Los Osos, SLO, Ventura, Monterey, Topanga, Buellton.. thinking of a move to CA

[blueskywalker]

Originally Posted by nomad on the go

Hey, there we just did the opposite of what you are looking to do. Just moved to Charlottesville from the Santa Maria area. Lived there 2 different times for a total of 15 years. Would love to talk with you but not sure how we can exchange contact information without positing in public area?

click on the posters user name and you'll see an option that allows you to send him a direct (private) message.

[carrerascott]

Thanks, I did send him a direct message earlier today with my email.

[tg9999]

Of the cities you mention I know 3 very well.
Los Osos is fine, definitely has the weather you are looking for. It never gets hot (and it also never gets real cold.) Great hiking and walking, especially at Montana de Oro.
However you might also look into Pismo Beach which has similar weather but more to do. Its a little more expensive then Los Osos, but much less expensive then SLO.
SLO is nice but very expensive. We own a home in the historic district. For under a million you can get a cookie cutter home in a decent subdivision. But if you want a nice home in a prime area it will cost you at least 1.2M. Also there are a ton of college students and non-college 20 and 30 somethings who rent, and they create noise and other quality of life issues in certain areas. SLO has one of the highest rental rates in California.
My mom grew up in Monterey. Its very nice and never gets hot. Lots to do and very close to San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area. You can get a real nice house for a million there. (Pacific Grove is a great little town, right next to Monterey, but 1M will not get you much there house wise.)
Public schools good in all the above areas, but are a tad weaker in Monterey. However there is a great Catholic school there.
Monterey, Los Osos, and Pismo Beach get a lot of clouds, but its not like the Northwest, the sun pokes through a lot.
Bottom line: the weather is great here and the outdoor recreation activities are also great. But the California coast has extremely high real estate prices, and extremely high property taxes, relative to the rest of the country. A lot of people suffer sticker shock when they move here. Good luck with your move.

[LAEscapee]

On the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel and Pacific Grove are considered the best school districts. This is reflected in the cost of housing. Los Osos is nice and you'll certainly get more for your money there. We came very close to relocating to Los Osos but decided it was a tad too sleepy for us.

[Native ny]

We have lived in SLO for nearly 5 years, moving from Buffalo area in NY. Of course the highlights of the area would be weather, the wine, scenery, small town hippy feel, fresh foods, Cal Poly and all it does for the community.... numerous pluses..... and there are many transplants, so many of the transplants are from somewhere else in the state of California. Everyone wants to come back if they have left. We probably won't stay --too many years longer-- all of our family is in the East somewhere and it is horribly expensive to fly back, can barely do that 2 x a year. So, if you are moving from E coast, that is a consideration, if you plan to visit back east. Housing here is so high. There is a lot of money here-- people have money. We have grown a bit tired of a small college town; it is crowded with cars -- parked both sides of street, I don't think the town is that clean....maybe because of the high percentage of rentals and people not taking care of their space. There really isn't a good shopping area here- there is a Kohls, a Target, a Sears...but for more shopping you'll be on the road.

We were just riding around Los Osos yesterday and in and out of some neighborhoods while enjoying local art studio tours. Now, in that town, it is also very crowded. Its nice, its close to SLO, Morro Bay, there is hiking and gorgeous scenery. I personally would not enjoy the tightness of the town. It isn't only cloudy in the morning, btw.

So, you will have to see for yourself what makes you happy. We have been happy here, but I don't think long term it is a place we will stay. Good luck to you.