Why should I live in Los Banos, CA? (San Jose, Modesto: hotel, house prices)

[efirebird]

Moving from England back to the Bay Area. Cost of housing is ridiculous for large family.

Los Banos listings are reasonable and well under the $700K price range.
Any ideas on what it's like to live there?

Grew up in SJ but haven't been in the U.S. in 10+ years.

Thanks

[J-Lu]

I think that it is a stretch to say that Los Banos is part of the Bay Area. I do know of people who make the commute into Silicon Valley (due to the home prices). You're looking at a 90 minute commute (easily) from LB to San Jose. I haven't spent much time there, except for passing through on my way to other places. Doesn't look like it has much to offer, though.

[efirebird]

The house prices seemed okay but we're learning it really isn't worth the time
and trouble to have an absent dad/husband who will be on the road before the kids get up and probably after they go to bed.

We're considering Colorado since we can get twice as much space, at least 4700 sq ft with an in-law suite for the same amount of money.

[connie]

Originally Posted by efirebird

The house prices seemed okay but we're learning it really isn't worth the time
and trouble to have an absent dad/husband who will be on the road before the kids get up and probably after they go to bed.

We're considering Colorado since we can get twice as much space, at least 4700 sq ft with an in-law suite for the same amount of money.

I think you are making the right decision. Los Banos does not have much to offer. It used to be a tiny town that travelers used for a pit stop (has a popular donut shop, for example). Then Bay Area residents moved there because of housing. So the roads are clogged every day with commuters who have no interest in Los Banos itself, since they are just using it as a place to sleep. Schools aren't good and there's no sense of community. Running joke is that Los Banos is Spanish for "the bathroom," which doesn't exactly fill you with hometown pride. From what I've heard, it's a decent idea if you are childless and living the "corporate life" but can't afford Bay Area housing. Colorado sounds like a better choice!

[efirebird]

Thanks.

We're approaching our 30th day in a hotel so we have to decide what state to move to.

Have already narrowed down two houses in the East Coast. It tooks 3 days to look at 28 houses!

I guess I'll have to see what Colorado has too offer.

Pity, it would've been nice to introduce my kids to the Bay Area where I grew up.

[jay dee]

Sorry to be a dooms-dayer Efirebird but Los Banos is always the site of some horrific accident on Friday's it seems lately. Los Banos is one of the few roads heading out to the Central Valley from the South Bay so the get away traffic to LA/Yosemite, and everyone else who has moved to Modesto, etc. uses this two lane country rd with no dividers. Last weekend two semis tangled it up and had some sort of chemical spill to boot. The rd was closed for at least 12 hrs if I remember correctly and the only other route is 580/210 out to Tracy which is the only fwy going out to the central valley and can add hours to your commute as well.

This isn't unique-this sort of road closure or several hrs of delay due to some idiot in a hurry taking on a semi truck and ending up in a serious accident (or dead) seems to happen more and more frequently.

I have a feeling your kids would appriciate a long weekend in the winter time out to the Bay Area to enjoy the sunshine and fun spots you can show them than having you stuck in traffic half the time.

[norcal5453]

Isn't los Banos spanish for the bathrooms?

[jay dee]

The direct translation from Spainish to English for Los Banos is The Baths, I suppose this has something to do with the hot springs located east of town.

So the spanish for bathroom should be 'cuarto de baño' but the slang word for 'bathroom' translated into Engish is banos.

[Vicky Tea]

Howdy all.... I was just cursing the net and ran across this posting about living in Los Banos.....AKA, The Bath Room. I'm actually a semi native of LB as I moved here in 1968 with the population was less than 7000. If you think it is a small hole in the wall now, you should have seen it than.

As to how it got its name.... "Back in the olden days" when people traveled from one end of the state to the other, they would stop here to enjoy the "Hot Springs," thus the name the Los Banos or the Baths.

As for living here..... Most of my neighbors who have moved here from San Jose love it. I personally think is a good place for families. Yes it a bit tuff for those of us who have to work back in San Jose....but.....it is nice to know that a spouse can stay at home and take care of the kids while the other one works. The cost of living is low enough that you can have a one family wage earner instead of needing both parents to work in order to survive in San Jose.

[EZrhythm]

Another chalk mark for Colorado from me.
I would avoid Los Banos at all costs.