Househunter Los Angeles

Spring is in the air in Los Angeles. While it is pretty much 70 and sunny all the time, December-January had a somewhat "wintery" feel at night. Cooler temperatures, more rain and overcast skies...I know this is nothing compared to what my hometown of Boston is experiencing right now so I'll just be quiet. But this week I definitely felt a slight seasonal shift. Cherry blossom trees suddenly exploded with pink and white flowers, and I almost hit a hummingbird on my way to work! I didn't even know hummingbirds lived here!

With spring, comes real estate season. After spending a week at home in the cold, snowy climes of Boston, I realized I was ready to a.) never live another winter and b.) find a real home to settle down in. Originally I was planning to wait another year. I wanted to try renting somewhere on the West Side to try out a new neighborhood and test the commute. And who knew? Maybe I would start to hate LA like many people do. But after seeing all that snow back home, I decided I'm ready to take the plunge. Plus interest rates are at an all-time low, so if I buy now, I can afford more home than if I wait another year. 

So this weekend I checked out my first round of open houses. The housing market in LA is crazy right now. A house will go on the market one day and be gone the next. Prices are pretty outrageous depending on neighborhood, but at least you can get more for your money here. For instance $500K could get me a nice 2BR condo or house with decent amenities, whereas I don't think I could even find that in Brooklyn now.

Of the 8 places I saw this weekend, only 2 caught my fancy. And both demonstrate the decisions I need to start making:

1. Condo or house? Do I want to deal with maintenance? Or do I want to pay an HOA fee (which range from $300-400)
2. Urban or Suburban? Do I want to feel like I'm in the middle of the action? or do I want a private oasis away from the traffic, noise, and griminess of LA?
3. Beach or Mountains? This is the best part about LA. You can live close to beautiful beaches or have spectacular mountain views. The closer you get to the beach, the pricier it is.

The first place that I saw and liked was a brand new development in Eagle Rock - an up-and-coming neighborhood between other more up-and-arrived neighborhoods in Northeast LA. The interiors were gorgeous, spacious, and modern. And there is the option to design some of your own fixtures (at extra cost). And the price was right. BUT it was on a really busy 3-lane boulevard and next to a small freeway. So while it was perfect on the inside, once you step outside or even open a window, you feel like your on a highway. Puppy and I did not move to LA to stay inside.

The second place I saw was a charming cottage which needed some updating, but it was a private oasis with amazing mountain views and outdoor space. I actually liked the vintage kitchen since it suited the character of the space. And I could really picture myself kicking back and relaxing in front of my picture window with a glass of wine and Puppy on my lap. But it was a little on the high end of my price range considering it needed work, and it was on top of a mountain with very narrow streets. This doesn't affect me too much, but I think it would be tough for car-less visitors or roommates. It was also a bit further off the beaten path in Mt. Washington, which is next to the hip neighborhood of Highland Park.

Not bad for my first weekend though. Here's hoping I can find something inbetween these two to call home!