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Hello Everyone,

Well after a year of searching I have finally landed a job opportunity which could turn out to be a very long career. I have accepted an entry level position working for the federal government. The position is back home in California. I am excited but I need to hear what you all know about Santa Barbara. I have just started to lurk at City-Data.com and I have seen the facts and figures. But what I need to know is the lowdown. Is it cool!? Can me and my lady survive in Santa Barbara these days? She is a math/science teacher with 8 years of experience she has her Masters and I have a BS in I.T.. I will be making about 40K to start but promotions and raises are based on performance so i got to hustle from day 1 for any more. I know for a fact that my wife will have to search for a teaching gig for a while. So we may have to chill with the modest 40K salary until she can be hired on. I have visited SB often when I lived in SoCal but never lived there. I know its expensive but so was L.A. when I was making minimum wage flipping copies at Kinkos with a studio apartment up in the hills of beautiful Glendale. But the economy is a wreck in CAL. Will I still be able get it done? Pay the rent, eat, and live till me and wife both get the cash flow right?

Here is the deal I wont have to move until about May -June. Me and my wife have been eying the housing market. If there ever was a time to make the move west to secure a house at some point at the lowest price we will ever see in CAL in our lifetime - probably this would be it. We are making that bet, the economy is going to rebound and housing will start to go back up. We both have been trying to get back to CAL but we don't want to live in a Condo forever when we arrive. We want a house when its all said and done.

We have money saved up for the move. So that isn't the issue. I just need to know from boots on the ground whats happening. My family in CAL are happy to see us get back but Its hard to gauge whats going on from them. I don't have intel on Santa Barbara so I want to hit the ground running when I get there.

I will be working in SB what areas should I be looking to rent?
What are the areas I should AVOID i.e. wheres the ghetto?
What is your personal view of SB?

Any other tidbits would be much appreciated! Thanks Fam!

Welcome to perfect weather.

You're gonna live around downtown SB or where?

consider Carpenteria just sound or Ventura 25min south. SB doesn't really have horrible ghetto areas, but you're gonna really want to find a place in person, don't do it by internet. SB is amazing... but expensive. Ventura is a music mecca #4 in america behind Nashville, Hollywood, and New York. It's got rough areas (don't consider Oxnard or Ventura Avenue).

If you want to bounce ideas off me let me know. This is my home territory.

Santa Barbara has a very high standard of living. Imadogg should know more about this as he goes to UCSB.

Ventura is a nice city to live in, not too many ghetto areas and is around 25-30 minutes from Santa Barbara. Oxnard (which I've lived for 23 years) is also nice, I'd stay away from the southside though. North Oxnard is the nice part of town and is expanding nicely with new developments all over the place.

Congratulations HOOPDREAMS!


Success and Nothing Less My Brotha!

Sorry everyone I forgot to say that even though I will be working in Santa Barbara its probably best that we rent in a cheaper part of town or some other close by city. I will actually be working right between Goleta and Santa Barbara. Just 5 miles west of the SB Airport and 4 miles north of downtown SB. Bless you guys for your replys so far!

You guys are the best!

Haha man, I'm jealous of you. I barely go out to that area, but it is beautiful. I'm not familiar with the area, but like a previous poster stated, you might want to look into the better parts of Oxnard and Ventura County - I'm just not sure that there are any cheap area's in SB. I don't think the commute would be that terrible from Oxnard/Ventura, but definitely check in with the SB locals here.

The commute from Oxnard/Ventura to SB is a scenic route along the 101 and you won't hit traffic until you reach the city limits of SB, and even then, traffic is light.

LA Forever wrote:The commute from Oxnard/Ventura to SB is a scenic route along the 101 and you won't hit traffic until you reach the city limits of SB, and even then, traffic is light.

Depending on construction, now entering its 37th year

If you're going to be working up on that end of the city you might want to consider Goleta. It's not as glamorous, but it's usually more affordable, and the two cities are literally right on top of each other.

Also, gas prices are up over $4 a gallon right now, you'll definitely want to factor that in if you're considering living in Ventura/Oxnard.

Come say wattup to me

congrats, and good luck.

I just graduated from UCSB, would not recommend living in Ventura or Oxnard, you can find affordable rent here. There are some not great areas, I wouldn't want to live in the southside or the parts of the eastside, but you're not in that area anyways. Goleta is nice enough, but it's mostly industrial, there's affordable apartments not too far off State St downtown where you'd be close to the action. For example, a friend of mine lives in a decent studio off Mission for like $1100/month. You'd have about a 10-15 minute commute if you live downtown tho.

Boognish - thats exactly what is needed thanks for the intel on Ventura and Oxnard. Hopefully I can find something in SB but if I can't I think Goleta maybe the way to go. The south side of SB I remember was a bit odd. It seemed really out of place. When we last visited SB we stayed on the North East side on the hill side. I didnt think it was bad, well it really didnt appear to be. It actually appeared to be way out of range of pricing too. The North areas seemed to me have more strip malls and grocery stores am I wrong about that?

LA Forever - Oxnard/Ventura will be our last resort look area. As I think Boognish is right about Goleta being closer. If we look in Ventura im gonna be hitting you up for more intel LOL!

Hunter103 - Goleta seems like the first place to check out I mean if we don't find some killer pad in SB. I am always one to look really well. I usually find some gems tucked away. But that was in LA. I know Los Angleles 1000 times better than Santa Barbara.

Danny Darko - that real good to hear about the music scene nearby. Me and wife are both huge music Nutz! We plan to hit the live music scene hard when we get back. We have several friends down in LA that are in bands, most of thier shows are in OC though. SB Bowl I remember hosting some epic shows. So we really can't wait for that. Not to mention Laker/Clipper games here and there.

Imadogg - No doubt homie!

just stay away from oxnard.

Is oxnard really that bad? Ive been looking at rental sites and I am seeing decent pricing. I mean is it that much better in ventura?

Oxnard is not bad at all. It has it's bad areas. Which city doesn't? North Oxnard is nice though, and that's where my mom lives.

I currently live in Goleta as I am a UCSB student. I would definitely reccomend it. Having lived in south LA my whole life, I can honestly say I have yet to run into a "bad" part of SAnta Barbara. I would say definitely look into Goleta. Small driving distance to downtown SB, and affortable (in relation to surrounding areas).

kno wrote:I currently live in Goleta as I am a UCSB student. I would definitely reccomend it. Having lived in south LA my whole life, I can honestly say I have yet to run into a "bad" part of SAnta Barbara. I would say definitely look into Goleta. Small driving distance to downtown SB, and affortable (in relation to surrounding areas).

Let's meet up

First of all thank you so much for the INVALUABLE intel you all have provided me and my wife. Thank so much for replying quickly as we are trying to size things up with job leads for my wife. Narrowing down locales for a future residence is important.

Ventura, seems to have a bigger stock of affordable rentals. With Goleta coming in a close second. I will over look Oxnard for now since I haven't heard any good words about the area from you all on here. Wow you don't know just how much help you all have been. I was getting a bit stressed thinking about locations, now with your help I am much more chilled!

I have taken many trips through out the states which mostly have revolved around taking in NBA games and I have used info from these forums to help out with hotel booking, event parking, sight seeing and places to eat. Every time RealGM has been spot on. From help with games in Chicago, Atlanta, NYC, Indianapolis, and Memphis everyone here has great advice. I knew the Laker Fam would come through!