How to Find an Apartment in Hollywood, CA

Searching for an apartment in Hollywood, California, has its own set of challenges and frustrations. While apartment rentals abound, the hidden costs, politics and endless supply of fledgling actors and musicians relocating to the city, throw obstacles into the path of any apartment hunter. Here's how to expand your apartment search in Tinseltown.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Decide what you'll need in a prospective apartment. If you want your privacy or more space, be prepared to spend double the money and live in or near the Hollywood Hills. If you've moved to Hollywood without a car, consider living in a central location near the subway stations at Hollywood and Vine or Hollywood and Highland.
2. Search Craigslist classifieds and alternative papers like the LA Weekly and City Beat (see Resources below). These sources contain ads for every type of rental imaginable from high ticket luxury apartments to roommate situations to sublets. Always ask plenty of questions when contacting the real estate agent, apartment manager or a potential roommate.
3. Use an apartment search service like Westsiderentals (see Resources below) to find a place to live. Some of these services require a fee to join and will give you a password to log into their site. Looking for an apartment through these services can tack on extra money to your relocation bill.
4. Talk to coworkers and the counter person at the deli, taxi drivers and others you encounter in day-to-day life. People vacate apartments more often in Hollywood than in other part of Los Angeles, and you can get a great scoop about an available apartment this way before an ad runs.
5. Drive around and look at signs posted in front of buildings. You'll always find plenty of "For rent" signs, and you'll get to see the neighborhood and building firsthand instead of via a video or still photo.