moving to LA in june, request for help/info pls!
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i'll be moving to the LA area in June for college and know very little about the place. any forumers currently living/have lived in the area able to offer advice on living there eg. reputable real estate agents to search for housing, where to go etc? your help will be greatly appreciated! thanks!
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Well for once you have to let us know which college in southern california? Pls understand LA is not SG with MRT and SBS buses.
There are plenty of apartments to rent does not required real estate agents. If You like the apartment and it looks nice you can just walk to the rental office and asked for detail. Typically it is 1 month deposit. If you stay near college i am sure there are apartment that are cater for college student.
For now u should prepared international driver license. To have independent ease of mobility . You will have to retake highway code and driving test again once you settledown.
like i say let us what is the name of college?
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From your thread in the Cars forum, I am assuming you intend to purchase a vehicle when you get here.
Please note that drivers here are legally required to carry auto insurance when operating vehicles, and you might not be able to get that on the strength of your international driver's permit. Since an automobile is essential for getting around SoCal, you should make getting a CA driver's license one of your first priorities after arriving.
Be warned that auto insurance rates in SoCal are astronomical, especially for young, first-time drivers.
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Originally posted by jojobeach:
when is the next makan gathering? -
hey, i'll be heading to santa monica college, its located at pico blvd. where's a good area to live? i heard something like west and north of the highway 10 is pretty safe and i'm considering a studio unit around westwood/brentwood/wilshire haha. yea i'm planning to get a car but how to long would it take to get a california license? sorry for the long questions just trying to get as much info as possible since i'll be alone and new there lol. i'm considering between these few can anyone care to take a look and offer some insight? they look pretty good and are at an affordable approx. USD700 per month
http://www.swelgroup.com/dubarry.htm
http://www.swelgroup.com/piccadilly.htm
http://www.swelgroup.com/gramercy.htm
http://www.swelgroup.com/barclay.htm
and what does PAID UTILITIES mean?
Thanks again! -
Originally posted by vito_corleone:
hey, i'll be heading to santa monica college, its located at pico blvd. where's a good area to live? i heard something like west and north of the highway 10 is pretty safe and i'm considering a studio unit around westwood/brentwood/wilshire haha. yea i'm planning to get a car but how to long would it take to get a california license? sorry for the long questions just trying to get as much info as possible since i'll be alone and new there lol. i'm considering between these few can anyone care to take a look and offer some insight? they look pretty good and are at an affordable approx. USD700 per month
http://www.swelgroup.com/dubarry.htm
http://www.swelgroup.com/piccadilly.htm
http://www.swelgroup.com/gramercy.htm
http://www.swelgroup.com/barclay.htm
and what does PAID UTILITIES mean?
Thanks again!Just a general guide line on Apartment rental in CA. It comes in the following format and you have to asked the following questions.
1) Does rental cover : Water bills, Trash collection, electricity bill, Gas bill (depend on apartments) If you rent the apartment you should have at least 1 parking slot.
Therefore you have to ask specifically what does utilities cover? chances are only water and trash. It various from apts mgnt companies.
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Automobile insurance if need you can call : Timothy (626) 964 7821.
Uncle Tim is a Singaporean who own a Allstate agency office. He helps SEA students on getting insurance.
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thanks arapahoe will check it out. is the wilshire/west hollywood area a safe neighbourhood? also which are the places that i should avoid?
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Originally posted by vito_corleone:
hey, i'll be heading to santa monica college, its located at pico blvd. where's a good area to live? i heard something like west and north of the highway 10 is pretty safe and i'm considering a studio unit around westwood/brentwood/wilshire haha. yea i'm planning to get a car but how to long would it take to get a california license? sorry for the long questions just trying to get as much info as possible since i'll be alone and new there lol. i'm considering between these few can anyone care to take a look and offer some insight? they look pretty good and are at an affordable approx. USD700 per month
http://www.swelgroup.com/dubarry.htm
http://www.swelgroup.com/piccadilly.htm
http://www.swelgroup.com/gramercy.htm
http://www.swelgroup.com/barclay.htm
and what does PAID UTILITIES mean?
Thanks again!ha ha West of SMC is near the beach.....but i think the rental will be much higher than US$700 and North of SMC is probably closer to UCLA. I presume your intention is to TSF to UCLA.
You are smack right into US city and its not really about safe area but rather how you take step to minimizes the risk.
On the note from your web site. pls note that price subject to change so i believe you must prepared to position 10 - 15% adjustment. They might pull a stunt on the last minutes by telling you they ran out of Studio so i suggest that you look at alternative site as a back up.
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I have a question after you land do you have a shelter to sleepover when you touch down or you are parachuting down with camping gear?
i like to suggest a complete new option which i did when i was a student. but certainly not for everyone.
I did spend my first 2 semester in apartment. And i end up spending unncessary monies for things like lamp, phone, study table, pots...... etc?
After 2 semesters i actually found a old lady who wanted to rent out the room from her house. (HomeStay) I have full use of the house including kitchen. And you are not responsible for her nor answer to her. I saved alot of unncessary investment, rental is reasonable.
And i was fortunate to spend 1.5 years in 2 seperate houses with swimming pool and a room with a view of Pacific ocean for less than US$300 a month all in. Just spend some time talking to landlady thats all.
you should also try resouces from UCLA regards to lodgging they should have broader info. Also there are alot more Singaporean students in UCLA that might give a hand.
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Hey TC, you'll be here next month. Got everything together?
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who me?
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Originally posted by vito_corleone:
who me?
Yes you. So how goes the prep work? When can we say Welcome to CA?
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almost settled except my housing options and the problem of converting my sg driving license to a CA one haha. well should be over there by around 8th of june since i have to be at school on the 17th for some seminar, it'll gimme time to settle down and stuff. anyone care to play tour guide? hehe
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Originally posted by jetta:
Yes you. So how goes the prep work? When can we say Welcome to CA?
that's funny "who me!!" he learns fast...already catching on, sound like my younger employees.....
very soon he will be saying...."What!....I dunno...?
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Originally posted by vito_corleone:
almost settled except my housing options and the problem of converting my sg driving license to a CA one haha. well should be over there by around 8th of june since i have to be at school on the 17th for some seminar, it'll gimme time to settle down and stuff. anyone care to play tour guide? hehe
Tour guide ah? Harlo, I'm 2 hours away hor... Arapahoe's closer
California drivers are terrible so be drive defensively.
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haha i adapt very quickly to newsurroundings
looks like there's quite a number of sgreans in CA! -
Originally posted by jetta:
Tour guide ah? Harlo, I'm 2 hours away hor... Arapahoe's closer
California drivers are terrible so be drive defensively.
Tour guide....no need lah....once he settled down he will be able sniff his way around....look at it this way he is facing the ocean, Bel air, all the high end area leh. I don't like to go to those area everything pay double...hor.......... : ) -
vito,
Been in the West LA area for the last 10 years. So if you have other questions, fire away.
Couple of pointers as well:
1 it's the renter's market now, especially so in West LA. Ask for 1 to 2 months free rent. I am not joking about this.
2. This is the ONLY rental website you need: http://www.westsiderentals.com/. Trust me on this.
3. SMC is reachable by commonly known as the Big Blue Bus #7 I believe. Check here: http://www.bigbluebus.com/busroutes/. The rest of the BBB are well linked. So follow the routes and familiarize yourself.
4. Westwood and Brentwood ain't so pretty like you thought. I know it's near UCLA and all that. But traffic is a bit of a pain. You want to return home nice and smooth and easy w/o having to cram with pple. For SMC, I would recommend apartments on Centinela between Venice and Olympic. Also check out apartments on National Blvd between Bundy and Sawtelle. Google map is your friend and you should be able to see SMC here as well: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=34.019052,-118.445749&spn=0.018425,0.054932&z=15
5. There is a Mitsuwa (Japanese market + food court) on NE corner of Venice and Centinela. Something to think about for those starving/busy days.
6. If you want to hang out with a more "academic" crowd, UCLA grad housing is located on Sawtelle between Palms and National, Sepulveda between Palms and National. There are tons of apartments for rent around that area too.
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Santa Monica College eh ?
This should be very useful for you ...if you have intention to transfer to a Uni.
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thanks for the info guys, should prove very useful!
VSE: what about those 4 appts that i've linked above? are those in good locations? -
jojo, what about out of state unis? i'm planning to attend uni on the east side if possible
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Originally posted by vito_corleone:
jojo, what about out of state unis? i'm planning to attend uni on the east side if possible
For private and out of California state Uni.
You will need to contact the Uni you are interested in.. and ask them to provide a list of approved transfer units from your college.
Please read the information listed on the left side of Assist.org especially the Articulation agreement.
Different uni from different states have different requirements.
Make sure the units you take in college are transferrable to the out of state Uni of your choice.
Else you will just be wasting plenty of time at the college.
I just check out Santa Monica College's website.
Under the
Academic program- Degree requirements- out of state uni... you can find the articulation requirements for some out of state unis...which SMC has articulation agreements with.
However, I would suggest you contact the Uni directly.. to get the most up to date info.. as those requirements changes quite frequently.
May I know why you did not apply directly to the University and decide to go via community college instead ???
Are you intending to just get a AA degree ? or are you intending to get your GE and Lower division credits and transfer to a Unis Degree ? You can do both.. but will take you a longer time.. quite unusual for international students.
Be very careful which path you take.. not all path leads you to a Uni Degree in the shortest time.
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vito:
Don't rely on the information online. Those apts look all fancy and stuff, but they are located in mid-wilshire, K-town area to be exact. Not exactly a convenient place to commute to SMC.
One thing I need to remind you. If you look on the map, and you think it's a 10min journey, trust me, it will never be. Quite simply because this is LA.
Westside rentals like I said and those places I mentioned.
SMC to UCLA is by far the easiest. My spouse did just that and graduated summa at UCLA. Once you start your term in SMC, talk to pple, ask around, gather as much info as possible. Not much of a spoon-feeding here. You want to get the apple, grow your own tree, climb your own apple tree. SMC has a lot of resources that guarantee a smooth transfer to UCLA. Let me give you a one important pointer. Try to be top 10% of your SMC class and your life in UCLA will be easier.
jojobeach: going through SMC doesn't have to deal with SAT. Plus it's easier to apply and get admitted. Overall it is still cheaper than going through, say 4 years of UCLA. SMC has been regarded as one of the most competitive comunity colleges as well. There is practically no difference between those who went through 2+2 SMC/UCLA vs 4-year UCLA.