not bad for my 1st place
September 4, 2015 - Review from Apartments.com
I moved into this studio apartment in Koreatown after graduating from college. I've been here for about a month. This is my first time living alone, and although there have been some unpleasant surprises, I think the place was a pretty good find overall.
The pros:
-Really convenient location. Just a couple minutes' walk to Ralph's, Vons and other stores. Equal distance (about 15 min walk) to Vermont/Wilshire and Vermont/Beverly Metro stations. I don't have a car, so this was a top priority for ...
me.
-Great view. I live on the top (5th) floor with large north-facing windows, so I get an awesome view of the Hollywood sign & Griffith Observatory.
-Good size for a studio. With high ceilings and over 500 square feet, it doesn't feel claustrophobic. Lots of closet space.
-NO CARPET. Brand-new laminate floors (looks like hardwood) and vinyl in the kitchen/bathroom
-The manager is really friendly and helpful. All of my requests have been taken care of in a timely manner.
-Fits my budget: $1075/mo including all utilities
The cons:
-The main issues are due to the building being very old (I believe it was built in the 1930's). Everything functions fine, it's just old. For example, the elevator's doors have to be opened manually, which is very cumbersome if you're carrying anything. If you've ever lived in Europe, you might not mind it so much.
-No A/C. I've lived without a/c for the past two years, so this wasn't a big deal for me. I have a fan for hot days. There is a heater, but I haven't needed it yet.
-There are a lot of dog owners in this building. The dogs are cute, but when one of them starts barking/howling, ALL of the dogs in the building join in. I used to own 3 dogs, but the noise can still be maddening sometimes. Also, I've noticed a urine smell which I suspect is from a previous tenant's dogs.
-Roaches. :( Again, this building is old, so roaches are just a fact of living here. I was very freaked out when I first saw one in my apartment, I couldn't sleep. (Despite having lived in LA for 4 years, I had never seen a cockroach indoors before.) They are very small, however, and I've barely seen any since I set some poison bait a few weeks ago. I would say this is the biggest con for me personally, but they're not impossible to deal with.
-The kitchen has virtually no countertop area. But there is space to put a kitchen island or table.
-No parking lot/garage. Very limited street parking. Sucks if you have a car.
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