Hello,

My husband is considering a job in Santa Monica and we have found a (private) school that we like for our daughter that will be moving to the grounds of the Self Realization Center on Sunset near PCH. We will be renting a house or apartment. I think that we would like to very near the beach, since we are making this big move.

Santa Monica, Malibu, Topenga Canyon and Pacific Palisades have been suggested to us as good locations.

I have a few questions:

What is the best way to find rentals? I have looked at the website westsiderentas.com but wondered if there were other ways to find rentals.

What are nicest parts of the beach?

Thank you so much in advance!!!
Gem

Try Craigslist.org then click on Los Angeles. I went there and typed in Santa Monica, 2 bedroom apartments and got this to get you started:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/cgi...max&bedrooms=2

Santa Monica or PP would be best in my opinion because it can take FOREVER at times just to get out of Malibu. Topanga Canyon (note spelling if you decide to do a search) is a little closer but still too far from everything for my taste. Keep in mind that the LA basin is so crowded, that distance "mile-wise" really doesn't matter as much as distance "time-wise". BTW, those are nice areas. I hope you've been prepared for sticker shock.

It can be very hard to find a rental in Santa Monica since it has rent control. Another website to check besides craigslist is

www.westsiderentals.com

Thank you for your replies, wantagig and RBCal. Thank you for Craigs List suggestion. I hadn't realized that they
had rentals (I guess I haven't been looking for apartments while there was a Craigs List).

How long do you think it would take to drive from Malibu to Santa Monica at 7:30 in the morning?

What part of the beach is most pleasant in Santa Monica and Malibu?

My husband lived in Malibu several years ago. I asked him your 7:30 am travel question and he said anywhere from 25 to 50 minutes. Depends on the morning traffic. Maybe someone who lives there now will answer this.

The problem with traffic in LA is that IF there is an accident, it can easily add at least 15 -40 minutes to a commute.

I'm not sure what you mean by "which part of the beach is most pleasant", but I can't think of any bad beaches in SaMo or Malibu. Hope this helps.

Wantagig,

Thank you so much! It does help a lot!!

Very Best,
Gem

I used to live in Santa MOnica and had friends in most of the areas you mention, and generally would like Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades best from your list. Topanga is where I used to go for riding lessons, and it's just a different atmosphere and focus than beach communities. It's not so convenient sometimes for quick drives to places, and I wouldn't recommend it for someone concerned about beaches so much.

I don't think there are that many rentals in Topanga, PP or Malibu (let alone SM due to rent control, I had a rent-controlled apt and kept it for years, but new ones on the market were rare).

Of course these places are very expensive. It's been a while for me, but I don't think of that many apts in any of those places, except Santa Monica. As for which part of the beach, I don't get that either. The beach is all along SM, but it isn't that long a stretch, and believe me, you are not going to get to be so picky that you can pick and choose where to live on different places on the beach in Santa Monica. There aren't hardly any places on the beach, anyway, and the ones that are are in concentrated spots.

Just to give some more info on rent control in Santa Monica. My parents moved to Santa Monica about 22 years ago. They got into a rent control apt, went thru earthquakes, security upgrades & all sorts of similar things & have been in the same apartment for 20 years. My sister moved to Santa Monica 25 years ago. She got into a rent control apt. When she left (now living in Phoenix) she turned her lease over to a friend, who is still in that apt, under rent control. If you can get one, grab it. But good luck finding it. Also, in the area my parents live, street parking is by permit, & it is checked a number of times per day.

Can you spend a few days here for a visit, to see the neighborhoods? They are all quite different, Topanga and Malibu are rural, Santa Monica is a town. Pacific Palisdades is the closest to your daughter's school. PCH is the only route from Malibu to Santa Monica, and can be easily closed by winter mudslides for a few days at a time.

Thank you for all the suggestions. We will be coming down in November. I was just wondering about the beach beacause in many other places there are parts of a beach that are less attractive or more difficlt to reach.

What are the different areas of Santa Monica? Since we have only been there for vacation I have been to Montana Avenue, Main Street, the Promenade, Ocean Avenue and the peir. Are there areas that we should avoid?

It's hard to comment without knowing what your budget is. Are you renting a house? an apt? Nort of Montana in SM is most expensive, and it gets less expensive as you move south, although along the beach it is pricy the whole way into Venice.
Sunset PArk is a nice area.
BTW, I wouldn't pick your home location based on the "nicest part of the beach". It's all sort of the same...nice.
The Paisades is really a nice place to live to.
Topanga is more rustic, earthy, bohemian-esque.

Thank you, Dina4. We are ging to be renting a house or an apartment. We need two bedrooms and are hoping to pay $2500 or less. Of course I like the area around Montana Avenue, but I don't know if that fits our budget (?).

How is Venice? Are there parts of the beach there that are less busy then the Muscle Beach and Boardwalk area? Does it have more crime there?

You don't want to go to Venice Beach or the SM Pier other than 1 or 2 times so you can say 'been there\done that\bought the t-shirt to prove it' deal, they are kinda seedy now, but let me stress it's just those 2 areas themselves, and it's just my opinion based on my own observations.
Same goes for Hollywood/strip.

There are thousands of other places to go beyond those 3 areas once you have been to those 3.

I drive thru Venice every day to go to work. I think it is generally a safe area, but there are some spotty sections. IT has a more bohemian (others would say seedy) feel. Still there is great shopping and really good restaurants in Venice. I really like it. Yet I would guess the crime rate must be higher than Santa Monica.
I would speculate that only tourists and people who live down the street from the beach go to the beach in Venice.
I am sorry to say but I don't think you can rent a 2 bedroom house anywhere near Montana Ave. for $2500. I would check out apts in SM or PP for that budget.
Good luck!

Thank you,microdol and dina4. I think that we will be going down next to Santa Monica next weekend to find a smaller apartment for my husband and to visit a school.

Do you have any advice on Beverly Hills Adjacent and Beverlywood? I have seen a couple of rentals that look nice and wondered where they were, what the areas were like and how long the drive would be to SM.

Thank You,
Gem

Both areas are nice, safe neighborhoods.
Drive into SM would be about 15-20 min in am taking the fwy. (leaving before 8 am)
Driving home would take about 45 min.

The peninsula part of Venice (near the jetty) has a quiet beach.

I'd suggest looking into Playa Vista,at least for comparative pricing

http://www.playavista.com/homes/

Hi Everyone,

Thank you all for your help. We're back and now I have more questions. I will start a new topic since they are a little to the side of this topic. Thanks again!!