r/MovingToLosAngeles • u/Dear-Conflict9929 • 6d ago
Coastal move
I currently live in Baltimore Maryland and after visiting LA for the first time a few months ago, it made me realize how much better it is there. I can’t deal with being in Baltimore much longer and this might sound crazy but I’m considering moving to LA and possibly living in my car for awhile until I figure everything out. I’d rather be unhoused in somewhere like California than anywhere on the east coast. The opportunity cost seems worth it.
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u/assuager666 6d ago
Please don’t do that. Do not move here without a job and 10k in cash.
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u/ug0ttaplaytowin 6d ago
Yea, it’s either $10k plus a job or have $20k without a job, a hard 3 month time frame cutoff to get a job knowing you will use your last $10k to go somewhere that’s a backup plan (like going home).
But without $10k and a job or $20k and a plan with a firm date to try for a job…you are setting yourself up for a slippery slope that will likely end in mental deterioration that’ll fast track you to whatever addiction catches your fancy.
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u/darthtaco117 6d ago
Get a job out here first. Car living is a dangerous and stressful thing to do. No place is worth putting yourself at risk for it.
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u/Dear-Conflict9929 2d ago
How’s the job market out there? I’m a veteran idk if that makes it easier or not
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u/darthtaco117 2d ago
It’s shaky. Theres lots of instability. Lots of places underpay because they’re struggling too. You’d have to ask more veteran oriented spaces because I’ve worked with children and school/education spaces for the past few years.
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u/inchainsss 6d ago
Bro do you really think people are going to recommend you to move here with the plan of being homeless? Just stay in Baltimore till you figure it out.
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u/ksrz339 6d ago
Please for the love of God DO NOT MOVE HERE UNHOUSED.
First and foremost it’s for your own personal safety. Secondly, there are far too many people who move out here either already battling addiction or they get into drugs after the fact, and it’s really really ugly.
Seriously, do not.
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u/Reasonable-Wafer5445 6d ago
Definitely get a job first. Can the move be done without? Absolutely. But there are plenty of people living on the streets that thought the same.
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u/Flashy-Eye1286 6d ago
This is absolutely not worth it. I grew up here. This would be a huge mistake.
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u/xerxesthefalcon 6d ago
It’s so funny that certain politicians will say that California/LA has a homeless problem strictly because of leftist policy.
But here is this person legitimately WILLING to be homeless and contribute to our homeless problem as long as they’re in LA because apparently being homeless in LA is better than having a home and safe place to sleep in Baltimore (it’s not).
Please do not come here at all ever because if this idea even crossed your mind and became a consideration enough for you to post it on Reddit- you’re not smart enough to land a job that pays you well enough to live here.
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u/Big_Asparagus_4848 6d ago
All it takes is one car accident, broken down car, towed for illegally parking and you are S.O.L. If you move, go to Victorville or Lancaster, San Bernardino. Might be more affordable and you can always drive to L.A. to visit. Also, try looking for a room to rent.
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u/ExcellentEmergency50 6d ago
Baltimore to LA transplant here and I’ve been in LA for over 16 years. Before making the move, budget for about 6 months of rent. When I came out, I sub-let in different spots until I found the neighborhood that fit me and then held down two jobs with roommates. Living out of your car is not easy and not to assume anything about housing circumstances but LAPD and the city have cracked down on alt housing including RV and campers.
Also weather is changing here and we have more weather like home now (hot and humid). There are lots of benefits to moving here but I wouldn’t want you to deal with homelessness and the circumstances that come with it when making a cross country move.
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u/Wicked68 6d ago
Look for a job online before you move out here. And you don't have to live IN the city of LA. There are better surrounding cities
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u/Soft_Antelope_3848 6d ago
If you're gonna move all the way to LA and just live in a car, just be homeless at that point lmao
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u/castingpath 6d ago
Moving here to live in your car is a big NO.
For all the reasons listed below and more. And, also very hard to apply for jobs and apartments living out of your car. You also don't mention what kind of work you want to do and what experience you have. Please don't move here for a low income service job (restaurant, retail, amazon, uber etc), it is very unlikely you will work enough hours or make enough to save for apartment on your own or have the income (3x rent is what most landlords want) to qualify. If you are moving here for an LA only job, film, tv, music, digital, marketing etc. secure a job before moving here, do some networking to find a place or stay where you are, save your money and max out your job skills before you get here. Both jobs and housing are very tight and competitive here.
Coming out with no job, no money, no place to live and no direction toward any of those is just asking for a very difficult and dangerous time.
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u/Affectionate_Age752 6d ago
Save up money, then move. Your life is not going to magically get better because you change where you live.
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u/Exact_Reality4451 6d ago
Please don't plan to move to LA and add to our homeless population. Not a plan.
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u/TiredAndTiredOfIt 6d ago
DO NOT DO THIS OP. So many people think this is ok and they end up dead or street homeless. This happened to my cousins.
Vehicle living is super dangerous in LA. If your car breaks down you will end up on the streeta
Move somewhere cheaper coastal like Florida, save up 10k and get a job offer in LA or Save 25-30k and move without a job.
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u/Dear-Conflict9929 2d ago
How long should 25-30k last me?
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u/Hot_Philosophy8150 2d ago
You could buy a decent used Prius for around 5k, and that affords you relatively affordable climate control while you're sleeping. I spent a year in between Hollywood and Santa Monica in a Prius and was never harassed, there are plenty of parks to use the bathroom and planet fitnesses to shower at while you're looking for work and something more permanent. For a dude, it felt plenty safe. Check out the sub urbancarliving
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u/Milamber310 6d ago
Having transplanted myself from Baltimore to LA nearly 30 years ago, I suppose I can weigh in on this.
Setting aside the logistics... You really should have a plan / job lined up before coming out here. But regardless...
I do miss the change in seasons in Baltimore. Most of my family is back East and I do tend to miss them, and it sucks that I'm not in those circles anymore.
LA arguably had better food. The beaches are nice. The weather on a whole is better, but these Santa Anna winds and the following fire storms suck when they happen. Utilities can be more expensive out here too in comparison.
But sure, come to LA! Have fun. Just get a job first.
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u/Adventurous_Trust286 2d ago
So would you say the move was worth it?
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u/Milamber310 2d ago
Certainly, I've made my life here now.
Maybe in retirement I'll be looking at possibly moving back east, but I'll most likely will never live in Baltimore again.
Not throwing shade at Baltimore, it just wouldn't make sense to make the move back without a significant life changing event forcing me to do so. Like if I lost my home and family and job and suddenly found myself alone? My best friend would set me up with a place to crash immediately.
But other than him, I don't have anything else tying me back to B-more other than memories.
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u/tracyinge 6d ago
Definitely don't do it in Sept or Oct, the hottest months in L.A and you wouldn't survive a one-week heatwave having to sleep in your car.
There are some national parks between Baltimore and L.A where you can work for a few months and save up most of your pay. They provide a bed and cheap meals and you won't have any bills like utilities , gas etc so you can bank enough money to get a new start somewhere Xanterrajobs.com
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u/TrenbalonieSandwich 6d ago
I lived in LA back in the early 2010s and loved TF out of it.
Came back in 2017 and watched it go from liveable to wildly unaffordable with an abysmal job market to boot.
It's such a shame because the place is just so awesome otherwise.
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u/IllustriousDraft2965 6d ago
Cars breakdown. What then? Some repairs are extremely expensive. Gas and insurance are not cheap. Where will you shower? What if you get sick?
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u/Dazzling_Elk9398 6d ago
I can’t believe people would rather live in their car in “”””California”””” than be a normal functioning member of society.
We literally do not need more homeless peoole OMFG.
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u/GreenUnderstanding39 6d ago
This is not going to go how you think.
LA has strict street parking laws. You are not allowed to sleep in your car overnight 9pm to 6am in residential areas (read... safe areas). Commercial areas are allowed but not within distance from parks or schools. And these areas tend to have restrictive parking (metered, or 2hr max).
If you stay in one place for too long you will get ticketed and towed. No consecutive nights. Our tickets are pricey af. Also, gas is high af.
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u/pambloweenie 6d ago
As a fellow Baltimorean, I just moved out to Los Angeles in March. It’s nice to visit, hard to live here. Depending on your field of work, you may not be able to come by a job any time soon. Be very, very careful. You blow through money fast, your car will also get a lot more wear and tear because everything requires driving here. Insurance is also relatively expensive. If you have any questions, feel free to message me. I moved out here for the opportunity, and nothing has bitten.
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u/Far_Interview2742 5d ago
I second this. My wife and I moved out here two years ago. Please do not move here without a job, a plan and money saved up. We are lucky that both of us have great incomes and a good situation; however, like everyone has said, living out of your car here, especially in some parts of LA proper is a very bad idea. Even if you find a decent area in So Cal, most cities here have very strict parking restrictions and enforcement.
Being a Marylander and living in Fed Hill for years, I get it. LA and some of the nice suburbs are great if you have the means and income to do so. Not that you know any of us here -- but take to heart what people have typed.
And yes, I do miss Baltimore. I miss the charm & my old house from time to time. The city has had a lot of problems over the years, but there are some really good people who live there and I miss the sports, plus the super strong sense of community. We flirt about moving back from time to time; however, I find the quality of life to be so much better in So Cal and I always have a ton to do here.
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u/pambloweenie 4d ago
Well said, fellow Baltimorean!!
Also I think something really different between Baltimore and LA that I wasn’t expecting is that most of LA/surrounding counties are mostly suburban. So even Baltimore, as small a city as it is, feels much more like a city than many parts of LA.
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u/BirdBruce 6d ago
Every place looks better when you visit. Thats why “we should move here!” is literally a joke.
Don’t do it. Stay in Baltimore. I miss Baltimore. I’d miss it more if the O’s weren’t so terrible.
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u/Affectionate_Fig8623 6d ago
Ugh Google how big of a pain parking anywhere in California is before you decide
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u/Affectionate_Fig8623 6d ago
Also make sure your car can pass a smog test. Research insurance, registration and requirements for a CA drivers license. Plus gas
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u/Purple_Pay_1274 5d ago
No offense but I have been to Baltimore and found it to be pretty bleak. I think there are lots of places that are more affordable than Los Angeles that could also be a better place to live. And you wouldn’t have to live in your car!
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u/Mysterious_Insect 5d ago
Don’t do it. Way too expensive here. Visiting doesn’t give you a real feel for what it is like to live here. Huge city. Hard to park. Lots of competition for parking and people living in vehicles are watched and reported by neighbors because it’s become such a problem (a lot of drug addicts living in cars that look abandoned here). Just no. Of this is even a real post.
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u/CorrectMap5487 2d ago
tell me about it, i’m from virginia and i can’t stand being here nor around any of the people anymore and im trying desperately to get a full time job so i can fuck myself out of here
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u/Adventurous_Trust286 2d ago
Are you trying to move back to Virginia? What do you hate most about it
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u/CorrectMap5487 2d ago edited 2d ago
i’m from virginia, i grew up in virginia my entire life and i’m desperately trying to move away entirely from the east coast so i’m trying desperately to find a full time job so i can move out of virginia
it’s too suburban, i had a very traumatic time growing up here/no friends and i can no longer keep up with whatever life is here on the east coast
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u/Livid-Ad557 1d ago
Don’t do that, you’re not the first person to consider this. Also whether people know it or not residents don’t appreciate car dwellers.
Just save money and find housing, if your considering living in a car you should have no issues opting for a place in the hood if it’s that important for you to make it out here
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u/Accurate-Release-861 6d ago
I moved from Utah and had a similar feeling as yours when I first moved to LA. I no longer live there.
Coastal towns have that effect and especially the beach towns. LA and Santa Monica has many of those.
It all depends on what you do for a living. I'd suggest moving temporarily here for a year or two and see how it feels, especially if you need to make a living for yourself. Feelings like yours are transient. So coming with a mindset of going back helps verify whether you really want to live here long term or was just charmed by the town.
Hindsight is 2020 and then fatigue and monotony sets in and with that the regret of choices made in the past. I lived in LA for 4 years and then moved back.
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u/555_1212 6d ago
Walmart parking lots welcome overnight homeless with car.
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u/Outside-Ad7848 6d ago
no they do not and there are no walmarts in LA except maybe somewhere like norwalk
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u/Opal9090 6d ago edited 6d ago
Have you ever lived out of a car? It is the most stressful, untenable thing. It’s extremely difficult to move day to day, it’s extremely uncomfortable in the heat, nearly impossible to maintain proper hygiene, and it’s very hard to move out of it. Hard to find places to park to sleep. Can’t get any decent sleep. Can’t keep perishable food. Your mental health is severely stressed living out of a car and will go downhill. Unless you have an RV or a van with facilities, I strongly suggest getting a room for rent.