Lee and Maria were great. Super easy arrival, kind people, very considerate. Their place has a ton of potential and is in a good location in the Wilshire Montana neighborhood of Santa Monica. Walking distance to everything you need, and abundant free, safe, neighborhood parking.
I gave them some feedback on how to improve the listing, and they were kind to bring in a cleaner halfway through to address some of my concerns. I had some issues with odors too so we agreed on a plan to unplug the air fresheners and open the doors/windows when cooking.
Overall, a fine place for a longterm stay in Santa Monica - maybe not for everyone but probably suitable for most young people. Place will be even better with some light upgrades and deep-cleaned stovetop to cut down on odors (though I may have been particularly sensitive to that electric-stove-with-burning-gunk smell).