Why should I live in Los Banos, CA? (San Jose, Torrance: Home Depot, employment)

[humboldtrat]

Originally Posted by daniel juno

Just out of curiosity...are 80% of people's replys those who haven't lived in Los Banos. Seems really oppionated. My Mother and I are looking to move out there cause for what you rent out there you get a home something ive never had before here you get a dump for around the bay and im talking near 2 grand in rent. For that I can live with a 1.5 hr commute one way. Hell I ride a motorcycle so i can use the fast lane and my mom has a farly new car. The country side is amazing in my opinion. I'm not much one for night life so it maybe slow there but thats fine by me. People mentioned wear and tear on vehical thats true but its going to happen anyway just means it'll be sooner with more miles a day. IDK I just like the long posts that go in to detail because i get a better picture of it. Most of this thread seems like people spouting off opinions but im not sure they have ever lived there or if so why they hate it so.

I say go for it! Los Banos is a nice rural town. Too bad some of the snobs on this forum think life isn't worth living if you don't live near the beach and night life. Plenty of fishing and boating nearby at San Luis reservoir San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area

[roadwarrior101]

I don't think I could do it. It is a poorer, agricultural town. I'd imagine that the schools aren't very good. What are you going to do there on weekends?

However, there is one great thing about Los Banos. You have got to try Hot City BBQ....most amazing tri-tip and pulled pork sandwiches!

[jbunniii]

Ha, the OP is an amusing blast from the past:

Los Banos listings are reasonable and well under the $700K price range.

What are they now, $200k? Even though I monitored it quite closely at the time, it's still pretty amazing to look back at the lunatic prices of the housing bubble era. I hope the guy didn't actually end up buying in Los Banos, especially not in 2006.

[edit] Sure enough, just checked Redfin, with a filter of 3+ bedrooms, 2+ bathrooms, 1500+ square feet, detached house. Over the past six months, the lowest sale price meeting these criteria was $57k for a 1506 sq ft 3bed/2bath, and the highest was $235k for a 2700 sq ft 5bed/3bath. There was even a 3524 sq ft house that sold for $215k!

As for the commute, I flat out wouldn't do it unless the pay was high enough that I could retire within a couple of years.

[imcurious]

I'd rather live in shoe box in a beautiful place than a mansion in an ugly place. It's hard to fathom that so many people put value on a house instead of a place.

[rimmerama]

Originally Posted by efirebird

Moving from England back to the Bay Area. Cost of housing is ridiculous for large family.

Los Banos listings are reasonable and well under the $700K price range.
Any ideas on what it's like to live there?

Grew up in SJ but haven't been in the U.S. in 10+ years.

Thanks

Well, it's cheap... For a reason. There are plenty of valley towns that are nicer... Have you thought about some of the communities surrounding Sacramento?

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by jbunniii

As for the commute, I flat out wouldn't do it unless the pay was high enough that I could afford a helicopter.

FYP.

Hey, with all the money one saves on housing, maybe?

[fishing1]

I have moved to Los Banos in 2010 because I always dreamed of home ownership. It wasn't possible for myself to buy a home in the bay area because it was just to expensive. I have lived my whole life in the south bay area and needed a change. One thing I love about Los Banos is the fact that I can actually see the stars at night and they are not blocked by smog and all that other junk in the air, I have not seeing this type of view since the 1980's when I lived in Morgan Hill. Another thing I love about this town is that the people are very nice and down to earth good people. If your from the bay area and you go into a store in Los Banos you might get frustrated like I did because I'm used to people getting in and out of a store as fast as you can so that nobody gets in line before you do, well chances are that the person at the counter in a Los Banos store probably knows the person in front of you in line and will catch up and jibber jab about everything and then some then take there sweet time ringing the person in front of you up. I am actually ok with that happening now and I think I have developed some patience from living here. Yes it does get hot here in the summer but that's why AC was invented. There is great fishing here if that's what you like to do. The best thing I like about this town is that it is very quiet compared to the bay area and I think it is a great small town to raise a family in.

[fishing1]

If you look at the population growth statistics from 2000-2010 I believe the city grew 10,000 people, that to me is amazing for a small town. Until the housing bubble popped growth stopped and declined a little in Los Banos from 2007-2010. In 2010 the population was about 34,000 now in 2013 the city re-posted the population with a total of 37,040 I can see just from that information that people are once again coming to live here. There has been some commercial development happening in Los Banos, and now that Amazon has moved to Patterson which is about 35 minutes away and the Walmart store is going to be expanding it's square footage to become a Super Walmart here in Los Banos this will give people more options for jobs and and help give a boost to our local economy. Costco owns property next to The Home Depot but has not given a date of when they will start construction.

[GioLM]

I would never wish Los Banos on anybody, and especially if you have been accustomed to living in Europe it would be a terrible transfer. Los Banos is a pit

[marcopolo666]

I'm really at a loss as to people "refresh" threads that were started almost 7 years old. Yes, SEVEN YEARS AGO, a guy asked if he should move to Los Banos. I think he's made up his mind by now.