I have lurked here for a couple of years, but never joined until earlier this year. I prefer to remain on the sidelines for the most part. Anyway, something has come up and I need to solicit opinions from people in California (or anyone else who might have some experience in this).

My oldest son (20 yrs old) graduated in May with a B/S degree in music buisiness from Full Sail in Orlando, Florida. He also has an A/A in recording arts from the same school. He is just finishing up a three month internship here in Illinois with Victory Records in Chicago. Last week he informed my wife and I that he plans on moving to Los Angeles, California at the end of August to look for a job. He has no job offers, he has about $9,000 dollars in his pocket, and a 1997 Neon that he plans to drive out there. He tells us that in order to work in California, the record companies do not take job applicants seriously unless they live there. He has sent several resumes out, but has not heard back from anyone.

Comments, opinions, real life experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Marty

He needs to find a place to stay FIRST.

I suggest he spend a LOT of time on MYSpace locating people that do the same thing he does in LA.

Driving out here with 9k will not get him very far. Living here is probably 2x more expensive than where you live now.

I pay 3.25 a gallon for "ok" 87 gas.

I moved here in the late 90's. Luckily I stayed with a friend for several months until I could afford my own 1 bedroom apartment in NorCal.

B

To be honest you would be better off moving from California to a state with a lower Cost of Living. California in general is one of the most expensive states to live in.

As Brad said, $9k will not get you much. Especially in the metro cities (LA, Sandy Eggo, Sanfran, San Jose, Palo Alto, Sacramento, etc). Rent alone for a 1bed apartment near major cities will start at least $1k. Not to mention food, clothes, transportation, utilities...

I'm not saying it can't be done on $9k. If your son came out here and already had an apartment or a job lined up, could start a day after moving, paycheck is coming a week before rent is due... It's all about timing. Maybe there's a friend out here he can stay with until he gets his own place? Housing will be the most expensive thing.

My wife turned down a near six-figure job in Redwood City (near San Fran). We did our homework (cost of living, taxes, etc.) and determined that we could afford a nice apartment, but no way could we EVER afford to buy ANYTHING to live in.

Make him add up all the taxes, cost of living, etc. Including the move, $9000 will last him a month if he's lucky.

A couple of ways to succeed in CA:

1. Wealthy Parents
2. Smart relatives that bought property here 20-30 years ago
3. Insurance Money
4. Sue somebody
5. Good bonus plan at work
6. Live at home until age 30 or so and save money/borrow to buy a house.

No joke. Unless you have 80-100k down.. for a house or Condo.. you wont be buying anytime soon.

Some of the wealthy real estate people I know joke about us paying the "Sunshine Tax"

He sounds like a smart kid. He had better do his homework. I know a lot of people in their mid 30's looking for roommates.


B

You guys are a bunch of naysayers. He's just a kid. He's not going to be looking to buy a house anytime soon.

I don't know the music business but I imagine that there is more opportunity in LA than there is in Chicago. I think he should go for it while he has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

He should have no problem finding an apartment to share for $500-600/mo. In a worst case scenario he could always get a job at Starbucks until he finds something better so he doesn't have to tap into his $9K in savings.

Naysayer? LOL

I didnt say he could'nt move here.

I said: FIND SOME FRIENDS..dont move here COLD with NO leads.

The housing refrences are to let him know what it COULD cost him if he decided to live here for the rest of his life.

I wish him luck.



B

what a bunch of old farts with no sense of adventure left in their brittle old bones ...

have him look on craigslist for shared housing with some guys (or girls) his age, he should be able to get something for $500 or less a month ...
have him scout out myspace for likeminded people his age that are already in the biz ...

he'll be doing just fine ...
Andy

Brad yours was the most positive of the three replies. :-)

If I was 20 years old I could stretch $9K into 9 months of living if I had to. I'm sure I could get a low paid job in a week that would at least cover rent and basic expenses. It's not that hard. Unemployment is low and there are lots of job opportunities right now.

For the industry he wants to work in I think the experience would be invaluable - even if he fails and needs to move back to Illinois.

Edit: Andy's post slipped in front of mine.

I agree with Andy and Anthony. LA Craigslist would be a great way to find a room to rent. A glance there showed LOTS and LOTS of places for $500-750/mo. If he eats cheap and/or gets a burger-flipping class job while he looks for the recording job he wants, $9k could easily last a year. That should be plenty long enough to either find the dream job, or convince him it's not the dream job, after all.

If he doesn't have a wife and kid - it's an easier move to make

My stepbrother moved out here as an art student. He got an apartment in downtown SF for $600/month (un-be-f***-lievable) (it WAS a shared-bathroom situation tho - but livable). He is now the manager for the San Francisco Ballet School house where all the ballet students live. He got this job on the back of his fraternity experience - managing frat activities and the house and such. His room and board are covered by that position. He is an artist and has started doing a new gallery show once a month. He surfs every day.

It is possible to do it; he needs to do a lot with craigslist, and share the burden of the costs. This is exactly what being young is about - and to be honest - he's doing it with more resources than I ever did anything - and I emigrated from the UK.

Man no kidd'n. I think 914s are a little too risky for you guys...get some Toyotas.

For a kid right out of college everyplace is high cost of living. All that housing jibber-jabber is nothing to worry about at 21. The unemployment rate is very low here so he'll find something to do for survival if the record industry takes time to bring around. LA is full of artist-waiters, writer-stylists, actor-booksellers, and, musician-vallets. He'll have plenty of peers...

Later and good luck,
Kevin (from Illinois originally)

Stay away from California. This place sucks. It is an absolute pit. Nobody in their right mind would want to live here. If you know someone who lives here, try to talk them into leaving.

Cheers, Elliot

yup. he's right.

Yeah right, see all those California teener folks just RARIN' to move East to some nice place with salt on the roads...

If he really wants to be in the music business he's right, it's going to be in California. It's not an easy business to break in to without knowing anyone, but he's going to have to learn that for himself. He'll be fine, and good for him to pursue his dream. It may be a hard dream, but you raised him knowing he was going to eventually set out on his own, and getting him ready for it. So it's time to wish him luck.

He needs to do some serious networking with the folks at the school he graduated from, and where he just finished his internship. There have got to be some there that can give him leads. As has been said, find a place first, there are musicians everywhere in SoCa, and many are REALLY GOOD. The industry is hard to get into, very much the "old boy" type of system, so he needs to do some legwork first, or he's going to be broke in a hurry. I applaud his initiative, it's a tough thing to do.

Choices.
A. Take the chance. Lose and you wasted a few years busting butt and blew the $9000. Gain 'experience', you know, that thing you get when you don't get what you want.

B. Don't take the chance. Go in the insurance business, make a lot of money, and always wonder.

Moral? Sure glad I found my level of incompetence as a guitarist and race driver before I was 25.

Advice? Plan as well as you can. Chances are 9 out of 10 you will fail, but you may beat the odds. GO FOR IT! You can always come over here for a free meal.

Don't they make music in Nashville too?

Los Angeles is a tough place to live. Its expensive and not very kid friendly. But he is the right age to take a risk like this.

Good luck!

I most say that I feel life without adventure sucks. Encourage your kid to look for opportunity wherever it may lead him. Other and I have worked hard here in LA and done well at it. Sure it’s expensive. Yes the traffic sucks but everything can be managed, I drive some days 200+ miles doing estimates but I set my appointments to work around traffic. I lived in a single 14 X 14 studio apartment with a hot plate and Microwave for 6 years getting my construction company going and I made it work. At the same time I made a red 73 914 a driver and a chick mobile, at least in my mind that’s what it was. I have traveled to 10 countries and all over the US; I still love LA. I live in a part where people still say they cant believe I am in Los Angeles. There is more here than most can ever imagine everything is here for you. The best food, beaches hiking trails, biking, skiing, cars and peaceful mountains to the very hot nightlife.
There is Lots of work for everyone. But his education is only going to get him so far. He has to make himself stand out from the rest, if he won’t in on the record companies.
SALE your personality as well. Here in LA its true, its not what you know but who. As someone said network, (can you say waiter?).
If this is happening soon for him I have a single apt, for rent as of Aug 2 for 600 with kitchen and bath. 30 min from Hollywood and 12 min to Burbank. Very private area and pool. He may be asked to help push a 914 around from time to time but if he is your son he will understand.
Some pictures from LA life. How can you not love LA.

From my point of view... Student in Cali.. Sure I get money for school from Sweden.

BUT, if I didn't get that it would be no problem living in Cali with less than 1000/month. Its all about priorities. If you want to go to the bars, buy clothes, etc etc no it won't last. But he should be able to get a part time job for now, which is what I would have done until I get something solid. Heck, if he is in San Diego I can give him a job as a hockey coach

I say go for it! When I moved I had $2000 to spend. I managed 4 months on those money. Then we were living 4 people in a one bed room apt.

GO FOR IT! Live your dream!

How can you not love LA?

Pfff Aaaaaaahnday... Old farts? Naysayers? I'm younger than you! I was just direct and honest how it is in SoCal.

Colmz, if your son is yet to have any contacts down here, I have a friend who's director for a media company. She likes young guys...

The most important thing is that if your son wants to get into the business... It's all about networking. I've been dragged along to a few of these "parties" and "premiers" and it's almost the same for music and movies... Names, names, names. Once he gets a few and is hired somewhere it should be cake from there, with degrees.

Click to view attachmenti'm ohio born and indiana raised. i now reside in calif.

unless you have a huge source of funds (or of course an illegal alien to sap the state everything) you will struggle. the cost of living is going up everywhere but is unbeleivable here. i bought a house in 1987 and its gone up OVER 500%! no b.s. i just fear for my kids survival. $9,000 wont buy you a burger here anymore...er excuse me a taco.

i have friends with businesses and they have left this state as SO many others. there is whats known as "brain drain" going on in the central valley anyway.

think it through

I have been here all my life and many generations before me, all Californians.

It's a Great place to live, but it is expensive. I ended up in the biz for many years

and still have family in it. Alot of them own their own business and sell the rights

to big labels. The trick is to get in with a large label where their is security, Insur-

ance etc. It's not the easyest job to get but if he really wants it he will need to

live here. The guys with sand enough to try this themselves have given alot of

good advice. There are plenty of young folks trying to make their dreams come

true out here, and they need roommates. Good luck to him.

Thanks for all of the input and words of encouragement. We sat down and read all of your replys this morning. IF he decides to proceed with this endeavor, he plans on leaving here on Aug. 21. Right now, he is still undecided due to previous family discussions - all of the what-ifs that my wife and I came up with. He really believes that he needs to get out there, but he doesn't want to worry us either. He has given this a lot of thought, and he believes that he can make it work for him. While going to school in Orlando, he lived in his own apartment (no dorms at this school), and rode out several hurricanes. It was harder on us than him. One of his classes had him researching what it would cost and the logistics involved to move from home to a location of his choice (L.A. for him), and the living expenses once he got there. He is very self sufficient and mature for his age (Eagle Scout at age 15) (fun in moderation), and knows that $9k will not get him very far. He doesn't intend to just come out there and look for work in his field and live off of his savings. He realizes that he will have to take any kind of work that he can get in order to live out there until he gets the job that he wants.

Sounds like a good kid, and I think he'll do just fine.

Well that's about all he can know from that distance, and he sounds pretty realistic. And no matter how that plan turns out, succeed or fail, he'll be a better person for it. To add some perspective, I don't know anyone who's happy in life now who is doing professionally exactly what his major was in college. Things change. Tell him to keep his eyes and options open. And to always use a condom. He'll do fine.

No joke. Unless you have 80-100k down.. for a house or Condo.. you wont be buying anytime soon.

That's not necesarely true... My wife and I bought our first place in 94' granted the housing market ws not at it's best, but we did it with 5k down, there are number of first time buyer programs available, but that's another story.

I agree with a number of people who hav repled. Have you son do the research, there are a number of internet sites tht he can check out, that will give him a comparison with the cost of living there in Ill and California. Just do a search cost of living comparison, there should be a buch that pop up.

I just did the opposite of your son. I left Southern Cal to move to Colorado. The difference between the two based on those web comparisons was about 30% less to live in Colorado.

My advice to your son to make the move easier if he chooses to make it, is get a job first... It wil make the transition easier. But if he wants to make the move, make it!!!! As a father support him. Sounds like he has his head on straight with an education..... Best of luck to him!!

Someone coming to California for the first time trying to establish themself in the L.A. area has three options regarding housing as I see it.

1. Live in an area that you may be shot and pay a reasonable amount of rent.

2. Live with other people. (Doesn't always work out for the best)

3. Commute. We have a TON of people that work in L.A. in Bakersfield and either drive or use the shuttle services to get back and forth to work. We have become somewhat of a bedroom community for people from L.A.

The cost of living in California is among the highest anywhere, but so is the income.

Why LA? LA may have a strong music industry but there are other locales where the music business is also very strong. If you want the biggest and the best, its in New York.

Which is hardly a cheap place to live, now is it? When you're just starting out, going to one of the places that's the best for that particular career is hardly a bad thing to do. Sure, there are other places where there's a strong music industry, but going to those places FROM LA or NY will generally get you farther than if you tried to do it the other way round.

If I was single and 20 years old I'd be in SoCal in a heartbeat.