Moving

So a nightclub moved in on the block behind me and now I need to move. The sooner the better because I am currently being driven insane by thudding base four nights each week. My lease is up in mid-March, though I'm pretty sure I've got grounds to break it if I find another place earlier.

Here's the thing though, I really don't know what to do at this point. I could look for another apartment to rent just a couple of blocks over in the gayborhood. I'll likely find something pretty similar to what I've got now. I do love my gayborhood. My worry though is that it's still difficult to find a quiet place that's within walking distance to all the bars and restaurants I like walking to. And I also think I've hit my limit with apartment living in general. I'm just so fucking done with hearing neighbors above or beside me. And I'm done with renters who don't care and who leave trash in the halls or block your parking space or leave the common areas reeking of pot or cigarette smoke.

So I'm thinking of buying something instead. I had wanted to wait until I finished my clerkship and took a more permanent position, but it seems silly to move to another apartment now and then look to buy in another year or so anyway. Plus, interest rates are ridiculously low. I do have the downpayment and I do know I'm staying in LA. Most likely, I'll end up at a family law firm in LA after my clerkship, which probably means working either downtown or in Beverly Hills where the family law firms are heavily concentrated.

Here's the problem though: my current salary is decent but not stellar and the LA housing market, even somewhat depressed now, is still remarkably high. Though I'd love to stay in the gayborhood, shitty crackerjack box 2 bedroom, 1 bath houses built in 1936 and crumbling on their foundations start around $1 million. The same house in Culver City or Echo Park might go for half that, but those aren't neighborhoods I'm interested in. What I can afford in the gayborhood is a 2 bedroom condo, but I just don't see how that'd be much different from my apartment situation right now. So I think the prudent thing to do is look outside of the gayborhood at other neighborhoods that maybe I've overlooked, maybe even some spots in the Valley.

I guess if I don't find anything I like, I can always rent another apartment for a while. It just seems like such a waste. Would be nice to build a little equity, to get into the market with low interest rates, and to get out from under any neighbors. I just now spoke with a realtor my family likes and I'm hoping she has some good ideas. But if any of you have suggestions, I'd love to hear them.