Living in California, is it expensive?
Aug 25th 2006, 3:54 pm
#31
sun lover
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Mesa - AZ
Posts: 271
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Originally Posted by Sallyanne
LA is a great big freeway
Put a hundred down and buy a car
Aug 25th 2006, 3:56 pm
#32
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Posts: 15,455
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Originally Posted by sambuc
Put a hundred down and buy a car
Aug 25th 2006, 3:58 pm
#33
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 15,455
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Everybody comes to Hollywood
They wanna make it in the neighborhood
They like the smell of it in Hollywood
How could it hurt you when it looks so good
Thought that song was stupid till I came here.
They wanna make it in the neighborhood
They like the smell of it in Hollywood
How could it hurt you when it looks so good
Thought that song was stupid till I came here.
Aug 25th 2006, 4:03 pm
#34
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Los Angeles Ca
Posts: 375
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
even rents arent exactly cheap. I was paying $1500/month for a one bedroom place. It was what I would call minimum standard (which is pretty high cos I am a snob 
) I woudl say it just about compared with what I was used to in London. It was cheaper but in a cappy ghetto area.. and not that much cheaper.
Rental properties here are generally horrible. Whereas in London whilst expensive, now everyone has ripped out the crappy carpet, put in a modern ikea type kitchen and painted everything neutral fresh colours, here its still nasty carpet, crappy construction, those nasty bobbly ceilings, and frankly hideous kitchens. I really felt the level of decoration to be far lower here than in London. Though its partly a taste thing, LA is still very very seventies.
I guess nobody ever cooks here because the kitchens are invariably awful with some ancient rickety old stove tucked away in a corner, the sink and chopping areas on the other side of the room.. likewise bathrooms are nasty nasty nasty!
) I woudl say it just about compared with what I was used to in London. It was cheaper but in a cappy ghetto area.. and not that much cheaper.Rental properties here are generally horrible. Whereas in London whilst expensive, now everyone has ripped out the crappy carpet, put in a modern ikea type kitchen and painted everything neutral fresh colours, here its still nasty carpet, crappy construction, those nasty bobbly ceilings, and frankly hideous kitchens. I really felt the level of decoration to be far lower here than in London. Though its partly a taste thing, LA is still very very seventies.
I guess nobody ever cooks here because the kitchens are invariably awful with some ancient rickety old stove tucked away in a corner, the sink and chopping areas on the other side of the room.. likewise bathrooms are nasty nasty nasty!
Aug 25th 2006, 4:06 pm
#35
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 15,455
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Originally Posted by angelman
even rents arent exactly cheap. I was paying $1500/month for a one bedroom place. It was what I would call minimum standard (which is pretty high cos I am a snob ) I woudl say it just about compared with what I was used to in London. It was cheaper but in a cappy ghetto area.. and not that much cheaper.
Rental properties here are generally horrible. Whereas in London whilst expensive, now everyone has ripped out the crappy carpet, put in a modern ikea type kitchen and painted everything neutral fresh colours, here its still nasty carpet, crappy construction, those nasty bobbly ceilings, and frankly hideous kitchens. I really felt the level of decoration to be far lower here than in London. Though its partly a taste thing, LA is still very very seventies.
I guess nobody ever cooks here because the kitchens are invariably awful with some ancient rickety old stove tucked away in a corner, the sink and chopping areas on the other side of the room.. likewise bathrooms are nasty nasty nasty!
) I woudl say it just about compared with what I was used to in London. It was cheaper but in a cappy ghetto area.. and not that much cheaper.Rental properties here are generally horrible. Whereas in London whilst expensive, now everyone has ripped out the crappy carpet, put in a modern ikea type kitchen and painted everything neutral fresh colours, here its still nasty carpet, crappy construction, those nasty bobbly ceilings, and frankly hideous kitchens. I really felt the level of decoration to be far lower here than in London. Though its partly a taste thing, LA is still very very seventies.
I guess nobody ever cooks here because the kitchens are invariably awful with some ancient rickety old stove tucked away in a corner, the sink and chopping areas on the other side of the room.. likewise bathrooms are nasty nasty nasty!
Aug 25th 2006, 4:41 pm
#36
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Originally Posted by angelman
Rental properties here are generally horrible.
Aug 25th 2006, 5:08 pm
#37
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,022
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Originally Posted by Sallyanne
It's a shock, but in fairness bricks and mortar would be no good for earthquakes.
The prices in LA are incredible, and in the LA school district you have to go through an exhaustive process for Magnet schools or pay privately - approx $15,000 PA although I believe it is tax-deductible. We are further out, still in LA County but a separate school district. Prices for a very ordinary "tract" house start at about $800,000 around here.
The prices in LA are incredible, and in the LA school district you have to go through an exhaustive process for Magnet schools or pay privately - approx $15,000 PA although I believe it is tax-deductible. We are further out, still in LA County but a separate school district. Prices for a very ordinary "tract" house start at about $800,000 around here.
Last edited by Jerseygirl; Aug 25th 2006 at 5:14 pm.
Aug 25th 2006, 5:14 pm
#38
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Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Mid West >> UK
Posts: 1,239
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
I think with all the encouraging information about LA the OP has been scared off! :scared:
Aug 25th 2006, 5:18 pm
#39
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
Private school fees are not tax deductible...neither are college fees. $15K per yr may get your child through kindergarten but you'll need to double that figure for high school. Also add to that several $K's for extras....and those charitable donations....would you believe they post a list of all the students on the school wall stating how much each family has given. Then they make a big fancy brochure listing all donations and mail it out.
Aug 25th 2006, 5:27 pm
#40
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,022
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Originally Posted by Giantaxe
Actually, depending on your income, you can get a tax credit for some college fees. Additionally, there are tax-advantaged savings plans (529 plans, Education IRAs) that can be used for college fees (and in the case of the former, I believe, private school fees?).
Aug 25th 2006, 6:42 pm
#41
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
The income limit is probably less than the fees.
Aug 25th 2006, 10:13 pm
#42
.
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: LA
Posts: 198
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
yes it is, don't come the bathrooms are shit
Aug 26th 2006, 12:57 am
#43
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Posts: 15,455
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Originally Posted by Esquimaux
yes it is, don't come the bathrooms are shit
Aug 26th 2006, 1:16 am
#44
.
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: LA
Posts: 198
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Originally Posted by Sallyanne
and there's no NHS
Aug 26th 2006, 1:17 am
#45
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Posts: 15,455
Re: Living in California, is it expensive?
Originally Posted by Esquimaux
thats what flights home are for