Everyone is trying to find that perfect rental. You know, that cute secluded bungalow with a yard and parking and laundry and loads of charm. You search and search for it but all that comes up are these boring white boxes with no character and no outdoor space. You think you have a good price range, but yet you can’t find a decent rental! We hear this from renters all the time. Every renter wants a charming apartment with a yard, a parking space and a garbage disposal at an affordable rate. But these perfect rentals are hard to come by.

When this perfect home and rent cannot be found, depression sinks in and the renter starts feeling hopeless . . . and angry. All this sadness and anger have me wondering: why isn’t anyone helping these people? That is when I decided to write this post. Let me explain it to you all.

“There is more to life than where you live.” -The Rental Girl

When you have searched for weeks, toured hundreds of homes, viewed thousand of online ads, and are still homeless – don’t panic. It is not the end of the world. You do not have a home, but you still have a life. And you sure as heck have a cell phone. So call a friend. Take a bike ride down the Los Angeles River. Head up Vermont Avenue and hike for a couple hours up to Dante’s Peak in Griffith Park. Grab a blanket and have lunch up in Elysian Park. Read a book at the Japanese Gardens behind the Grace E. Simons Lodge. Watch the sun setting over Hollywood at the Barnsdall Art Park. Sit at a cafe on Sunset and people watch. Pick up some beer and burgers and BBQ at your friends house. Catch a movie at the Vista. Spend the day at the beach. Go whale watching in San Pedro. Take the Metro to Olvera Street. When I started this paragraph you thought I was joking. But I am serious! Get out and enjoy Los Angeles. Period.

Now that you are under control, let’s get back to business. Here are the most important things you need to look for when choosing your future affordable home: Read the rest of this entry »