Santa Barbara, Santa Maria or San Luis Obispo? (Fresno, Berkeley: vacation, salary)

[Lana]

Originally Posted by fairweathergolfer

Des Demona posted:
I have decided one really has to WANT to live in SB to move there and give up the other wonderful homes they could spend their millions on elsewhere.

I absolutely agree with you! Santa Barbara is charming city for many reasons!

[Des_Demona]

Well I saw some really cheap looking apartment buildings. Perhaps those would be affordable for some who want to live in SB but not pay exhorbitant mortgage costs. I imagine a lot of latino families are crowded into those apartments. It seemed like it from my end of things.

I personally think SB is better than all the rest south of it. I will admit that Montecito was really nice but too "rich" for me, Carpinteria was okay... but mostly all the housing I saw there was trailer parks although the view from them was beautiful (the ocean and all). Ventura is nice.. it seemed a lot like suburban ocean community which was weird and kinda cool but the beaches were really pretty there and I'll admit I didn't spend a lot of time there. I live in Ventura County but I haven't been to the actual city of Ventura much. I go roller skating at their skating rink and miniature golfing up at the fun center. I am going to spend more time there next weekend to check it out a little more thoroughly. I think I'm gonna go up to SB again too... I just enjoyed that so much. I know just going through on a weekend is much different then living there so I harbor no illusions about that. Traffic was non-existent compared to what I'm accostumed to although I imagine with such a small freeway on the weekdays during rush hour it must be awful.

It was just really refreshing to head north this time instead of south. I usually go to Venice Beach or Santa Monica on the weekends but I think I'm going to spend more time heading north for the next few weekends. Oh and then of course I'll be heading WAY north when I go to Oregon in 2 weeks! YAY!

[Lana]

Originally Posted by Des_Demona

I think I'm gonna go up to SB again too... I just enjoyed that so much!

I understand you! I am so excited because I will be in Santa Barbara this Thursday, for a week, it will be my second trip to Santa Barbara, and I am totally in love with this city!

[greatbasinguide]

Go down to the harbor, eat at the restaurant,, take a harbor cruise

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

I love the fact that Santa Barbara has not fallen for a shallow pretentious attitude to the same caliber that much as LA, or OC has..

Another astonishment is the lack of crowding. Homes are on ranches and right next to the city! The only two other places in SoCal[that I know of] that have upscale, and spacious ranches are Malibu and Rancho Santa Fe[both great].

I love the area. -But I'm not sure if I could see myself living there. I'm sure the people are friendly, but if I'm spending the big bucks to live there, I really don't want to live by homeless. I don't want them begging for change outside on State St. I feel bad, but honestly who actually wants them sleeping in front of their own front door? --Not me.

I would graciously accept living in SB if it were a bit cheaper. Right now, I'm not sure the high prices accurately portray the quality of life.

[SoCalif]

Originally Posted by greatbasinguide

Won't be "stuck" in SLO town. Everything a reasonable person could want is there,, or SB.. Santa Maria is not called Fresno on the Pacific for nuttin. It is, at best a hicktown,, at worst a racist Mexican gang ridden town.. Although the theater is the best between LA and SF... That is the PCFA. Now, before someone accuses me of some sort of bias.. Grandfather settled in the Santa Maria Valley in 1903, family is still there.. that qualifies as an old time family I think. Am fairly familiar with the town,

Santa Maria is not a hicktown, nor is it a "racist Mexican gang ridden town". Judging from greatbasinguides posting, not only this one, but others I have come across, who is the racist one? In another posting that greatbasinguide did he called Santa Maria, "Bakersfield by the Pacific." Which is it???

Santa Maria is a good town, so much so it has been declared and "All-American City", not too many towns hold that distinction. I was born and raised in Santa Maria, I have lived elsewhere, which has just made me appreciate living here even more so. My only knock against it, is it has grown too large for my liking, I loved it when our population was on 45,000. We're now about 100,000.

[cre8]

Originally Posted by SoCalif

Santa Maria is not a hicktown, nor is it a "racist Mexican gang ridden town". Judging from greatbasinguides posting, not only this one, but others I have come across, who is the racist one? In another posting that greatbasinguide did he called Santa Maria, "Bakersfield by the Pacific." Which is it???

Santa Maria is a good town, so much so it has been declared and "All-American City", not too many towns hold that distinction. I was born and raised in Santa Maria, I have lived elsewhere, which has just made me appreciate living here even more so. My only knock against it, is it has grown too large for my liking, I loved it when our population was on 45,000. We're now about 100,000.

Bakersfield by the Pacific is Ventura, I thought, so Santa Maria might have to get in line for that title. Oxnard has been affectionately called "Salinas with a Harbor" by Oxnard resident Thomas Steinbeck, son of writer John -- of Salinas.

But seriously, in my experience these terms as slurs sometimes come out of ignorance about not just the coastal towns - Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Maria - but the inland towns as well - Salinas, Bakersfield, Fresno. Mostly the "this or that by the sea" is said in jest. All are great cities with a lot to offer. They're refuges for plenty of ex-Angelinos and former San Franciscans.

[LDDiamondGirl]

If you want statistics you can read the newspaper. This place is a forum for the "horse's mouth" truth. The population of "households" in SB making under $50K a year is 45%. The stats for SLO is 65%. So what? Neither is an affordable place to live. I think the housing market isnt that much different, either....maybe 20% higher in SB. But a much better location for appreciation and an investment. SLO isn't even on the radar screen for young professionals, and that's usually where the investors look for the next boom in real estate. So why even compare the 2? The two cities aren't even remotely similar in my estimation. It's apples and oranges and each place appeals to a completely different kind of person.

[steveob]

I grew up in Santa Barbara & Goleta (just outside SB(. I lived in the SF Bay Area for 20 years - the last 10 of those in Marin County. We moved to Santa Maria 6 years ago to help my ailing dad. He's moved on, so we're moving. SM's not for us, but it would be for many.
SM's gang problem is not large and is limited to the northern end of town. We don't even lock our doors most of the time, and feel safe walking around any time of night or day. People in SM are generally friendly and trusting as long as youj seem to be yourself. People in SM don't aspire to much - they tend to be happy to just be. It's kind of boring. Very little intellectual stimulation. Incredibly good weather, though breezy & sometimes windy in the afternoons. The educational system in SM proper is poor - in Orcutt (the south end) is mediocre. The town is fairly conservative, growth-orients, but forward looking with pretty good city planners. It is definitely experiencing growth pangs and may have passed its optimum size. It is not a beautifyul city, but is semi-affordble. It's close to everything but has little itself. Flat.
Lompoc is fairly affordable, but has a prison & attendant families thereof, military, & families thereof - a bigger gang problem but not huge. Really crappy weather unless you like fog. Crappy school system. An interesting little art community. Free wi-fi.
SLO is an adorable town - the people tend to be either students or old & stodgy. A happening nightlife. Housing is unaffordable. Great shopping by foot.
Santa Barbara is an incredibly veautiful town with unaffordable real estate. I do not feel safe at night by myself in many areas. I do feel safe during the day almost anyplace. Housing is sky-high. People are rather more insincere than most places I've lived. But the people are more physically beatiful than anyplace I've seen. It's pretty enough that I left 25 years ago for fear I would aspire to nothing.
Arroyo Grande, Shell Beach, * Nipomo are pretty interesting, but this post is long enough.

[greatbasinguide]

I spoke with a public sector employee of Lompoc the other day. I asked him if he lived in Lompoc, he looked at me funny, and said, "no, it is nasty, we call it Lompton".

The prior posts inferring that I am a racist, are pretty silly. People who make remarks like that tend to see the world as black or white. The world is actually thousands of shades of color. It is completely normal to comment on peoples ethnic background without being racist or prejudiced. Those who think other wise are,,,,,,,,,,,, prejudiced.

Any society, including the dominant Anglo culture can be commented upon positively or negatively.

Comments such as Santa Maria is the Bakersfield of the Pacific, or the Fresno of the Pacific refer to the lack of culture compared to SLO or Carmel, or Chico.

Couple of factoids; The median
family income in
Santa Barbara
County is
$36,169.
This compares to
$44,827 in
Ventura County
and $32,646 in
San Luis Obispo
County.
(U.S. Census)

67% of Children receiving free and reduced lunch are in the North County of Santa Barbara

75% of County homeless Children are in Lompoc and Santa Maria