Other Popular Areas to Live in LA

Hollywood is traditionally thought of as very glamorous. Yes, it’s the home of the Walk of Fame, the Chinese Theatre, the Dolby Theatre, and every other red carpet event or movie premier in town!

But, there are 3 main complaints most folks have about Hollywood: 1) Random road closures for the LA Marathon (and every other red carpet event or movie premier in town), 2) The parking is terrible, and when there is residential parking, it’s usually metered or permit only, and 3) There are tourist everywhere, all the time. Hollywood is easily the most likely place (except for maybe downtown) where you are likely to be towed by accidentally parking in the wrong place at the wrong time. Still, if you want to be “in the middle of it all,” Hollywood is centrally located! The city itself has become more popular, and less dirty/sketchy in the past 10 years. Tons of newcomers move to Hollywood because they figure, “If I’m going to move to Hollywood to pursue my dreams, I’m going to live IN Hollywood.” Thus, it’s very desirable real estate, and prices can be steep!

There are a ton of new ‘hip’ apartment buildings going up all over Hollywood, especially down La Brea boulevard. And though this provides a lot more spaces for people to live, they tend to be more expensive, since they are newer buildings.

This time, in terms of pricing, I am still listing options for 2 bedrooms, but price ranges will be for 2 bedroom units with either one or two bathrooms. The price range tends to be the same, it’s just that with a lot of the newer buildings, they build dual master suites, so there are more 2 bedroom spots now in Hollywood.

2 bed/1 or 2 bath : $1875 to $3850

Next, we’ll look at Downtown Los Angeles. Though it was a little questionable a few years ago and mainly just business buildings, over the past few years, significant efforts have been made to add more work/live loft spaces and apartment buildings. As a result, downtown has become one of the hippest neighborhoods to live in. There are tons of restaurants, and even a few neighborhood parks here and there. But there’s definitely a price for that ‘hip’ vibe! Because space is a commodity and there are so many buildings still housing financial institutions, apartments in the clean and ‘proper’ part of downtown are at a premium. Sometimes priced as high as $5500 for a 2 bedroom luxury apartment.

Possible cons to living downtown other than pricey rent in fancy buildings? Mostly parking (which, like Hollywood tends to be metered or permit only) and LOTS of specific parking restrictions during ‘anti-gridlock zone’ hours in the morning and afternoon. If you forget to move your car, you may end up picking it up at the towing lot. Traffic can also be hectic downtown, as many folks drive into and out of the city for work, or events at the Staples Center.

As far as pricing here’s what you’re looking at for a 2 bedroom downtown:

2 bedroom/1 or 2 bath: $2395 to $3300

Finally, one spot that often goes unnoticed, because it is just slightly further east, Pasadena. If you’re looking for more old school charm and a suburban feeling neighborhood, Pasadena may be the place for you. There’s the Rose Bowl nearby, which hosts one of the largest (and coolest) flea markets in the country, every Sunday morning and a diverse array of restaurants.

2 bed/1 or 2 bath: $1295 to $2400

Pasadena is very cozy, but may be quite the drive if you end up working on the west side. This may be a place to consider if you’re working near the valley (as the 134 is the main freeway that runs between the two) or even downtown.

Remember, you will probably end up driving to work across a distance, no matter where you live, so like the area that you come home to!

Article originally published via the Seaver Career Center blog.

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