San Luis Obispo - Good CA home if you work remotely? (Santa Cruz: apartments, rentals) - California - City-Data Forum

eatonga · 02-26-2010, 10:24 AM

Hello,

I am 25 and work remotely for a digital media company based out of Washington DC. I currently live in the Santa Cruz mountains (Bonny Doon), but am interested in checking out another CA destination. I'm looking for good hiking/views, nice weather, and a vibrant little downtown with local flare, but some chain businesses here and there is okay. I will rent, and can afford about $800 - $1,000 a month. Also, I have a dog, so dog-friendly beaches/parks is a huge plus.

I've done some research for most places in CA, and San Luis Obispo looks like a nice spot, but I really wanted some feedback from locals before making the venture, just in case I was missing something. Is San Luis Obispo the town for me? Are there any other areas that stand out to posters for a situation like mine?

Also, would you recommend living in Pismo Beach, or some of the other outlying areas over being in SLO?

Thanks very much!

sms1967 · 02-26-2010, 01:23 PM

I think you're going to be hard pressed to live in SLO on your budget. Other than the weather, I think SLO and Santa Cruz are quite similar. Great scenery, some commercial stuff, great downtown area and no crime. There's no 'Pizza my Heart' but you can't have everything.

Pismo will also be hard for you because of the price. We enjoy Arroyo Grande and think it's worth checking into for rentals.

Rhenzanite · 02-26-2010, 02:02 PM

What kind of dog do you have?? It's pretty hard to find a rental that accepts dogs over 25 lbs or so...we had to pay a pretty hefty pet deposit at our place, and even then we had to basically sweet talk the LL into it.

For $800-$1000, you may get a little studio behind someone's house, or even a 1 bedroom apartment in a complex that will most likely be filled with college students. From experience, they aren't the best neighbors....

I would agree with sms1967 above and say you should look into places surrounding SLO, like Los Osos, AG, or even Atascadero if you don't mind driving...or rednecks. Either way

Brenda-by-the-sea · 02-26-2010, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eatonga

Also, would you recommend living in Pismo Beach, or some of the other outlying areas over being in SLO?

Thanks very much!

IMO, there isn't any other locale in SLO County where the climate is quite so fine as in the city of SLO itself. Nor is the vibe of any other spot in the county quite like that of SLO.

I would agree that your rental budget is low, but I would think if you're living in SC County already, moving down to SLO wouldn't constitute a quantum leap in expenses. I'd guess that there's far more competition for housing in SLO, though, with fewer vacancies...especially for the low end of the rental market. You might have to take whatever you can get.

eatonga · 02-26-2010, 03:32 PM

Thanks very much to everyone for the feedback

JetJockey...I have a 60lb lab/husky, and was wondering how dog-friendly the area was in general. He is really quiet/friendly, but I know larger dogs can really intimidate landlords. Are there dog-friendly beaches, or popular dog parks in SLO? Also, from what it looks like on Craigslist, rental prices seem a bit cheap in SLO as opposed to Santa Cruz, but it's really hard to be sure, as I don't have anyone on the inside to give me a realistic report.

Santa Cruz is wonderful, but it would be nice to take advantage of my remote situation and see some different interesting places out here. I wouldn't want to regret making the move, and realizing that it doesn't get much better than SC, which is why I really appreciate everyone's feedback.

Rhenzanite · 02-26-2010, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eatonga

Thanks very much to everyone for the feedback

JetJockey...I have a 60lb lab/husky, and was wondering how dog-friendly the area was in general. He is really quiet/friendly, but I know larger dogs can really intimidate landlords. Are there dog-friendly beaches, or popular dog parks in SLO? Also, from what it looks like on Craigslist, rental prices seem a bit cheap in SLO as opposed to Santa Cruz, but it's really hard to be sure, as I don't have anyone on the inside to give me a realistic report.

Santa Cruz is wonderful, but it would be nice to take advantage of my remote situation and see some different interesting places out here. I wouldn't want to regret making the move, and realizing that it doesn't get much better than SC, which is why I really appreciate everyone's feedback.

There are many places that absolutely won't rent if you have a husky because it's on the 'watch list' for many homeowners insurance groups.

Yes, there are LOTS of dog friendly parks and beach areas in South County, and many restaurants even have outdoor dining so you can bring your dog with you

We have two dogs and it's one of the better parts of living in the area.

Regarding rental prices, be careful on Craigslist. We've been renting our place for over a year, but when we were looking for a place it was a nightmare. People tend to use pictures that are YEARS old (the place looks great online...but in real life it's a run down hovel) and there are many property management companies that are REALLY sketchy. The areas in SLO (and the outlying areas) vary greatly in 'worth'. You can have block of multi million dollar homes, and the next street over is full of run down apartments. It's quite odd. I would googlemap all the addresses you find on craigslist to take a sneak peek at the area and go from there.

NorCalLover · 02-26-2010, 07:26 PM

When we lived in San Luis Obispo a couple of years ago we lived in a one-bedroom apartment in a complex for $900 / month, so it's definitely possible to find something to rent in your price range. I'm not sure about finding a place friendly to a large dog, though. Our complex was not dog friendly, and it was 95% Cal Poly students. My fiance was in his last year at Cal Poly at the time, but I think I was one of maybe 3-5 people in the complex who wasn't a Cal Poly student. That said, we lived just a few blocks from campus. To avoid the college-student population I would look on the south end of SLO in the Los Osos Valley Road area, which would have fewer students and has more space, making it more likely to be large-dog friendly.

If you have trouble finding a place in San Luis Obispo, you might be able to find something less expensive and dor-friendly in Los Osos, hich is about a 10 min drive from SLO down Los Osos Valley Road. Pismo Beach is nice but would probably be out of your price range.

SLO itself is very nice if you're into outdoorsy activities and outdoor scenery, which I assume you are since you currently live in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It has a very cute downtown with good restaurants and shops. Nightlife and social life is somewhat limited for 20-somethings, particularly singles without children, and the bars tend to be oriented at the Cal Poly students. SLO definitely has a quaint small-town feeling, so if you are a small town kind of person you'll like it here. If you're more city oriented, though, you might find yourself getting bored by the area in not too long.

eatonga · 02-28-2010, 01:22 AM

Thanks very much for the feedback...this has been very helpful!