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Old 06-04-2014, 01:08 PM
 
13 posts, read 40,179 times
Reputation: 22

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Help! I am considering a promotion/relocation to Lompoc area for my job. I currently live in Chicagoland area. Here's my needs:
3000 Sq Ft (aprx) = 3+ Bdrms (4 is ideal), 3 Baths
Prefer New construction or Remodel
Good Schools = 2 HS children!! Doesn't have to be TOPS in the nation, but good. Are these school districts welcoming? Or have the same kids been there their whole life and an outsider will always be an outsider?
Budget: = $600 - 750,000 (please tell me that's enough)
Commute time to Lompoc, 1 hr or LESS would be great. Is it a better commute coming from the North to Lompoc or coming from the South?

And I'm confused by your weather! All the towns I'm reading about (Goleta, Orcutt, Lompoc, SLO,…) seem to have nice weather but it doesn't really get above 70-73. That's not exactly "hot" to me. Nice weather = yes but is it warm enough for my teens to go to the beach or pool?? Coming from our Midwestern winters my kids want to take full advantage of WARM/HOT weather. If not, then maybe we need to consider inland towns like Buellton…yes or no? What other towns inland should I consider?

We are active, so bike trails, hiking, beaches are all good. We like to shop too, so close to Malls, Target, Macy's etc.. or downtown areas with cute restaurants & boutiques would be wonderful. It's not a priority that we have these malls in our town; located 10-15 mins away would be fine,


I have yet to visit this part of CA so any help or advice is seriously welcome!!
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Old 06-04-2014, 04:15 PM
 
Location: Living on the Coast in Oxnard CA
16,289 posts, read 32,191,995 times
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You may want to check one of the many realtor sites for home prices in Lompoc. You should be able to find a home for the amount you are considering. Many of the new construction homes will probably be less than 3,000 square feet unless you can find a custom built home.

Most schools will be welcoming in most parts of the Central Coast, Santa Barbara, and into Southern California in Ventura and Oxnard. I also have a couple of high school age kids. California always has people coming and going from within and outside the state. Being new will not disrupt the apple cart around here at all. Others probably did the same thing not too long ago.

As far as housing within your range that is within an hour away, I would look to both Santa Barbara and Santa Maria. Others can correct me if I am wrong.

The weather here is considered some of the best in the world. Mild nearly all year long. Nice weather is in the 70's. Around here, on the coast anyway, the 80's is a hot day. When it gets into the 90's we are dying. Recently our area was into the 90's here on the coast which seldom ever happens. Inland will always be much warmer. In the summer we get what is called June Gloom. Cloudy overcast much of the month. Interesting as we are in June and the weather is beautifull right now. If to you nice weather is 85 degree heat then you may want to live inland. Something else we are missing out on is the high humidity that many parts of the nation enjoy.

I can tell you this, our weather has never kept me or my family from the beach. Others will tell you the same thing. You will have plenty of outdoor activies in either Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, or San Lois Obispo County. The ocean water around here is not warm. I prefer a wet suit when I go in to play. It is just too cold for me to be in the water without one.

Normally our warm months are July, August, September and part of October. It is not unheard of to be sitting by the pool in December or January though. I have seen January in the 80's even on the coast.
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Old 06-04-2014, 05:07 PM
 
13 posts, read 40,179 times
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Thanks for taking the time to respond! I'm happy to hear the weather should be the least of my worries
Now I just need to do some research on all these towns to find a good fit.
Wish me luck….
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Old 06-04-2014, 08:53 PM
 
12,823 posts, read 24,279,764 times
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Buellton, and places east of there, are definitely warmer in the summer (and colder in the winter) than Lompoc. But you might find once you are used to it that the milder Lompoc climate is the one you want to stay in.
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Old 06-04-2014, 08:56 PM
 
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I never considered it would be colder in the winter months…excellent point, well made. Thanks.

Is anyone familiar with Monarch Dunes? Is it family oriented or more 55+ with few teens?
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Old 06-05-2014, 12:05 PM
 
569 posts, read 668,009 times
Reputation: 673
Quote:
Originally Posted by KellyMac View Post
Help! I am considering a promotion/relocation to Lompoc area for my job. I currently live in Chicagoland area. Here's my needs:
3000 Sq Ft (aprx) = 3+ Bdrms (4 is ideal), 3 Baths
Prefer New construction or Remodel
Good Schools = 2 HS children!! Doesn't have to be TOPS in the nation, but good. Are these school districts welcoming? Or have the same kids been there their whole life and an outsider will always be an outsider?
Budget: = $600 - 750,000 (please tell me that's enough)
Commute time to Lompoc, 1 hr or LESS would be great. Is it a better commute coming from the North to Lompoc or coming from the South?

And I'm confused by your weather! All the towns I'm reading about (Goleta, Orcutt, Lompoc, SLO,…) seem to have nice weather but it doesn't really get above 70-73. That's not exactly "hot" to me. Nice weather = yes but is it warm enough for my teens to go to the beach or pool?? Coming from our Midwestern winters my kids want to take full advantage of WARM/HOT weather. If not, then maybe we need to consider inland towns like Buellton…yes or no? What other towns inland should I consider?

We are active, so bike trails, hiking, beaches are all good. We like to shop too, so close to Malls, Target, Macy's etc.. or downtown areas with cute restaurants & boutiques would be wonderful. It's not a priority that we have these malls in our town; located 10-15 mins away would be fine,


I have yet to visit this part of CA so any help or advice is seriously welcome!!
I live in Santa Barbara (27 years) and haven't lived in Lompoc but I work with many who do. Lompoc gets VERY windy. It might get warm but I always hear about people complaining about the weather (windy, gray, cold, never do they say best weather ever!). But this is all second hand.

I thought about moving to Lompoc but glad I didn't move there. One coworker moved there because it was a bit less expensive than SB. After his lease was up he moved back to SB. It sounds like SLO might be a better place to live based on what you want the town to have. SLO is about 1.5 hours from SB so maybe an hour from SLO? Not really sure. When I looked at apartments in Lompoc while less $$, the town was kinda meh.

Summers in the coastal areas of CA USED to be very gray and chilly in the summer (at least until late afternoon). Now its a cr@pshoot. It was 101 here a few weeks ago. Now today it is gray and chilly. May Gray and June Gloom are nicknames for our weather for a reason. Now Thanksgiving/Xmas time can be lovely. My favorite Thanksgiving was sitting at the beach in front of the Biltmore having a picnic watching pods of dolphins right off the beach. Orcutt and SLO can get very warm. A bit inland. One beach close to Lompoc is Jalama and it is 45 min away. Good surfing spot from what I have heard but if there are big waves not that great for just swimming (someone was killed by a shark not that long ago). I love Avila Beach about 15 minutes south of SLO. Pretty much everywhere your kids will want to go will require transportation (either bus or car) in the smaller towns. SLO and SB have great bus services. I imagine Santa Maria does as well.

Just remember Lompoc is NOT like SB or SLO. It is in SB county but not the same. If I had kids I would move to SLO or SB or somewhere a bit larger with more to do. I grew up in a very small town with no public transport or activities for kids and it was boring as heck.
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Old 06-05-2014, 02:12 PM
 
13 posts, read 40,179 times
Reputation: 22
My first choice would be Santa Barbara = I just don't know if I can afford it; get what I need/want there. I may have to look at other options. And, admittedly, I don't know as much about SB schools as I do say, Orcutt or Nipomo…yet.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to comment
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Old 06-05-2014, 09:58 PM
 
569 posts, read 668,009 times
Reputation: 673
Quote:
Originally Posted by KellyMac View Post
My first choice would be Santa Barbara = I just don't know if I can afford it; get what I need/want there. I may have to look at other options. And, admittedly, I don't know as much about SB schools as I do say, Orcutt or Nipomo…yet.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to comment
There are some good schools in SB. What type of landscape are you looking for? Have you visited Nipomo or Orcutt? Having lived on the central coast (Cambria and Paso Robles) as well as SB/Goleta I prefer the SB area. Good luck!
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Old 07-19-2014, 01:57 PM
 
Location: Lompoc, California
4 posts, read 9,614 times
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Ya know, everyone in Lompoc complains about the wind here, even me! But, I'll tell you what.. we don't have tornadoes, floods, torrential rains, HOT AS HELL or FREEZING weather for more than a day or two. My friends and I talk about our crazy June Gloom, May Gray weather, and then agree that we'd rather have this mild weather than what the rest of the country endures!

When it's 94 out, we keep windows open all night and then close them and the curtains early in the morning to trap in the cool, overnight air. Most homes don't have A/C because who would want that for 3 days a year?? Oh, and we thank god for that wind!!!

When it's freezing out, I might have to turn on my furnace - or use blankets.

I'd say we average a cool 65 degrees, the beach is 10 miles from here and can be hot or cold.. always bring a sweatshirt, no matter what the weather is.

Schools are as good and as crappy as in SB, since it's all the same Santa Barbara County Department of Education.

Shopping is either Walmart, or.. Walmart Or a few local stores and lots of Thrift stores. Or Head 25 miles north to Santa Maria or 45 miles to Goleta, 55 to SB. We do NOT have great shopping here anymore. Mervyns is sorely missed and that store remains empty.

Grocery stores... Vons, Albertsons and FoodCo, or Walmart, Grocery Outlet, Fresh & Easy.

I've been here since 1978. I can attest

Lompoc, CA Weather Forecast

6:15 AM PDT SAT JUL 19 2014
TODAY - Partly cloudy. Highs from the lower to mid 60s at the beaches to the mid 70s to lower 80s inland. West winds around 15 mph in the afternoon.
TONIGHT - Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. lows in the 50s to around 60. West winds around 15 mph in the evening.
SUNDAY - Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. highs from the 60s at the beaches to the mid 70s to lower 80s inland. Southwest winds around 15 mph in the afternoon.
SUNDAY NIGHT - Partly cloudy early then low clouds and fog. Lows in the 50s to around 60. West winds around 15 mph in the evening.

Read more at
www.city-data.com/forecast/w-Lompoc-California.html

Last edited by PennyWeiss; 07-19-2014 at 02:18 PM.. Reason: adding a link
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Old 07-19-2014, 05:46 PM
 
Location: Between amicable and ornery
1,105 posts, read 1,778,866 times
Reputation: 1505
Default Just cruising by

I used to live in Lompoc for a few years when I was a kid. My dad used to commute to his job at UCSB. I attended La Canada Elemetary School and Lompoc Valley Middle School. I had great memories as a kid but that was the 80's. We'd walk to school which was probably about a mike from P street. I don't think kids do that anymore. I remember attending the flower festival or parade. I miss that small town living. I had no idea there was a penitentiary in the area and wonder how that affects the community today.

Now that I'm getting older, I'm considering a potential retirement in the area but don't want to live in harms way. I miss those cold foggy days now that we live in the desert.
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