[mikester]

HA! 30-45 minute commute to UCLA!

HA!

Seriously.

HA!

The south bound commute from the valley I hear is not as bad as the northbound into that area.

I live in El Segundo myself and when I go to the office that office is right off the 405 at Santa Monica blvd. Via the 405 during the rush hours (anytime between 7am - 10am or 4pm to 7pm) that commute can suck. Completely.

Still, I can get to that office on Santa Monica BLVD in 30-45 minutes using surface streets (Head up persing and over via Jefferson/Culver to either Centinila/Bundy or straight up to Sepulveda. Then either Centinlia/Bundy north to Venice or so and then over to Sepulveda north. I take Sepulveda to the office and I'm there. It's not horrible usually but once minor glitch and it can be.

The 405 is pointless in the morning going north.

South in the afternoon however is less pointless. I can even sometimes make it home from the office in 20-30 minutes.

One problem is your commute 'today' might change drastically over time due to construction in that area on the major routes. It's constant - it won't end soon and who knows what it will be like when it is done. You're trying to get to the heart of LA's Carmageddon zone.

Anyway - Santa Monica is nice and worth a look though in your price range I think maybe you'll fail.

You might look to go east but the quality of the neighborhood drops as you go east.

You might consider West Chester or Mar Vista which are just north of LAX and south of Venice and well within your zone.

Further south is El Segundo and the other areas you mentioned but they probably get pricier too. I've never rented in El Segundo but I know what my mortgage is!