Dear Boog (not your real first name, I hope)--
Well, I've lived in LA for 12 years, both renting and home owning, so
I can help you out on a few of these just off the top of my head. I
haven't rented for a few years, and never up in the Valley, but these
answers will get you started. (I live in an area near the beach called
Mar Vista--hence, my screen name.) I'm not a Google-approved expert,
but I'll just assume you'll return the favor sometime to someone else
wanting information about England. I don't know if anyone will give
you much of an answer to such a laundry list of questions for 12
bucks, but, hey, you never know.
The following information comes with no warranties?but if it doesn?t
work for you, there?s a money-back guarantee!
1. Prices--LA rents may seem reasonable if you live in London or New
York, though they are much higher than most US cities. It may seem
rather unhelpful to say, but rents vary widely depending on how good
an area you want to live in, and what your definition of "good? is.
Generally speaking (VERY generally), the closer you get to the ocean,
the nicer the area and the higher the rent, at least in the "basin"
part of LA (everything south of the Valley, or south of the 101
freeway, if you're looking on a map). I don?t know what neighborhoods
to avoid in your area (your future workmates would be better equipped
to answer that), and even in so-called ?nice? areas, there are pockets
of undesirable real estate. When you get to that point, post another
question or ask around at your work?this would be a better guide than
I trying to sketch out the quilt-like pattern of "good" LA
neighborhoods. (Any part of LA that has appeared in a Hollywood movie
about gangs you should probably avoid, however.)
2. Rental Resources--The best resource I know of is
www.westsiderentals.com. Don't be fooled by the name--this website
has listings for most of LA, not just the ?Westside (Westside = the
area west of La Cienega, south of the Hollywood hills (use Sunset on a
map), north of the 10 freeway). They have, for example, an office in
Studio City. Many landlords list here exclusively, and it is the
biggest and most reliable listing service in LA that I know of.
Forget looking in the local papers (LA Times, etc.)--that's not where
most people advertise for roommates or tenets. This is a pay site
which you can scan to get general prices, but will have to subscribe
to get actual contact info. When you're serious about moving here,
you can get a subscription ($60 for 60 days). I've found all of my
many apartments here in LA via this service, as have many of the
people I know. (And I'm not associated with them...so this isn't an
ad.)
3. Things to Know About LA--There is a certain truth to the stereotype
that Angelenos are a bit flakey--unreliable. Expect to meet a lot of
eccentric types and to look at lots of places before you find one that
fits. People are naturally cautious here, and often want references.
Landlords will want run a credit check on you (for a $25-35 fee) to
make sure you?re not bankrupt or have a bad credit history. Being a
foreigner, this may present an initial challenge but they'll be more
interested in you having a steady income or a secure job (they may
call to verify this, since you have no credit history in the States).
Private homes/roommates are easier in this respect, of course. Being
a Brit will help, especially if you speak w/ something approximating
an RP accent (or are willing to fake one on the phone). Sad but true:
American are very impressed with British accents, even in a jaded
metropolitan area like LA, so use this to your advantage.
4. There are no rental taxes in LA or hidden fees other than a credit
check. Most landlords want first month & last month's rent, and
sometimes an additional security deposit. Be prepared to put down up
to 3x's a month's rent for an apartment, though 2 months will usually
suffice. Roommates are obviously more negotiable, and probably won?t
require much more than your first month?s rent.
5. Utilities--Most apartments have you pay electricity, gas, and
water. In the City of Los Angeles, water and electricity are one
bill, gas on another. Some apartments will include one of these, but
not most. Roommates obviously split these as well, though sometimes
it will be included in the rent. Most of LA still uses gas for stoves
and some for heating; it varies, but I would guess most or all areas
in Studio City have gas. I've never lived in a place in Southern
California that didn't have gas (I've lived in 6 places all around LA
county). So you can count on at least water/electricity and gas,
which will of course vary according to your use.
6. Leases--Most places will want a year's lease; it's possible to get
6 mos. but many landlords won't bother with you for less than a year,
especially if it?s a desirable location. Roommates again are more
flexible. A standard lease will be 1 year with month-to-month after
that.
5. Phones--Basic service for one line will cost you at least $40 in
most places, sometimes more (different parts of LA have different
companies--it's a real mess). But you can get by with just a
cell--lots of people do that. Generally speaking, Verizon cell
company has the best reputation for service and coverage, though
opinions vary on this (I have Spring PCS, which I highly recommend
avoiding). You don't need to get phone service via a "landline."
Internet service w/o a phone would only be available via cable, which
will cost you at least $35-50 PLUS the cost of the Internet connection
(add another, say, $35). I don?t believe you can get Internet via
cable w/o also subscribing to the cable TV, but I might be wrong about
that. Certainly the apartment will need to be wired for cable (most
are). There?s no broadcast TV tax in the US, as you might know, as
you have there in Britain (and no BBC, either). You can also get
high-speed Internet via the phone line (DSL), which is $35-50, again
depending on the company.
6. Back to Taxes--there are no specific local taxes like you
apparently have there in England for services like libraries and such.
I've never had to pay extra fees for trash collection when renting,
though owning a home I know pay one (it?s part of the
water/electricity bill). Typically this is included in your rent.
So, again, no--I can't think of any special fees or taxes as such that
you'll need to take into account for budgeting. Libraries are free to
anyone who has a local driver's license or ID, for example. The
biggest local "tax" in LA is the parking ticket--parking regulations
are notoriously Byzantine here, but that's another matter.
7. Cars?A car is NOT optional in LA, Public transportation in LA
makes the London Tube look like a Sci-Fi utopia. Really, you can?t
get by here without a car unless you are a very hardy soul indeed who
plans to have no social life (or any other sort of life, for that
matter).
I don?t know much about leasing cars, but it may be a good initial
option for you as you?ll need something the day you arrive. I?m
thinking here of leasing from a car dealership, not a big rental
agency like Hertz or Avis (that will due for the 1st week or two, but
will get very expensive). Buying a car is also an option, and of
course cheaper, but it is admittedly a pain. Used cars are advertised
in several places, but the best place to look is a website (and
newspaper you can purchase at any corner market) called The Recycler.
You can browse their ads for free; no subscription required (people
who post the ad must pay). Website: www.recycler.com (what else?).
I know of no ?share? schemes, and wouldn?t recommend one if I did.
Insurance is a BIG deal in California?it?s required by law, although
many people drive w/o it (I don?t recommend this, either). I don?t
know the particulars for a non-citizen when it comes to insurance, but
I don?t imagine it to be radically different. If I were you, I?d just
find an on-line insurance company in CA and ask them by email for a
quote on a hypothetical car, and tell them you?re not a driver here
yet. See what they tell you.
Normally, insurance rates are based on (1) age & sex (males and
younger drivers are more expensive); (2) your driving record
(accidents raise your rates); and (3) the car (newer and ?sportier?
cars are more expensive). If you are over 25 and have a good driving
record (you have no record here, so you can?t go wrong there!), expect
to pay anywhere from $1000-$2000 for late model car (1998-2003) (say a
compact or midsized car). You have to shop around at a few different
agents to get the best price. Sometimes, if it's an older car and you
don't want what's called "comprehensive" coverage, you can get things
cheaper. Read up on some websites on US insurance. There is a
?minimum? insurance you must get?all the agents will know what that is
and will quote you a price based on it. Of course, they?ll also try
to get you to buy more. Again, an Internet-based insurance agent can
inform you better than I can here.
There is an initial tax/fee you pay to the state of California to
register the car and a sort of VAT tax on the purchase price, but I
don?t know what it is off-hand. The State of California website
(Google ?Driver and Motor Vehicle? California and you?ll probably find
it) will have more info. It isn?t outrageous (probably no more than
8% for the VAT ("sales") tax and a few hundred for registration), but
I?m guessing here. After that, you pay an annual tax every year to
the state, which is probably a hundred dollars or so (I don?t
remember). Again, nothing out-of-this-world. There are no local
taxes for cars; only an annual state tax. Smog checks can be had for
under $40. If you fail it, you have to fix your car so that it
passes.
There are no special hints I can give for buying a car in LA?like
everywhere, it?s caveat emptor.
7. Groceries?there are different, smaller chains in different parts of
the city, but you?ll find the big three chain stores--Ralph?s,
Albertson?s, and Von?s (or Pavilion?s, which is owned by Von?s, I
think)--in most places. They all have discount cards and they are all
in the same ballpark on price (I tend to think Ralph? is a bit more
than the other two, but haven?t checked consistently). Trader Joe?s
is more specialized (organic food, rarer brands, that sort of thing)
and unlikely to be cheaper on most staple items. You don?t have a lot
of convenient, cheaper options for food unless you go to a discount
store such as Costco, which requires an annual membership of around
$25-30 dollars (check out their website for more details). But there
you must buy in bulk, which isn?t exactly ideal for a single person
like yourself. I?m not a single person, but we get buy eating out 3-4
times for lunch/supper a week (usually less than $12/person) for about
$600/month. I don?t shop all that much for bargains, though, so you
could certainly get by on cheaper.
Even granted that, I don?t think $65 a week will suffice, especially
if you want to ?eat out often.? Even budget restaurants will cost you
at least $8 for a decent meal with tax and tip (8% food tax in LA),
though you can find things in the $5 range if you want fast-food (and
a short life span). Even with free lunch, a breakfast of milk and
cereal alone is close to $10/week ($3 bucks for a gallon a milk).
That leaves you $55 for 7 dinners & 2 weekend lunches, so you?re
cutting it close. I think $100-125/week would be more reasonable, and
that?s assuming you?ve stocked up on some staples (pasta, rice, some
canned goods, etc.). And if you want to eat at a decent place, think
$10-15 for a so-so restaurant. It can add up quickly.
We?ll there are a million additional things to think about, but it
isn?t that unusual of a place compared to any other large, diverse
city. Safety in US cities is always more of a concern than in other
countries (I had my car stolen after living here for 3 months), but
using your common sense is all that is required for most places.
I check this Google answer thing every now and then to see if there
are any questions I can help people out with?a bit of cyber-charity,
so I hope this was useful. Clearly you have to just check all your
resources?books, websites, etc.
Good luck on your move. If it?s any motivation, today it was 68
degrees and sunny?a very nice day in LA. |
