Welcome to Curbed Comparisons, where we explore what you can rent or buy for a certain dollar amount in various LA ’hoods. We’ve found five rentals within $150 of today’s price, $3,800. Vote for your favorite below!
West Hollywood
This lovely two-bedroom, one bath apartment sits in a Spanish-style building just south of Sunset Boulevard. It features a vintage green tile bathroom, a remodeled kitchen with black and white checkered floors, arched entryways, and hardwood floors. The building includes a courtyard with seating and lots of plants. It’s renting for $3,700.
Echo Park
A cozy Spanish-style home in the hills of Echo Park is up for grabs. The two-bedroom, one-bath features built-ins, arched ceilings, in-unit washer and dryer, a kitchen with granite countertops, a decorative fireplace, a funky-retro bathroom, a front patio, and lots of natural light. With easy access to the shops and restaurants along Sunset Boulevard, it’s renting for $3,800.
Frogtown
This newly renovated home is outfitted with recessed lighting, a generously-sized kitchen with a subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances, in-unit laundry, dark wood floors, ample closet space, and central air and heat. The three-bedroom, one-bath comes with back and front yards and a two-car garage “ready to convert into studio space.” Steps from the LA River and La Colombe, it’s renting for $3,775.
Hollywood
This remodeled 925-square-foot unit is located in the super walkable heart of Hollywood, on Gower Street, just north of Sunset Boulevard. The bright one-bedroom, one bath features hardwood floors throughout, a kitchen with wood paneling, and a shared outdoor area. Laundry is shared too. Trader Joe’s, Metro’s Red Line, and bars and restaurants are all nearby. It’s renting for $3,700.
Venice
Sitting on Venice’s boardwalk above retail space, this unit has sweeping ocean views. The bright one-bedroom, one bath features hardwood floors throughout, built-ins, high ceilings, and many windows. The building includes a courtyard and a laundry room. The beach bike path couldn’t be any closer. The apartment is renting for $3,795.
Comments
That beach apartment looks sweet, at least for awhile
By mrjim1 on 11.27.19 12:09pm
That Venice one is the most special of these. Otherwise, it seems like $3,800 gets you either an acceptable apartment during your high-paid 1-year stay in LA, a love-shack for a Hollywood producer’s mistress, or a one-way ticket to a lifetime of renting.
By Greyvagabond on 11.27.19 1:20pm
Maybe that "I Love LA" dude has the right idea… buy an airstream for two months market rent, park it near the beach, and start living your best life.
By corner soul on 11.27.19 1:42pm
for some reason i always thought I Love LA was a female. maybe it’s all the hearts. he/she lives in a van which is a lot different than an airstream. i picked weho.
By cicinla on 11.27.19 5:53pm
Finally drank the Kool-Aid I see
By subaruwrx on 11.29.19 3:43pm
West Hollywood for me.
By Necco on 11.27.19 6:28pm
Only way any of these make sense is if you can go without a car, or two people/one car.
$3800. I suppose there are enough people making north of $150k per year, so it is doable…..
but not advisable IMO.
By eaglearts on 11.28.19 8:58am
I know sometimes people have no choice, but renting always seemed like such a waste to me. All the years I paid on a mortgage I got great satisfaction knowing that at least a few dollars every month was going toward principle and that when it came time to sell I would get most if not all invested money back. With a rental when the lease is up all you’ve got is your stuff and some rent receipts
By mrjim1 on 11.28.19 9:32am
Renting in LA is a necessity for most young people. Otherwise you’re buying a condo in Reseda and commuting three hours a day.
By Greyvagabond on 11.29.19 7:43am
This concept that you speak of only works if you purchased your home pre’2008 with a 20+% down payment and a relatively low-fixed mortgage rate.
Some people find satisfaction in giving their 2 to 3 month notice, being able to pack their stuff and head to another city, state or country of their choice without having to go through all the crap that it takes to sell a piece of property. To each their own I guess.
By subaruwrx on 11.29.19 3:51pm
I purchased my West Adams home in 2016 w/ 12% down on a $450k list price. The problem here is that most first-time buyers are looking for the "perfect" home. My neighborhood is probably too ghetto for a lot of ppl (bars on windows, trash on streets), but currently the Redfin valuation is over $800k thanks to all the restaurants and new developments.
By heckler408 on 12.02.19 10:52am
That’s actually pretty good. Do you happen to know what the comps are in your neighborhood?
By subaruwrx on 12.02.19 4:43pm
Not sure what you mean by comps? The prices jumped last year (I live closer to Hauser and Adams) to the point where similar homes in the same condition that I bought mine are selling for 650k. I put in about 50k worth of work on my house in 2017.
By heckler408 on 12.02.19 4:52pm
I 100% agree with you. Unfortunately it’s not easy to buy in this market, I suspect most people don’t have a choice.
Oh, how I wish I could own instead of rent. But good luck saving up for that huge down payment when you’re paying such ridiculous rents and even then if you’re self employed (Which a lot of people in L.A. are) you can just forget about it cuz its damn near impossible to get a mortgage loan even if you are a high earner.
By Cocomonstr on 11.30.19 2:31am
I really do realize that for many being able to buy a house is all but impossible, for me it was so important early on that I actually modeled my life around looking good on paper to be able to get a mortgage. I guess I’m saying if you CAN buy a house do that as opposed to renting
By mrjim1 on 11.30.19 3:23am
Depends on your job. If you work in Santa Monica, it’s pretty impossible to buy anything decent for under $850,000. Renting close to work, even if not the ideal financial decision, probably makes sense even for high earners, just to be close to work.
By Greyvagabond on 11.30.19 5:45pm
I picked Hollywood although I do know the building and think it is kinda icky. The rest were all rather lack luster. I really wouldn’t pay the money any of them are asking for what they are offering!
By Mildred Fillmore on 11.28.19 9:28am
Interesting lease terms on the West Hollywood 2-bedroom — furnished, and 6 months to 1 year lease, I guess to get around the ban on no fault evictions. Can’t say I blame the owner given some of the crazy stuff you hear these days about ballot measures, etc. but what a hassle to have to re-rent it in a few months to a year. I guess you would just renew the current lease if the tenant works out and rents don’t go through the roof.
By calzada on 12.07.19 12:09am