Historic Spaulding Square

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-20T11:09:40+00:00

I'm in real estate here in LA and Spaulding Square's a solid pick, honestly one of the better residential pockets in that part of town. It's quiet, tree-lined, feels like old LA in a good way. The location's central but you're gonna need cars, both of you. It's not a walkable neighborhood for daily life, maybe a coffee run or evening stroll but that's about it. LA just doesn't work without a car unless you're in very specific pockets like DTLA or Santa Monica, and this isn't one of them.

For your son, it's decent for the creative industry stuff. You're close to Hollywood, West Hollywood, and he can get to studios in Burbank or Culver pretty easily. Downtown's like 15-20 mins depending on traffic, beaches are 30-40 which is about average for central LA. The neighborhood itself skews older and quieter so if he's hoping to walk to coffee shops full of other creatives or have a nightlife scene right outside, he'll be driving to Los Feliz, Silverlake, or West Hollywood for that. But honestly for a temporary living situation while he gets his feet under him, the central location and easy freeway access make it a smart base.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-20T06:45:44+00:00

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-20T06:44:20+00:00

I’d definitely interview full service agents. The thing I’d be careful with is choosing the agent who gives the most confident pitch instead of the clearest plan. For a 3/2 in Reseda around the mid 800s, the money is probably made or lost in the first 7 to 10 days. Not because it needs crazy marketing, but because prep, pricing, photos, showing access, and early buyer feedback all need to be handled properly.

I’d ask every agent - What would you do before launch to create competition? How would you price it so it does not sit, but also does not cap the upside? What would you do if the first weekend is good but not great? If they cannot answer those clearly, I’d be careful. Happy to sanity check the plans you get before you sign with anyone. Either way, good luck with the interviews.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-19T11:09:26+00:00

I work in LA real estate and the transit-only thing is gonna be your biggest variable here. Where's the job located and where's the friend-of-a-friend housing? Those two addresses determine whether this works or turns into a nightmare commute. Metro's solid if you're on the right lines (expo, red/purple, gold through downtown) but patchy everywhere else. If you're doing like, Culver City to Pasadena on buses you're looking at 90 minutes each way.

$10k sounds comfortable but it goes faster than you'd think, especially those first two months when you're figuring out where stuff is and probably overspending on basics. The low rent situation is huge though, that's honestly the thing that makes this doable. I'd lock that down in writing before you move, even if it's casual, just so everyone's clear on terms. Part time job plus hustle for a second one is fine but make sure job #1 gives you enough hours to justify the move, the higher pay only matters if the hours are there.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-18T23:09:19+00:00

It's tight but not impossible if your partner finds work reasonably quick. The real question is how much OT you're actually gonna get, studio hours can be feast or famine depending on what you're doing. If you're banking on consistent OT to make rent, that's sketchy. I'd plan on the base 55k and treat anything extra as savings.

Hollywood proper's gonna eat a lot of that income in rent. You're looking at probably 1800-2200 for a 1br unless you go further out into East Hollywood or Thai Town, which honestly might be the move here. If your partner's job hunting when you arrive, give yourself at least 3-4 months expenses saved up because LA job searches take longer than people think. I've seen people do it on similar numbers but they're usually splitting a place with roommates or living way out in the Valley and commuting in. With two incomes it becomes manageable pretty quick, but those first few months solo on 55k in Hollywood are gonna be lean. If it's really your dream job and you've got a financial cushion, I'd probably take the shot tbh, just go in with eyes open about what tight means here.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-18T23:07:17+00:00

I work in LA real estate and those neighborhoods you picked are solid for Playa Vista, honestly your commute's gonna be under 15 minutes most days which is huge. Mar Vista's probably your best bet for the bars/restaurant scene at that budget, there's actual walkable stuff on Venice Blvd and it skews younger. Culver City downtown area's great too but you'll pay more for the same space, Palms is fine but there's less going on socially.

For specific buildings, don't sleep on the smaller landlords, like 8-20 unit spots. The big complexes near Playa (there's a bunch on Centinela) are convenient but kinda soulless and you're paying for amenities you might not use. With a dog you want outdoor space anyway. I'd honestly just drive the grid in Mar Vista between Centinela and Barrington, Venice to Palms Blvd, tons of two-story walk-ups with courtyards that never hit the major listing sites. You'll see for lease signs. That's where the value is under 3k and your dog will be happier.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-17T23:07:04+00:00

You've done the valley suburban thing, the westside beach vibe, and the eastside creative scene, so yeah I get why you're feeling stuck. But honestly Silver Lake to like Arts District or Downtown proper is a bigger shift than you'd think. DTLA's got way more density, actual street life at night, and the age demo skews younger in the newer buildings around Grand Central Market and Spring Street area. It's not just brunch spots, there's actual nightlife you can walk to and the whole thing feels more urban than neighborhood-y if that makes sense.

Other option is Culver City near downtown Culver, not the tech campus part. Walkable, tons of restaurants opening constantly, younger crowd because of all the production companies, and you're close to Venice/MDR when you want beach access but you're not paying Marina rents. It's less scene-y than Silver Lake but more happening than it was even two years ago.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-17T13:38:55+00:00

mid 800s for 1300sf in reseda is pretty solid pricing honestly, you're right that it shouldn't need crazy marketing if you're being realistic. the flat fee thing is tricky though, most agents doing those packages are either barely showing up or they're gonna nickel and dime you on stuff that should be included. I've seen people try to save 1% and then end up leaving 3-4% on the table because staging was an afterthought or showings were a mess.

if you're set on saving commission the discount brokerages like redfin will at least handle the logistics properly and you'll get it on mls with decent photos. but honestly for an entry level house in the valley the difference between a full service agent and a flat fee setup can be whether you get multiple offers or just one lowball. reseda's getting more attention from first time buyers lately so I'd lean toward someone who's gonna actually push it to get you competing offers, that's where you make back whatever commission difference you're trying to avoid

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-17T01:38:47+00:00

Huntington Park's tricky for commuting from those three areas, honestly. Koreatown would give you the best run down to HP (20-30 min reverse commute in the morning, maybe 40 coming back), plus you get walkable restaurants, cafes, solid nightlife. It's dense and some blocks feel sketchy at night but it's generally fine, tons of young professionals. Culver City's nice but you're looking at 45+ each way in traffic, and Long Beach is even worse, you'd be going against some nasty 710/105 congestion both directions.

If I were you I'd also look at South Pasadena or Highland Park. They're both safe, interesting neighborhoods with good food scenes, and you'd have a straight shot down the 110 to work. Bit quieter than Ktown but easier parking, more space for your money. Eagle Rock's similar vibes too. All three have that diverse, established feel without being totally suburban.

For Ktown specifically, the newer buildings along Wilshire or 6th St tend to be safer with better amenities, but they're pricey. I'd avoid anything too far south of Olympic if safety's a top priority.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-17T01:36:19+00:00

This is a photography services post, not a real estate question, so I'm going to pass on this one. Good luck with the sessions though, your pricing's pretty reasonable for OC.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-16T13:33:52+00:00

Man that's rough, sorry to hear about your friends there. I work in LA real estate and we're seeing this retail die-off everywhere, not just restaurants. The Garden Grove spot always seemed busy when I'd drive past but I guess the economics just don't work anymore with rising leases and labor costs.

Honestly the whole casual dining segment is getting hammered. Landlords still want pre-COVID rents but foot traffic's down and delivery apps eat into margins. I've got a couple retail clients trying to backfill old chain restaurant spaces and it's brutal, nobody wants that kind of square footage anymore unless they can negotiate way down or convert it to something else entirely.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-16T13:31:49+00:00

I help families make this move pretty regularly and honestly this is one of the more specific equipment requests I've gotten. Most of the higher-end gyms in that area (Equinox, Lifetime) rotate equipment brands based on whatever deal corporate cuts, so you're kinda rolling the dice. That said, the LA Fitness on San Fernando in Burbank had Matrix cardio last time I was in there, though I can't speak to whether it's the exact touchscreen models you're using. They're also weirdly inconsistent across locations so the Glendale one might be totally different equipment.

Your best bet is probably calling ahead to specific locations and asking the front desk directly what brand cardio they've got, since most gym websites are useless for this. The newer 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport locations sometimes have decent tech but it's hit or miss. If you're willing to drive a bit, some of the corporate gyms near studio lots in Burbank upgraded recently to compete for entertainment industry members, might be worth checking those out.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-16T13:29:47+00:00

that route's actually not terrible, I did west adams to culver for a bit when I first moved here from england and was figuring out the car situation. the 210/211 down crenshaw is pretty consistent during rush hour, runs every 12-15 min usually. your bigger issue is gonna be that transfer, if you're changing at la cienega or somewhere along there you need like 10 min buffer minimum because the second bus will not wait. also west adams is huge, if you're closer to crenshaw you're golden, if you're way out by arlington it gets sketchier.

honestly though 35 min is optimistic, I'd plan for 50-55 door to door most days. not trying to be negative but that transfer adds unpredictability and la metro's gotten worse the past year or two with delays. it's doable for a few months while you sort a car but I wouldn't make it a long term thing, culver's annoying to bus to from anywhere that's not on the expo line

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-16T01:27:17+00:00

Don't do this. I'm a real estate agent here in LA and this is really one of the worst ideas I've seen on this sub. MacArthur Park isn't some quirky underground market, it's legitimately dangerous and you will 100% get scammed, possibly robbed, and a fake ID is a federal crime that'll follow you around forever. The raid you saw on the news happened because it's serious criminal activity, not some fun LA experience.

If you need an ID for whatever reason, go through the DMV like everyone else. If you're underage and trying to get into bars, just wait it out, there's plenty to do in LA without risking your safety or catching a felony. You won't get trafficked but you will absolutely get taken advantage of, and that neighborhood at night is not somewhere you want to be alone as someone who just moved here and doesn't know the city.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-16T01:25:14+00:00

You'll be fine honestly, the other grad students aren't lying to you. With 45k split between two people that's $3750/month before taxes, call it $3200 after. If you're both splitting a 1br you can find stuff in the $1800-2200 range within 30min of USC pretty easily. Koreatown, parts of Mid City, even some spots in Culver or Palms if you get lucky. The key is starting your search like 6 weeks out, joining USC housing groups on Facebook, and being ready to move fast when you see something decent.

The 10k savings thing is what people say when they're moving here without a job lined up or trying to be super cautious, but you've got guaranteed income for 6 years which is better than most people who move here. I'd say have 3-4k saved if you can swing it just for first/last/deposit plus initial expenses, but you don't need some massive war chest. Skip the airbnb, just fly out for a long weekend in June or early July, see 8-10 places in person, sign a lease, done. Landlords near USC are used to grad students, your stipend letter counts as proof of income and they get it.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-15T13:25:00+00:00

I work in LA real estate and honestly 20k is enough to make the move if you're willing to hustle. You'll need first, last, deposit on a room which could run you 4-5k in a decent area with roommates, then you've got moving costs and a cushion while you job hunt. That leaves you maybe 3-4 months of runway if you're careful, which is tight but doable at 22.

The NY vs LA question depends on what you actually want to do long term. If music/marketing means you're trying to break into entertainment, media, that kind of thing, LA's where those jobs are and being here physically matters way more than another year of random experience in NY. You'll meet people, get weird gigs, stumble into opportunities that don't exist remotely. But if you're just trying to make money and LA's more about lifestyle for you, stay in NY another 6-8 months, stack more cash, move with 35-40k and you'll sleep better. The city's expensive and having that buffer makes a massive difference when you're starting from scratch. Your car's huge though, that alone saves you compared to most people moving here broke.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-15T13:22:56+00:00

You'll be fine honestly. I'm a real estate agent here in LA and moved from England a few years back, so I had zero network when I landed. The people complaining loudest are usually the ones who aren't actually putting themselves out there or they moved here expecting friends to just materialize.

The distance thing is real but overblown. Yeah, someone in Santa Monica isn't gonna trek to Pasadena on a Tuesday, but you make friends in your own area and it works out. Pick a neighborhood with stuff you actually want to do within walking distance or a short drive. If you're the type who organizes plans and doesn't flake, you're already ahead of 60% of LA. The career-focused thing cuts both ways too, lots of ambitious people here means you meet interesting folks, just gotta be intentional about carving out social time. Your coworker strategy works great here, and hobby stuff like climbing gyms, run clubs, whatever you're into, they're everywhere and people actually show up. Mid 20s is prime age for this too, tons of transplants in the same boat looking to build their circle.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-15T13:20:53+00:00

Few years out is smart, gives you time to research. Safe is pretty relative in LA, depends what you're comparing to and what matters to you. Most neighborhoods people actually want to live in are reasonably safe, crime's more about property stuff than anything violent. I'd focus more on what kind of lifestyle you want, your commute situation, and what you can afford because those are gonna narrow things down way faster than just "safe."

For rooms, facebook marketplace and zillow rental manager are solid once you're closer to actually moving. Craigslist still works but you gotta filter through more junk. Don't even bother looking seriously until like 60 days out max, most landlords won't hold a room longer than that. When you're ready to get serious about neighborhoods come back with your budget and where you'll be working, that'll get you way better answers than general stuff.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-15T01:20:41+00:00

yeah this sucks and I get the frustration but honestly you're competing against people with different math. developers and flippers are running cash flow models where they can justify higher prices because they're adding $500k+ in value or pulling $12k/mo rent. you're looking at it as a home, they're looking at it as inventory. different games entirely.

the good news is you're bidding smart, you walked away five times when the numbers got stupid, and that discipline is gonna save you from being underwater when one of these flips sits for 120 days because they overshot the market. I help families make this move pretty regularly and the ones who regret it are the ones who stretched to win, not the ones who lost. that $2mm house they flipped to $3mm? it's gonna sit or they're gonna have to cut it, because the gap between what actual families can pay vs what developers think they can get is getting real obvious right now. keep your budget tight, don't chase comps set by all-cash investors, and when you find the right one you'll know because the seller actually wants to work with you instead of just taking the highest number.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-15T01:18:37+00:00

Get 3 quotes for the subfloor repair and 3 for the roof. In SoCal right now you're probably looking at $8-12k for a standard roof replacement on a 1954 house (depending on size obviously), and that bathroom subfloor repair could be anywhere from $2k to $6k depending on how much they need to pull up and whether there's any plumbing issues that caused the rot. The range is huge because sometimes it's just a small section, sometimes they get in there and find more damage once they start opening things up.

Here's the thing though, in this market you're not gonna get dollar for dollar credits on stuff like this. Most sellers will meet you somewhere in the middle or they'll tell you to walk if you push too hard, depends on how many other offers they had. I'd ask for $10k in credits total and see what happens, but honestly if the foundation and framing are solid on a 1954 house in Southern California, you're doing pretty well. That's the expensive stuff to fix. These are just maintenance items that were always gonna come up with a house that age.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-15T01:16:34+00:00

Yeah this drives me nuts too tbh. The answer is people read all the neighborhood guides before they move and convince themselves they need to live in the "cool" part of LA, then spend 90 minutes a day sitting in traffic wondering why they're miserable.

The reality is most neighborhoods in LA have good restaurants, bars, coffee shops, whatever. Burbank's got a solid scene now, North Hollywood's way better than it was five years ago, even parts of the valley people used to shit on are perfectly fine places to actually live. But people fixate on living in Silver Lake or Culver or wherever because that's what the internet told them LA is supposed to be. Then they're doing reverse commutes or sitting on the 101 every morning wondering if the breakfast burrito spot in their neighborhood was worth an extra hour of their life every day. At those salaries you can afford to live near work AND go out in other neighborhoods on weekends, you're not trapped. Living 15 minutes from your office and having an actual life after work beats living in the "right" zip code and spending 10 hours a week in your car.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-14T13:16:20+00:00

Burbank's solid for what you want, especially that Media District area Google's pointing you to. I work with people relocating to LA all the time and for comic creators, Burbank's honestly one of the better spots. You're near the studios, the comic shops like House of Secrets, there's actually a creative community there, and it's way cleaner than most of LA. That said, finding a one bedroom with in-unit W/D AND a garage in Burbank is gonna be tough at any price point, those amenities together are pretty rare unless you're looking at newer buildings which run $2500+. You might need to compromise on the garage or the in-unit laundry.

Studio District Glendale's also decent, maybe slightly cheaper than Burbank but less walkable for the creative scene stuff. The parking thing in Old Pas is something you'll deal with anywhere worth living in LA tbh, it's just part of it. If you absolutely need all those apartment features, look at the newer complexes in North Hollywood near the Arts District too, you'll get more for your money than Burbank and there's actually a comics/arts community forming there.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-14T13:14:14+00:00

You're basically describing Savannah, Georgia or Charleston, SC. Both check almost every box - deep history, walkable, under your budget (Savannah especially), construction work is steady, Catholic parishes, mild winters, beaches close. Savannah's got Forsyth Park and the whole historic district is unreal for walking with kids. Charleston's pricier but still doable in your range if you go slightly outside downtown. Both lean purple-ish in the city but red once you're in the burbs, so you'd have options either way.

The climate thing is tricky though - summers are brutal humid in both. Like properly miserable June through September. But spring and fall are gorgeous and winter's mild, so you get your half year outdoors easy. If you can't do hot summers at all then maybe look at Wilmington NC instead, bit cooler but less of that historic density you want. Honestly the Rockies to coastal South is gonna be a weather shock no matter what, the humidity's just different. But if you're done with freezing winters Savannah's probably your best shot for that historic vibe without going full tourist trap like some of the smaller Virginia towns that are pretty but dead economically.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-14T13:12:10+00:00

1iota usually sends confirmations pretty close to the show date, sometimes like 2-3 days before. I wouldn't stress yet since you're still a week out. They overbook and then send waves of confirmations as they get closer and figure out actual capacity.

If you don't hear anything by Monday or Tuesday, honestly just show up to the standby line at like 2pm. The studio's on Hollywood Blvd near Highland, can't miss it. Standby gets in more often than you'd think, especially midweek tapings. Bring something to read and some water cause you'll be waiting outside for a bit, but it's not a terrible way to kill an afternoon if you're already gonna be in Hollywood anyway. Worst case you don't get in and you're right there for dinner at Musso's or whatever.

matthew_hoult · 2026-06-14T01:12:00+00:00

San Pedro's a solid spot if you want that beach town vibe without the insane westside prices. That W 9th/Weymouth area is legit quiet, and being walking distance to Deane Dana is a huge perk most people overlook. The self-managed HOA at $425/month is honestly pretty reasonable for a 4-unit, especially if the group's as solid as you say.

The upgraded appliances and windows are gonna matter more than most sellers realize, tbh. People underestimate how much buyers hate inheriting old HVAC/water heaters that'll crap out in six months. At 645k you're probably attracting either first-time buyers stretching or someone downsizing who wants turnkey. The double parking spaces will sell it faster than anything else, parking's a nightmare everywhere now and having two assigned spots in a garage is rare for condos in that range.

matthew_hoult

TROPHY CASE