What's it like in Lompoc? (San Diego, Santa Barbara: for sale, 2014, renters)

[HomewardBound2014]

How easy is it to get to the beach from Lompoc? Is it walking distance? Is Lompoc safe for walking or biking?

[Thunder98]

A smaller version of Santa Maria.

[the city]

Cold weather, lots of shark sighting and some shark attacks at their beach, and not to mention it's boring there. There is only movie theater in town. The highlight for shopping is Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Fresh N Easy, Ross, Marshall's, and a Fallas Paredes (think super sized Factory 2 U).

Only people I know living there are looking for affordable housing a half hr from Santa Barbara or because they want to live close to the base. If you live close to the base, better look at Vandenburg Village.

[pgrdr]

Originally Posted by LompocLover

Lompoc California is a town like California small towns "used to be". It is quiet and I feel safe where ever I go. I am sure that there is "some" gang activity some places, but I haven't seen it. Most people here are kind-hearted, helpful, and hard working people. If someone comes here to live, hopefully they will add to the "good" part of Lompoc. Any place one lives can have crime or bad things attached to it, but I have been here one year and I am generally happy. It is true that the restaurants are "limited", but the ones we do have are WONDERFUL, especially the pizza parlor and the fish restaurant that looks like it used to be the one from England, Esquire Fish and Chips. I haven't been to a "bad" restaurant yet. Applebee's is a bit noisy and "slow" service at times, but we go there sometimes, too. We don't have malls, but there are big ones 30 minutes by car. We have a train station, Surf, that you can go to LA or San Diego or Salinas, San Francisco. We have commuter buses. Yes, there are surf beaches, but they are for experienced surfers--Jalama Beach. The burgers there are to die for! So if you decide to move here, WELCOME! You have plenty of bike trails, hiking. Good Beaches are about 30 minutes away. We even have a movie theater and all kinds of city-planned activities. Unless there is a rocket launch--where everyone goes outside to watch the latest rocket launched from Vandenberg AFB, Lompoc is a quiet town. I like it this way.....hopefully you will, too.

I am pleased to read what you wrote about your town. It looks like my spouse is going to be working at Vandenberg AFB after we thought we were going to Seattle. We live in Alaska. Most places he almost took jobs at looked like to live in a pleasant, clean, friendly, walkable, and bike friendly community we were going to have to move to a town further away from the base, which I didn't like because I like a short commute with as little time in traffic and on the road as possible. Long and/or congested commutes are tiring, more dangerous, stressful, and take up too much time out of each day! That's not fun!

I also like that you said there is commuter bus and a train. My daughter lives in the San Diego area and I was so hoping to be near a train for our going back and forth to visit each other. We've not been able to see our children enough during our years in Alaska because it is so expensive traveling in and out of the state.

We are a mature couple without pets (our little pooch died in June after almost 17 years with us. )<: We're aren't going to bring another pet into our lives until we own a home again or know we are staying put for good somewhere) and I am not interested in buying a home for at least the first year. I want to get my bearings first and be sure we will want to stay there long enough to make owning worth it.

Because we are used to owning our own homes, renting an apartment is just a little depressing when I read reviews of thieving management companies (which my son in the PNW has dealt with three times now), poor maintenance, parking hassles, noise problems, and so on. Then there are those depressing photos of generic and ugly wall-to-wall carpeting, light fixtures, and walls. So I am hoping we will find a nice apartment/condo/townhouse, or a nice little house for the sake of privacy, with a responsible, respectful, honest owner or property manager so we can settle in and enjoy life in So CA! Do you have any suggestions as to where we should start looking?

Thanks for taking the time to contribute what you did.

[pgrdr]

Originally Posted by Brightside40

I used to live in Los Angeles area, and now I reside in Lompoc. Crime is low compared to Santa Maria and LA. Most crime -- persons know each other. ... I have always hated the attitude of Santa Barbara and Orcutt folk about Lompoc, especially since I grew up in LA area... and know what real crime and community is about... It is not all about status and up/coming establishments. Lompoc is nice and I am so glad I did not get a place in Santa Maria when i moved here in 2002. The fog is nothing compared to Ventura and San Francisco or even Santa Monica. If you are a natrual born city dweller, then Lompoc is not for you; but if you want quiet, like the outdoors, and like hospitality and kindness in the service/retail establishments-- it is for you. I love the outdoors, have a malamute and two horses and it is perfect for me.

Hello,

Thanks for sharing your experience in your community. I'm hoping you'll see this as I have the same question for you (and anyone else reading this, actually, who has experience with the town) that I asked LompocLove.

My spouse is taking a job at Vandenberg AFB. We are a mature, responsible, pet-free couple seeking a nice rental townhouse/condo or residential home. Although we do not want to be gouged, we also want to avoid a depressing neighborhood, crime, and shoddy and/or mismanaged rentals. We like to walk, day hike, and ride our bicycles. We prefer being close to public transportation whenever possible and we aren't crazy about long commutes, especially in heavy traffic. Do you have any suggestions as to which areas or developments we should start looking?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Anonymous725]

I would never move to a town which is famous for it's prison.

[the city]

You need to live in Vandenburg Village. It's safer, cleaner, more bike friendly, and over all better than Lompoc.

[homewardbound20143]

Originally Posted by LompocLover

Lompoc California is a town like California small towns "used to be". It is quiet and I feel safe where ever I go. I am sure that there is "some" gang activity some places, but I haven't seen it. Most people here are kind-hearted, helpful, and hard working people. If someone comes here to live, hopefully they will add to the "good" part of Lompoc. Any place one lives can have crime or bad things attached to it, but I have been here one year and I am generally happy. It is true that the restaurants are "limited", but the ones we do have are WONDERFUL, especially the pizza parlor and the fish restaurant that looks like it used to be the one from England, Esquire Fish and Chips. I haven't been to a "bad" restaurant yet. Applebee's is a bit noisy and "slow" service at times, but we go there sometimes, too. We don't have malls, but there are big ones 30 minutes by car. We have a train station, Surf, that you can go to LA or San Diego or Salinas, San Francisco. We have commuter buses. Yes, there are surf beaches, but they are for experienced surfers--Jalama Beach. The burgers there are to die for! So if you decide to move here, WELCOME! You have plenty of bike trails, hiking. Good Beaches are about 30 minutes away. We even have a movie theater and all kinds of city-planned activities. Unless there is a rocket launch--where everyone goes outside to watch the latest rocket launched from Vandenberg AFB, Lompoc is a quiet town. I like it this way.....hopefully you will, too.

This is good to hear. We have read many negative things and would love to be close to the th beach we are also older and looking for quieter living. Sick of Gangs and the drama they bring. The hubs doesn't want to have a long work commute and this is ideal but I want easy access to beach trails and safety!

[homewardbound20143]

Originally Posted by the city

You need to live in Vandenburg Village. It's safer, cleaner, more bike friendly, and over all better than Lompoc.

I have looked at VV but there does not seem to be rentals and our live seems to be very portable at present. and we aren't even military. thanks for the input.

[homewardbound20143]

Originally Posted by pgrdr

I am pleased to read what you wrote about your town. It looks like my spouse is going to be working at Vandenberg AFB after we thought we were going to Seattle. We live in Alaska. Most places he almost took jobs at looked like to live in a pleasant, clean, friendly, walkable, and bike friendly community we were going to have to move to a town further away from the base, which I didn't like because I like a short commute with as little time in traffic and on the road as possible. Long and/or congested commutes are tiring, more dangerous, stressful, and take up too much time out of each day! That's not fun!

I also like that you said there is commuter bus and a train. My daughter lives in the San Diego area and I was so hoping to be near a train for our going back and forth to visit each other. We've not been able to see our children enough during our years in Alaska because it is so expensive traveling in and out of the state.

We are a mature couple without pets (our little pooch died in June after almost 17 years with us. )<: We're aren't going to bring another pet into our lives until we own a home again or know we are staying put for good somewhere) and I am not interested in buying a home for at least the first year. I want to get my bearings first and be sure we will want to stay there long enough to make owning worth it.

Because we are used to owning our own homes, renting an apartment is just a little depressing when I read reviews of thieving management companies (which my son in the PNW has dealt with three times now), poor maintenance, parking hassles, noise problems, and so on. Then there are those depressing photos of generic and ugly wall-to-wall carpeting, light fixtures, and walls. So I am hoping we will find a nice apartment/condo/townhouse, or a nice little house for the sake of privacy, with a responsible, respectful, honest owner or property manager so we can settle in and enjoy life in So CA! Do you have any suggestions as to where we should start looking?

Thanks for taking the time to contribute what you did.

We also started renting after owning and it was depressing but we ultimately found it liberating. Call the management to fix things. Can leave and not worry about the yard, break ins etc.
As a long time CA you will love it hear once you get over culture shock and take time to relax and enjoy. There is so much to see and do.

You will find the reviews will often have the worst not the best. Now that we are moving back to CA we will again be renting because we don't know how long we will be living in the area and the housing market still seems so unstable. We took a terrible hit on our house but thankfully have someone living in it so it cushioned the blow.