Am I Crazy For Considering Moving to Los Angeles?

Good info....thanks. I figured that would be a tough road, married but living 2100 miles apart. I see a lot of money spent on airfare. I can't leave them behind for that long.

My main concern is my 19 year old daughter. She moved in to her college dorm last fall (31 miles from home) so excited to be somewhat on her own. She hated it from the start, she was homesick. My wife went there 3-4 times after work the first week to help her settle in. She never liked it. She stayed there for the first semester, he grades were about average, she never struggled in high school. She moved home for the second semester, and drives to school now. He grades, attitude, and overall demeanor instantly improved. She's doing much better now. Her and her mom are pretty good buddies.

Now I'm thinking about me moving there and start work in a month or two. Wife and kid stay at home for work/school. I would work there for about a year, they could come out and stay on weekends, summer (wife and kid off in summer) we would all get a feel if we wanted to live there for the next 5-10 years, then move on to retire. She would be moving there to college as a junior, and I think she would find a school much easier.

The owner of the company out there did call me Saturday and practically begged me to take this position. I'm still undecided....if housing cost weren't completely crazy, I would jump on it.

 

I've lived in LA for going on 10 years now. West LA mostly - Santa Monica, Venice and Marina Del Rey. It took me about 3 years before I decided to stay, lol. I love it here. I grew up in the South East - lived in Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina about 10 years each. So it was a big adjustment for me to come out here. There is a lot of opportunity and you get exposure to things you might not get other places. The cost of living is high but, so is the earning potential. We have multiple race tracks within a few hours drive. I ride the Malibu canyons almost every Sunday. Excellent food and always something to do. It does have its drawbacks though.The homelessness is a real issue, you will pay a lot in taxes and as others mentioned the cost of living is high. Also, we have fire seasons...

In my humble opinion, if you have any opportunity to better yourself and for the benefit of your family, LA isn't a bad place to do it. I work in real estate too, so if you have any questions about certain areas I might be able to help if I'm familiar with it. I'd suggest renting for a while though until you find where you want to be. From one street to the next can make a big difference in your experience.

 

Great post. I will add when I was forced/transferred out here in 89, I didn’t want to come. The company I worked for begged me so I gave it a shot. I was a 100% commissioned salesperson, so the high cost of housing, etc was a big negative.

It took me about a year to really like it. Getting chicks was harder versus where I grew up in Illinois, or the wonderful state of Texas where it felt like ladies where throwing themselves at me with that sexy Southern Drawl!!!

It would be pretty hard to leave, even with the negatives, the positives really outweigh them for us.

 

I'm in the same boat, Rob. Adds a little stress but some how evens out in the long run.

I didn't want to let him in on the secret about the chicks since he's married. But my god... the women out here are unreal and very open, lol. I'm happily married now but for the first few years I just ran WFO. Lots of good memories running around with the boys. It just reminded me of this one Sunday me and my buddy rode out to Neptune's Nest and met a few chicks running around on the beach topless. Of course the only courteous thing to do was invite them back to our place for a drink and place to dry off. Man oh man. Good times!

Same here. I don't see us going anywhere for a while. I think in a few years we may move a little further south towards the OC. But LA is home for now.

 

I’m not good at doing quotes like you did while on my phone. I’m married too, but I was single out here for awhile. There are a lot of beauties, but I found the easiest area to meet beauties was in Dallas Tx.

I work in LA county but live in S. Orange County. When we bought our house, my wife said this is so nice and beautiful I will feel like I’m on vacation everyday of my life. While that isn’t quite true, much of LA county is ugly and overcrowded, and I would find it hard to live there after experiencing OC. Although like anything there are great pockets in LA, the traffic is just soooo much worse.

 

Since you guys mentioned the ladies....I did spend a couple days around the Hollywood area, I've never seen so many beautiful people. Everybody was in great shape. Of course, I live in the midwest where all the women are corn fed, and healthy!

 

I spent some time in Dallas. Gorgeous women there too! And I swear they were all the best singers I ever heard.

I agree 100% and my wife feels the same way as yours about the OC. My biggest concern, for us, is we are getting ready to have our first child and the LA county school systems are terrible and private education is outrageous. But luckily I think we can get into Santa Monica school systems because of my wife's office location.

 

They will get you in trouble in the blink of an eye, lol. I found the key to be for me, find a midwest girl thats been here long enough to look like an LA girl but still has widgets values. It's a needle in a haystack combo but I lucked out with mine.

 

I wish I could comment on these posts, but like, Rob, I'm married and getting wiser every year, so I'll just shutup for now

 

Smart man, that's usually the best plan. Coming from a guy with almost 31 years of married bliss.

 

Update.....I am taking the plunge, for a while. I'm going out there for 1 month, to see if I might like the job, area. He made me a pretty good offer, I really don't have anything to lose, and potentially a lot to gain. I'm still debating where to stay. Most of their work is in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, north and west LA.

Hows the weather out there this time of year?

 

You're making the right move. I live in Culver City (3 years in LA so far) and the weather has been fantastic. Up in the 80s last weekend but it's been about 70 and mild this week so far.

 

Send postcard from mother Russia

 

It’s a good place to live and the weather is awesome this time of year.

I’m in Marina Del Rey, it’s pretty chill down here by me. Plus it’s close to the airport. Santa Monica is nice but can be crowded(when it’s not COVID season) because it’s a heavy tourist attraction. Culver City is a great area, Beverly Hills is nice, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades... I’d stay out of Hollywood.

Hit me up if you have any questions. I’ve lived here for almost 11 years now.


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Culver City and Palms are great areas. Quick access to the 10 and 405, easy access to a train that will take you to Santa Monica and just a few miles away from the beach. Mar Vista is also near by and pretty cool. It’s my idealized LA area and one I hope to return to.

 

Great info, is Pasadena considered an older folks area? That's where I stayed last time, and had a 20 minute drive to their office. It's seemed very laid back, almost boring.

 

Pasadena is a nice area. I wouldn’t call it older folks but it’s more of a suburban area and not as congested as west la. I haven’t spent much time there myself but people I know that have lived there like it and it’s probably an easier adjustment coming from out of state.

Plus you’ll be close to a Fontana speedway and Chuckwalla for when you get the track bike relocated out here.


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You want beach? Santa Monica.
Hot College girls? Westwood.
Hot wierdo girls? Hollywood or Venice

Same as middle of January... Partly Sunny and 80.

Have fun.
Eat at In N Out, Canters Deli, Pinks Hot dogs, Titos Tacos, Roscoes Chicken & Waffles and all the local shit hole places...they are usually the best.

 

Pasadena is super nice, but definitely a suburb. It's tucked away in the hills, so there's plenty of outdoors activities and lots of good roads to ride if you have access to a motorcycle.

If you're around in October (and if they hold it this year), the ArtCenter Car Classic is the best car show I've ever been to and highly recommended.
http://www.artcenter.edu/connect/events/car-classic/overview.html

 

West LA, Mar Vista is nice cooler weather near the ocean, like 5 miles any closer and you get fog.