When a Filipino family migrates to the United States, the first thing that they need to do is to find a place to settle down. They can live with their relatives for a week or two, but longer than that might be already a burden for the host family. 

Los Angeles is one of the popular places to live for Filipinos in the United States. I have plenty of relatives and friends living there. Los Angeles is also very accessible by plane if coming from the Philippines. There is a direct flight from Manila to Los Angeles via Philippine Airlines.

However, Due to the rising cost of owning real estate in the United States, the most practical thing to do in the meantime is to rent. According to Zumper, in Los Angeles, the average rental fee for a one-bedroom apartment is around $1,995.00. It may look high, but actually, there is a 7% decrease in the rental fees from the previous year.

Zumper is a popular site in the United States to look for condos, apartments, houses, and rooms for rent. It has listings in major cities in the country. What makes Zumper unique is that it has an app that you can easily navigate to find a place to live. Zumper's listing is also updated in real-time.

There are lots of factors to consider in looking for a perfect apartment, condo unit, or house to rent for the whole family, particularly in the Los Angeles area. Here are the things that you can put into consideration when hunting for a place to rent in Los Angeles:

1. Budget. The first thing that you have to put into consideration in looking for a place to rent is your budget. How much are you willing to spend on rent? 

2. Location. You may choose the condo, apartment, or house depending on how near or far it is from your office. You can also put into consideration its distance from the school your kids attend or its distance from the nearest market or hospital. Another factor to consider location of your rented apartment, condo, or hours if it is near public transportation if you don't have your own car.

3. Number of Rooms. For a big family, it is very important to consider if the rooms are enough for the whole family. You also need to consider if there is enough moving space and privacy for each family member.

4. Size of Living Space. Apart from the number of rooms, you need to consider the size of each room. Some families want a big kitchen, but only enough space for bedrooms. Others like a huge living room and a small kitchen.

5. Amenities. Condos and apartments have special amenities compared with single-detached houses. Gyms, swimming pools, lockers, etc. are only some of the amenities that you also need to consider if looking to rent.

Apart from the above-mentioned factors, you may also want to consider the parking space, storage space, and available utilities (cable, Internet, phone, gas). Ask all the questions to your prospective landlord/landlady before you decide. Do not rely on the photos; you have to go to your prospective place to rent for you to envision your living space and for you to gauge its distance from the nearest market, school, or office. Envision yourself living for at least a year in that place. 

Presently, I'm reading a book entitled, "The Overseas Fabulous Pinay: A modern Filipina's handbook on how to thrive abroad." Somehow, the book has helped me to envision how to start a new life abroad. You may also want to check this book out on Amazon so that you will also have an idea of the things to look out for in finding a place to rent.

There you go! I do hope that you will have a successful house-hunting in Los Angeles! Los Angeles is a fun place to live as it has lots of places to visit and shop.