Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
1. I'm not self-published. I have contracts with big house publishers. And I have over 2 dozen credits to my name.
2. I'm not naive.
3. I realize this won't be easy, and I'm not trying to make it seem as though it won't be. Hence the research I've already done & going out of my way to talk to nice people like you. I'm really not sure where you're getting that I believe this move will be a walk in the park, because if that were the case, I definitely wouldn't have put all the research effort into it.
4. This post is becoming more about jobs as a professor/lecturer in California, and that wasn't my intention. I would like the other points in my post discussed further as I've said numerous times that I am perfectly fine pursuing my other skills. I almost prefer them to teaching!
I find it interesting that a few have mentioned that Santa Barbara is so much more expensive than other places in CA. While looking into apartments, I'm not seeing that. I've found several apartments that are in the $1500-$1600 range, which isn't expensive to me. After all, it is CA. I'm not expecting to rent a place at $600 a month. I have seen a few places at just above $1000, and usually, that means bad neighborhoods. Are there many bad neighborhoods in Santa Barbara? Because based on the images I've seen of the apartments, they look great (both the $1000 & $1500+ places). I have several friends who made the transition to CA from the WI area, so I'm not naive to what the CA lifestyle is like, but they all live in other areas (Dana Point, Encinitas, San Diego, etc.). Unfortunately, they're not able to give me an insiders look at bad areas, etc.
Again, thanks for your input, and I appreciate the comments.
I don't know anything about jobs in your field. However I do know that about 90,000 people live in Santa Barbara, and I'm sure that some of them don't make over $200K per year. And yes $600K will only get you a p.o.s. house, but very decent (imo) condos can be had for that price, and less. If your near-term goal was to purchase a brand new McMansion for your growing family, then you should probably look elsewhere. There's nothing wrong with living in apartments (that you can afford) when you're young and single. Where I live (Long Island) many people your age are still living with their parents.
1. I'm not self-published. I have contracts with big house publishers. And I have over 2 dozen credits to my name.
2. I'm not naive.
3. I realize this won't be easy, and I'm not trying to make it seem as though it won't be. Hence the research I've already done & going out of my way to talk to nice people like you. I'm really not sure where you're getting that I believe this move will be a walk in the park, because if that were the case, I definitely wouldn't have put all the research effort into it.
4. This post is becoming more about jobs as a professor/lecturer in California, and that wasn't my intention. I would like the other points in my post discussed further as I've said numerous times that I am perfectly fine pursuing my other skills. I almost prefer them to teaching!
I find it interesting that a few have mentioned that Santa Barbara is so much more expensive than other places in CA. While looking into apartments, I'm not seeing that. I've found several apartments that are in the $1500-$1600 range, which isn't expensive to me. After all, it is CA. I'm not expecting to rent a place at $600 a month. I have seen a few places at just above $1000, and usually, that means bad neighborhoods. Are there many bad neighborhoods in Santa Barbara? Because based on the images I've seen of the apartments, they look great (both the $1000 & $1500+ places). I have several friends who made the transition to CA from the WI area, so I'm not naive to what the CA lifestyle is like, but they all live in other areas (Dana Point, Encinitas, San Diego, etc.). Unfortunately, they're not able to give me an insiders look at bad areas, etc.
Again, thanks for your input, and I appreciate the comments.
Are you looking for a one bedroom or two bedroom? You will be hard pressed to find a nice place (one bedroom) for less than $1600. I think you mentioned pets. Good luck with that. Renters have a VERY hard time finding housing that accepts them. Cats yes, dogs no (I have cats, wasn't easy at all moving the last time). You will need to find a house most likely and that will be well over 2K/month. There are some not nice neighborhoods in the area. Not necessarily high crime (we don't have much of that) but dirty and not well kept up. I looked at one apartment for $1900 (2 bedroom) that I wouldn't have even taken 20 years ago when I was a kid and didn't care.
The rental market is weird here. They know people want to live here and will pay whatever for a not so nice place. You don't like it, there will be a line of others that will settle for it. Expect to pay a deposit that is 2X your rent and probably higher if you have a pet. Jobs are also not so easy to get. We are hiring a conference coordinator at my place of employment ($18/hr-$25/hr) and we have gotten resumes from attorneys. The place my husband worked (carpet cleaning) had applicants that had PhD's. My neighbor was recruited from Seattle for a job, moved here, and was promptly laid off. She was able to find an entry level job elsewhere at a MUCH lower rate of pay and of course had to move to a cheaper location that was a guest house of a church member.
I don't want to be pessimistic but this is a tough area to move to. I love it and you probably will as well but be prepared for your rental to not be as nice as you think it should for the price you are paying. Also be prepared for the low salaries. My godmother is a retired head hunter and she said SB was the hardest area to place people. She did say right now the Oxnard/Ventura/Port Hueneme area has a lot of places hiring. I have lived here since 1986 and have seen some changes to the area but again, I love it.
Ok, some of these numbers are getting a little ridiculous. You don't need to make $125k to live in Santa Barbara as a single individual. You don't need to make $200k as a couple to make it in SB. You can absolutely live a great lifestyle in SB for significantly less money than that, and I know many, many people who do it every day.
At those incomes, you'll find it significantly easier to live than most people, and you'll be able to buy a nice house and all that jazz, but those income levels are absolutely not required for living here. My own personal math, as I live in Santa Barbara right now and look to change jobs, has me and my wife looking at about 100k-115k household income to be able to continue our lifestyle in SB as we transition jobs (me to higher paying, her to lower paying). That is for renting a 2-bedroom place which allows dogs. Will be able to buy a house at that income? No, not unless we get some family help on the down payment. Will we be able to live comfortably? Absolutely.
And no, there's not really a "bad area" in Santa Barbara. It's amazing to me how some people think it requires over $125k for a single to live comfortably anywhere in this city, and others think they're walking into Compton if they walk 3 blocks off State St. Some areas are less good than others, sure. But as a 26 year old male, I have no problems walking or biking alone anywhere in the city at night. As mentioned previously, there are small areas on the east side and west side that aren't as desirable, but I still don't think of them as being dangerous or anything like that.
I've been looking into the housing options, and I've actually found it pretty easy to find a place that allows pets. I'm not too worried about that. I'm also definitely not looking to buy a house anytime soon. Renting is just fine for me, so I'm not worried about the housing prices or what my income will need to be in order to purchase. I actually received a call back from a job I applied to there, so things are looking up already.
coholder: Thanks for getting me a more realistic number. I've noticed on these forums that the numbers tend to be a bit skewed. I looked over some of the advice people in my area are giving, and they are completely off. It can be a bit disturbing. So I'm glad you were able to openly tell me what is realistic and what isn't.
Gidgetsmidget: Thanks for all of the examples. Although I am nervous about the possibility of being laid off in a state where I don't know anyone, I know I can always head back home if need be. Though, that is definitely not the path I'd like to take! I've been looking at apartment websites, craigslist, etc. to see what's available, and I can see where you're coming from. Some of the apartments at $1600 don't look fantastic, but then there's a few that do. I'm not expecting granite counter tops or anything. I'm realistic about the lifestyle of CA--even though I've never lived there.
Again, thanks so much for all of your input! It's greatly appreciated.
You seem to have a good attitude about moving here. Just understand pay is a little low and rentals expensive but as long as you get that and adjust expectations accordingly you will be fine. My husband and I live comfortably on far less than 100k/year. Not frilly but comfortably. Good luck! Summers are fun with Solstice and Fiesta so hopefully you can check it out.
I do think it would be very hard to find a college level job teaching creative writing in Santa Barbara, both UCSB and SBCC are very competitive. But also look into Westmont. There are also some very very good private high schools like Cate that would probably be interested in someone with your resume. But there are also a few magazines, etc etc in the area you could look into to work as an editor.
The great thing about Santa Barbara and the surrounding areas, are there are lots of great places in close proximity (none of them cheap). My last three years at UCSB I lived in Carpinteria at the polo condos, because I kept my horse down there, and the commute to Goleta was 20 mins max. Great little city. Some choose to live in Santa Ynez and commute down, but its all about preference and how much you're willing to drive. There are a lot of young people, that go to school there and stay or move back after grad school.
I've found that Santa Barbara is VERY dog friendly, at least in terms of beaches and that sort of thing.
There are some shabby neighborhoods. Avoid Isla Vista if you are past the college kegger age.
I'm contemplating a move to Santa Barbara. I've never lived in California, and I am planning on visiting before making the move, but I've always wanted to move to the west coast (who hasn't?). I've done a lot of research on several cities, and I really like what I've learned about SB. I am graduating from grad school soon with a Master of Fine Arts in Writing, so I'm hoping that will get me a great job with good pay. But I am nervous about the cost of living. I currently live in southeastern Wisconsin, so it will be a drastic change all around. But I'm ready for it!
So I have some questions (preferably answered by those who currently live in the city):
- I have a dog and a cat. Is it a dog-friendly city? Do a lot of rentals allow dogs? He's trained and a non-barker.
- I will have a Master's degree and can teach college, so I will be applying at UCSB and other local colleges to teach writing courses; however, I also have a lot of experience in editing, marketing, and executive assistance. How is the job market for someone with my skill set?
- How crazy is the cost of living? I know some cities in California are cheaper than others, so where does SB sit in that range?
- What are some good places to live? I'd really like to be within walking distance to the beach, because I'm also an author, so I know I'll want to write outside since I'll have year-round nice weather (compared to WI). I'm 24, no kids, etc., so I'd also like to be in an area that's close to shopping, restaurants, etc. But I'm not a big party person. I'd really like something with a yard for my dog--even if it's a shared place. It's just easier to potty him. Are there a lot of places (apartments) with yards? I've been searching online (apartments.com, apartmentguide.com, etc.), and there isn't anything listed for apartments, so I finally just checked out craigslist, which was much more helpful.
- How is the tourist situation? I bet living in FL is horrible, and CA might not be much better. Is it awful? Should I be prepared to sit in traffic forever? I like SB because it has a relatively small population (compared to where I currently live).
I really appreciate everyone's help on this! Hopefully I'll be your neighbor soon!
Ok a few things...I moved to SB in 2001 staright out of high school. When I first moved here I lived right at Yanonali and Bath St. which is considered the downtown area. If you aren't a tourist or party animal you probably won't like that area. The tourist situation in SB is GNARLY. It's very hard to drive (people everywhere). The on-paper population may be small but don't be fooled, it's packed here. I hated it. As soon as I could I moved to Carpinteria (just about 12 miles south) and then Goleta (about 12 miles north). Even now I avoid the State St. area like the plague unless my family is in town. Another thing I found really annoying (moving from Scottsdale, Az) were all the one way streets and paid parking. In SB you have to pay to park practically EVERYWHERE. At Paseo Nuevo (really pretty out door mall on State), at the hospital (can get it validated though), if you work at UCSB, at the Harbor (great resturaunts) and any other parking lot near or around mid-to lower State St.
Not to be negative, but good luck finding a rental that will allow you to keep your dog and cat. This is the most un-friendly pet city I've ever lived in (for renting anyway). I haven't been able to find one landlord who will allow dogs in all the years I've lived here (the past two places I've lived haven't even allowed fish...water damage....what?? I've had friends who got lucky and where able to find a place that allowed dogs/cats but every time they had to move to another place in SB they had to give away their animals (couldn't find another pet friendly rental).
The cost of living here is outrageous. Since your 24 with no kids you'll be fine for awhile. You can get roommates or live in a studio, etc. Unless you can afford $2000 or up don't expect to find anything "nice" here. Every rental I've had experiences with (friends apts, my apts, etc) have some type of mold, asbestos, single paned windows, nasty carpet, etc. (For example, my sister's 2 bedroom duplex was $1900 a month and it was a freezing cold, seriously old dump). The city of SB website even has a page speaking to the prevalence of slumlords here. They don't fix up their rentals because they don't have to, people will pay the high rent just to live here. Honestly, if I hadn't lived in other areas of the US I probably wouldn't even notice it because I'm so used to it by now. Apartments with yards are not common here. Just to give you an example of housing....the market rate for our 2 bedroom, 1 bath 900sq. ft apt in Goleta is $2100 to $2200 a month. I just recently saw a 3 bedroom house for rent in Goleta for $3500 a month. So again, if you're single or married with no kids, this place isn't so bad as long as you're ok with older, no frills, semi-nasty apts. But if you want to put down roots or own a home you'll have to move eventually. My husband works for UCSB and we'd never be able to buy anything here. In fact, most of our good friends have moved away andwe're on our way out as well. Of course, none of this matters if you have money. This is a place all about money, everything is expensive.
All this to say, be realistic. Don't come here with rose colored glasses firmly in place; charmed by the vacation atmosphere and "American Riviera" reputation. You might end up being disappointed.
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 07-21-2013 at 08:29 AM..
Reason: Original Poster Request
One other thing, if you do come here you have to check out Shoreline Beach Cafe on Shoreline Dr. near the harbor. Of course, you typicaly have to pay to park (only a few free parking spots), haha, but it's right on the beach with tables in the sand. Good food, great atmosphere, so fun. You'll love it!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
