 years, and everytime she gets pulled over for tinted windows she just says its legal in AZ and shes going back home new week. Same thing with all the cars that are registered in Mexico.

[Farbin Kaiber]

Or, would that not make much of a difference?

I would narrow down your choices by highway access. The less interchanges you have to pass through, the better. Looks like the 22 and 405 are good choices for you.

[Sean]

I would narrow down your choices by highway access. The less interchanges you have to pass through, the better. Looks like the 22 and 405 are good choices for you.

So, I'd get to work faster if I could hop on the 405 than if I took a highway from San Pedro or something? I guess the best way to tell is to go there and drive it. lol

I found this page, which allows you to see LA County with an overlay of the safety of each city:

http://lalife.com/Torrance

According to it, San Pedro is less safe than Carson and Long Beach is not as safe as Carson. Does this sound right??

[e30trooper]

Thanks a lot for the advice. I guess I didn't really think 30 miles was that far - but the more I think about it, the more it would suck.

I made a quick map of south LA county - blue are areas I'm looking at living and red are the areas I won't touch with a 10 ft pole. The A is where I will work.

Does this look accurate? I hear if you get 5-6 blocks from the coast in Long Beach, that you'll hear gunshots often?



So after thinking about it more, I'm leaning towards Torrance, San Pedro, coastal Long Beach, Westminster, Redondo Beach, and Seal Beach. A quick search found some decent places for 1000-1200 with one with a 2-car garage. However, it was really close to the 405/110 intersection - is that getting too close to Compton?

LMAO Dude carson is not bad at all. Plus why get traffic everyday if you live in gay orange county? An no you dont hear gun shots. Carson is a good area, rent isnt bad and yea. The closer you get to the beach the more rent will cost you. LOL STRAIGHT OUTA COMPTON LOL DONT WORRY ABOUT THAT your far from there. Gardean is nice too and rent isnt to much. you cant be to scared to live in LA lolz

[IRON-E]

Hey Sean here's another suggestion for you but it's pricey (City of El Segundo) predominately White and Asian neighborhood, lots of cops and dick laws up the ass, low crime rate and 2-3 miles away from (Redondo Beach which has super hottt single bitches and lots of bars, it's like a big college campus for people with money)

[Sean]

LMAO Dude carson is not bad at all. Plus why get traffic everyday if you live in gay orange county? An no you dont hear gun shots. Carson is a good area, rent isnt bad and yea. The closer you get to the beach the more rent will cost you. LOL STRAIGHT OUTA COMPTON LOL DONT WORRY ABOUT THAT your far from there. Gardean is nice too and rent isnt to much. you cant be to scared to live in LA lolz

This is what I need. The only stuff I know is from what I read online which doesn't seem very consistent. I do have like 8 months to figure out where I'll live - but just getting an idea of the areas I'll concentrate on now.

I'm not "scared" per say. However, I'm concerned that my car will disappear one night, so I really don't want to be in a rough neighborhood. ;)

[Sean]

Hey Sean here's another suggestion for you but it's pricey (City of El Segundo) predominately White and Asian neighborhood, lots of cops and dick laws up the ass, low crime rate and 2-3 miles away from (Redondo Beach which has super hottt single bitches and lots of bars, it's like a big college campus for people with money)

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind. I guess with safety comes tons of cops, huh. Sad. lol

[e30trooper]

what do you think you can spend on rent? YOu wanna have a apt or house? Shits not cheap here btw . I live in Torrance closer to redondo beach area. Your looking at an avg. 1500-2000 a month for a 2 bed room apt . Look into Lomita. its not that bad and yes theres lots of "bro" Look into Lomita, Torrance , Redondo beach , hermosa beach, el segundo , Lawndale and gardena. How old r u?

Torrance is full of ass hole cops if that helps. Trust me on living closer to the beach on the west side. Much nicer!

[Sean]

what do you think you can spend on rent? YOu wanna have a apt or house? Shits not cheap here btw . I live in Torrance closer to redondo beach area. Your looking at an avg. 1500-2000 a month for a 2 bed room apt . Look into Lomita. its not that bad and yes theres lots of "bro" Look into Lomita, Torrance , Redondo beach , hermosa beach, el segundo , Lawndale and gardena. How old r u?

Torrance is full of ass hole cops if that helps. Trust me on living closer to the beach on the west side. Much nicer!

I don't really want to spend more than $1500, but I could afford more. I really only need a 1br. I'd prefer a small house/townhome - but I can deal with an apartment if I must.

What I'll probably end up doing is coming down there this summer and getting a feel for the area I'd prefer the most - do some recon.

I'm 23, I'll be 24 by the time I get all settled in and start work in September though.

[e30trooper]

Pics of what I see everyday









even my sig was taking here lol



and 20 mins from the south bay ( torrance perdo carson etc the citys around there) is LA