Find the Right Apartment in Los Angeles using these 5 TIPS!

 

Find the Right Apartment in Los Angeles 

Los Angeles -- the "city of dreams", the home of Hollywood. Some see it as a place of the rich and famous, the celebrities, and those who aim to be in the entertainment and film industry. But another side of this city features vast outdoors consisting of terrain, mountain, beach, and desert. The diversity in ethnicity, language, food, and culture is also what makes people fall in love with this city. 

As a native of LA, I LOVE this topic, and here are my top three best things: 1) LA is a transplant city and everyone is happy to be here. No one ever says, “I just moved here and it sucks”; 2) In under one hour, you can go from any part of LA and end up in the mountains or the beach or just stay in the city and explore; 3) The weather!!

Jenny, 40

Being the largest city in California (and the second largest in United States), you might be wondering how hard - or easy - it is to find an apartment in LA. More so, the right apartment for your needs. Let these 5 tips help you in your search. 

Know Your Purpose for Moving In

What is the main reason for moving in to a new apartment? Is it for work? for leisure? Do you want to be near your family? Remember that as diverse as LA gets, same goes with its different regions. You can live near a beach, a valley, or a busy city. Identifying your purpose allows you to pick the best region in LA to stay. 

List Down Your "Negotiables" and "Non-negotiables"

Take time to list down your main considerations for an apartment. This is where amenities and comfort

fall into. Do you require a space that is near public transportation? Or since you have a car, parking space is a must? Are you particular with the space and apartment layout? Or are you good with a small studio type setup? Are you moving in with a pet? Then you must ensure that the new apartment allows pets and is pet-friendly. 

You may start by listing down all factors that are important to you then evaluate one by one which are "non-negotiables" -- meaning, the apartment must have these, and the "negotiables" -- important but you can go away with it. 

Determine Your Budget

Now that you have identified your purpose and the must-have's in your future apartment, the next important tip is to determine your budget. After all, you won't be able to move in to an apartment that you cannot afford. 

Note that apartment rent in Los Angeles is a bit more expensive that other cities due to its crowded population. When you plan your budget, consider not only the monthly cost of the place but also the internet, electricity, water, and other monthly expenses. Check if your savings will be able to pay your rent for a few months in case, for any reason, you fall short (eg. lost job, family emergency, etc).  

Let a Rental Platform Help You

For a city as big as LA, it would be of great luck to find an apartment by just roaming around the city. Save your energy from traveling and let rental marketplace applications or websites such as Zumper help you. Most of these platforms will provide the available apartments in a given location, prices, layout/structure, amenities, and contact details. 

Zumper, for instance, can allow digital submission of rental application and credit reports through screening service that is powered by TransUnion™. The listings are updated real-time and you can also get real-time alerts and updates on available apartments in LA. 

Visit/Scout the Place and the Neighborhood

After marking around 3 or 4 places that you think fit your needs, it is still best to visit the actual apartment to see the current condition. Is it still in good shape? Does it require minor repair? Wall paint, flooring, leaks, water pressure, lights, outlets are just some items to check. It is also important to see if there are emergency exits, smoke alarms, and safety equipment. 

Walk around the neighborhood. Do you feel safe? Are there convenience stores or coffee shops nearby? Remember that if you plan to live in this location for a while, you should be comfortable and "at home".  

Finding the right apartment in a big city like Los Angeles can be challenging. But I hope these simple tips helped you in narrowing down your search.