Los Angeles travel assignment...

mclennan, BSN, RN · Mar 18, 2013

Calabasas is a VERY expensive, upscale area, I think unless you have some kind of hookup or housing provided by your agency, you can expect a long commute from somewhere more affordable. I have lived in L.A. for 6 years and work as an RN care manager downtown. PM me if you'd like to talk! If you've never been here I'm more than happy to offer any help I can.

NurseVirgo · Mar 18, 2013

Thanks for your response...Yes I had been hearing about it being very expensive area...Just not sure what to do about housing...Whether to find an extended stay hotel or trying a fully furnishes apartment or something? I would appreciate any advice you can give.

NurseVirgo · Mar 18, 2013

I'm not sure how to pm...I'm on my phone.

NedRN · Mar 18, 2013

I think you need 15 posts before you can PM.

Craigslist is a great tool while looking for housing. Often you do even better by posting an ad and get access to great housing that the owners are reluctant to advertise but who will respond when they see a good catch. Travelers are very desirable tenants, very different from the pot luck renter crowd out there. They pay more, pay up front, are generally respectful of property, and are gone in a few months (owner is not stuck with a bad tenant). Houseshares will expand your choices tremendously and you may have new friends! Or often in my experience, an absent roommate.

NurseVirgo · Mar 18, 2013

Oh ok, thanks!

Yes someone else mentioned looking at Craiglist. I will try that as well.

mclennan, BSN, RN · Mar 18, 2013

Be VERY careful with Craigslist. Especially in L.A.

Never EVER go check out a place alone.

Ask for references and actually call them. Seriously, ASK for references of former renters or roommates.

When you do search, have upfront cash, references and all your info ready.

Remember, living in L.A. means basing your entire life - work, friends, hobbies, EVERYTHING - on traffic. Choose your location carefully and listen to locals who know what's up.

Likely the best place to find a living situation will be in the "Valley" i.e., San Fernando Valley. Look in places like Van Nuys, Simi Valley, Granada Hills or Chatsworth. MAYBE Sherman Oaks ($$$$) and MAYBE Encino ($$$$). Remember the Valley is HOT, isolated, and very, very non-diverse. It's a lot of strip malls, chain stores and beige development homes.

If you want to live in L.A. proper, and commute up to Calabasas, live on the West side. Affordable in this area are Mar Vista, Culver City, West Hollywood. And by "affordable" I mean you can score a studio apt. for maybe $1300/mo. That price usually does not include laundry or parking. For that, make it $1500.

Look for rich people in the Valley renting rooms out in their house! That's probably your best bet.

NurseVirgo · Mar 18, 2013

Mclennan, I tried to pm you but I guess your box is full. Thanks for the advice. I would like to know more about trying to rent a room from rich people in the Valley.

bahamagirlrn, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 18, 2013

Be VERY careful with Craigslist. Especially in L.A.
Never EVER go check out a place alone.
Ask for references and actually call them. Seriously, ASK for references of former renters or roommates.
When you do search, have upfront cash, references and all your info ready.
Remember, living in L.A. means basing your entire life - work, friends, hobbies, EVERYTHING - on traffic. Choose your location carefully and listen to locals who know what's up.
Likely the best place to find a living situation will be in the "Valley" i.e., San Fernando Valley. Look in places like Van Nuys, Simi Valley, Granada Hills or Chatsworth. MAYBE Sherman Oaks ($$$$) and MAYBE Encino ($$$$). Remember the Valley is HOT, isolated, and very, very non-diverse. It's a lot of strip malls, chain stores and beige development homes.
If you want to live in L.A. proper, and commute up to Calabasas, live on the West side. Affordable in this area are Mar Vista, Culver City, West Hollywood. And by "affordable" I mean you can score a studio apt. for maybe $1300/mo. That price usually does not include laundry or parking. For that, make it $1500.
Look for rich people in the Valley renting rooms out in their house! That's probably your best bet.

McLennan, thank you for this valuable information. I am very skeptical about renting from someone on Craigslist. I know that there are good people out there who are willing to open their homes to assist renters, but there are evil people doing the same thing also, and it can be hard to know who is who. Will you please elaborate on the Valley being " very, very non-diverse" or you can pm me please. Thank you.

mclennan, BSN, RN · Mar 18, 2013

My box is not full.

I shouldn't need to say much more about the Valley being "non-diverse." What more explanation do you need than that?

Go to CL. Look at LA. Go to rooms for rent/sublets/whatever and look in the SF Valley area. Look on a map, for names of cities nearby. Specify your search and when you see posts that are well written and have pictures of fancy places at fancy addresses (use Google maps street view) follow up and check it out.

If you're smart enough to be a nurse you should not need direction like this. And if you have traveled before you should also be MUCH more resourceful than this. LA isn't any different from any other American city except, it is BIGGER.

bahamagirlrn, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 18, 2013

My box is not full.
I shouldn't need to say much more about the Valley being "non-diverse." What more explanation do you need than that?
Go to CL. Look at LA. Go to rooms for rent/sublets/whatever and look in the SF Valley area. Look on a map, for names of cities nearby. Specify your search and when you see posts that are well written and have pictures of fancy places at fancy addresses (use Google maps street view) follow up and check it out.
If you're smart enough to be a nurse you should not need direction like this. And if you have traveled before you should also be MUCH more resourceful than this. LA isn't any different from any other American city except, it is BIGGER.

There is no need to be rude. For your info I traveled between 2006-2009. Things has changed a lot. This is a forum for nurses to help each other out and be resourceful. You are very rude and I never stated that your box was full. If I want to ask something without offending anyone PM is the way to go. I'm sorry for you, you sound ignorant!

NedRN · Mar 18, 2013

McLennan, thank you for this valuable information. I am very skeptical about renting from someone on Craigslist. I know that there are good people out there who are willing to open their homes to assist renters, but there are evil people doing the same thing also, and it can be hard to know who is who. Will you please elaborate on the Valley being " very, very non-diverse" or you can pm me please. Thank you.

Craigslist is the new classifieds, no different than a local newspaper but much more efficient. It is pretty much the only game in town. There are darn few people on there that deliberately lure unsuspecting travelers into their home. Good to be safe, but I have rented from property managers on Craigslist. And let me tell you, property managers are a lot more evil than the average private property owner! The last one charged me $150 when I moved out, and the place was in better shape than when I moved in.

I wondered about the Valley comment too. Originally, the San Fernando Valley was known for its lack of diversity, being almost exclusively middle to lower class whites (and the funny Valley girl accent mocked so much). Now it is a lot more mixed, perhaps predominantly Hispanic even. That may be the lack of diversity McLennan was referring to.