Looking for a singles friendly, great nightlife, beautiful town in CA/CO (Oceanside: rental)

[munchie585]

I'm moving from Pennsylvania and have been focusing my search on Colorado Springs/Denver (thought of Boulder but when we visited we were turned off by how liberal it really is) areas when someone recommended San Luis Obispo and other California coastal areas.
I'm moving with my two brothers (all of us are in our mid/upper 20s) and we have our own business (so jobs won't be an issue). We want a beautiful, small (under 75,000 people) city, with lots of restaurants and social activities. We are moving from a town with very few young, educated people and we want to find an area where young professionals are not a rarity. Anyone have any ideas? Is San Luis Obispo what we're looking for? Does anyone know of any downfalls to that area? I'd appreciate any advice!!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by munchie585

...we have our own business (so jobs won't be an issue). We want a beautiful, small (under 75,000 people) city, with lots of restaurants and social activities. ....we want to find an area where young professionals are not a rarity. Anyone have any ideas?

What is your price range or rental budget?

[munchie585]

We'd prefer to buy either a house/condo or townhouse no higher then $700,000. My parents would like to move near us after a year or so and they would be looking for $500,000 or under.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by munchie585

We'd prefer to buy either a house/condo or townhouse no higher then $700,000. My parents would like to move near us after a year or so and they would be looking for $500,000 or under.

Your constraints do seem a little mutually exclusive (Under 75,000 people and lots of restaurants and social activities). These towns may fit but they might be either touristy or college towns. (By the way, Colorado Springs probably would not fit - sort of too much of a family town, boring for singles.) Boulder might fit, not sure if I buy into the "liberal" thing. There are all types of people everywhere. I don't feel any different in Boulder than I do in Colorado Springs; these two towns have reputations as liberal and conservative respectively. They're different but they also have different economies, housing prices, industries, etc....things that make a lot more difference than being allegedly liberal.

SLO
Santa Cruz
Pismo Beach
Morro Bay
Santa Barbara
Goleta
Solvang
Carmel
Oceanside
San Simeon
Cambria
Grover Beach

[MtnSurfer]

Great advice Charles!

I am a married conservative with three young children living in 'conservative' Colorado Springs. But we really enjoy taking our kids to Boulder and the Flatirons to go hiking. Its a beautiful area with a university and a lot of young people. While I do hear wise cracks from some 'convervatives' about the 'liberals' in Boulder to me it is really a non-issue and silly.

I personally don't let political persuasions of an area dictate where I will live - bottom line. I actually think it makes one a more well rounded person if you live around other people who don't all think just like you. Where I lived in S. Cal. (Hermosa, Manhattan Beach) we had people form all over the nation and world from all different nations, religions, political persuasions, etc... I think it made life more interesting.

My recommendation is to not let labels determine where you will live. The 'reality' is there are librals even in CS and conservatives living in Boulder. So what?!? And most of the nicer places with educated young people have a combination or wider spectrum of beliefs and political leanings - big deal!

Santa Cruz is another perfect example. One of my closest friends from College lives there and goes to a very conservative Baptist church with his family. He is married with four children and loves living there. But many have 'labeled' the area as a liberal college town. But for him and many other conservatives that live there the stereotype does not apply. Nor has he let it affect his love for the truly beautiful area that it is.

Think about your goals and try keeping an 'open' mind. Do you really want/need only conservatives around you? Will you let others determine your future?

My 2c,

- Derek

[MtnSurfer]

San Luis Obispo almost meet all the criteria. As a college town I'm not quite sure how conservative it would be though. But there are always the suburbs arounds these towns which are usually more tame. It is also right at the top of your envelope in terms of price. But the Calif. market has softened a bit over the past couple of years. So that means it will probably be a good time to get in even as an investment.