Goleta/SB relo from Florida (Orange, Santa Barbara: transplants, rental, buying a home)

[mccrea9]

hi
I've read a few threads about the SB/ Goleta area, and am contemplating a move there from florida in the near future. I own a service business and was wondering why most replies state how expensive it is. I lived in Hawaii for 25 years and it has the same rap that SB has, but while living there I never noticed how expensive it was. People just seemed to work a bit harder. My tendancy is to locate in Goleta and start my business aiming at SB for most of my clients. Does paying $1200 a month rental (1 bdrm) and making about $85.000 a year income not make it in the SB area. What is so expensive besides buying a home and are the median salaries so low that its hard to make it there. Please shed some light i'm a bit confused. Thanks
Mike

[Charles]

Originally Posted by mccrea9

Does paying $1200 a month rental (1 bdrm) and making about $85.000 a year income not make it in the SB area.

Is that a realistic rent for a 1 BR in the SB area? I'm assuming that is (sounds low though) as these data are readily available online.

Housing will probably be the biggest junk of increased living expenses.

[Winston Smith]

Housing is the biggest expense in the Santa Barbara area, but other costs, such as food and gas, are also higher than surrounding areas. The purported reason is the extra cost of trucking items in from distribution centers in L.A., Ventura, Santa Maria, etc.

Owning your own business is a great idea for Santa Barbara. There is a lot of money in the area and if you provide a service people want and can use, you'll be much better off than trying to find a W2 job. Keep in mind, however, that Santa Barbarans can be "clanish" and provincial when it comes to hiring newcomers and outsiders. They like to hire locals who have been around for a while. That said, with the right customer service and approach, you will crack that nut and word of mouth will serve you well. Good luck!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Winston Smith

Owning your own business is a great idea for Santa Barbara.

I'd be interested to see the how a person with a $1200/month housing budget would have the capital to start a business in one of the most expensive locations in the US.

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by Charles

I'd be interested to see the how a person with a $1200/month housing budget would have the capital to start a business in one of the most expensive locations in the US.

Plenty of things you can do in Santa Barbara as a freelance, free agent. If you have a useful service or skill and are enterprising enough to find a way to market and turn revenue with it, there's no better place than Santa Barbara. The area lends itself to freelance and consulting if you have something to offer.

A business doesn't necessarily need a lot of start-up capital. I'm self-employed as a sole proprietor freelancer working online (with a laptop and an Internet connection I control the means of production, very important). My business costs aren't much more than that, a business license, home-occupation permit, DBA fees, etc. Many of my clients are in Santa Barbara. My start-up costs were not much more than my skills, a few connections to begin with and a service people/businesses needed. Four years and going strong. Of course, there are insecurities and slow periods. But with the types of jobs mostly offered in Santa Barbara, most of them come with insecurities: temp work, at-will employment, etc. Got a good skill? Go into business for yourself in Santa Barbara is my advice.

[mccrea9]

Thanks winston and charles/ glad to see there wasn't something I overlooked / the business start up is the easiest part as you said licenses and paperwork are minor/ as a single person a 1200 a month 1 bedroom is easy to find thats is why i was looking to the goleta area and my business target was SB/ thanks again sounds like sb area is a great place to live/
mike

[mccrea9]

Hi all
read all the replys on my post/ have another question for the local guys who by the way are extremely helpfull/ im going to sb this weekend to make the decision on slo or sb to set up my two businesses/ was thinking to live in goleta or lompoc for a decision on sb as the business area and i know sb can support me/ but if i liked slo do you think there is enough culture and things to do in the surrounding areas like santa maria and atascadero / think id get bored / im 57 single and into health and fitness and work a one man army type of business on a daily basis . always appreciate your advice
Mike

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by mccrea9

Hi all
read all the replys on my post/ have another question for the local guys who by the way are extremely helpfull/ im going to sb this weekend to make the decision on slo or sb to set up my two businesses/ was thinking to live in goleta or lompoc for a decision on sb as the business area and i know sb can support me/ but if i liked slo do you think there is enough culture and things to do in the surrounding areas like santa maria and atascadero / think id get bored / im 57 single and into health and fitness and work a one man army type of business on a daily basis . always appreciate your advice
Mike

SLO is a slower pace than SB, to be sure. Will you be bored? It's up to you. Sounds like you'll be too busy with your business to get bored. SLO offers a lot of things -- nice downtown, history, hiking, rugged coast not far away. I wouldn't consider Santa Maria or Atascadero great attractions for "things to do." Morro Bay attracts me as a destination more. The entire Central Coast is fairly sleepy, at least compared with areas south (Santa Barbara and south), but its sleepiness is part of the attraction.

[mccrea9]

Thanks Winston
Im thinking id be better in the goleta, lompoc situation than the santa maria, atascadero area/ sounds like not much going on there / how about the 40s 50s nightlife and the hipness of the sb and slo areas.
Mike

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by mccrea9

Thanks Winston
Im thinking id be better in the goleta, lompoc situation than the santa maria, atascadero area/ sounds like not much going on there / how about the 40s 50s nightlife and the hipness of the sb and slo areas.
Mike

Plenty to do in SB for those 40-50 years "young." A lot of aging hippies live in SB, who spawn all sorts of events and groups -- hiking, writing, environmental causes, dances and other social gatherings. Maybe browse the Independent: The Santa Barbara Independent.

Same might be said for SLO, but at a reduced scale. One thing I've noticed about SLO and other areas on the Central Coast is an influx of transplants from south Orange County. This crowd tends to be a bit, hmm..., artificial. Santa Barbara still offers a "rougher edge" that appeals to me for its honesty. This is less evident in SLO. Just my opinion.