According to RealFacts, the average monthly rent for apartments in the Los Angeles and Santa Ana areas in 2012 was $1,687. That's a 4.8 percent increase from the previous year. In Ventura County, rents were $1,525, about a 4.1 percent increase. In the Inland Empire, rent was $1,101, an increase of .8 percent.
"I think it's more that the economy has come back, we haven't built a whole lot of stuff, we are always in coastal California a tight housing market, so there just isn't a supply for people to move into," said Dr. Richard Green, a real estate professor at USC.
For renters looking to find an affordable place to live in a desirable neighborhood, doing their homework and being persistent will be the key.
The rental market won't change anytime soon. According to RealFact, rents will continue to rise in 2013.
