There are few things as difficult and soul-crushing as having to find a new place to live, especially in Los Angeles. My wife and I finally found a house that met all our needs. It's a cozy enough place for the two of us, our dog -- and my mother-in-law. I know what you're thinking. But, we had no choice. You see, she pays most of the rent.
She pays most of the rent, but it was our responsibility to find the house. We thought we would be taking advantage of the real estate bust out here in California, but the bust has had little impact on rent prices. This is where her mother comes into the picture. Anyway, we started our search by driving around the neighborhoods we fancied most -- not including Holmby Hills, Santa Monica, or Bel Air.
For about an hour or so, our strategy worked. That is, until the reality of Southern Californian real estate prices hit us straight on. One of the first things you learn when moving to a big city is compromise. So, instead of the middle tier neighborhoods, we headed for the cheaper fare of the Valley and Santa Clarita.
We agreed to divide the call-back list in half. One by one, each house was either too small (two bedrooms) or too expensive ($1600 and up). We had exhausted the drive-by method and ourselves. Our next alternative was to enroll with an online house finder service -- for a nominal fee, of course.
Not only had we exhausted our gas and ourselves, but we also exhausted the batteries in our GPS tracking system. What good is it to know how to get somewhere only to be told you can't afford to live there. Eventually we found a place -- a house -- that was big enough for all of to have the space we need. Do I like knowing my mother-in-law pays two-thirds of our rent? Let's just say it's hard on the ego.
She pays most of the rent, but it was our responsibility to find the house. We thought we would be taking advantage of the real estate bust out here in California, but the bust has had little impact on rent prices. This is where her mother comes into the picture. Anyway, we started our search by driving around the neighborhoods we fancied most -- not including Holmby Hills, Santa Monica, or Bel Air.
For about an hour or so, our strategy worked. That is, until the reality of Southern Californian real estate prices hit us straight on. One of the first things you learn when moving to a big city is compromise. So, instead of the middle tier neighborhoods, we headed for the cheaper fare of the Valley and Santa Clarita.
We agreed to divide the call-back list in half. One by one, each house was either too small (two bedrooms) or too expensive ($1600 and up). We had exhausted the drive-by method and ourselves. Our next alternative was to enroll with an online house finder service -- for a nominal fee, of course.
Not only had we exhausted our gas and ourselves, but we also exhausted the batteries in our GPS tracking system. What good is it to know how to get somewhere only to be told you can't afford to live there. Eventually we found a place -- a house -- that was big enough for all of to have the space we need. Do I like knowing my mother-in-law pays two-thirds of our rent? Let's just say it's hard on the ego.
About the Author:
If you're looking for someplace to live in Los Angeles -- or anywhere -- you might want to invest in a GPS tracking device. Don't get lost and don't let your mother-in-law pay for your rent.
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