San Luis Obispo in 2023?

[2011KTM530]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

And thanks for the update on SLO. It wasn't so bad the last time someone posted about it. What you're describing is probably post-Covid prices. That's crazy! That's not a healthy economy: students and retirees but no middle class, hardly. Where do the retail workers and restaurant staff live?

The workers that make things happen in SLO city live in Santa Maria and commute every day. In the last ten years the 101 becomes a parking lot twice a day. Once going north in the morning and again going south in the afternoon. Sucks to be them.

[2011KTM530]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSmiling

I'm not sure what is going to happen to SLO county. It has a huge influx of money from seniors and college kids, but no middle class. Everything has just gone through the roof in prices. $6.00 for a bottle of salad dressing, gas is now down to $4.99 (seriously??!!) a room in someones house is being advertised for $1800. $1800 plus proving that you make 3x times that. A studio going for $2500. And don't even ask about having a pet. It isn't sustainable. Diablo (nuclear power plant) might or might not close. Salaries have not gone up and people can't afford hardly anything. Food pantry at church opens at 10 and there is a line starting at 8:30. Millions have gone to homeless issues, yet there are panhandlers at most every corner. Hiring a housekeeper is upwards of $50 to $75 an hour. Home insurance companies are not renewing because of the fire danger. It's December and suppose to start our rainy season, yet it's going to be 75 today.
People talk about the mountains being non mountains - we actually got snow on them darn hills last winter. Snow!!
I'm wrestling with staying in this beautiful area at a huge cost or move somewhere else for a lower one. But, all other areas have weather, bugs, humidity, clouds!! SLO county averages over 276 sunny days a year. Not many other areas have that.
I just don't know if it makes fiscal sense to stay. Any advice is welcomed!!

I moved away and it was fiscally the best decision I ever made. But that’s me, might not be for you. I’m not a weather person, I could care less, just dress for whatever. I still have lots of family and friends in SLO, so I visit frequently. Also get to see a lot of the western US. But I wanted to retire early and not waste my life being a wage slave then dying on the job. Screw that.

[NORTY FLATZ]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSmiling

I'm not sure what is going to happen to SLO county. It has a huge influx of money from seniors and college kids, but no middle class. Everything has just gone through the roof in prices. $6.00 for a bottle of salad dressing, gas is now down to $4.99 (seriously??!!) a room in someones house is being advertised for $1800. $1800 plus proving that you make 3x times that. A studio going for $2500. And don't even ask about having a pet. It isn't sustainable. Diablo (nuclear power plant) might or might not close. Salaries have not gone up and people can't afford hardly anything. Food pantry at church opens at 10 and there is a line starting at 8:30. Millions have gone to homeless issues, yet there are panhandlers at most every corner. Hiring a housekeeper is upwards of $50 to $75 an hour. Home insurance companies are not renewing because of the fire danger. It's December and suppose to start our rainy season, yet it's going to be 75 today.
People talk about the mountains being non mountains - we actually got snow on them darn hills last winter. Snow!!
I'm wrestling with staying in this beautiful area at a huge cost or move somewhere else for a lower one. But, all other areas have weather, bugs, humidity, clouds!! SLO county averages over 276 sunny days a year. Not many other areas have that.
I just don't know if it makes fiscal sense to stay. Any advice is welcomed!!

LOL, doesn't sound like you are "always smiling..."

[Elaine18]

One of my friends lives there and I have known him since elementary school. His dad Dr Donald Pinkel died almost two years ago.

[CaliforniaGal]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

Atascadero is also a good alternative. Some beautiful homes there, a little less expensive than SLO, and it's a bit closer to SLO than Paso Robles.

Arroyo Grande is also lovely and quaint. We go up to Lake Lopez every year and I would love to live in Arroyo Grande. Lots of wineries...the town is so cool.

[gypsychic]

We have visited SLO/Central coast several times, the last time was in 2004. We loved the area so much, with the beautiful weather scenery, and variety of landscapes just within the various towns like Paso Robles, Morro Bay, Atascadero, etc. For quite some time after (several years in fact) I really wanted to live there (we live in Florida) But I quickly saw that if you weren't a college student or a wealthy retiree there was just no way it would be possible. Even then, real estate was very expensive and in short supply, and there just weren't any good jobs available. I am saddened to read that it is now even more expensive and has homeless to boot - I didn't see any when we visited.

At any rate; it is now 20 years later and we retired; but continue to live in central Florida. I know the weather isn't as nice and there are no mountains, but we do have a beautiful home that would cost 3 times as much in SLO and the weather is pretty nice at least 6 months out of the year. I guess at this point we will just stay put.

Good luck to all those who can afford SLO and the beautiful Central Coast! If you have the money it is really a paradise.