Bay Area vs. Santa Barbara (San Diego, San Jose: crime, living, price)

[SF_SBNUT]

hi-i lived in both Palo Alto and bay area and SB for over 20 years-hate to break it to ya, but SB is 20-30% cheaper than the bay area right now...proven by 3 real estate folks.

[SF_SBNUT]

OMG-this is SO wrong!!!!! first of all, SB is not hot--it's average is in the 70s for all summer. I lived in BA for 40 years--it gets HOT in the penninsula and you need AC. In terms of culture? You've got to be kidding about SB not having as much--it's actually more museums, theaters than the bay area.
Public transportation is better in SB, its easier to get around and the lifestyle is more sophisticated.
The bay area is CROWDED! I commuted up and down 101 and 280 for scores of years and lived all around the bay area-its crowded and expensive and not as nice as SB.

So, if you want great weather, cheaper housing (YES), great beaches, fantastic downtown with tons of great stores (all in one place), less crowds, go to SB--in fact, don't go to SB--leave the secret to us!!

[andyadhi01]

As a place to live you can't compare these. SB is expensive but it's stunning and you get what you pay for. Bay area is way overpriced with ugly run down housing and very hectic and stressful living environment compared to SB.

[zombocom]

Originally Posted by SF_SBNUT

hi-i lived in both Palo Alto and bay area and SB for over 20 years-hate to break it to ya, but SB is 20-30% cheaper than the bay area right now...proven by 3 real estate folks.

It's been 8 months, I get the feeling the decision has been made...

[04kL4nD]

You've got to be kidding about SB not having as much--it's actually more museums, theaters than the bay area.
Public transportation is better in SB, its easier to get around and the lifestyle is more sophisticated.

Please cite sources for these claims. Thanks

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

SB probably is too hot in the summer (parts of the Bay Area don't require AC. The fog provides all the AC we need).

Ever spent much time at / near the beach in SB or anywhere else in SoCal during the summer?

You will not see very many places with AC in such locales .... there's a reason.

[NorCal Dude]

Sb is so hurt. Bay area by far.

[bentobox34]

Originally Posted by SF_SBNUT

OMG-this is SO wrong!!!!! first of all, SB is not hot--it's average is in the 70s for all summer. I lived in BA for 40 years--it gets HOT in the penninsula and you need AC. In terms of culture? You've got to be kidding about SB not having as much--it's actually more museums, theaters than the bay area.
Public transportation is better in SB, its easier to get around and the lifestyle is more sophisticated.
The bay area is CROWDED! I commuted up and down 101 and 280 for scores of years and lived all around the bay area-its crowded and expensive and not as nice as SB.

So, if you want great weather, cheaper housing (YES), great beaches, fantastic downtown with tons of great stores (all in one place), less crowds, go to SB--in fact, don't go to SB--leave the secret to us!!

Climate - agree. I lived in SB for 8 years with no AC and it was never a problem. I think there was maybe a day or 2 in 8 years when the temperature got above 90. SF, Daly City, and the parts of Berkeley/Oakland directly in the path of the Golden Gate are probably the only populous parts of the Bay Area that have cooler summers than SB.

Museums/Theaters - I doubt SB has more than the entire Bay Area, but maybe more per capita. There is definitely no lack of things to do.

Culture - Kind of a nebulous term, but people often mean that the place has some level of diversity, which something SB most definitively does NOT. The most common type of person you will find in all those museums/theaters is wealthy elderly white women. Not that I have anything against that demographic, I'm just saying.

Public transportation better - that must've been a joke.

Easier to get around - Yes. You can bike everywhere and driving is a breeze.

Bottom line - If you are retired or independently wealthy, SB probably offers a better value. If you need to work for a living, you'll have better luck in the Bay Area.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

Ever spent much time at / near the beach in SB or anywhere else in SoCal during the summer?

You will not see very many places with AC in such locales .... there's a reason.

Agree, I lived 9 years in SD and not a single place I lived had AC. I think Ruth doesn't understand that SoCal also has microclimates and the coast is very mild and doesn't require AC.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

Ever spent much time at / near the beach in SB or anywhere else in SoCal during the summer?

You will not see very many places with AC in such locales .... there's a reason.

Only a small percentage of the population lives near the beach, HELLO!