Does Sebastopol have all the attributes for a great little small town experience? (Santa Rosa: crime, house)

[Dean Trails]

Sebastopol seems to have a lot of the good things that make a small town wonderful.


Has a mild almost coastal climate.
The surrounding area appears to be bikeable including the down town.
The downtown is quaint and picturesque.
Crime is very low.
It is close to a larger city (Santa Rosa) for big town amenities.
It has a quick drive to the coast.
The area is green, quiet and beautiful.
For California, the house are almost affordable.


So, am I missing something? Does it have some hidden downsides I am not seeing? If we have any Sebastopolians here in the Forum, I would look forward to your comments and experience in the area.

[Chuck5000]

I don't live there but know the region well - Sebastopol is beautiful, but rapidily getting more expensive. (Not sure re: schools, go check greatschools.org for ratings) It's major detriment is that it is not at all commutable to any major job centers, i.e. SF, Silicon Valley, even the East Bay. You'd have to work nearby, and the economy is not that diverse compared to the other job centers I mentioned. Or, just be wealthy. Then it's a relative bargain.

I would take a guess (ask a realtor) that for wealthier people who don't want to commute, who just want a retirement or vacation property, they don't bother with Sebastopol as much because they can find higher end properties elsewhere, and not have to do a teardown, as Sebastopol's housing stock is pretty old. It's funky.

Commuting from the North Bay anywhere outside is bad. There is a train being built, but it will not offer speed, just predictability. Still very long rides.

And regional traffic is getting pretty terrible, so if it looks like you can drive from Sebastopol to somewhere, like, say, SF, forget it.

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by Chuck5000

I don't live there but know the region well - Sebastopol is beautiful, but rapidily getting more expensive. (Not sure re: schools, go check greatschools.org for ratings) It's major detriment is that it is not at all commutable to any major job centers, i.e. SF, Silicon Valley, even the East Bay. You'd have to work nearby, and the economy is not that diverse compared to the other job centers I mentioned. Or, just be wealthy. Then it's a relative bargain.

I would take a guess (ask a realtor) that for wealthier people who don't want to commute, who just want a retirement or vacation property, they don't bother with Sebastopol as much because they can find higher end properties elsewhere, and not have to do a teardown, as Sebastopol's housing stock is pretty old. It's funky.

Commuting from the North Bay anywhere outside is bad. There is a train being built, but it will not offer speed, just predictability. Still very long rides.

And regional traffic is getting pretty terrible, so if it looks like you can drive from Sebastopol to somewhere, like, say, SF, forget it.

Thank you for your comments. Yes, I was hoping to get some comments from those that live in the area for that local flavor.


Commuting isn't really and issue for me as I work at home in my jammies. I would just like a place that has some big city amenities in a small pretty setting.


And yes, the beautiful areas do seem to be getting more expensive. Healdsburg appears to not be that affordable anymore. It got loved to death.


Interesting you spoke of a train in the area. This isn't part of the Brown Line?

[Chuck5000]

The train is called SMART. You can search for it. It won't be a direct train, it's to a bus depot, and later, to a ferry. Still long, no matter what.

Seb. could be a cool choice for you. You might even do better for $ nearby, maybe outskirts of SR? You didn't mention your price tag. Assume you've looked online; if one is at the bottom end, there are some fairly crappy properties there.

You could look at Petaluma, slightly more urban, closer to everything. I have not cross shopped prices, could be more expensive due to its location. I wouldn't call Sebastopol "big city" like in any way, other than the fact it has a handful of restaurants and coffee shops in a slightly rundown downtown-like area. IMO,

[MountainHi]

I wouldn't call it a coastal climate. That area gets hot in the summers, and temps all over the Bay Area and outer Bay Area are getting warmer. If you want coastal temps, you need to be near the coast or the Bay.

Other than that, it looks like a great town.

[Mirdad]

Chuck (or anyone) what is the commute like from Sebastopol to Santa Rosa? Reason why I ask is that I am considering employment in Santa Rosa but prefer to live in Sebastopol. Google maps says it's only about 8 miles or approximately 12 minutes. I know from experience living in high traffic areas that 8 miles can wind up being a 30 minute commute. I would need to report to work at 8am. Thanks!

[SLA74]

I live in Santa Rosa but frequently go to Sebastopol...I live on the east side of SR (close to 101) and the minimum time it takes in relatively good traffic is 20 minutes (either direction). In heavy traffic it can be 25 - 30 minutes.

Just thought I'd chime in on the Sebastopol livability thing....it's a great town and I used to really want to move there, but honestly the traffic through downtown can be so horrendous especially during rush hour. It's often a combo of local and tourist traffic that bottlenecks along Hwy 12 which runs east/west through town (from Santa Rosa to the coast). Hwy 116 from the north through downtown is pretty awful too. I avoid driving through Sebastopol during late afternoons as much as possible (worst hours are probably 3 - 6pm). If you live near an alternative route (i.e. Occidental Rd), that can be much better traffic-wise.

[Chuck5000]

Mirdad check out maps.google.com on your computer, not your phone, go to the 'directions' feature and you can use their commute times traffic data feature, which is pretty accurate. It comes from mobile phones.

I have been in the jam that SLA talks about on a vacation weekend, it's a big buzz kill.

[Mirdad]

Thanks for the prompt response Chuck. I'll check out Google Maps tomorrow morning around 7:30 to see what the commute is like then. As of 12:45pm today it looks like it's only a 14 minute commute with a bit of traffic congestion leaving Sebastopol.
Thanks again.

[Mirdad]

Thanks SLA74. I most likely will just be commuting to and from Santa Rosa in the morning and evening so yes, I'll be in rush hour traffic. There appears to be some tennis courts with lights in Santa Rosa so perhaps I can hit the ball around while traffic subsides. Chuck has a good good idea about seeing what the traffic flow is like on Google Maps in the morning and evening. I really don't know much about Santa Rosa so perhaps I might be open to moving there instead but I liked what I saw in Sebastopol a few years back when I was there on a short visit. Overall, I am very new to the entire area so it will be an adventure no matter which location I choose to reside.