Possible relocation to SLO area (Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo: to rent, mover, condo)

[Movermom]

Hi all,

My family and I are faced with the decision of whether or not to relocate to SLO (I've been offered a job there). We are overwhelmed by the cost of living, and worried about the school system (we've been hearing bad things) - not to mention the current financial crisis in the state.

That being said, I would like to hear impressions of living in the SLO area - how is it for raising a family, is it a nice place to live, worth the money, etc?

Where would you recommend one live in SLO county? The job itself is in SLO, but we don't feel we have to live there. We are priced out of the housing market right now, so would be wanting to rent a house or condo (we need 3 bedrooms) for less than 2k/month (preferably less than 1600).

Thanks so much!

[sheri257]

Great town, great weather, great everything.

[AlwaysSmiling]

There are tons of threads on SLO. Do a search and you should receive answers to all your questions.
Unfortunately, I don't think you'll be able to rent a 3 bedroom house for under 1600k.
Where will you be working?

[Adriatica]

You might look for housing in Los Osos--still pricey, but worth looking into.

[Movermom]

Thanks for the suggestions. I did do a search before posting, and found some helpful information. I was hoping to get a bit more guidance in terms of areas that would be nice to live. I'll be working at Cal Poly.

[scubashawn68]

I was just in SLO with my son....we were actually checking out the Santa Maria area. I am from CA originally....SLO is very nice ! Schools in CA very good compared to other places in the country.
If you go there check out the Farmer's Market downtown every Thursday night. They have great produce and good food ! We went while we were there and me and my son both voved it.

[Homero]

Originally Posted by Movermom

Thanks for the suggestions. I did do a search before posting, and found some helpful information. I was hoping to get a bit more guidance in terms of areas that would be nice to live. I'll be working at Cal Poly.

What exactly will you be doing there? The campus just finished faculty housing about a year or so ago, though I'm sure you already know about that. Poly HR is usually pretty good about helping their employees find housing. Of course, that was before our states economic, how do we say, downfall.

I went to Poly and had many, if not most, of my profs live outside of SLO. Some just the next town over, some the next county over. The city itself, in terms of housing, is expensive, there is no sugar coating that. It's a college town, and as most college towns, prices are high due to student needs. A bit south of SLO, Nipomo, Arroyo Grande, Shell Beach are a bit lower in price, as well as cities to the north, such as Paso Robles, Atascadero and Templeton. These cities to the north, however, are mostly accessable by highway 101 via Cuesta Grade; this is a 7% grade, and some people are afraid of it. Personally, I have no problem with it, and it's fairly easy to get use to. Spectacular view.

The general area is fairly mild in terms of weather, lots of hiking, boating, surfing, nature oriented things to do. School systems, a fair; Arroyo Grande, if I remember correctly, high received a rather prestigious national award a few years back.

Over all, there are pleanty of living areas in San Luis county, don't limit yourself to just SLO.

[CA central coast]

Los Osos. good schools. Morro Bay High School is well respected.

[mccrea9]

Hey Mover
I dont live in slo but am moving there in may/ from florida i spent a month there and loved it/ cal poly fuels the energy and the area is humming compared to florida/ im a businessman and am in the process of setting up 2 service businesses there
good luck to a move to a really nice destination
Mike

[mmouwse]

Take a look at the community of Santa Margarita, just north of the city of SLO and only 8 miles to CalPoly. Rents tend to be lower here than in SLO City and the beach communities.
You can easily catch a bus south from here; first stop is CalPoly! These city and regional buses are clean, safe, comfortable, convenient and fun to ride. The regulars become friends, forming a little community. All buses have bicycle racks.
Santa Margarita is a small community 5 minutes from SLO and is very desirable for families. Crime is non-existant. Town potlucks one night and free movie night weekly through the summers at the park.
All cities have Farmer's market at least once during the week, with SLO City holding theirs (the first in the area) on Thursday evenings.
Public schools here have a good reputation. If you prefer a private school, there are a number of them scattered throughout the county. Mission Prep in SLO attracts families from out of the area. I believe 100% of their students move on to higher education when they graduate HS. Phenominal!
Quality of life here is excellant. There are some tradeoffs, but this is true wherever you choose to live and what the area offers in quality of life far outweighs what it lacks-if you desire low crime, low pollution, high quality of life.
Google San Luis Obispo County and the various cities. Most of them have webpages. Nipomo, Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano, Pismo Beach, SLO, Morro Bay, Los Osos, Cayucos, Cambria, Santa Margarita, Garden Farms, Atascadero, Templeton, Paso Robles...
Check out the statistical info here on City-Data.com
And, of course, read the forum threads teaming with information.
I hope this info helps!
Good Luck!
P.S. There are very few areas that would not be nice to live in. A few less desirable streets in South County. And I would avoid the "student ghettos" in SLO for obvious reasons.