San Luis Obispo affordable for recent college grad? (Los Angeles, Arroyo Grande: rent, job market)

[irisheyes999]

This past May I graduated from USC and am currently spending a year working on a ranch in CO (wasn't quite ready for a real job and wanted to play with horses).

As much as I love it here, the job market isn't what I need it to be and besides, all my family is in Socal. I won't be returning until September '09, but the more I research it, the more I want to end up in SLO.

I love the outdoors, I love small towns (but need access to some sort of downtown), and I love horses. SLO seems perfect.

But is it affordable?

I graduates summa *** laude from USC (Annenberg-Advertising), interview well, and have a great resume. But those things mean nothing if there are no jobs.

In a perfect world, I'd rent a little two room cottage for less than $1850, grow a vegetable garden, have two on property horses, have some chickens, and work in advertising.

How feasible is that in SLO?

[CA central coast]

The job market is tough here. But give it a shot. Are you only interested in living in the city of SLO or in SLO Co. somewhere?

[irisheyes999]

Anywhere in that general area.

I've looked at some ads for craigslist and rent seems pretty affordable.
But maybe I don't suffer from sticker shock anymore after having lived in Los Angeles.

[CA central coast]

Ok, you have a ton options throughout the county. Is summer heat something that bothers you? If it doesn't Paso Robles is good place to look. Jardine and Geneseo areas of east Paso. Paso Robles has a nice downtown. If you want to avoid he heat, there's Arroyo Grande, Los Osos, Nipomo. Quite a few option to explore. I live in Los Osos, it's 10 min. from SLO. There's a lot of horse property in Los Osos. We're right next to Montana De Oro SP, which has one or two horse camps near the beach. An absolute gorgeous area.