Los Angeles, CA

[Coconut Water]

It was 3-4 years now since I researched it, but check the additional cost. I vaguely recommend it was astronomical, on the order of an extra $100/month (in addition to the exhorbiant rent).

You can park on Veteran Ave for free, but 1) so will everyone else, and 2) you need to stay on top moving your car on street cleaning days -- a huge pain.

Thanks, mandarin.orange, I think the Weyburn parking cost is similar to what you mentioned. Street parking is certainly worth considering.

Am now wondering if I could find a non-affiliated parking spot from some nearby home or business to rent from, as long as I could get there by foot or university or public transportation. Hey, one can dream.

[mandarin.orange]

Street parking is certainly worth considering.

 

Eh, not really. Only as an absolute last resort. Are you really going to move it diligently every week? And to where? It's not uncommon to spent 30-45 min trolling for spots. Tickets are $65-80 for neglecting to move on street cleaning days, which as a preoccupied, tired grad I've done more times than I care to admit. 

 

Am now wondering if I could find a non-affiliated parking spot from some nearby home or business to rent from, as long as I could get there by foot or university or public transportation. Hey, one can dream.

 

Skip Weyburn altogether and find an apt with a parking spot included. That is the ideal situation, and the best advice I can give.

I have heard the univ student housing on Venice Blvd has a garaged spot already included in your rent (unlike Weyburn). The rent there is still way above market, however.

[Coconut Water]

Eh, not really. Only as an absolute last resort. Are you really going to move it diligently every week? And to where? It's not uncommon to spent 30-45 min trolling for spots. Tickets are $65-80 for neglecting to move on street cleaning days, which as a preoccupied, tired grad I've done more times than I care to admit. 

 

 

Skip Weyburn altogether and find an apt with a parking spot included. That is the ideal situation, and the best advice I can give.

I have heard the univ student housing on Venice Blvd has a garaged spot already included in your rent (unlike Weyburn). The rent there is still way above market, however.

Street parking is not ideal, but it's good to have some kind of options to consider.

 

I have lived in many other rented situations, and am really hoping for better once in school. In real world apartment housing, I have experienced the following: an alcoholic neighbor vomiting in the middle of the night (I actually started to get used to the nightly interruption in the middle of my dreams), a horrible flea infestation from when a roommate's dog passed away (I had to walk around my apt with plastic bags around my feet and ankles…bombing didn't eradicate the problem), cockroaches, a mouse, idiot neighbors holding extremely loud parties using a loud speaker to make announcements to their guests in their front yard (as if they were throwing a block party), weird water, neighbors leaning a fan against a window in the middle of the night that would vibrate the walls so much that I couldn't sleep (the problem was resolved though), and other truly problematic noisy neighborly things. Oh - and lest I forget, a landlord who lost his house - and conveniently omitted the detail when renting the room to me - which lead to eviction by a sheriff showing up telling me and the other renter we had to leave that very day because of my landlord's irresponsibility. I still have not received my security deposit from this landlord. All of this took place in the Los Angeles metro area. Granted, these were relatively cheap rentals and some not in the best of neighborhoods. And ironically I may be able to afford a bit better while in school. But it just seems so hard to really know what an apt is like before living in it. It could be haunted, for all I know!

Edited May 3, 2014 by Coconut Water

[mandarin.orange]

I used WestsideRentals for my current place, and am very happy. A broker or pay-for service could make the difference. You're exactly right that you never know for sure until moving in, but I was impressed with the callibre of (still affordable) places we saw and the quick responsiveness of landlords.

[Coconut Water]

I used WestsideRentals for my current place, and am very happy. A broker or pay-for service could make the difference. You're exactly right that you never know for sure until moving in, but I was impressed with the callibre of (still affordable) places we saw and the quick responsiveness of landlords.

Great to hear of your positive experience with Westside Rentals - which I keep hearing about. Will look into it. Thanks.

[Coconut Water]

Still weighing housing options. Anyone have input on Hilgard university housing for single grad students with a car?

[mandarin.orange]

Still weighing housing options. Anyone have input on Hilgard university housing for single grad students with a car?

 

It's $1425/month.

From latest rates here.

Dude. DUDE. Cost-wise, you can do so, SO much better than this.

 

EDIT: actually, those were 2013-2014 rates. The 2014-2015 rates are more, and they are here.

Edited May 8, 2014 by mandarin.orange

[Coconut Water]

 

It's $1425/month.

From latest rates here.

Dude. DUDE. Cost-wise, you can do so, SO much better than this.

 

EDIT: actually, those were 2013-2014 rates. The 2014-2015 rates are more, and they are here.

It isn't cheap. For me, other costs of living like gas, higher auto insurance living in a cheaper area, time/commute, etc  play a role in my final decision. And wanting to live on my own without worrying too much about theft/break-ins when I'm away. Anyone have input on university apartment break-ins -- this includes both on campus and off campus UCLA housing.

 

Thanks!

Edited May 10, 2014 by Coconut Water

[mic05key]

Hey you are right i agree with you . They can ran away..

 

 

 

East Los Angeles CA Locksmith

[comohacerhumo]

Hi, I am also looking for housing close to campus. Probably a private bedroom in a shared house. What are the pros and cons of the different neighborhoods? I heard north of campus is the best, but it might be the most expensive. Thanks

[imitosis]

A general question about securing an apartment in Westwood/nearby neighborhoods: when is the best time to look for an apartment? I'm moving from the east coast and don't really have the funds to make a separate trip to go to LA earlier in the summer and find a place. Would I be OK looking for a place when I get there in September? I know people in LA I could stay with temporarily. Would I be able to find a place and move in relatively quickly?

[awells27]

The best time to start looking is now thru September.  LA is so huge and diverse that apartments open up every day.  If I were on the east coast, I would either make a summer trip, and if you cannot afford the trip, use a service like Westside rentals.  September is always a tough time with school starting, although in non-student neighborhoods it might not matter.  It depends on how close you want to be to campus

[gkcalat]

Hi there,

 

I am going to LA this autumn. Can anyone suggest where I should start searching cheap rooms, part-time jobs (e.g. tutoring) and roommates?

 

Thanks.

[PhDerp]

Woof, it's less expensive for me to take a more expensive apartment than to fly in and look for one. x_x This process is a little scary!

EDIT: Actual question... Does anyone on-campus know any resources for finding sublets? It's hard to get anything online!

Edited May 29, 2014 by PhDerp

[Sigaba]

ALCON--

 

For those concerned with issues of crime and safety, start here <<LINK>>.

 

Try craigslist for apartments, sublets, and rooms/baths for rent.

 

I currently work in DTLA. For many of you, the experience here may be a lot different from what you may want. DTLA has come a long way but we've still got a long way to go. Moreover, a number of development / re-development projects are firing back up so you're going to be in competition with people your age who may have more money to spend on rent.

 

If you're looking for a walkable lifestyle, I recommend that you look at areas that are close to Metrorail stations or MTA red line stops in NoHo, West Hollywood, Glendale or Pasadena. Burbank is also very nice IMO but not quite as walkable. Please keep in mind that NoHo, Burbank, Glendale, and especially Pasadena are furnaces during the warmer months. (And it is almost always warm in the L.A. area.) If you find a place in those areas to your liking, you could have a relatively painless transit ride to Union Station and then use the shuttle service from there to the USC campus. 

 

I personally would not recommend Culver City nor Venice. Both have a "vibe" that does not appeal to me (YMMV) but also the ongoing expansion of the Metro Expo line is playing havoc with traffic in Culver City.

 

Also, if mass transit is going to be a central component of a walkable life style, please know that MTA service gets tweaked twice a year. Of late, these tweaks are translating to significantly longer headways during off-peak hours. For this reason (and others) I would be very leery of the ratings you see on walkscore dot com.

 

HTH. 

[kyjin]

If you haven't looked at it already, I recommend padmapper for looking for places. It gets most of its info from craigslist, but it also maps where apartments actually are, as well as price comparisons for the area, and you can filter by size/location/price etc. It also searches for sublets, which may help in your case PhDerp!

 

turbina- It really depends on the apartment. All in all it took me two days to have my application approved and put in my deposit, but I didn't move in until a month later because I found the place mid-month and the current resident didn't move out until the end of the month. (I also had to wait a little longer because they were fixing up the place after the last resident's move out- new flooring, repainting, etc.) Some places will be available for immediate move-in, but if you have somewhere to crash for a bit, you'll have more options on rooms!

[Coconut Water]

Hi gkcalat,

Why don't you call the UCLA housing office - they can probably give you some ideas on looking for housing and roommates, even if you aren't living in University housing. Craigslist at craigslist.org is the default for finding ads for cheap rooms and PT jobs, but be careful as there's always the potential for unsafe people on craigslist.

 

Have you contacted UCLA to ask about where UCLA students might look for PT jobs? There might be a job board.

[tinytam456]

I don't about the UCLA but through your post i read something about UCLA. thanks man

[carrot_flowers]

I don't about the UCLA but through your post i read something about UCLA. thanks man

It's late, and this is so hilarious for some reason. 

 

Anyway, how expensive is it to own a car in California?  Rumor has it that registration and be expensive. There's also the issue of gas and insurance.  As someone who is currently carless, the thought of purchasing a car is ... eh.  But I hear that in order to "really experience LA," I'll need to eventually get a car.  This seems to make sense as well because I could be in LA for a long time vying for that PhD.

[mandarin.orange]

It's late, and this is so hilarious for some reason. 

 

Anyway, how expensive is it to own a car in California?  Rumor has it that registration and be expensive. There's also the issue of gas and insurance.  As someone who is currently carless, the thought of purchasing a car is ... eh.  But I hear that in order to "really experience LA," I'll need to eventually get a car.  This seems to make sense as well because I could be in LA for a long time vying for that PhD.

Yes, it's expensive. Most folks in my lab group have one, and it really pushes the limits of the standard TA salary. Mine is paid off, and still difficult to afford. You could always rent cars as you need them your first year and see how it goes; a friend of our had long wanted to get a car this year, but found that renting as needed from Enterprise worked for her.

[matthijs1990]

Hi guys!

 

I am in the same boat as some of you as well! Moving to Los Angeles (from Europe) for a funded PhD program at UCLA. I've been looking at 1 bedroom apartments in the LA area and it struck me how there pretty affordable 1000-1100 dollar apartments in the southern part of the San Fernando Valley (Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys etc.). I am aware of the traffic difficulties, which is why I opted to buy a motorcycle (this will significantly reduce the costs of transport in more than one way). 

Would you guys think this is a feasible option?

I won't stop looking in the other areas south and east of UCLA, but the SF Valley seems pretty attractive....

 

Thanks!

[bakalamba]

Hi guys!

 

I am in the same boat as some of you as well! Moving to Los Angeles (from Europe) for a funded PhD program at UCLA. I've been looking at 1 bedroom apartments in the LA area and it struck me how there pretty affordable 1000-1100 dollar apartments in the southern part of the San Fernando Valley (Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys etc.). I am aware of the traffic difficulties, which is why I opted to buy a motorcycle (this will significantly reduce the costs of transport in more than one way). 

Would you guys think this is a feasible option?

I won't stop looking in the other areas south and east of UCLA, but the SF Valley seems pretty attractive....

 

Thanks!

 

It's feasible. I'm not a rider, but I'm assuming you should be fairly experienced to be safe in LA, as its car culture doesn't always respect (or even see) motorcyclists and bicyclists. But at least you can ride in between cars and to the right of the carpool lane, which would help (and also having a more flexible academic schedule, where you don't necessarily have to subject yourself to rush hours). Besides the freeway, there are some fun routes to get through the hills. The Valley directly north of UCLA can be a little boring, and it's generally always more warm (and not a cool beach breezy warmth). Unfortunately, at my time at UCLA, I wasn't aware of many graduate students who live in the Valley (although others lived farther, like Pasadena, due to spousal/family arrangements), so I can't really share more. I think it's feasible.

[Coconut Water]

Hi guys!

 

I am in the same boat as some of you as well! Moving to Los Angeles (from Europe) for a funded PhD program at UCLA. I've been looking at 1 bedroom apartments in the LA area and it struck me how there pretty affordable 1000-1100 dollar apartments in the southern part of the San Fernando Valley (Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys etc.). I am aware of the traffic difficulties, which is why I opted to buy a motorcycle (this will significantly reduce the costs of transport in more than one way). 

Would you guys think this is a feasible option?

I won't stop looking in the other areas south and east of UCLA, but the SF Valley seems pretty attractive....

 

Thanks!

Just to state the obvious in case it hasn't been:

The Valley (San Fernando Valley) gets HOT.

 

I lived in Studio City last Spring to summer and it was easily in the 100's over the warmer months. It's a dry heat up there, though - which some people feel doesn't hit you as hard as non-dry heat. I was able to get through those heat waves without A/C. Sometimes studied for the GRE with a cold wet towel around my neck. Drank homemade smoothies. Other times, tried to go somewhere cooler.

 

I like the vibe up there - the people up there seem more friendly and cheerful compared to West LA. I wonder if it's because they have more space.

 

I can't really comment on the bike/motorcycle stuff, except: please wear a helmet and be as safe as possible.  If I were riding, I think I would always wear neon colors! People in LA drive crazy.

Edited June 21, 2014 by Coconut Water

[awells27]

Has anyone here ever shared a carpool permit at UCLA before, and is it worth it?  And I have lived in the valley before and personally, I think it is nothing like the summers back east.  I have spent summers in Ohio, Philly, and South Carolina, and I'll take the hot temperatures of Woodland Hills over them.  At least it cools off at night, and there are rarely mosquitoes, or Alligators (South Carolina) for that matter.    

Edited June 22, 2014 by awells27

[matthijs1990]

Thanks for your replies, guys!

 

It sounds like the SF Valley then! I won't exclude other areas, but the amount and quality of affordable one BR apartments are just so much better up there....

Ah yes, I've been warned about the heat. I can live with that easily, no worries. I'll probably be spending most of the day in Westwood anyways:).

 

Thanks for the warnings on LA traffic. I am considering taking the mountain passes, which I hope will significantly reduce the chance of an accident (or in the least reduces chances of serious injury). Because it is not too far to UCLA, it seems fairly reasonable to take that route....