Santa Barbara, Santa Maria or San Luis Obispo? (Long Beach, Goleta: environment, relocating)

[cre8]

Originally Posted by KC in PT

Any suggestions for neighborhoods to look at in VC or Carpinteria? I'm looking for a quiet safe neighborhood that gets less fog. Thanks.

KC in PT, you might search C-D for threads about Ventura County for in-depth discussions, but in short, the coast from Carpinteria to Ventura and west Oxnard are subject to many months of fog and gloom. This part of the coast becomes exposed to the prevailing coastal conditions of Point Conception, which has pros and cons. The best part is that during summer, the ocean breezes keep these areas cooler and less humid than Santa Barbara. SB is sheltered by Point Conception. The bad part is the fog. Carp/Ventura can be socked-in with fog while at the same time Santa Barbara is sunny and warm. To avoid fog, look to inland areas in Ventura County starting at about Camarillo. Carpinteria is too narrow, a tiny slither between the beach and mountains, to have any fog-free areas when the fog rolls in.

[CaliGal31]

No choice here. You gotta choose Santa Barbara. You will regret the other 2 very much...

[thegrandjess]

Originally Posted by LDDiamondGirl

That's all most of us on this site are looking for....a little corner of the world that fits. Just call me Goldilocks....I'm still searching.

this girl too. good to know it's not just me.

[cre8]

Originally Posted by CaliGal31

No choice here. You gotta choose Santa Barbara. You will regret the other 2 very much...

Depends on your finances. You will regret Santa Barbara over Ventura of SB north county when you're spending 3/4 of your pay on rent.

[jillz]

Originally Posted by CaliGal31

No choice here. You gotta choose Santa Barbara. You will regret the other 2 very much...

Having lived in Santa Barbara for over 21 years, pick this one hands down! I grew up in SLO county and spent quite a bit of time there. Still do with family and friends there. It is fine but still a bit aggie for my taste and isn't quite as fun as SB (and pay is lower). Plus, it gets hotter than in SB. Santa Maria is not a great place in my opinion and although it is cheaper to live, there is a reason why. They have a HUGE shortage in police (my friend dispatches for them) and some calls never get a response or it is very late (if it isn't a life threatening call). It is growing WAY too fast, homes all look cookie cutter, and if this is something you care about (I don't) it is pretty low income (I am lower income and couldn't even afford to buy in SM).

I love SB. It is expensive but if you live in town, you can walk everywhere. I still feel safe here. There is no comparison between Santa Maria and Santa Barbara or Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo. The main comparison is between SLO or SB. These cities are most alike and you need to see both to see where you feel like you belong.

J

[jillz]

Originally Posted by cre8

Depends on your finances. You will regret Santa Barbara over Ventura of SB north county when you're spending 3/4 of your pay on rent.

Depends on where you are working. If you are working in SB and commuting from either place, you will GLADLY pay a little more in rent. The gap isn't so great anymore to spend twice the time commuting and paying the high gas prices. Plus, these areas do NOT compare in other ways. Traffic is hellish and I worked in an office where 95% of the people commuted at least 1 hour each way and they couldn't wait to either be able to move closer or find a job in the city they were commuting from just to get out of traffic and the expense. At least the traffic here is nothing like LA!

J

[littleword]

when i was working in santa barbara and commuted from santa maria, i felt like a servant to "SANTA BARBARA." everybody at work, commuted from either, santa maria-lompoc or ventura. the only ppl at work who had a owned a house or was paying a mortgage in santa barbara, were ppl who grew up in santa barabara and bought a house when it was still somewhat affordable.

here are some "median" housing prices for "santa barbara" that i found on the web, prices reflect aug, 2007:
santa barbara $1,130,000
goleta $935,000
carpinteria and summerland $1,025,000
montecito $2,800,000
hope ranch $3,650,000

q? when "you" ppl say "santa barbara" is the best place, is that because u are just renting or do u plan on buying a house in the million dollar range and your annual income is around.....$200,000?

im not a realtor soo let me do some math if u dont mind:
average median house in santa barbara is $1,130,000, u put down 20% or $226,000, on 30 years at 6.5%. that means u will finance, $904,000. that comes out to be......$5,714/month for your mortgage. oppss dont forget your property tax, which is $13,447/yr, or about......$1,120/month. that is a total of about, $6,834/month!!!!!!!

anybody who chooses "santa barbara" either is rich or is just a poor renter

[cre8]

Originally Posted by jillz

Depends on where you are working. If you are working in SB and commuting from either place, you will GLADLY pay a little more in rent. The gap isn't so great anymore to spend twice the time commuting and paying the high gas prices. Plus, these areas do NOT compare in other ways. Traffic is hellish and I worked in an office where 95% of the people commuted at least 1 hour each way and they couldn't wait to either be able to move closer or find a job in the city they were commuting from just to get out of traffic and the expense. At least the traffic here is nothing like LA!

J

Yes, you make some good points, jillz. I commuted from Ventura County to Goleta and it was grueling. To take the edge of things and to save a few bucks, I rode an express commuter bus, but I spent 12 - 13 hours away from home to work eight. Thankfully, I work where I live now, and as such have regained my sanity.

That said, it's difficult to justify Santa Barbara housing costs. Buying a house is a financial impossibility given the low wages jobs pay in SB. But focusing on rent. A minuscule, rundown 600 sq. ft. house on the West Side rents for around $1,800 - $2,000/mo. That same rent in Ventura would give you a nice clean place, two or three times the size -- in a good neighborhood -- with an awesome view of the ocean and Channel Islands, or right on the beach. For me, moving out of Santa Barbara allowed me to purchase TWO houses a mere 30 - 40 miles down the coast. Trade-offs? You bet!

[the city]

I would say the best right now is Santa Maria. Santa Maria is at 90,000 population with a mall, good selection of stores, and some good bed-room communities surrounding it. For teenagers they have the racecar speedway and Boomers amusement park.

San Luis Obispo is at 45,000 population right now and have Costco, and many other stores. San Luis Obispo has more big-box stores than Santa Barbara area. In 2020, when San Luis Obispo expands their airport runways for more airlines to take you to farther away places, Dalidio builds his mall, and the city is at 50,000 population then I'd move there.

Santa Barbara is having a decrease in population right now. There's a small middle class, and a high lower class and rich class. San Luis Obispo doesn't have any gangs, when Santa Barbara and Santa Maria do. Also, there's no Edwards or Cinemark in Santa Barbara.

I would chose Santa Maria and live in Orcutt if you want the city life, and San Luis Obispo if you're leaving southern California. I personally plan to move back to San Luis Obispo in 2020 when they have Dalidio's open-air mall built, and have 50,000 population in the city.

[jillz]

Santa Barbara is having a decrease in population right now. There's a small middle class, and a high lower class and rich class. San Luis Obispo doesn't have any gangs, when Santa Barbara and Santa Maria do.

Got any data to support no gangs in SLO?

Also, there's no Edwards or Cinemark in Santa Barbara.

Why is this a big deal?

I would chose Santa Maria and live in Orcutt if you want the city life, and San Luis Obispo if you're leaving southern California. I personally plan to move back to San Luis Obispo in 2020 when they have Dalidio's open-air mall built, and have 50,000 population in the city.[/quote]

People I know that live in SM don't live there for the city life. They live there because they could buy a house and commute to the higher paying jobs in other cities. Not many *I* know that live there actually really like it. That said, they spend most of their time working in another city and only sleeping/eating in SM. For nightlife, they either go to SLO or SB depending on what they are looking for. If you want to live in a big box type city, SM is your place. If you want more of an artsy, eclectic city, either SB or SLO.

J