Nick_S wants to move to SoCal....tell me things.

[Nick_S]

I just moved down here from Seattle a little over 6 months ago. I wanted to live in the Newport Beach/ Costa Mesa area because my work is in Fullerton/ Brea area. I ended up moving straight to Fullerton because my one requirement was a garage. I got a 1-car garage, and a 1 bedroom for $900/month. I also have a ~15 minute commute to work and only deal with traffic when I head to LA and I can usually plan around it. All in all, its not so bad, depending on how you did your swap you can make it legit (which is what I will do once my car is down here). If you're smart about it, most of the shitty things are things you will rarely have to deal with. Also, move here for the weather/ scenery, not for the people.

Weather aside, how does it compare with seattle? Ive also contemplated the PNW for a move as well but the dreary weather of Seattle or Portland isn't really what Im looking for.

[2mAn]

Seattle is gorgeous in the summer, but thats basically only July & August. The temp is pretty constant, generally the 50s, Id say. It rains, but not as bad as its made out to be. No state income tax. People are nice, weed is legal. If you're an outdoor person its really a great place. Lots of places to hike, snow, car scene is also amazing. Any car over 25 years no longer needs to be smogged. I planned to go there for ~3-4 years and was there for 7. I dont regret being up there for so long. I am from Northern California and missed being close to my family so when the opportunity came up to return with a good job I took it.

[OBEY]

This is the real truth:

You will likely run your saving dry
Don't plan on making a family here, we got too many Latinos/Mexicans already
The choice of ethnic foods is endless
If you don't want your girl to stray, don't introduce her to too much partying
Night life is abundant
The dream job you want may not come so easy
The pay sucks, unless your career makes good money already (too many people competing for the same job)
Housing is expensive in the metropolitan areas
Traffic blows hard
Beaches are awesome but, some got more than desired sketchy ass bums (who probably came out looking for their dream, just like you)
Car scene is one of the best, bar none
The weather comes at a high price
We got earthquakes up in this bisshh.

Those are some of the reasons why everyone hates california but, wishes they were here.

If you make it here, you'll do just fine anywhere else

Say hello when you're out here, good luck man.

Thanks for sharing some of the truth about LA.

One other way to think about LA in a positive way is if one would accept, appreciate, and enjoy the aforementioned list above.

I'm a Los Angelino. It's a challenge and expensive to live here. It came to a point where I was homeless for 2 months in my mid 20s (savings ran dry). Lived in the streets and later figured out how to find a career. Eventually made six figures, but recently became unemployed.

It's not about the money, but about what one chooses to create for one's life and lifestyle when living in LA.

The biggest risk in life is not taking one!

I enjoy the following about LA:

- the hood
- the earthquakes
- the females
- the cannabis and cannabis shops
- the mom and pop shops
- the cheap good food spots
- the taco trucks
- wine and dining
- the swap meets
- the rich history
- discovering LA on my track bike
- the bike paths, routes, and lanes
- the choices of food
- hiking spots
- beaches
- sailing, surfing, and all the sports
- the canyons
- the valleys
- the desserts
- the race tracks
- traffic
- smog
- city life and nature
- the culture, races, ethnicity in one big place
- learned Spanish here and practice French and Arabic with the people that speaks it here

I'm entertained with the different types of lifestyle:

- the car scene
- the gangstas
- the hipsters
- the hollywoods
- the LGBT
- the potheads
- the computer geeks
- the homeless
- the ghetto fabulous aka ghettofabs
- the young professionals
- the millionaires
- the billionaires
- the wannabees
- the paisas and paisitas
- the e-heads
- the EDMs
- the crackheads
- the tweakers aka twakker



I live in the hood, but right behind the Sheriff's station. 4 miles east of Manhattan Beach which is basically the SouthBay area. I biked to the beach yesterday, worked out, picked up a chick's phone number and fucking her tonight right after I blaze =).

Rent in my hood is between $1000-$1500 per month for a 2 bdrm (duplex/house) 1 bath, 1 car garage, three car driveway. I love where I live 'cuz it's cheap (as in LA cheap, not worldwide cheap), I'm by the beach, I'm not far from the heart of LA and not too far from OC, I'm by a train station that connects to all of LA including the valleys and long beach, and it's safe.

I dropped $500 cash in my front driveway and picked it up the next morning on the same spot where it dropped. I guess I lucked out on that haha.

Finding jobs in LA is not that challenging, but finding the one you want might be. Sales positions are the easiest jobs to find. Inside sales representatives is a growing position which basically involves you answering phones, chats, and emails all at the same time while selling products and or services (customer service sales). Average pay is $45k/yr.

There are plenty of mall jobs, elbow plaza jobs like doughnut shops, mom and pop shops, restaurants, Radioshack, O'Reilly's, Best Buy, Home Depot, Costco, etc.., plenty of opportunities to make ends meet.

losangeles.craigslist.org should be your best friend when finding a potential career or just another a job to pay the bills. losangeles.backspace.com if you want to sell your ass when it comes to desperate measures and IRON-E can tell you more about that... lol


Best of luck with your journey and hit us up when you get here!


I leave you with this...

http://youtu.be/_m3B060jo_o

[IRON-E]

Thanks for sharing some of the truth about LA.

Losangeles.craigslist.org should be your best friend when finding a potential career or just another a job to pay the bills. losangeles.backspace.com if you want to sell your ass when it comes to desperate measures and IRON-E can tell you more about that... lol

WTF?

Peyote much?

Stop lying to the guy, I just hate to sugar coat shit.

[Nick_S]

The biggest risk in life is not taking one!

This is the single biggest push for me right now. I've talking a lot with my family about it and they're all really supportive. My aunt told me the only things she ever regrets are the things she never did. I'm young and eager for change. Why not do it while I still easily can.

I enjoy the following about LA:

- the hood Ehhh not so much
- the earthquakes Never felt one, may be interesting?
- the females
- the cannabis and cannabis shops Don't smoke, never have
- the mom and pop shops Into this
- the cheap good food spots ..and this
- the taco trucks ...and definitely this.
- wine and dining meh
- the swap meets Would be cool
- the rich history
- discovering LA on my track bike Really stoked on this. I ride a lot
- the bike paths, routes, and lanes ....don't forget skateparks! BMX
- the choices of food
- hiking spots looking to get into hiking and mountain bikes
- beaches HELL YES
- sailing, surfing, and all the sports Would love to learn to surf
- the canyons
- the valleys
- the desserts
- the race tracks
- traffic Cannot agree with that
- smog or this....at all
- city life and nature
- the culture, races, ethnicity in one big place
- learned Spanish here and practice French and Arabic with the people that speaks it here

[QUKBMER]

[Nick_S]

That's the sort of motivation I needed!

[neocorp]

Socal is the place to be! Welcome

[Nick_S]

I woke up to an inch of snow this morning. Get me out of here!

[blue plates]

Don't be fooled, those mom and pop shops have been replaced by fucking expensive 'boutiques' and the good everywhere is a over average priced.

[Nick_S]

Have a phone interview next week with a company my good friend put in a really good word with. Shit's starting to come together!

[blue plates]

sweet, what city?

[Nick_S]

sweet, what city?

San Pedro. I've sent my résumé to a few other places around.

[blue plates]

Nice! You'll want to look for places in long beach if you get the job. You could also try Lakewood or Palos Verde too.

[jtparts]

Lived here all my life. In 2000 I paid 1850 for a 2 bed house in 90266 with a one car garage.
in 02 I paid 2200 for a 3 bed 2 car in N. Redondo Paid 1650 for a 2db 1 car Apt in N. Redondo till I moved inland and bought a 5BR 3 car in Moreno Valley was paying $2400. Lost the house in 2008 Moved to a really nice 4br 3 car in 92503 pool huge lot orange trees $1850/mo owner got foreclosed in late 2010 Moved to a 5 b/r 4car quad in 92508 with over 2 acres in the city. Best Garage ever! House had been used as a grow house by previous renters and they put insulation in the whole garage. Cool in summer and quiet! I could wrench late and no one ever complained. 2100/mo. Foreclosure notices started arriving in the mail and I had to move after being there just about a year. Now Im in 92506 with a 3br 2car for 1900/mo. I hate the garage way too tight. The point I guess is that I've been paying the same rent for the last 15+ years but I moved from the best area to a somewhat less than best area. Not really close at all. You should figure where it is likely you would find work draw a circle around that area to represent commute times up to your max. I did a 56 mile each way commute from Dana Point to Compton took 90+ mins each way. It will eat you up and your car too. So make the biggest circle your longest drive and see whats in the circle. Over all I would say CA has gotten much safer over the last 15-20 yrs. But it's weird, you can have a nice high end street and the next block is total crap. With the economy like it is I think theft will increase and then violent crime will follow. You don't want to be in a fringe spot when that happens. Try to check out the area in person if you can, loud neighbors can spoil a great rent price. People here tend to be pushy and the pace is likely much faster than you are used to. There are some fantastic places to live besides the beach but be aware more than 45 minutes inland and the summer temps will keep you inside for those 4 months. It's harder and harder to find a a reasonable place for a good price but they are out there.