cjohnson1

Hi guys!

I've been looking on the forums for a while now and couldn't find a similar situation to mine (i may be blind!) so here goes..

I want to move to Los Angeles and wanted to get some advice on doing so. I graduate from university in a few months and have wanted to move for a few years and I am finally taking the plunge!

I am both a British & American citizen so a visa isn't a problem, the main issue is finding somewhere to live!

I am going to LA in November and was looking to maybe rent somewhere or stay in a hotel for a month but at an affordable price so if anyone could recommend somewhere that would be fantastic!
I also wanted to ask about what I would need to rent a more permanent residence there (aside from money of course), as I don't have a credit history is it possible to rent a place? Can you provide a rent guarantor like you can here in England?

Also, I know in LA a car is kind of a necessity but, once again, will no credit history make it difficult for me to get car insurance?

Oh, and another thing! How in advance could I apply for jobs in LA from here in England? Or is it better to wait until i'm there?

Thanks in advance for any advice/help!!

Sally Redux

I think he's a dual citizen?

We lived here for a while and liked it (in the rent-controlled part which is much cheaper):

http://www.parklabrea.com/templates/...p?w=parklabrea

edit: Not so good for just a month.

Michael

If I were you since you are young, I'd look at rental sharing with a couple of guys and gals along the coastal areas such as Venice, Marina Del Rey, Manhattan Beach, or Redondo Beach if you find work between LA and Long Beach. If you find work in Orange County, areas such as Sunset Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, or Laguna Beach are probably better. The Hollywood hills, Malibu, and some other areas are very nice but it will probably be very difficult to find rental shares and are also very expensive.

If you move in with others of similar age, your social life will probably come alive much quicker.

As far as a car, I'd get an older car and not cover damages to your car and carry the minimum California liability requirement. Insurance rates will be high due to your age, you won't have a driving or credit history in the US, and even higher if you don't have a California license.

As far as hotels/motels, I find "Extended Stay America" are fairly inexpensive and are reasonably nice ($70 per night or more depending on the area) and contains a kitchenette. Generally they are around $5 cheaper per night if booked for the week. Check the different locations and prices in the following link.

http://www.extendedstayamerica.com/h...es-hotels.html

Unless you make it appear that you are currently living in LA, it is unlikely that you will get any responses to résumé's (don't send a CV). To make it appear that you currently live in LA, get a US email address, possibly get a VoIP that allows you to have both a UK phone number and a Los Angles phone number (in the US, I believe Vonage allows that for someone living in the US), and if you even want to go further, you may be able to find a mail forwarding service that lists the address as an address with an apartment number.

If you don't currently have a social security number, you should apply for that in the UK and hopefully you will get it before you enter the US.

http://www.foreignborn.com/self-help...ing_the_us.htm

You should register with the "Selective Service" (the draft but it doesn't exist) or else you can't get certain jobs that have contracts with the federal government and most federal jobs.

https://www.sss.gov/regver/wfregistration.aspx

civilservant

First things first, although you are a USC, do you have a US Passport? USC must enter on a USPP.

cjohnson1

Hi! it looks really nice! Location wise it is really nice/convenient but the minimum stay is 3 months thanks though!

cjohnson1

Hi! Thanks for all the information, I'm definitely going to look at those areas, I would actually prefer to live with others, what with being new to the area, but I didn't know how easy it is to find house shares, like are there specific agencies or websites?

Extended America is definitely less expensive than other places I've seen so that's a really great find

As far as the job goes, it looks like I will have to wait until I move there to really get stuck into the job hunt!

Thanks again!

cjohnson1

Yeah I do, also already have a SSN and Virginia driving license which will hopefully make things a lot easier for me

JAJ

How did you get a Virginia driving license? Were you living in the state, and if so are you a resident of VA for tax purposes?

Either way - you will need to switch to a CA license (probably very quickly) once you move to California.


You appear not to have acknowledged what you were told regarding Selective Service. Once again, if you are male (and a U.S. citizen/green card holder) and aged 18-25 inclusive, you have to register whether or not you are living in the United States. http://www.sss.gov

cjohnson1

I'm female..so that doesn't apply to me! I have a Virginia driver's license as my Dad lives there, I'm also registered to vote there. My understanding of it so far is that I will have to switch to a CA license within 10 days, is that correct?

civilservant

Sounds about right, yep.

movingonhome

Try Air B&B for when you first arrive (you can rent just a room if you are trying to save cash) then start looking for a room off Craigslist right away. Be sure to use common sense with regards to money and strangers. As you will need a place to live before you will likely find a job, look for a short-term room let so you are not stuck for a year far away from where you work. November may be a little trickier than other months to find housing as students will have just settled into new flats, but there will still be plenty of open rooms around.

Yes, but usually the guarantor needs to be physically present in the US. So your dad probably could co-sign. Many room rentals off Craigslist won't ask for a credit check, but not all.

If you have a SSN and DL, you could try opening up a starter bank account then bank credit card online now (using your father's as your permanent address until you are settled?). That would give you a credit history. Otherwise I would expect you can get insurance but at a higher cost.

Westside Rentals is the main website for finding a flat other than Craigslist, if you decide you want your own place. As far as location goes I would recommend starting out in an area near UCLA (Palms, Culver, Westwood) as well as Venice. There will be a lot of people your age, is safe, is relatively affordable, and is central. From there you can start exploring where you'd like to end up.

cjohnson1

Hi! Thanks for the reply. Looked on Air B&B and its just what I was looking for to find a temporary place to stay while I look for a more permanent place so thank you!

Westside Rentals seems like a good starting point. I've looked on craigslist before but have heard quite a few 'scam stories' so I am quite nervous about using them, I have only ever used agencies to find a place here in London, so I don't really know what to look out for in terms of people just trying to get your money!

I didn't think I would be able to open a bank account online from England so I'll definitely look into it, using my Dad's address.

Thanks

movingonhome

I don't know any twenty-something in CA that has found a room anywhere other than Craigslist, except for moving in with friends of course. It's really not dodgy as a method. You still might encounter people you would feel uncomfortable living with and they will be judging you as well to figure out if you are reliable and a good fit. I would never transfer money or give cash (write a cheque in person, take a picture of it with the contract signed by all parties before handing it over, write in the cheque notes field what you are paying for: "Deposit + First Month Rent"). Be sure to get everything in writing if you're not on a lease. Assess the other tenants critically for trustworthiness, red flags, and compatibility. Find out full names and where they work/study (you can do this subtly by asking for a business card or their name for FB). As a potential tenant you are often in a stronger position as they are losing rent money every day the room sits empty. Should something go majorly awry you can always try small-claims court, if you have covered yourself even the mention of it may sort a bad situation out.

All of this requires seeing a place in person, which is why I wouldn't try to line something up in advance. Some of these issues go away if you are put on a proper lease from the landlord/property management company, which you can trust more, but will probably require a co-signer. I would keep in mind that there are dodgy landlords nonetheless, same as fellow tenants.

One last thought, the room is highly unlikely to be furnished. You will need to budget for basics such as a bed and chest of drawers. Ikea is the obvious place to go for these but again, Craigslist is usually better (higher quality for the same price, or the same item for a knock-down price).

caleyjag

Craiglist will do you fine. I have a great living situation which I found on Craigslist.

My gf lives in Venice - it's okay. Personally I think Santa Monica is better but it's more expensive.

Either way whichever neighbourhood you pick, there will be a pretty good British pub within reach. LA is really good in that respect.

JAJ

Normally, you should not have a driving license unless you also live there. Same goes for vote registration. Although both can be more flexible if you have previously lived in the state.

Either way, you should normally transfer both to CA once you establish residence in that state.

Holding a Virginia drivers license and voter registration may have created a tax residence status in Virginia. As a result, you may have an obligation to file state income tax returns with Virginia, as well as federal tax. Unless your income is low enough to exempt you. Start with the Virginia tax authorities: http://www.tax.virginia.gov/site.cfm...esidencyStatus


Check the California state requirements.