r/MovingToLosAngeles

I'm moving from NYC where I've always rented in big buildings with in-house leasing etc, so I'm not sure what's normal when renting in LA from a much smaller operation (the unit is just one of 4 in a small building). Lease is already signed but I just need a sanity check before sending the deposit...

We found the apartment on Zillow and it's also listed on all the other sites that draw from CRMLS. All our communication has been with the listing agent who seems to be legit; we've called & texted the phone number for him from zillow and it matches the one on his parent company's page, his instagram, youtube, etc; his license # also checks out. However, for the tour he gave us the combo to a lockbox on the entry gate and we let ourselves in without meeting anyone (apparently this is not uncommon?). And they said we'll retrieve our keys out of the same lockbox once the lease starts.

They actually didn't charge us an application fee but just had us send screenshots of our own credit reports; I'm not sure if this is a positive or negative sign. There's been no pressure from their end and in fact they were a bit slow to approve and send the lease over. The owner name on the lease match property records online, as do the phone numbers, but of course that information is available to anyone looking for it. The deposit & rent are to be paid via zelle to a gmail account (the account name does reference the name of the owner's mother which I found doing a deep dive into deed records).

So if this was a scam, I'm not sure at what level it would be perpetrated, and I don't see any super obvious red flags, but once that money is zelle'd then its gone so I just want to know if I'm overthinking this or is there actually something to be suspicious of?

The other day I posted about find a spot in Culver City before I start my new job, and I got a ton of great advice.

Anyway, I found the perfect spot for me. It’s walking distance to work (a dream come true), close to coffee shops, gym, park and grocery stores.

So I go and check it out, meet with the landlord and then she tells me that I would make a good fit but that I’d have to wait to see if the application of the person before me works out.

She said if their application doesn’t pass the credit check and all that, then I’d be next in line.

But I’m kinda scratching my head. Why would she show me the place and continue to show other people the place this week if she’s kinda banking on the first person, you know? I thought she would have waited to meet everyone and then decide on whose application to process.

Welp. Fingers crossed 🤞🏽

FAHHHH. Thanks for reading my rant.

I moved to Los Angeles by sharing a bed with a friend who had moved here before. It was really helpful because I was able to find out where I wanted to live and choose the jobs I wanted to work. I will be relocating to Long Beach, leaving my lovely apartment in north Inglewood. If anybody wants to take over my lease to get a feel for LA until August feel free to pm me! North Inglewood off of centinela and Cienega. It’s a quiet neighborhood that’s pretty central to most things. 20 min to Santa Monica, 15 mins from beach, 25 mins to downtown, 30 mins to Long Beach, 25 mins from Hollywood etc. I love this location dearly because I still get the quiet Midwest suburb feel while still getting the city perks (museums, concerts, diversity)

You would be sharing the apartment with my roommate who works in healthcare and is gone a lot. She’s really quiet, clean, and respectful.

Rent is $1280 with a walk in closet, huge patio, pool, shared parking spot. There’s 1.5 baths in the apartment. The landlord has been the best I have ever had in a city with so many slumlords lmao.

Hi everyone! So I’ve been apartment hunting for 2 weeks now and I really need someone to give it to me straight. I got a job in Century City, and found a studio apartment in mid Wilshire. It’s cheaper than the usual market price ($1600) but it comes with some drawbacks. I’d have to install my own window unit AC (although it was pretty cool when I walked in so a fan might be enough for peak summer?) buy a microwave myself, and worst of all, it’s street parking only, which would usually be a dealbreaker but my friend checked it out during the night and she was easily able to find parking though. There seems to be ample space down the road and around and the residents themselves said they didn’t have much of a problem finding any. It still makes me a little nervous though because I won’t know how it is until I live there. As for the pros! It’s max 25 minutes from my office during peak traffic, 500 sq ft, includes laundry/trash/water, gated, and honestly pretty cute! I really like the storage, layout and location, what if I can find something better??? What do you guys think! Should I hold out longer, or is this a solid deal with some easy fixes? Thank you so much!

Looking for advice on where to live in OC/LA area

I will work in Newport Beach and go in daily, and my husband is hybrid in El Segundo (3 days/week). We have two young kids, so schools and a family-friendly environment are really important.

Trying to figure out where to live that balances commute + quality of life. Curious what people in a similar setup have done—especially how manageable the El Segundo commute is a few days a week, and whether it’s better to optimize for one person vs split the difference.

Would really appreciate any firsthand experiences or advice.

I will be moving to LA for my job in a couple months and wanted feedback on how living in that area is. I'm in my early 20's and ideally want to be surrounded by other people around my age. My priorities are safety and access to good food/restaurants/bars/activities. I found a few good apartments in the area at around $1.9k/month and am strongly considering this area. Thank you for any advice!

For a single family home, would a roof mounted AC unit be a deal breaker?

Hello,

I'll be moving to Los Angeles in the next two weeks from Texas. I’m looking for a 1 bedroom apartment. I haven't spent too much time in LA before. I think I'm of targeting the Culver City/Palms areas. Safety is my #1 priority and based off some quick research I’ve done, those two areas appear to be some of the safest.

Also, if anyone has any tips on which apartments/management companies to stay away from, that’d also be greatly appreciated.

Budget

• $3,000-$3,100/mo.

Must haves

• In Unit Washer and Dryer
• Close to a metro line as I won’t have a vehicle (my daily commute will be to the financial district)
• A/C

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Hi everyone,

We’re planning a move within the LA area and would really appreciate some local insight. I didn’t grow up here, so it’s been hard to get a clear sense of the differences between neighborhoods.

Our oldest will be starting school next year, so we’re focusing on family-friendly areas like La Cañada, South Pasadena, Sierra Madre, and Sparr Heights/Montrose under the freeway. Our budget is around $1.6–1.7M, and while we know that may mean a smaller home in some of these areas, we’ve seen a few options in that range.

A few things that are especially important to us:

• Diversity and inclusivity: Our kids are half black, and while we understand no place is perfect, we want to be mindful about choosing a community where they’ll feel comfortable and included. We know these areas don’t have large black populations, so we’d love any honest perspectives or experiences.
• Schools: Strong academics are important, but we also really value environments where kids can just be kids and not feel too much pressure too early.
• Community feel: We’d love a neighborhood with a good sense of community—ideally somewhere walkable with parks, shops, or restaurants nearby.
• Air quality: From what we’ve seen, it seems like areas like Sparr Heights and La Cañada may have slightly better air quality than South Pasadena or Sierra Madre, but we’d love any firsthand insight on that.

If you’ve raised kids (or are currently raising them) in any of these neighborhoods, what are both the positives and the downsides?

Thanks so much in advance!

Yes it’s pricy and those people posting saying they will move here make $20 an hour and hope to get a 1 bedroom apartment or a studio in Los Feliz or Santa Monica with that budget. do need a reality check.

But damn this sub swings the other way so extreme that I’m starting to think the people commenting don’t live here. Half the posts or comments are “if you’re not making at least 100k good luck you can’t afford to live here.

70k and below you will need roommates.

Reality is if you’re making under 80k you can find a studio won’t be the best but you can. 1 bedroom will be tough but maybe you can find a solid deal.

That’s it but all these posts of it’s impossible to find a 1 bedroom for 2k are equally as delusional as the posts saying they plan to move to la on 50k a year.

Hi, I'm currently looking for work in the LA area and wanted to see if anyone has recommendations for trans-friendly workplaces within about a 30-minute commute from Carson.

I'm open to different types of jobs (retail, food service, admin, etc.), but having a respectful and inclusive environment is really important to me. If you've had good personal experiences somewhere or know places that are known to be supportive, I'd really appreciate hearing about them.

Also open to any tips on job searching in the area, or places to avoid.

Thanks in advance 🙏

A shared room is available for a female from May 17th to July 15th. Location , close to USC (8 minute walk). Walkable to Trader Joe’s, Target, cafes, and other food spots.

Rent – $600 per month (including water, wifi and trash)

Utilities – electricity

Fully furnished and clean space, ideal for summer stay.

DM for more information!

Thanks 😊

Any feedback on living at the Residences of West Edge? Open to other apartments in Santa Monica also.

I’m worried about in unit sound and had just heard their new roofing fell apart. TIA!

Share your story. Their are a lot of people out there that go just for this.

Landed a new job in Culver City! Around the studios.

Kinda stuck on where to move, but ideally would want to be in a place where I’m able to walk to the grocery stores, gyms, coffee shops and the commute to work be no more than 25-30 mins.

I’m looking into Palms, Mar vista, Beverlywood, Pico-Roberson, and Culver at the moment.

I’ve looked into Beverly Hills and Mid-Wilshire but do you guys think the commute would get bad after a while?

My budget is 1700-1900 for a studio or 1b 1b apt.

Thank you guys for any recs!

My wife has an interview with the children’s hospital in LA, so I’m beginning to look at apartments/townhomes/neighborhoods. We’re newly married, in our early 30’s, and both born/raised in Raleigh, NC. We’re excited about the opportunity, but slightly nervous because this will be a big change and our first move away from home.

We’re looking for a 2 bedroom in the $3-4k range. My top priorities are safety, and commute for my wife (ideally no longer than 25-30 minutes, 45 min with traffic). We don’t need a party/nightlife vibe, but we do like to explore new restaurants. Walkable restaurants and shopping would be a plus, but I also wouldn’t mind a 10 minute drive to shops and restaurants.

So far, ChatGPT and Google have steered me towards Glendale, Los Feliz, Pasadena, and Burbank. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Hi, I (26M) was raised in The Valley, went to college in the Bay Area, then moved to NYC in postgraduate for the fun & work opportunities. Have been around East Village and Williamsburg since moving here. That was almost 4 years ago now, and I’m planning to move back to the LA area.

This’ll be my first time living in LA county, but outside of The Valley. My office’ll be in Century City, but I choose when I want to go in office.

I’ve seen a lot of the posts that call out Venice, Marina del Rey, and Culver City as great westside options but I’m torn over living on the east side in/around the Los Feliz/Silverlake.

A lot of my close friends and family’ll be on the westside, but I love the vibe of the eastside (and the architecture/home designe). I like the idea of living by the hills, the reservoir, and having green spaces. But also, who can say no to large bodies of natural water?

Looking for advice on what people who’ve been split over which side to live in have done. I’m wondering if anyone has moved to one side, and quickly found themselves constantly commuting. My budget caps out at $2.9k monthly, and I’m ideally looking for a 1-2 bedroom.

I’m moving from Ohio. My husband is in the military and he’s being restationed to San Clemente this fall. That’s just the reality of being a military family I guess. It’s always been my dream to work at six flags magic mountain. I really want to do it so I’m looking for advice, is it feasible? Would it be better to take interstate 5 or 405. Is there amy public transit option?

I’d be working mostly weekend shifts and some weekday evenings

Im moving to LA this fall because im going to USC but I want to get tickets to Coachella next year but I won’t know anyone 😭 does anyone wanna go to Coachella 2027 with me?