So you decided Los Angeles is the place for you!

You're packing all your stuff into the back of your car and what you can't you've taken to selling on Craigslist. So you've chosen to move to Los Angeles! I myself personally know it's scary and a very stressful time. I hope to make it easier for you with some  methods to make the move that will change your life at least a little easier to cope with. Finding places to live, how to find the best apartments, where to get a car that best fits your needs, how to find a flexible job, and all those needs and wants you come across in this hectic time of NEW TO LA !!
  
Oh so many of us..New to L.A. You have either decided to drive or fly. You've decided to pack or just sell all your belongings and then  you have this clear idea of walking down Sunset and getting ready to be discovered. Let me know how that goes!? I have heard of "the discovered theory"  I'm told Jennifer Garner was working as an extra and the director saw her standing by the craft services table snacking on potato chips when he said 'Her I want her" For the other group of us that will still be standing over the potato chips hoping against hope the director looks our way. You ask what do we do? Well it starts with moving here and all the questions and checklists you need to make.
  How to decide if you should fly or drive?

•  How much are you packing?
• Is it cheaper to fly or drive. Keep in mind that where you are from is almost a 20 cent gas increase in price in Los Angeles. So be sure to factor in that and hotel prices. Usually around $100 a night, some hotels will be cheaper but for the most part expect to pay that.
  
• Can you sell your items or do you want to take them with you?
• When you get here do you have a place to stay or someone to pick you up?
• If flying you will still want to get a car as soon as possible. It's possible to not have a car in the city, as there is a metro  but ask anyone it's very difficult to live in L.A. without a car.
  

So you landed in LAX or you drove in and saw the six lanes of traffic with four highways on either side. Now what?
 Now you choose where you want to live! This is a fun part seeing that L.A is made up of various sections of diverse neighborhoods that can make each living experience different. After being in L.A for close to four years I know places I feel more at home at and places that can feel like your on a different planet. So here is  a list of places that most actors choose to live and a description of them However to find what  best fits you  really spend some time in each area. Living in a place that doesn't fit "you" can in many ways alter how you feel about things. That's why they say Los Angeles has so much to offer. It really does! These are just some of the most common places to live for actors:

• Santa Monica-  Santa Monica is more appreciated  for its beach and beach lifestyle of swimming, surfing, fishing and beach volleyball. The  Santa Monica Beach  is usually kept very clean. Santa Monica has wonderful weather most of the year and with the ocean breeze it never feels like it's too hot. It's not your typical beach atmosphere or demographic since Santa Monica is known as the most educated city in the nation. It's best described as elite hollywood meets surfer, meets hippie casual.  It has great restaurants and shopping. Some wonderful attractions are the: Santa Monica Pier and  3rd Street Promenade. 

• Hollywood-  Is probably the most touristy area of Los Angeles due to it's stereo type of being the hub of movies and entertainment. It has the famous Sunset which offers numerous clubs and restaurants frequented by vacationers and the occasional  A-lister. Also adjacent is  Melrose  famed for its shopping, and the hills feature some of Los Angeles most notable homes and wonderful hiking and outdoor activities. Hollywood itself is not all the glitz and glamour it's said to be. It has it's own set of eclectic neighborhoods such as  Los Feliz that is  a walkers paradise with small cafes and unique shopping, Silverlake is considered a more artsy and independent feel, Melrose has shops that can't be found anywhere else and at times can seamlessly combine the best of what hollywood has to offer, and West Hollywood is more known for being gay friendly and is extremely more of pet friendly place to live. Some attractions to check out: Hollywood Sign, Griffith Park, Grauman's Chinese Theater, The Hollywood Bowl, The Walk of Fame, Kodak Theater, The World Famous Comedy Store, Pantages Theater,and a host of clubs and you can always find a "tourist attraction."

•  North Hollywood-  Very commonly called "NoHo" considered the Theater and Arts district of Los Angeles and has over 20 Theaters that are considered professional. The area is also considered very walkable and offers areas like Studio City and Universal city. Great attractions around this area are Universal Studios, Ventura Blvd, and Tour CBS studio
  
• Los Angeles- Downtown Los Angeles is much more of a bustling metropolis. It has the skyscrappers, big business, and has the individual neighborhoods like Little Tokyo and Chinatown. It's close to all the major freeways and the most centrally located, however little of the film industry is involved
   
• Burbank and Glendale- Burbank  is much like a small town U.S.A rolled into a bustling city. Burbank is considered one of the most centrally located places to be since  it is close to Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles it also makes Burbank a first choice for people looking to be in the entertainment industry. The NBC, Warner Brothers Studios, and Disney studios are located in Burbank. Burbank is definately not as edgy or glam as some of it's surrounding areas but has wonderful safe atmosphere and there is always something to do: the Equestrian Center, the Starlight Bowl, the shopping of Burbank Village and an array of parks, restaurants and clubs keep residents going at all hours of the day. Some other things to do in addition are the great places to hike and golf.
  
  One of the best ways to find a good apartment is to check out areas that you already like, this way you are bound to at least enjoy the city you are living at.  You  would only go to safe places you feel good about so you will most likely feel safe living their as well. If you can't get to a neighborhood to check it out the address by using google earth. It's so simple just put the address in and you'll get a satellite picture close to the apartment or residence. It's a wonderful tool in also finding what's around it. How do the buildings surrounding it look. This can save countless hours in traffic or going to look at apartments you normally wouldn't even get out of the car for. When looking for an apartment some great sites are http://www.craigslist.org, http://www.rent.com, and http://www.apartmentguides.com. These sites are for the most part free and a great tool in assisting you in your search. The best paying site is http://www.westsiderentals.com it's got the best listings and usually in the best possible price range for you. It does require a membership so be careful if you don't want to pay. Some of the listings will also be on craigslist so you don't have to pay to find apartments but if you can then you will most likely find the apartment you are looking for in under 3 months. Things to research when finding an apartment is what is the crime rate for the area i'm looking at. A great place to find that out is http://www.bestplaces.net and http://www.neighborhoodscout.com. You can find some interesting data about the area you want to live in and decide if this is a good place for you to live or not. 
   While looking for an apartment it can be very frusterating and you should always have a price range and know what you want. It's much easier when your only looking at what you KNOW you want and can afford. If you can only afford an $800 dollar studio then no sense in looking at that $1,400 one bedroom. I know countless people who do this and it wastes both your time and the apartment managers time. 
  A good checklist when looking for an apartment is
         * Is the area safe, will I want to get out of the car at anytime of the day or night?
         *What's next to my apartment complex and is that  safe?
         * How far is my drive to work if I live here? How long will my commute actually be in the rush hours?
          *How far are major freeways from my apartment?
          * Do you want your apartment to be a gated complex? How many entrances do you want? What security are you looking for?
           *How does the front look? Is the front of the complex maintained? Keep in mind if the front looks like it's not being maintained the same will remain for the entire complex and most commonly for your unit as well. 
          *Does your apartment have parking? Does it offer permit parking? How easy is street parking to find?
          * What amenities does it offer, laundry? Pool? Fitness center?
          *  Is the apartment well cleaned. If the apartment still looks dirty while they are trying to rent it then not only do they care less about the unit but no matter how much cleaning and bleach you use it will still be "dirty"
          * Did management put new carpet in and if not will they?
          * Does the apartment have any kind of airconditioning  (central, unit, or fans) you will need something!
          * Is the floorplan what you want? If this is a problem, then it will always be! Keep looking, you will always find a better floor plan.
           * What is the requirements for moving in. 1st month, last month rent and security deposit?
           * If you have a pet, be sure to ask about the policy and if that will be an additional cost with rent?
           * If you do decide on an apartment you will be subject to a credit check and usually a fee of $30.
            * The most important thing to do before signing for an apartment is if any work or upgrades to the apartment  were promised  have that put in writing and have management or someone of authority in the complex sign it. If they promise you a new shower and you move in and start hassling them to get it done it most assuredly will never get done. Get everything in writing!! Never assume that a landlord will just do it cause they said they would. Sometimes you will have to make them, and it's best to have it in writing.
  

If you're New to L.A. and have a story you want to share, email it to:  mailto:www.info@notacting.com