Author Topic: Moving to Santa Monica  (Read 3931 times)

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Deekay

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Moving to Santa Monica
« on: April 25, 2015, 06:45:07 AM »
It seems like I'll be able to move to Santa Monica for 10 months or so come August. If anyone could help me out with a few of my questions, I would really appreciate it.

Where would be the best place to look for a place? Craigslist, or is there a better one?

What are some of the better neighborhoods? Keep in mind that im somewhat broke but I'm also not trying to catch rabies.

Will I need a car? Is it usually hard to find parking and all that? I've been to LA a few times so I know that downtown can be fucked but im thinking more long term parking... Is craigslist the best go-to car website?

I've also been looking into motorcycle as transportation, does anyone have advice on a site to get that other than craigslist?

Anything else I should take into consideration? For example that Santa Monica sucks and I should go to San Diego instead or something, haha. Any help is really appreciated, thanks!

yeahisaidit

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2015, 06:12:27 PM »
Santa Monica is a very nice neighborhood in west LA, and is on the pricier side of places to live. You can get always get lucky tho. As far as parking goes, the closer you get to the beach, the more intense street parking regulations are. I got a ticket for parking in that neighborhood because I incorrectly read a sign that had rules dependent on the day and hour. Benefits of the area include a wide variety of places to eat, nice scenery, and close proximity to Stoner Park. As far as finding a maybe more affordable neighborhood, Culver City is a little bit away, and a bit easier to find a cheaper place to live. I moved away from LA because I hate driving, and yes you do need a car. I lived in west LA for 8 years, and almost all of my friends live in Eagle Rock/Silverlake/Glendale. If you plan on being there short term ie a year, you could probably get away with taking the bus, but it will definitely depend on what you're doing on the day to day, if you work in the same side of town/go to school etc. As far as skate shops go, ZJs is a surf shop which in principle sucks, but their skate section is staffed by stoner park locals and they have decent selection. Overall, LA has it perks, but it has things that make it feel like you don't actually live in a city.

The Shogun

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2015, 08:57:34 PM »
Santa Monica is cool and LA is really close to conduct some proper exploration.

If you settle on Santa Monica, you can use public transportation and in doing so, you will be a better person for not adding another car on the roads of LA.

Big Blue Bus is all you need in SM and I assume you'll also have your board.

Metro bus will help you through LA but it can get pretty confusing. LA has been on the late train for creating decent public transpiration.

I think you'll like Santa Monica, Groundworks Coffee is on-point if you drink coffee. There is a shit load of people in Santa Monica and LA.

Have fun man! safe travels.


Grampa

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2015, 10:34:27 PM »
You need a car. Definitely figure what side of town you will be spending the majority of your time in, and try to live around that area. Traffic is absolutely hell and it's really only getting worse. What used to be a 20 minute drive is now an hour. Everyone I know who lives there lives in Eagle Rock or Highland Park since it was supposedly cheap (maybe it still is for LA?), but that will probably take you an hour to get to the west side of LA. It also seems like there is much more in terms of skate related stuff/coffee shops/bars/record stores, etc. I'm a hipster though, so that kind of stuff matters to me for some lame reason.

If you have your heart set on living by the ocean, you might want to consider Long Beach. It's a bit south of Santa Monica/LA proper, I think it's got a lot more to offer than Santa Monica and it's cheaper. Both LA and Orange County are easily accessible from there and it's a bit cheaper I believe.

ill_Murray

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #4 on: April 26, 2015, 10:39:10 PM »
You're better off living in like North Hollywood/Sherman Oaks/Valley Village on the cheap
ill murray, can you remind me why you think im a kook

Xen

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2015, 01:59:03 PM »
I've lived in LA a few times and would not live anywhere else but Santa Monica (maybe venice) because of wanting easy access to the ocean; the downside to SM is being on the far westside; compared to scummy hollywood or hipster los feliz areas there isn't a whole lot to do in the way of bars/clubs, if that's your thing but the hotel bars are replete with women.

In LA you need a car unless you like transferring to hell and back; also, traffic here sucks ballz. It's better than it was a few years ago but still...

Craigslist is ok, westside rentals.com or padmapper app.

SM is a college town, lots of Asian women if that's your thing ;) the metro is damn near completion so it should make for easy commutes east or westward if you don't have a car. Century City is bland but central.

Skateboarding you say?

Skate-wise SM is close to four parks: The Cove, Venice (old and new), Stoner Plaza, Century City; spot wise, it's pretty lackluster (and I've creeped but don't skate with anyone to know the secret spots), they're very far apart and all the visible/good looking spots are skateblocked but you've got the SM courthouse which is legal, SM triple set at the beach.

Shops you have a number of them in and around LA, local to SM you have Ripcity, an Active shop and a shitty Vans with dated gear. Primitive, Diamond, Kayo store in West Holly, etc.

Deekay

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2015, 02:04:23 PM »
I guess my options on exactly where to live are kinda limited since I have to go to school, that's the only way for me to get a visa. I think I'll be happy anywhere sunny really. Thanks alot for the replies, it helps alot!

So if I were to live in west Hollywood and go to school in Santa Monica, is that unreasonable? It doesn't seem far at all but I dont wanna spend an hour one way in traffic every day.
« Last Edit: April 27, 2015, 02:11:23 PM by Deekay »

ill_Murray

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2015, 02:47:40 PM »
You will always be sitting in traffic. 

Unless you live 2 miles from your destination plan on 30 minutes per each trip
ill murray, can you remind me why you think im a kook

Grampa

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2015, 03:45:51 PM »
I guess my options on exactly where to live are kinda limited since I have to go to school, that's the only way for me to get a visa. I think I'll be happy anywhere sunny really. Thanks alot for the replies, it helps alot!

So if I were to live in west Hollywood and go to school in Santa Monica, is that unreasonable? It doesn't seem far at all but I dont wanna spend an hour one way in traffic every day.

What school are you going to?

Also, you will not have to worry about living somewhere sunny. There is one season in Southern California, and that is a bright, cloudless summer. There is an insane drought right now, it's rained like once in the past 3 years (not that bad, but close). My parents are about to rip their lawn out and put in cactus. Am I doing a good job of selling you on LA?

You will always be sitting in traffic. 

I've always thought that if I were to ever move back to LA/surrounding areas, I'd just get a motorcycle so I can white-line it down the freeway in stopped traffic. Because somehow that's still legal in CA ???

ill_Murray

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2015, 04:38:44 PM »
Expand Quote
I guess my options on exactly where to live are kinda limited since I have to go to school, that's the only way for me to get a visa. I think I'll be happy anywhere sunny really. Thanks alot for the replies, it helps alot!

So if I were to live in west Hollywood and go to school in Santa Monica, is that unreasonable? It doesn't seem far at all but I dont wanna spend an hour one way in traffic every day.
[close]

What school are you going to?

Also, you will not have to worry about living somewhere sunny. There is one season in Southern California, and that is a bright, cloudless summer. There is an insane drought right now, it's rained like once in the past 3 years (not that bad, but close). My parents are about to rip their lawn out and put in cactus. Am I doing a good job of selling you on LA?

Expand Quote
You will always be sitting in traffic. 
[close]

I've always thought that if I were to ever move back to LA/surrounding areas, I'd just get a motorcycle so I can white-line it down the freeway in stopped traffic. Because somehow that's still legal in CA ???

Yeah lane splitting is super fucking dangerous but still legal it makes no sense.  I've considered getting a bike but the majority of LA drivers pay little to no attention to any portion of driving so getting scraped off the 405 seems like all too real a possibility.  Thinking about it, I can't think of one person I know who owns a motorcycle that hasn't wrecked on it. 
ill murray, can you remind me why you think im a kook

QUIT SINNIN

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #10 on: April 27, 2015, 11:38:18 PM »
Didn't read through all of the replies, but it sounds like you just want to be in Southern California. I just got back from 3 months there so I am by no means an expert, but:

I would honestly move to Long Beach. It's BY FAR the most bang for your buck rent wise, and has the best skate scene IMO. You could survive there without a car, and it also has a university. It's unpretentious, and has so many cool districts. Lots of great beach towns nearby, and obviously LA is pretty close for your big city needs. Long Beach is the perfect size city. The Cherry Park scene is amazing, and there's a couple other great parks too. Overall I was pretty disappointed in the skateparks in SoCal. I'm not a big park guy but when you don't have friends to skate with they are pretty crucial. Cherry was the only place I looked forward to going to, but I'm sure there's a lot of people who think it's boring. Stoner was obviously really nice but nothing we didn't have in Denver, and it felt sort of sterile to me, hard to explain.

I spent a lot of time in Culver City. I was trying to break into the film industry as an editor and didn't have much luck. I really liked LA, but don't really see why people who aren't heavily involved with fashion, art, music, film would want to live in LA proper. Santa Monica is very expensive and probably not the scene you're looking for, unless your a yuppie who is doing well professionally and wants to keep up appearances. Santa Monica also seemed like the worst pocket to be in traffic wise, getting out of there is awful.  However, almost every job/office I encountered while working/interviewing was in West LA. West LA definitely seems like the pulse of the city, as far as business goes. If you want to stay on the west side and not pay a fortune I would check out Mar Vista and Culver City. Avoid Venice like the plague. I really enjoyed Echo Park too if you are looking for something more central. You absolutely need a car unless you happen to find a place near school/work, but you aren't going to have much of a social life or get to explore the 2nd biggest city in America. A motorcycle would be a better option IMO.

Everything you hear about the traffic is true, but I found that to be really the only drawback, other than cost (but I was coming from a similarly priced city). I want to move back and am definitely planning on moving to Long Beach this time.
« Last Edit: April 27, 2015, 11:48:51 PM by QUIT SINNIN »

Deekay

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2015, 02:11:38 AM »
Expand Quote
I guess my options on exactly where to live are kinda limited since I have to go to school, that's the only way for me to get a visa. I think I'll be happy anywhere sunny really. Thanks alot for the replies, it helps alot!

So if I were to live in west Hollywood and go to school in Santa Monica, is that unreasonable? It doesn't seem far at all but I dont wanna spend an hour one way in traffic every day.
[close]

What school are you going to?

Also, you will not have to worry about living somewhere sunny. There is one season in Southern California, and that is a bright, cloudless summer. There is an insane drought right now, it's rained like once in the past 3 years (not that bad, but close). My parents are about to rip their lawn out and put in cactus. Am I doing a good job of selling you on LA?

Expand Quote
You will always be sitting in traffic. 
[close]

I've always thought that if I were to ever move back to LA/surrounding areas, I'd just get a motorcycle so I can white-line it down the freeway in stopped traffic. Because somehow that's still legal in CA ???

SMC.

Haha, southern california seems like a safe pick. I mainly just want to escape the harsh winter of northern europe so I guess the options are Santa Monica, Santa Barbara or Gold Coast, Australia.

I would love to move to Long Beach but the tuition is twice as high and unless I get a full degree then it won't really have that much academic value at home I guess.

Thanks alot for the responses again, it's sick that you're all willing to help out.


Aatila

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2015, 11:54:17 AM »
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I guess my options on exactly where to live are kinda limited since I have to go to school, that's the only way for me to get a visa. I think I'll be happy anywhere sunny really. Thanks alot for the replies, it helps alot!

So if I were to live in west Hollywood and go to school in Santa Monica, is that unreasonable? It doesn't seem far at all but I dont wanna spend an hour one way in traffic every day.
[close]

What school are you going to?

Also, you will not have to worry about living somewhere sunny. There is one season in Southern California, and that is a bright, cloudless summer. There is an insane drought right now, it's rained like once in the past 3 years (not that bad, but close). My parents are about to rip their lawn out and put in cactus. Am I doing a good job of selling you on LA?

Expand Quote
You will always be sitting in traffic. 
[close]

I've always thought that if I were to ever move back to LA/surrounding areas, I'd just get a motorcycle so I can white-line it down the freeway in stopped traffic. Because somehow that's still legal in CA ???
[close]

SMC.

Haha, southern california seems like a safe pick. I mainly just want to escape the harsh winter of northern europe so I guess the options are Santa Monica, Santa Barbara or Gold Coast, Australia.

I would love to move to Long Beach but the tuition is twice as high and unless I get a full degree then it won't really have that much academic value at home I guess.

Thanks alot for the responses again, it's sick that you're all willing to help out.



Smc is a junior college but the tuition there is a tad bit higher than other jc's but still manageable and I'm sure they have more classes.  Are you trying to transfer to a university? Lb is cheap living echo park/silverlake/eagle rock is affordable. Venice you can save cash as well and it's the next city over

Aatila

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #13 on: April 28, 2015, 11:56:33 AM »
I'm glad you had a good time in lbc quit sinnin are you still out here?

Deekay

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #14 on: April 28, 2015, 02:08:07 PM »
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I guess my options on exactly where to live are kinda limited since I have to go to school, that's the only way for me to get a visa. I think I'll be happy anywhere sunny really. Thanks alot for the replies, it helps alot!

So if I were to live in west Hollywood and go to school in Santa Monica, is that unreasonable? It doesn't seem far at all but I dont wanna spend an hour one way in traffic every day.
[close]

What school are you going to?

Also, you will not have to worry about living somewhere sunny. There is one season in Southern California, and that is a bright, cloudless summer. There is an insane drought right now, it's rained like once in the past 3 years (not that bad, but close). My parents are about to rip their lawn out and put in cactus. Am I doing a good job of selling you on LA?

Expand Quote
You will always be sitting in traffic. 
[close]

I've always thought that if I were to ever move back to LA/surrounding areas, I'd just get a motorcycle so I can white-line it down the freeway in stopped traffic. Because somehow that's still legal in CA ???
[close]

SMC.

Haha, southern california seems like a safe pick. I mainly just want to escape the harsh winter of northern europe so I guess the options are Santa Monica, Santa Barbara or Gold Coast, Australia.

I would love to move to Long Beach but the tuition is twice as high and unless I get a full degree then it won't really have that much academic value at home I guess.

Thanks alot for the responses again, it's sick that you're all willing to help out.


[close]

Smc is a junior college but the tuition there is a tad bit higher than other jc's but still manageable and I'm sure they have more classes.  Are you trying to transfer to a university? Lb is cheap living echo park/silverlake/eagle rock is affordable. Venice you can save cash as well and it's the next city over

I'm not trying to transfer. Education is free over here so I'm getting my degree at home, I just want to do this one year to improve my english and have something to put on my resume... And have a good time, so thats why I dont know if I can justify spending twice as much on tuition at Long Beach.

Is LB that much better?

QUIT SINNIN

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #15 on: April 28, 2015, 04:28:43 PM »
I'm glad you had a good time in lbc quit sinnin are you still out here?

Nah man, I couldn't find a job doing what I wanted  :( I want to move back in November and just work a random job, now that my fiancee has a job working from home. I loved LBC. And it's cheaper than Denver if you can believe that.

Monkey_Mcpott

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #16 on: April 28, 2015, 05:03:50 PM »
Expand Quote
I'm glad you had a good time in lbc quit sinnin are you still out here?
[close]

Nah man, I couldn't find a job doing what I wanted  :( I want to move back in November and just work a random job, now that my fiancee has a job working from home. I loved LBC. And it's cheaper than Denver if you can believe that.

Havent been to long beach in years and when i went it was pretty ghetto, then again i would only go there to skate that north LB park and shit was always going down there but i know thats only a section in long beach. Has it really gotten that much better over there? i heard from a friend while back that they were planning to upgrade all of long beach and make more pricey with new condos and stuff.

But about Santa Monica, the neighborhood is really nice. A bit pricier the closer you get the beach but isn't the most expensive beach city to live in Southern California. Its pretty close to Venice which has its bad areas but overall its a good place to live at if you have the money. If you on a budget, the south bay areas and culver city will probably be a tad bit cheaper and still close enough to Santa Monica.

Also the traffic is bad ,but its bearable. Maybe only because im used to it now. I spent 3 years in Vegas and when i came back i realized it wasn't as bad as i had remembered or as i kept telling myself it was. You also gotta try to go against traffic which thankfully i do by heading south in the mornings and north in the evenings for work.
« Last Edit: April 28, 2015, 05:15:53 PM by Monkey_Mcpott »

Aatila

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #17 on: April 28, 2015, 07:18:10 PM »
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I'm glad you had a good time in lbc quit sinnin are you still out here?
[close]

Nah man, I couldn't find a job doing what I wanted  :( I want to move back in November and just work a random job, now that my fiancee has a job working from home. I loved LBC. And it's cheaper than Denver if you can believe that.
[close]

Havent been to long beach in years and when i went it was pretty ghetto, then again i would only go there to skate that north LB park and shit was always going down there but i know thats only a section in long beach. Has it really gotten that much better over there? i heard from a friend while back that they were planning to upgrade all of long beach and make more pricey with new condos and stuff.

But about Santa Monica, the neighborhood is really nice. A bit pricier the closer you get the beach but isn't the most expensive beach city to live in Southern California. Its pretty close to Venice which has its bad areas but overall its a good place to live at if you have the money. If you on a budget, the south bay areas and culver city will probably be a tad bit cheaper and still close enough to Santa Monica.

Also the traffic is bad ,but its bearable. Maybe only because im used to it now. I spent 3 years in Vegas and when i came back i realized it wasn't as bad as i had remembered or as i kept telling myself it was. You also gotta try to go against traffic which thankfully i do by heading south in the mornings and north in the evenings for work.

north lb is still pretty grimey in certain areas i grew up around there but moved on up the min i had the chance but i still got love for my dudes there.  Actually its a lot nicer with the improvements they made with landscaping and condos like you said.  I don't think ill move north anytime soon since I'm closer to the water. 

Aatila

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #18 on: April 28, 2015, 07:19:43 PM »
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I'm glad you had a good time in lbc quit sinnin are you still out here?
[close]

Nah man, I couldn't find a job doing what I wanted  :( I want to move back in November and just work a random job, now that my fiancee has a job working from home. I loved LBC. And it's cheaper than Denver if you can believe that.

woah! really? damn i never would have thought

QUIT SINNIN

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Re: Moving to Santa Monica
« Reply #19 on: April 28, 2015, 10:59:46 PM »
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I'm glad you had a good time in lbc quit sinnin are you still out here?
[close]

Nah man, I couldn't find a job doing what I wanted  :( I want to move back in November and just work a random job, now that my fiancee has a job working from home. I loved LBC. And it's cheaper than Denver if you can believe that.
[close]

woah! really? damn i never would have thought

yeah. not to derail the thread but:

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_27567647/metro-denver-rent-gains-racing-at-triple-u