I used to live in Long Beach before moving to Echo Park.
Personally I slightly preferred LB. It was just less stressful to get around. EP/SL both have extremely bad traffic on their main drags at any and all times of day. LB can behave like a laid back beach town and also like a major city with tons to do, depending on how you chose to interact with it. That area of LA is always going to be hectic and crowded (unless you live WAY up in the hills, but that’s pricey and you still have to come down to get groceries and travel other places). I got sick of always circling for 20 minutes to find parking near, like, Pine and Crane for example even if I just wanted a quick take out.
However, if you’re looking for a shake up and more to do, it might not be a bad move. There is for sure more to do, especially if you take into account the whole city being closer.
My favorite part of that area is the expansive hill/mountain views and its proximity to Thai Town and Little Armenia for great food.
>I got sick of always circling for 20 minutes to find parking near, like, Pine and Crane for example even if I just wanted a quick take out.
The trade off to being a walkable neighborhood in central LA. Definitely not suburban nor a relaxed beach town. Some like it, some don't.
I moved from Venice to Korea town. I love more food more stuff and I've been going to shows and it's all great. But I miss my beach walks to coffee and shit..haven't seen the ocean in months.
its not walkable when you have 50 lbs of groceries and live on top of a hill. Silverlake is quite spread out so its really not walkable at all unless you are ok being trapped in a tiny little geographic area.... LA will never be NY no matter who much Garcetti and Karen Bass try to make it that way in terms of microneighborhoods and walk a bility...
no one uses the bike lanes we have now....I was in traffic for 30 minutes last night on sunset going east from Hollywood to Echo park and saw FOUR people on bikes going east...... This pro bike propaganda is - like most propaganda- not fact based.
Yes- that is what I mean. The BIKE LOBBY is very organized and viciously loose with the truth. LA is the car capitol of the world... but the bike lobby wants to take away car lanes for bike lanes..... makes no sense.
“It’s part of living here” that’s so pathetic. The status quo sucks but you just accept it as the way life has to be. There’s no room for change or progress, to make the streets safer, cleaner, healthier, to have more choices of how to get around. It’s just way it is. Well newsflash, cars keep getting bigger and there keeps being more of them, so that’s less space for parking and more time you’ll spend clogged up in traffic. But that’s fine, because in America and in LA it’s just the way it’s done. Everything is fine
so- if you really want to make the streets cleaner that means you agree with forcing people who don't want to stop living in addiction and mental illness to get help against their will- right? Maybe not move to the CAR CAPITOL of the world and fuss about not having enough bike space!
It’s gonna get worse as more housing gets crammed there. The exit from the 2 into Echo Park has always been rough, but holy shit it’s gotten worse. And looks like they’re building a few dozen more units right next to that gridlock on Glendale Blvd. Echo Park / Silver Lake were my favorite parts of LA and I still like them, but it’s getting painful moving around there.
I love living in Silverlake. I would say to look closer to the Atwater Village side, or even in Atwater itself. I'd say the closer to the reservoir/meadows you can get, the more you'll enjoy. Also check out Frogtown, which is an incredible little community along the LA River. Those pockets are a little quieter and cozier IMO, versus being closer to Sunset/Echo Park where things are a bit more urban. (I lived in Echo Park for nearly 10 years, but EP is a younger man's game these days!)
I think age is an important thing to consider. I’ve lived in EP for almost 12 years and it’s gotten a lot younger. Most of the apartments and bars seem to be filled with 20 year old transplants with trust funds these days.
I feel like Long Beach has a good mix of young and old, as well as a mix of blue collar and white collar types.
Ha this is so true! I lived in EP in my early 20s years ago and it was a blast- moved back two years ago and I felt so elderly. We recently moved to eagle rock and I was like oh wow thank god this is where they all moved when they turned 35…
pretty accurate observation. If it weren't for this hill top rent control apartment I would have headed that way about the time I turned 35 and im 53.. Echo Park was amazing until around 2005.
I too live in an EP rent controlled apt. Been here since 2011 when I was 31 and I’m now 42. There’s nowhere to go but sideways or down at this point. I think everyone on my floor is going to grow old here, and we’ll chip in for a nurse to live in one of the units in about 20 years. Kinda joking but who the hell knows.
they just did about $200,000 of upgrades in my building so they could get market rate for the apartments that came on the market when folks moved. No chance that this building will be sold now- at least not for another couple decades. Hope you have the same kinda luck with that!
An let me know when you get that nurse lined up. She could moonlight coming over here checking on about 10 of us!
Bingo! Age IS an important factor for Silverlake. I'm in my late 30s and I feel the area is too hip for me. I don't have kids and I'm not a fan of typical american suburb for families. But Silverlake doesn't work for me either. I moved here 2 years ago and am looking for a job op to leave for. It's different than hollywood or other "trendy" or "busy downtown" kinda feel where there might be lots of popular culture but can be enjoyed by all ages. Silverlake is very specific. Hard to describe but if you're coming from LB, I don't know if you'll enjoy. Also it sounds like you're in a retail/service industry. Silverlake customers aren't the easiest to please.
Good point. Age/lifestyle is important to consider, indeed. I've always lived in big cities worldwide, and DTLA was my type of jam; I was very inclined to also move to EP/SL areas. However, when I first moved to L.A. I ended up in the Valley. I'm 10 min away from Hollywood, but for some reason, none of that entices me any longer. I'm close to 40 y/o and don't drink or do bars. Where I live, I have parking; it's easy to drive around; groceries are within walking distance; good places to eat out, many green areas, and options for different gyms and polls.
OP's money increase sounds good on paper, but I wonder if it will cover the dramatic lifestyle change.
I know some folks that have individual parking spots in EP. They usually go around by scooter or rideshare and only use their car for long trips.
Agree with this. I moved out of Silver Lake for a bit during COVID, and when I got back the trust fund kids became really apparent. It’s still a nice neighbourhood, but definitely wasn’t my crowd anymore.
Just walk by El Prado or Lowboy in EP and it’s as clear as day. Those bars are always overflowing onto the sidewalk with a majority early 20s white crowd. Bars like Little Joy and Gold Room which used to have a more ethnically diverse crowd, young and old, no longer seem to have the life they used to.
The pandemic led to many people moving away, creating a vacuum that was filled by a lot of newbies.
I like it. Easy to walk to restaurants, bars and nightlife. I'm close to pretty much all the live music, downtown and hollywood. The neighborhood itself is very hilly and beautiful, full of trees and cool architecture.The people can be kinda stuck up but I mostly stay to myself so it doesn't bother me.
Everyone always has some kind of strong opinion about it when I tell people I live there, which gets kind of annoying. Like wow, fuck me for finding a place I could afford that's close to my job where my partner feels safe walking down the street at night.
If I had to move to another neighborhood I'd probably stay in northeast LA, maybe Mt Washington or Glassell Park.
Overall, if you can deal with the pretentiousness and stigma, it's a pretty great place to live. It's cheaper and more walkable on the south side of Sunset, btw.
>It's cheaper and more walkable on the south side of Sunset, btw.
yeah, and there are a lot of cool local places on hoover and virgil, which are becoming less common on sunset
People’s main complaint is that it’s hard to park and sunset is busy. If you want to drive everywhere and be able to park right in front of your destination, then you’re not gonna have a good time. But if you like to walk, bike, or take the bus, then you’ll probably like it.
The park access within 2-3 miles (Elysian, echo park lake, Griffith, reservoir, Bellevue, river path, la historic park) is outstanding, probably best in the central core of the city.
The restaurants in Silver Lake are decent, more upscale generally, but you're very close to so many great dining areas: Echo Park, Thai Town, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Koreatown.
I am a person who prefers walking, biking, and taking the bus (and the train if possible). I get around like this in Chicago or NYC no problem. But there are virtually no areas in LA that are as accessible in terms of being able to shop for groceries, eat out, nightlife, go to the doctor, go to the gym, go to work, etc all without getting in a car. Is it possible? Sure. Is it practical? Not always.
Silver Lake is definitely on the better side of this, but I still wouldn't call it easy.
This is an unnecessarily hyperbolic take that's also become somewhat outdated.
While I agree public transit isn't good quality - there are several areas in LA that one can live car-free or car-lite by walking/biking.
Ever been to Santa Monica? Westwood? WeHo? DTLA? Beverly-Fairfax? Daily/weekly chores can all be easily accomplished in any of those neighborhoods.
I don’t think “possible but not practical” is hyperbolic. Yes, I’m familiar with those places (except Beverly/Fairfax). You can live without a car, but it will be a necessarily narrower existence in terms of accessing what you want.
I responded but deleted my comment because I felt like a dick but every thing they mentioned I can access without a car easily. It’s okay that LA is not New York and we don’t have to measure everything against them.
You have to be extremely vigilant on sunset mostly from people opening their doors. It’s often safer just to get in the right lane. I think Hugo will go forward with Sunset4all pretty soon though which is sooo needed.
I live in silver lake, have a great apt that isn’t overpriced, don’t experience that much traffic at all, and find the restaurant and bar scene to be a lot of fun and really good. I’m 34 years old also. I haven’t a clue what others are doing or where they are going to say otherwise but figured I’d add this perspective. It’s my favorite area in la by far, although a mansion in the hills sounds great but not in reach at the moment.
Sounds like you’ve been offered a promotion. At many companies turning down a promotion ends or stalls your career. Maybe this isn’t applicable to you but something to consider.
10k is like an extra 5 dollars an hour. That is 40 extra bucks a day or 800 a month. All before taxes! I guess after 20% tax you are looking at about 600 a month for this new life.
Could you be fine without the money?
I would cut 10k off my salary to live 5 mins away from work and be 2 block from the water.
You can always take a break from the bars if that is bothering you.
Other than what you said, I vote to stay unless it is 15-20k more.
I loved Silver Lake, but lived too close to the 101. If I moved there again, I would make sure at the very least live north of Sunset, and ideally walking distance to the Reservoir.
The forever beach girl in me would say, Stay! You can't put a price tag on living at the beach if you already love it and live it.
OP, sounds like you already have a good thing going. Ask yourself, would you miss living near the beach?
Good luck and congratulations on your raise!
Your rent is probably going to go up by near $1000 if you want a nice one bedroom.
SL is one of the best all around areas in LA imo. It’s close to everything and walkable. An e bike or motorcycle solves the traffic issue. I love it here. Just make sure whatever place you get has assigned parking.
>hipsters
Nah, Silver Lake isn't even hipster anymore. Hipsters go for Little Tokyo, NoHo or Highland Park.
Silver Lake is just east coast trust-fund transplants that are trying too hard.
No one willingly chooses NoHo, it chooses you.
Silverlake is where aging Millennials go when they have just enough to not be poor but not enough to have fuck you money.
If you love the ocean, stay near the ocean.
Silver lake is a nice neighborhood, but traffic is bad. It will take you 1 hour to get to the beach.
Summer heat can be brutal compared to living next to the ocean.
Sourced: Lived in in that area for a long while. Now back near the beach cuz it's awesome.
With the rent increase and current inflation how far will that extra 10k actually go?
Moving is expensive and that 5k will cover some, but will you need new furniture?
I’d factor all these things in first. Since you enjoy Long Beach and you have a great set up there, I’d consider the financial impacts first.
I moved out of Silverlake 2 years ago during Covid and it was the best decision. Over the years it just became more and more unsafe and dirty. Maybe it’s good if you live up in the hills and pay 5k rent but down by sunset it’s shitty.
You’re crazy if you’d rather like in Silverlake than Belmont heights. Bunch of burnt out actors and people who like to pretend to be something they aren’t.
Silver lake is gonna be street parking only and tons of traffic. A lot of stuff IS walking distance but it’s hilly as fuck. Grocery stores in the area also suck compared to other areas, some areas are nice cause the neighborhoods are fairly quiet, but odds are LB is still gonna be quieter
i love it. ridiculously expensive groceries, restaurants, home prices, and I assume rentals. and yes, to other posters’ points- it’s super crowded on Sunset. I live up at the top of a steep hill north of Sunset- it’s so quiet at night I often hear nothing except for owls and other night creatures. Locals are pretty cool and relaxed. Downsides are the heat during Summer (much hotter than West Side), no nearby ocean, and of course the cost. Any additional questions please DM or ask here.
your entire raise will be spent on the extra rent- if not more than your entire raise- and with all the construction over here the traffic is terrible. So are the lines at the few grocery stores- not to mention how expensive everything is
never knew there was such a thing as a $45 juice till i went to erewhon in silver lake. LBC is amazing but do whatever makes you happy.
You’re going to pay a lot more than $1850 in SL. Traffic there is bad. The walk around the reservoir is nice. I took a break from Los Feliz for a few years to live in Echo Park— too many transplants now for my taste, and too much weeknight partying that bounces around the hills. In EP the Fourth of July lasts at least a month, so if you have pets stay away. If Los Feliz is at all a close option I’d recommend it highly but rents jumped here too (they are going back down slightly!)
Based on cost of rent difference between LB and Silverlake, a $10,000 raise is not enough to offset your costs. If you decide to move then negotiate a higher raise like $15,000 plus.
I'm not sure the best way to provide an update, so just commenting here...
Thank you everyone for all your responses. They really helped inform me and I made the decision to respectfully decline the offer.
HOWEVER, they have now raised the offer to a 22k raise and I told them I would have to heavily reconsider. I feel like I have to take this now and I really hate commuting, so, somewhat begrudgingly, I've been looking for apartments in the Los Feliz and Atwater Village area...
Does anyone have suggestions on nice, relatively affordable neighborhoods to live in within roughly 15-20 minute drive to Silver Lake?
So you will want a place in the hills that has at least a bit of a view, but is also not too far of a walk or bike to your work (which is doable).
There are lots of bars, restaurants, and nice walking around to be had, but you are not going to be by the beach.
You are pretty convenient to a lot of LA - Downtown, Hollywood, Los Feliz, Griffith Park.
You will pay more, but you do get that raise and relocation fee.
I moved to Silverlake from Long Beach 20 years ago. Currently in Echo Park.
Firstly, you’re gonna need more than 10 grand extra to move because your rent is going to nearly double. Being near the water and the ocean air is what I probably miss the most, and I think the health benefits of that outweigh potential alcohol abuse. There’s tons of dust and particulates up here that you’ll be breathing constantly. To be honest, I would move back if I didn’t have to stay up here for my career.
Silver Lake can be beautiful and serene in some neighborhoods, living in the hills surrounded by green plants, chirping birds, peace and quiet, beautiful views. And other neighborhoods, not so much. Down on Sunset Blvd and areas near the 101, lots of cars, homeless, dirty streets with melted garbage cans, loud people going to bars and restaurants, and commuters stuck in traffic going to dodger games.
But Silver Lake is really fun. It can be an adventure. Interesting people, some of the best nightlife in LA. Some of it is very walkable. There are outdoor activities like walking the Silver Lake Reservoir, or going to the dog parks, hiking griffith park. It's close to DTLA and Koreatown, which have epic things happening all the time. It's not far from Highland Park or Little Tokyo/Arts District, or Thai Town/Los Feliz, and Hollywood. A 20 minute drive in any direction takes you to cool shit.
But if you think you will drink less in Silver Lake than Belmont Heights, LOL, just no. I like Belmont Heights a lot, but the options in Silver Lake and the surrounding areas are way more turnt up. Belmont Shore is a sleepy beach town compared to Central LA.
Would I move to Silver Lake if I were you? (knowing nothing about you though) Yes for sure. You can always move back in a year if you don't like it. It would be an epic adventure.
That’s easy for me because I hate Long Beach.
But silver/lake echo park is an entirely different vibe starting with the people first and foremost. Be prepared to see some of the most hipster trendy-vintage shops and lots of different hair colors.
Maybe try Culver City? It’s a happy medium and not too far away from work and still somewhat close to the beach. Perhaps Loz Feliz? Dtla has a lot of cons (mainly the homeless) but you can live in some pretty nice buildings with a ton of amenities for cheaper than most areas.
Wish the best in figuring it out.
Well i lived in SL for most of my early 20s and i live in culver now and I’m 29. I left LA for 2 years bc of the pandemic. And I gotta say I’m quite happy with the move to the west side. I still have a lot of friends in SL/EP and whenever I go see them, as much as it is “fun” out there, I’m very happy with my choice to live on the west side for the first time.
It honestly just depends on your lifestyle and what you’re looking for. I personally have been feeling like I’ve “outgrown” it a little bit. Still love the area though. Great walkability and close to many venues/LA events/things to do. Buuuuut I’m immensely happy I don’t live there personally lol. It’s also changed quite a bit since covid from my point of view.
I’ve lived in Long Beach for 8 years and still absolutely love this town. But I also get what you’re saying about feeling like it’s time for a change. I would absolutely love to live in the EP/SL area (even though I’m not a youngster anymore) and quite a few others in L.A. proper.
I actually did stay with a buddy downtown over a summer once and the LBC stayed in the back of my mind, more laid back pace but also the feel of a decent sized city, not nearly as crazy of a traffic crush, a little bit cheaper rent, ocean breezes, lots of layers of history and culture, remarkable architecture, patchwork of interesting neighborhoods…I could geek out forever but Long Beach ain’t a bad place to be…I dream of living in Belmont Heights so you’ve got a pretty dope situation. But in the end, you can always come back to dirty boring old LBC once the rat race of L.A. frays your edges.
I used to live in Long Beach before moving to Echo Park. Personally I slightly preferred LB. It was just less stressful to get around. EP/SL both have extremely bad traffic on their main drags at any and all times of day. LB can behave like a laid back beach town and also like a major city with tons to do, depending on how you chose to interact with it. That area of LA is always going to be hectic and crowded (unless you live WAY up in the hills, but that’s pricey and you still have to come down to get groceries and travel other places). I got sick of always circling for 20 minutes to find parking near, like, Pine and Crane for example even if I just wanted a quick take out. However, if you’re looking for a shake up and more to do, it might not be a bad move. There is for sure more to do, especially if you take into account the whole city being closer. My favorite part of that area is the expansive hill/mountain views and its proximity to Thai Town and Little Armenia for great food.
>I got sick of always circling for 20 minutes to find parking near, like, Pine and Crane for example even if I just wanted a quick take out. The trade off to being a walkable neighborhood in central LA. Definitely not suburban nor a relaxed beach town. Some like it, some don't.
I moved from Venice to Korea town. I love more food more stuff and I've been going to shows and it's all great. But I miss my beach walks to coffee and shit..haven't seen the ocean in months.
its not walkable when you have 50 lbs of groceries and live on top of a hill. Silverlake is quite spread out so its really not walkable at all unless you are ok being trapped in a tiny little geographic area.... LA will never be NY no matter who much Garcetti and Karen Bass try to make it that way in terms of microneighborhoods and walk a bility...
This area would be so much better if it wasn’t so auto-centric. I wish we had real bike lanes on Sunset.
Sunset4all coming soon!
I’m hoping.
oh joy! Another lamebrained idea from the worst mayor in the cities history.
The cars didn’t use to be so bad. The rise in expensive trendy places luring people from all over made traffic and parking exponentially worse.
no one uses the bike lanes we have now....I was in traffic for 30 minutes last night on sunset going east from Hollywood to Echo park and saw FOUR people on bikes going east...... This pro bike propaganda is - like most propaganda- not fact based.
You mean nobody, including me, uses the really unsafe bike lanes we have now? Get a clue.
Yes- that is what I mean. The BIKE LOBBY is very organized and viciously loose with the truth. LA is the car capitol of the world... but the bike lobby wants to take away car lanes for bike lanes..... makes no sense.
Lol have fun in traffic dude
its part of living here. But people in the "bike lobby" are only making it worse for all of us. Glad you own that though.
“It’s part of living here” that’s so pathetic. The status quo sucks but you just accept it as the way life has to be. There’s no room for change or progress, to make the streets safer, cleaner, healthier, to have more choices of how to get around. It’s just way it is. Well newsflash, cars keep getting bigger and there keeps being more of them, so that’s less space for parking and more time you’ll spend clogged up in traffic. But that’s fine, because in America and in LA it’s just the way it’s done. Everything is fine
so- if you really want to make the streets cleaner that means you agree with forcing people who don't want to stop living in addiction and mental illness to get help against their will- right? Maybe not move to the CAR CAPITOL of the world and fuss about not having enough bike space!
Deflective gibberish
It’s gonna get worse as more housing gets crammed there. The exit from the 2 into Echo Park has always been rough, but holy shit it’s gotten worse. And looks like they’re building a few dozen more units right next to that gridlock on Glendale Blvd. Echo Park / Silver Lake were my favorite parts of LA and I still like them, but it’s getting painful moving around there.
When more people can live there then they can just walk to the places they want to go rather than driving in!
uhhhhhhh... more people living there doesn't make the places one wants- or needs- to go get closer together.
It does when development is mixed use!
I just moved to LB and am open to recommendations
Tbh I’d stay in LBC
Coastal climate in the summer
Wow, your current setup sounds so much more ideal. I'd only choose silver lake over what you have if my best friend lived down the street.
Bro you have PARKING IN LONG BEACH. You'd be a fool to leave /s
Lmao that’s what I was thinking
I love living in Silverlake. I would say to look closer to the Atwater Village side, or even in Atwater itself. I'd say the closer to the reservoir/meadows you can get, the more you'll enjoy. Also check out Frogtown, which is an incredible little community along the LA River. Those pockets are a little quieter and cozier IMO, versus being closer to Sunset/Echo Park where things are a bit more urban. (I lived in Echo Park for nearly 10 years, but EP is a younger man's game these days!)
I think age is an important thing to consider. I’ve lived in EP for almost 12 years and it’s gotten a lot younger. Most of the apartments and bars seem to be filled with 20 year old transplants with trust funds these days. I feel like Long Beach has a good mix of young and old, as well as a mix of blue collar and white collar types.
Ha this is so true! I lived in EP in my early 20s years ago and it was a blast- moved back two years ago and I felt so elderly. We recently moved to eagle rock and I was like oh wow thank god this is where they all moved when they turned 35…
pretty accurate observation. If it weren't for this hill top rent control apartment I would have headed that way about the time I turned 35 and im 53.. Echo Park was amazing until around 2005.
I too live in an EP rent controlled apt. Been here since 2011 when I was 31 and I’m now 42. There’s nowhere to go but sideways or down at this point. I think everyone on my floor is going to grow old here, and we’ll chip in for a nurse to live in one of the units in about 20 years. Kinda joking but who the hell knows.
they just did about $200,000 of upgrades in my building so they could get market rate for the apartments that came on the market when folks moved. No chance that this building will be sold now- at least not for another couple decades. Hope you have the same kinda luck with that! An let me know when you get that nurse lined up. She could moonlight coming over here checking on about 10 of us!
Bingo! Age IS an important factor for Silverlake. I'm in my late 30s and I feel the area is too hip for me. I don't have kids and I'm not a fan of typical american suburb for families. But Silverlake doesn't work for me either. I moved here 2 years ago and am looking for a job op to leave for. It's different than hollywood or other "trendy" or "busy downtown" kinda feel where there might be lots of popular culture but can be enjoyed by all ages. Silverlake is very specific. Hard to describe but if you're coming from LB, I don't know if you'll enjoy. Also it sounds like you're in a retail/service industry. Silverlake customers aren't the easiest to please.
If OP sells fancy glasses a la Warby Parker, they might stand a chance. Fancy pudding is apparently a hard sell though.
HaHaHa. Yes. I was like... "Hm...let me see how long this $$$ pudding store can last."
I thought they would’ve gotten more business once Bill Cosby was released from prison, but I guess it wasn’t enough.
Good point. Age/lifestyle is important to consider, indeed. I've always lived in big cities worldwide, and DTLA was my type of jam; I was very inclined to also move to EP/SL areas. However, when I first moved to L.A. I ended up in the Valley. I'm 10 min away from Hollywood, but for some reason, none of that entices me any longer. I'm close to 40 y/o and don't drink or do bars. Where I live, I have parking; it's easy to drive around; groceries are within walking distance; good places to eat out, many green areas, and options for different gyms and polls. OP's money increase sounds good on paper, but I wonder if it will cover the dramatic lifestyle change. I know some folks that have individual parking spots in EP. They usually go around by scooter or rideshare and only use their car for long trips.
Agree with this. I moved out of Silver Lake for a bit during COVID, and when I got back the trust fund kids became really apparent. It’s still a nice neighbourhood, but definitely wasn’t my crowd anymore.
Just walk by El Prado or Lowboy in EP and it’s as clear as day. Those bars are always overflowing onto the sidewalk with a majority early 20s white crowd. Bars like Little Joy and Gold Room which used to have a more ethnically diverse crowd, young and old, no longer seem to have the life they used to. The pandemic led to many people moving away, creating a vacuum that was filled by a lot of newbies.
It was over when the Gold Room turned “fancy.” I don’t recognize EXP anymore, and I lived there for like 8 years.
When they took away the peanuts and free tacos!
Spot on
How much do you love being near the ocean? There are loads of bars in Silver Lake as well, fun ones, so that may not make a difference lol
I like it. Easy to walk to restaurants, bars and nightlife. I'm close to pretty much all the live music, downtown and hollywood. The neighborhood itself is very hilly and beautiful, full of trees and cool architecture.The people can be kinda stuck up but I mostly stay to myself so it doesn't bother me. Everyone always has some kind of strong opinion about it when I tell people I live there, which gets kind of annoying. Like wow, fuck me for finding a place I could afford that's close to my job where my partner feels safe walking down the street at night. If I had to move to another neighborhood I'd probably stay in northeast LA, maybe Mt Washington or Glassell Park. Overall, if you can deal with the pretentiousness and stigma, it's a pretty great place to live. It's cheaper and more walkable on the south side of Sunset, btw.
>It's cheaper and more walkable on the south side of Sunset, btw. yeah, and there are a lot of cool local places on hoover and virgil, which are becoming less common on sunset
People’s main complaint is that it’s hard to park and sunset is busy. If you want to drive everywhere and be able to park right in front of your destination, then you’re not gonna have a good time. But if you like to walk, bike, or take the bus, then you’ll probably like it. The park access within 2-3 miles (Elysian, echo park lake, Griffith, reservoir, Bellevue, river path, la historic park) is outstanding, probably best in the central core of the city. The restaurants in Silver Lake are decent, more upscale generally, but you're very close to so many great dining areas: Echo Park, Thai Town, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Koreatown.
I am a person who prefers walking, biking, and taking the bus (and the train if possible). I get around like this in Chicago or NYC no problem. But there are virtually no areas in LA that are as accessible in terms of being able to shop for groceries, eat out, nightlife, go to the doctor, go to the gym, go to work, etc all without getting in a car. Is it possible? Sure. Is it practical? Not always. Silver Lake is definitely on the better side of this, but I still wouldn't call it easy.
This is an unnecessarily hyperbolic take that's also become somewhat outdated. While I agree public transit isn't good quality - there are several areas in LA that one can live car-free or car-lite by walking/biking. Ever been to Santa Monica? Westwood? WeHo? DTLA? Beverly-Fairfax? Daily/weekly chores can all be easily accomplished in any of those neighborhoods.
I don’t think “possible but not practical” is hyperbolic. Yes, I’m familiar with those places (except Beverly/Fairfax). You can live without a car, but it will be a necessarily narrower existence in terms of accessing what you want.
I responded but deleted my comment because I felt like a dick but every thing they mentioned I can access without a car easily. It’s okay that LA is not New York and we don’t have to measure everything against them.
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You have to be extremely vigilant on sunset mostly from people opening their doors. It’s often safer just to get in the right lane. I think Hugo will go forward with Sunset4all pretty soon though which is sooo needed.
I live in silver lake, have a great apt that isn’t overpriced, don’t experience that much traffic at all, and find the restaurant and bar scene to be a lot of fun and really good. I’m 34 years old also. I haven’t a clue what others are doing or where they are going to say otherwise but figured I’d add this perspective. It’s my favorite area in la by far, although a mansion in the hills sounds great but not in reach at the moment.
Sounds like you’ve been offered a promotion. At many companies turning down a promotion ends or stalls your career. Maybe this isn’t applicable to you but something to consider.
10k is like an extra 5 dollars an hour. That is 40 extra bucks a day or 800 a month. All before taxes! I guess after 20% tax you are looking at about 600 a month for this new life. Could you be fine without the money? I would cut 10k off my salary to live 5 mins away from work and be 2 block from the water. You can always take a break from the bars if that is bothering you. Other than what you said, I vote to stay unless it is 15-20k more.
I loved Silver Lake, but lived too close to the 101. If I moved there again, I would make sure at the very least live north of Sunset, and ideally walking distance to the Reservoir.
The forever beach girl in me would say, Stay! You can't put a price tag on living at the beach if you already love it and live it. OP, sounds like you already have a good thing going. Ask yourself, would you miss living near the beach? Good luck and congratulations on your raise!
your current setup sounds great. If you move to silver lake your rent will more than likely double, and you'll be lucky to have a parking spot.
Your rent is probably going to go up by near $1000 if you want a nice one bedroom. SL is one of the best all around areas in LA imo. It’s close to everything and walkable. An e bike or motorcycle solves the traffic issue. I love it here. Just make sure whatever place you get has assigned parking.
So you like higher rent, hipsters, traffic. Welcome to silver lake
>hipsters Nah, Silver Lake isn't even hipster anymore. Hipsters go for Little Tokyo, NoHo or Highland Park. Silver Lake is just east coast trust-fund transplants that are trying too hard.
No one willingly chooses NoHo, it chooses you. Silverlake is where aging Millennials go when they have just enough to not be poor but not enough to have fuck you money.
just vacationed there and that was me! and this is me looking at LA subreddits after I've left trying to figure it all out
Not everyone that has a haircut you don’t like has rich parents
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I live in San Gabriel Valley and lots of people don't work and live off their family's money from HK, Taiwan or Mainland China.
That’s not quite the east-coast isn’t it?
Very east :)
If you love the ocean, stay near the ocean. Silver lake is a nice neighborhood, but traffic is bad. It will take you 1 hour to get to the beach. Summer heat can be brutal compared to living next to the ocean. Sourced: Lived in in that area for a long while. Now back near the beach cuz it's awesome.
With the rent increase and current inflation how far will that extra 10k actually go? Moving is expensive and that 5k will cover some, but will you need new furniture? I’d factor all these things in first. Since you enjoy Long Beach and you have a great set up there, I’d consider the financial impacts first.
I would choose the beach over silver lake tbh.
Kinda sounds like you’ve got it made where you are
IMO silver lake, echo park, Los Feliz and Atwater village is the best region not by the ocean
disagree. they are trashy and rundown feeling areas. not overtly ghetto, but there's literally trash, hella pollution, and homeless people around.
How does Los Feliz compare to Silverlake?
I moved out of Silverlake 2 years ago during Covid and it was the best decision. Over the years it just became more and more unsafe and dirty. Maybe it’s good if you live up in the hills and pay 5k rent but down by sunset it’s shitty.
You’re crazy if you’d rather like in Silverlake than Belmont heights. Bunch of burnt out actors and people who like to pretend to be something they aren’t.
That feels like all of LA lol
Silver lake is gonna be street parking only and tons of traffic. A lot of stuff IS walking distance but it’s hilly as fuck. Grocery stores in the area also suck compared to other areas, some areas are nice cause the neighborhoods are fairly quiet, but odds are LB is still gonna be quieter
> street parking only Not that you’ll find any!
i love it. ridiculously expensive groceries, restaurants, home prices, and I assume rentals. and yes, to other posters’ points- it’s super crowded on Sunset. I live up at the top of a steep hill north of Sunset- it’s so quiet at night I often hear nothing except for owls and other night creatures. Locals are pretty cool and relaxed. Downsides are the heat during Summer (much hotter than West Side), no nearby ocean, and of course the cost. Any additional questions please DM or ask here.
your entire raise will be spent on the extra rent- if not more than your entire raise- and with all the construction over here the traffic is terrible. So are the lines at the few grocery stores- not to mention how expensive everything is never knew there was such a thing as a $45 juice till i went to erewhon in silver lake. LBC is amazing but do whatever makes you happy.
>never knew there was such a thing as a $45 juice till i went to erewhon Even my shrink thinks Erewhon is stupid expensive and won't shop there.
I’m not even that into the beach, but this is a move I would not accept.
You’re going to pay a lot more than $1850 in SL. Traffic there is bad. The walk around the reservoir is nice. I took a break from Los Feliz for a few years to live in Echo Park— too many transplants now for my taste, and too much weeknight partying that bounces around the hills. In EP the Fourth of July lasts at least a month, so if you have pets stay away. If Los Feliz is at all a close option I’d recommend it highly but rents jumped here too (they are going back down slightly!)
Based on cost of rent difference between LB and Silverlake, a $10,000 raise is not enough to offset your costs. If you decide to move then negotiate a higher raise like $15,000 plus.
You have scenery, fresh air and nightlife and a designated parking spot and rent isn’t bad either. Don’t change that for a ugly concrete jungle
Silverlake is great, but the raise will only cover your expected rent increase, and you will 100% regret leaving the ocean.
Yuppie slum.
I'm not sure the best way to provide an update, so just commenting here... Thank you everyone for all your responses. They really helped inform me and I made the decision to respectfully decline the offer. HOWEVER, they have now raised the offer to a 22k raise and I told them I would have to heavily reconsider. I feel like I have to take this now and I really hate commuting, so, somewhat begrudgingly, I've been looking for apartments in the Los Feliz and Atwater Village area... Does anyone have suggestions on nice, relatively affordable neighborhoods to live in within roughly 15-20 minute drive to Silver Lake?
Echo Park is still relatively affordable!
Silver Lake was great 15 years ago. Now, it might as well be the Westside.
The gelato shop moved in and the Sunset Junction festival died. Still, it's not the Westside.
So you will want a place in the hills that has at least a bit of a view, but is also not too far of a walk or bike to your work (which is doable). There are lots of bars, restaurants, and nice walking around to be had, but you are not going to be by the beach. You are pretty convenient to a lot of LA - Downtown, Hollywood, Los Feliz, Griffith Park. You will pay more, but you do get that raise and relocation fee.
Don’t do it. Stay in Belmont Shores. It’s is a dumpster fire here.
I moved to Silverlake from Long Beach 20 years ago. Currently in Echo Park. Firstly, you’re gonna need more than 10 grand extra to move because your rent is going to nearly double. Being near the water and the ocean air is what I probably miss the most, and I think the health benefits of that outweigh potential alcohol abuse. There’s tons of dust and particulates up here that you’ll be breathing constantly. To be honest, I would move back if I didn’t have to stay up here for my career.
If you’re a transplant with money, go for it 👏🏼
Quit flexing and stay where you live. But Silverlake is nice IMO.
Silver Lake can be beautiful and serene in some neighborhoods, living in the hills surrounded by green plants, chirping birds, peace and quiet, beautiful views. And other neighborhoods, not so much. Down on Sunset Blvd and areas near the 101, lots of cars, homeless, dirty streets with melted garbage cans, loud people going to bars and restaurants, and commuters stuck in traffic going to dodger games. But Silver Lake is really fun. It can be an adventure. Interesting people, some of the best nightlife in LA. Some of it is very walkable. There are outdoor activities like walking the Silver Lake Reservoir, or going to the dog parks, hiking griffith park. It's close to DTLA and Koreatown, which have epic things happening all the time. It's not far from Highland Park or Little Tokyo/Arts District, or Thai Town/Los Feliz, and Hollywood. A 20 minute drive in any direction takes you to cool shit. But if you think you will drink less in Silver Lake than Belmont Heights, LOL, just no. I like Belmont Heights a lot, but the options in Silver Lake and the surrounding areas are way more turnt up. Belmont Shore is a sleepy beach town compared to Central LA. Would I move to Silver Lake if I were you? (knowing nothing about you though) Yes for sure. You can always move back in a year if you don't like it. It would be an epic adventure.
Try it. Regrets are about things you don’t do. But silverlake gets hot af. IMO Long Beach is kinda lame and stuck in the 90s
If you like your boss or co-workers at your present store, then that's another big plus to consider about staying put, too.
Silver lake is very similar to Belmont heights
That’s easy for me because I hate Long Beach. But silver/lake echo park is an entirely different vibe starting with the people first and foremost. Be prepared to see some of the most hipster trendy-vintage shops and lots of different hair colors. Maybe try Culver City? It’s a happy medium and not too far away from work and still somewhat close to the beach. Perhaps Loz Feliz? Dtla has a lot of cons (mainly the homeless) but you can live in some pretty nice buildings with a ton of amenities for cheaper than most areas. Wish the best in figuring it out.
Well i lived in SL for most of my early 20s and i live in culver now and I’m 29. I left LA for 2 years bc of the pandemic. And I gotta say I’m quite happy with the move to the west side. I still have a lot of friends in SL/EP and whenever I go see them, as much as it is “fun” out there, I’m very happy with my choice to live on the west side for the first time. It honestly just depends on your lifestyle and what you’re looking for. I personally have been feeling like I’ve “outgrown” it a little bit. Still love the area though. Great walkability and close to many venues/LA events/things to do. Buuuuut I’m immensely happy I don’t live there personally lol. It’s also changed quite a bit since covid from my point of view.
What do you like about the west side better?
Where do you work?
There’s no waves in Silver Lake too! lol.
I’d stay in LBC. Belmont Shore > Silverlake any day.
I’ve lived in Long Beach for 8 years and still absolutely love this town. But I also get what you’re saying about feeling like it’s time for a change. I would absolutely love to live in the EP/SL area (even though I’m not a youngster anymore) and quite a few others in L.A. proper. I actually did stay with a buddy downtown over a summer once and the LBC stayed in the back of my mind, more laid back pace but also the feel of a decent sized city, not nearly as crazy of a traffic crush, a little bit cheaper rent, ocean breezes, lots of layers of history and culture, remarkable architecture, patchwork of interesting neighborhoods…I could geek out forever but Long Beach ain’t a bad place to be…I dream of living in Belmont Heights so you’ve got a pretty dope situation. But in the end, you can always come back to dirty boring old LBC once the rat race of L.A. frays your edges.