Am I Crazy For Considering Moving to Los Angeles?

I probably wasn't there long enough to hear much about politics. I thought I would be dodging bullets and drug dealers! I even drove right across the city from Pasadena to the airport when I left. I never felt unsafe at all. Everyone was working, place looked busy to me.

I have a 19 year old daughter, a freshman in college as a nursing student. Her happiness and opinion will have the most impact on me. My life is 2/3 over, hers hasn't started yet. She has to be onboard.

 

My buddy's mortgage in SoCAL is $2800 per month.

If you can live with that kind of payment, the area is full of opportunity.

I think a lot of people that shit on Cali have never seen it beyond their TV screen.

He did tell me the fires last year got old fast tho.

 

Hell yes jump on it then.

 

Fly back there with her for a couple of days in the winter.

 

Well that’s what my daughter majored in and is currently a operating room nurse. I can set up a call between them if that helps. However my daughter went out of state to Texas for college. My wife’s best friends daughter stayed here for nursing college and just started her first nursing job in the past 6 months to I can set that up to for a phone call.

 

Coming from the Midwest, the only thing that bothered me about LA was this:

The major industries of Los Angeles are Fashion and Entertainment. Both are fantasy-based industries that deal in creating the illusion of things that aren't real.
I found that these illusions can become adopted by everyday people, who then always try to project an image of themselves that is not who they actually are.

Certainly this happens everywhere, but I found it especially pervasive in Hollywood / West Hollywood particularly, and in my industry (TV) generally. Over time, it became most annoying.

Then there are stand-up, corner low people like Rob and his family, and other friends I made out there which make being there OK.

 

I also worried when I came out here I would be dodging bullets etc. This isn’t Chicago, lololol it’s not that dangerous. I actually drive through Compton regularly and haven’t had a problem whatsoever.

As I tried to explain earlier if you can make good money, this place is freaking fantastic and I don’t think I would live anywhere else, and I’ve been to almost every state in america when I was a salesman.

 

There's the rational decision, and the one driven by sentiment. On the rational side, in order for this to be advantageous money-wise, to the increased salary, be sure to add to your financial consideration the state taxes, income and sales and property taxes on much higher value real estate, as well as the additional housing costs, to get a clearer picture. And consider the commute times that take time out of your life--to move this beyond the theoretical you might want to actually visit, and hop on the freeway from wherever you intend to be, and simply drive to a typical job site during morning and evening commute times, to get a clear and realistic idea what that is all about. Then factor in the professional advancement available to you, and the future opportunities it opens for you. Keep in mind that their work is on the West side, and in the Valley, which are more expensive places to live. You probably need to look at the real estate markets (purchase and rental) and commute times of that area, and cheaper outlying areas, to get an idea of where you want to be, and whether you can find places that are less expensive and farther out.

On the sentiment side, on the negative, there is the traffic hassle and the size of the place and its people, versus the positive side, the big LA attractions such as weather (I've always thought the televised Rose Parade sunny warm snowless weather on January 1 was responsible for the migration of several million Angelenos), the ocean/beach, the big city activities available there including cultural, fun, and food activities, and the regular ol' California lifestyle stuff.

You are looking at a big change and it deserves some careful consideration, and some of your time.

I'm from California, went to school there, I have a son in school there now who will stay there after school, we have friends with a place we stay at on the beach, and we visit LA often during the year. I love LA as a place to visit, but it doesn't work for us to live there. We moved to Alaska for a reason, and love it here--mountains, wilderness, laid back atmosphere and only 750,000 or so people. We would take quite a financial hit to retire there now--if we sold our house we could only afford to buy a mall condo, and the additional costs would reduce our income 25-30% over Alaska. But salaries are higher there, and the cost of living premium is something folks seem to adjust to, and the tug of the city is pretty strong and we love to visit. And my son is going to stay there, the tug is very strong for him.

 

I do live in Orange County, and don’t like Los Angeles nearly as much. That’s based on my perceptions of horrible traffic on the west side and how much of it is in not attractive. Having said that, Pasadena, Glendale, Sierra Madre, Pacific Palisades, Palos Verdes, Malibu, Calabasis, and I’m sure many other places are all LA areas I think I would be very happy in.

 

My wife's family is in San Antonio, we have a 23 year old daughter there now. I thought if I ever moved, it would be to Texas. I really like south Texas. Like I said earlier, I liked LA.

My first thought was moving to LA, and retiring there, now I'm thinking about working there for 10 years or so, then retiring elsewhere. I might even just rent there. My 2200 ft home on 1 acre in Indy is worth around $250k. That home where I would like to live in Cali is 1.2 million. I can rent that same home there for 4k a month. Maybe rent for a year then buy.

My plan so far is to go out there in 2 weeks for about a 6-8 week trial period. They will pay me around 3-4k weekly. If I like them, they like me, the salary will increase quite a bit. After I'm rolling along, and get the the desired pay (by years end) I think I can bank 100k a year. I've looked living away from the city to save on housing, but more of a drive. I looked at the Santa Carita, 1000 Oaks, Chatsworth areas, considerably cheaper.

Thanks for the room offer, that's quite generous, I can check out anytime I like, but may never leave!

How would a cross town drive to work in West Hollywood area be?

 

If the guys I was living with in Pasadena were still alive, I'd likely still be living out there.

 

That's rent on a small townhouse here, apartment as you get closer in to DC.

I hate LA but if the money talked I'd do it. Be prepared to live in your car when you're out on the road and factor in the cost of living. Not to mention some of the schools are great, some are, well, complete shit, depends on where you locate.

Money talks but so does your standard of living and mental health. If you're wrapped a little tight and small things piss you the f@ck off, find another place but if you can roll with the waves, there's worse places to be.

 

Depends on time of day. Ranges from miserable to no problem.

Do it on a motorcycle and it will be much quicker (CA has lane-sharing)

 

Maybe what everyone thinks on the outside looking in, but that's pretty far from it. All major aerospace/defense has footing in Socal, whether it be Boeing, Northrup, Raytheon, Lockheed, SpaceX, etc., and the supporting industries.





California is the backbone of the US economy, as a standalone country, they'd be the 5th largest in the world.

 

All going points. I did see a nice 2000 ft home for rent in Pasadena, 2 car garage, safe area. It listed the property tax for the last 10 years.
In 2010 it was appraised at 235K, property tax was $3500.
In 2019 it was appraised at $1.2 million, tax was $12k.
My current tax on a $250k home in Indy is $1600.

My wife is a teacher here, her salary will almost double in northern LA.

 

I knew lane splitting was legal while sitting still, I did not know it was legal at highway speeds! Holy Sheet! Caught me off guard.

 

You can use HOV lanes, and can lane-share on roads with 2 or more lanes in your direction. Slip/filter up to the front at stoplights.

I used to make it from Pasadena to Santa Monica (east end of LA to the beach) in <40 minutes in rush hour on the bike. Would have been 3x that in a cage. It takes a bit of learning how to watch for inattentive drivers, but most drivers out there are good with lane sharing and will give you room. Takes a bit of getting used to, though.

BTW: Highway speeds at rush hour are 20-40MPH

 

I wasn’t sure if you were married or single but as I read more about this I’m really excited for your opportunity.

I thought of another option if you’re not comfortable staying at someone’s place you don’t really know. If it’s only you, you could live in my toy hauler which is inside my commercial building for a few weeks while you come out here and figure things out. It’s nothing glamorous but it would work for you however if you’re coming with your wife then stay at my house. I don’t think a wife would wanna live in a toy hauler.

Also the toy hauler would be sitting in my building either in Long Beach or in Commerce, which are both much closer to where you would be working. Actually the Commerce location might even be only a half hour or so away from your job.

 

I guess I wasn't there long enough, or was in a different area, but I didn't experience any stopped traffic on the interstate. Even In Indy I will see stopped traffic at least once daily. I was on the north side, highways 210, 5, 134, mostly around Hollywood.

I did see quite a few drivers move over slightly to let a bike through.

 

Sounds like a change in skill sets for you. This could possibly open up many potential advancement oportunities in the future if you would decide to leave for greener pastures. Figure 5 years to master the new job and all the side bar responsibilities. Then if the city life starts to wear on you you'll be set to move to a lower cost area while maintaining your income level....could be a real way to join the jet set.