Housing is Overpriced
-
3/4/2008
I have been living in Santa Barbara for 3 years now. There are many good things about living here besides the obvious, very beautiful surroundings - beach, mountains, climate - it's lovely. The people are very kind and there is much to do in a small-town way. I'm fortunate that I have a great job with a great salary, but rent for my 615 sq.ft. apartment is $1,350! I've been looking for 2 years to move into a better, quieter place, and unfortunately rents have gone out of control (just check Craigslist and you'll get the idea). Studio apartments with kitchenettes are renting for $1,200-$2,350 and 99% of places do not allow pets. Before you move here, take into consideration that there is a high student population, so you will be vying for living space with students who are forced to shack up in increasing numbers in a town that is very, very limited in decent, quality rentals/homes. Also, there seems to be a high population of illegal immigrants who don't mind squeezing an entire family tree into 2 bedrooms, so that limits the housing even more...and perpetuates slumlords. If you want to buy a home, well, I hope you are either rich, included housing in your salary negotiations or have a lot of money saved. I hear that property taxes on newly-purchased homes is out of control (hence people are renting rooms at exorbitant prices just to keep up with their mortgage). It's important to get to know the neighborhoods because a listing with a "reasonable" price is most likely in a not-so-great area: anything around Milpas St., Ellwood Beach area, Carrillo St. and the 101 or Cottage Hospital. Drive around the area first. Some listings are right next to the train tracks (even nice condos in Montecito) or the freeway. Montecito is known for being a snobby neighborhood. I personally have not had any negative experiences there. But people will rent their places for even more money because they think it's special...maybe because Oprah has a home there??
Other than that :oP, I have had lots of fun around town: "Nights" in the summer at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, endless festivals, beach time, hiking in the hills, day trips to the Santa Inez Valley, great restaurants and shopping (although, some of the good stores are starting to leave because the rents are too high). There is easy access to many walking trails and the bike path. If you can swing the housing, it's definitely a very nice place to live. Hope you found this helpful - good luck!
Corena | Santa Barbara, CA