Santa Barbara, CA - Living

[tucker 238]

A company reached out that is based in Santa Barbara and wants me to meet the executive team. How much money will I need to consider moving from Texas?

How is it to live for someone with no kids? Am I going to be bored AF living there?

I am late 30s not married but not single. 

[Errestaurants 2,570]

About tree fiddy

Do you like beautiful weather year around, beaches with sharks, wealthy empty nesters, college kids, wine country and walkable quaint downtown?

[CooterBrown 18,032]

If you ever want to be a home owner and retire, at least $300,000 per year.

[troph 24,914]

At least.

[MAROON 445]

you want to live in Montecito so you're gonna need to start negotiations at $500k. 

 

[Incredulity 11,683]

2 hours ago, tucker said:

A company reached out that is based in Santa Barbara and wants me to meet the executive team. How much money will I need to consider moving from Texas?

How is it to live for someone with no kids? Am I going to be bored AF living there?

I am late 30s not married but not single. 

What do you find entertaining?

You need a good income.  consider CA is going to take 13% of it too.  So as above hundreds of thousands.

A shack is going to cost you 3/4 of a million.  

[Sbbruin 21,898]

FWIW, if money/employment were no consideration, I would be living there right now, over any place on earth.  There's plenty to do, more bars and restaurants than you can shake a stick at, for a single guy with money?  Ladies for days.  But it is one of the more expensive places to live anywhere.  But so perfect.

[tucker 238]

So $300k salary plus a couple million in equity for it to make financial sense 

[Sbbruin 21,898]

Buy a boat and live on board down at the harbor.  

[tucker 238]

1 minute ago, Sbbruin said:

Buy a boat and live on board down at the harbor.  

My dog hates the water 

[Fico 1,791]

Watch all the episodes of Psych. You’ll know the place inside and out.

[Sbbruin 21,898]

16 minutes ago, tucker said:

So $300k salary plus a couple million in equity for it to make financial sense 

Honestly you can do fine as a single person on a lot less.  Assuming you're renting.  Some of the 'burbs like Goleta aren't bad at all.  Upper State has nice places too.  There are plenty of poors who live up there too.

[happyfunball 481]

Honestly you can do fine as a single person on a lot less.  Assuming you're renting.  Some of the 'burbs like Goleta aren't bad at all.  Upper State has nice places too.  There are plenty of poors who live up there too.

 

 

 

Only do the move if they can make the equity life changing imo regarding salary plus equity. Salary shouldn’t matter as much if getting a lot of equity.

 

[Napoleon 8,702]

2 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

FWIW, if money/employment were no consideration, I would be living there right now, over any place on earth.  There's plenty to do, more bars and restaurants than you can shake a stick at, for a single guy with money?  Ladies for days.  But it is one of the more expensive places to live anywhere.  But so perfect.

I might be right there with you.

I have a friend who lives there with his wife and two kids... he rents. Quaint 3 bedroom home with a den/TV room/office and plenty of sunlight and space in the living room plus a garage in a nice area... $4,500/month.

Another friend has family that has been there for decades. The uncle, a retired optometrist, has a modest sail boat in the marina and belongs to the yacht club. It's not a bad life, but it is more than a wee-bit expensive.

[CooterBrown 18,032]

2 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

Honestly you can do fine as a single person on a lot less.  Assuming you're renting.  Some of the 'burbs like Goleta aren't bad at all.  Upper State has nice places too.  There are plenty of poors who live up there too.

Those quality ladies you mention above don't want a guy living in Goleta. They're putting out for the dudes that can live in SB proper.

[pops 7,007]

A lot of people that work in SB live in Ventura or Oxnard and take the train in. Can find stuff in goleta or Isla Vista for a bit cheaper. Nothing in any of those places is worth what anyone is charging, but it is, without a doubt, my favorite place on Earth. 

We spend a month every winter in carpinteria. Best beach I've ever been to. 

Traffic can be a bitch at rush hour. 

But seriously. It fucking rocks. 

Oh, and I went to a couple ucsb games this winter and Don Johnson and his wife walked in. So there's that. 

Edited April 24, 2019 by pops

[6th Street 6,508]

Best place to live in CA.

Beautiful old school downtown, beaches, weather, scenery, nearby wineries, and food and drink scene is solid too. 

My old boss left SF to move down there and works from home full time and swears he's never moving back to the city. Takes his kids surfing every weekend. 

[tucker 238]

Guess I should have clarified that this isn’t a quality of life moving. The company is about to IPO and needs to fill out their exec team hence reaching out to me. 

Im not going to move because of beaches but curious how bored I will be if it just ok money. 

Edited April 24, 2019 by tucker

[troph 24,914]

Guess I should have clarified that this isn’t a quality of life moving. The company is about to IPO and needs to fill out their exec team hence reaching out to me. 
Im not going to move because of beaches but curious how bored I will be if it just ok money. 

If you need executive comp representation let me know. Especially on the equity piece if you feel lost.

Rest of it I agree with SBB you can probably do just fine renting, just know you’ll need to leave unless you kill it on the IPO. I love SB would enjoy a summer there. It’s a tad bit warmer than I like but NoCal is more my climate. When I was a straight dude my ex and I spent some time there and had a blast. The farmers market is unreal. Can’t go wrong living there.

[Carl Spackler 3,505]

51 minutes ago, troph said:

When I was a straight dude my ex and I spent some time there and had a blast.

So you're pitching (or catching) for the other team now?

NTTAWWT

[royiv 9,376]

2 hours ago, tucker said:

Guess I should have clarified that this isn’t a quality of life moving. The company is about to IPO and needs to fill out their exec team hence reaching out to me. 

Im not going to move because of beaches but curious how bored I will be if it just ok money. 

InTouch?

[Carl Spackler 3,505]

2 hours ago, tucker said:

curious how bored I will be if it just ok money. 

There's plenty of free (or cheap) outdoors shit to do in and around Santa Barbara (hiking, surfing, paddleboarding, etc.), so you shouldn't get too bored.  Others on this thread have touched on the great climate, cool downtown area, etc.  There are also three or four breweries, including a couple in the Funk Zone, which is a cool area between the 101 and the ocean that has a bunch of restaurants, galleries, bars, and tasting rooms.  I had one of the better meals I've eaten in the past 3 or 4 years at The Lark, which is in the FZ.  

Like wine?  There are several tasting rooms in SB proper, and you're only 45 minutes away from the Santa Ynez valley area of northern Santa Barbara County, which has more wineries and tasting rooms than you can shake a stick at.    

Bottom line is that SB is an awesome place to live, but it's damned expensive.

[Napoleon 8,702]

5 hours ago, 6th Street said:

Best place to live in CA.

Beautiful old school downtown, beaches, weather, scenery, nearby wineries, and food and drink scene is solid too. 

My old boss left SF to move down there and works from home full time and swears he's never moving back to the city. Takes his kids surfing every weekend. 

If you've walked down a sidewalk at night in San Francisco, you would wonder why in the fuck anyone with money would live in that city after the age of ~29.

Even if Santa Barbara didn't have several wineries in and around downtown, even if they didn't have several tasting rooms right near the water, the Santa Ynez wine country is twice as close to Santa Barbara (or more) than the Napa/Sonoma locations and don't even get started on the Napa traffic.

Plus, oddly enough, paradise (Santa Barbara) is less expensive and 10 times safer than the SF Bay Area. It's just bizarre that anyone with money, who works from home, would even consider living in SF.

[Napoleon 8,702]

3 hours ago, troph said:

...It’s a tad bit warmer than I like but NoCal is more my climate. When I was a straight dude my ex and I spent some time there and had a blast. The farmers market is unreal. Can’t go wrong living there.

You may claim to be gay, but you know how I know that you don't live in the (SF) Bay Area?

.

.

.

.

. . . only SoCal people call Northern California "NoCal".

The people up there say "NorCal" and will correct you until you shut up or leave.

 

PS- I know, because I've lived in SoCal for nearly 10 years of my life, but have loads of friends who have lived/currently live up there.

[troph 24,914]

I’m just a drunk tourist from Texas posting without supervision last night. Gay yes but with a twist, or a few curves I might say. For a diff thread though. NoCal probs was from the keto/diet thread.

[6th Street 6,508]

4 hours ago, Napoleon said:

If you've walked down a sidewalk at night in San Francisco, you would wonder why in the fuck anyone with money would live in that city after the age of ~29.

Even if Santa Barbara didn't have several wineries in and around downtown, even if they didn't have several tasting rooms right near the water, the Santa Ynez wine country is twice as close to Santa Barbara (or more) than the Napa/Sonoma locations and don't even get started on the Napa traffic.

Plus, oddly enough, paradise (Santa Barbara) is less expensive and 10 times safer than the SF Bay Area. It's just bizarre that anyone with money, who works from home, would even consider living in SF.

Hey man the Marina is badass

[South Austin 52,632]

I spent one night in Santa Barbara a few years ago on the way to a weekend in the wine country.  We stayed at the Kimpton Canary and had dinner at Bouchon, and I thought to myself, hell yeah I would live here in a heartbeat if I could afford it.  Such a fucking great town. 

[troph 24,914]

I’d say SB over SF for sure except some times it gets down right hot in SB, and I prefer 55-80 as an ideal climate. SB and Carmel/Big Sur are probably two of the most amazing places and if I could afford and work from either I would.

[Johnny Sack 8,397]

I like the wines in the Santa Ynez region much better than Napa/Sonoma.

[elfenix 34,338]

So you're pitching (or catching) for the other team now?
NTTAWWT

Troph has always been a lesbian, don't let her fool you.

[troph 24,914]

I like the wines in the Santa Ynez region much better than Napa/Sonoma.

Me too and it’s not even a close comparison.

[Johnny Sack 8,397]

4 minutes ago, troph said:

Me too and it’s not even a close comparison.

I first went there the day after we lost to Alabama.  My wife and I plus several other couples were all in L.A. for the game and staying several days after to hang out.  After we lost, we were kind of depressed.  Everyone was going out to drink that night and planned on sleeping in and hanging out at the hotel.  The only thing we had planned for the next day was a dinner at Madeo (really good Italian food, by the way).  I told my wife that we should just go back to the hotel, get a good night's sleep, and get up in the morning and drive north on the PCH.

We woke up at 6 with no plans (we were still on Texas time).  Drove up to Malibu and had breakfast on the beach at Paradise Cove.  Then we decided to head to Santa Ynez County for win tastings.  I like wine and had been to Napa several times.  I always thought the Napa wines were fine.  I could not get over how much more I liked the wines in Santa Ynez.  Every tasting was delicious.  Even wines I do not like.  I rarely drink white wine outside of a Sancerre.  I loved all the whites I had that day.  And the pinots were awesome.  

[troph 24,914]

My first trip to SB was with my ex the day before the Michigan Rose Bowl. Same deal as you. Second trip was a business deal at the club next to the four seasons in Montecito but didn’t get to the wine country. Been a few other times including the year I was asked to give the primary money pitch at the LA gala for the Human Rights Campaign (I shared the stage with Katy Perry and Lena Dunham and spoke to over 1000 people, kinda cool), a few other times too. might make a summer there soon. I think they have a wooden bat summer league team there if I’m not mistaken.

[South Austin 52,632]

40 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

I like the wines in the Santa Ynez region much better than Napa/Sonoma.

 

18 minutes ago, troph said:

Me too and it’s not even a close comparison.

Me three.  Better wines with a fraction of the Napa/Sonoma crowds. 

We set up base camp in Los Olivos, and had dinner at the same restaurant where Miles got shitfaced and drunk-dialed his ex-wife in Sideways.  The region makes the best Pinot Noir in California (I might give it a tie with Willamette Valley) and it also made me a fan of Syrah.  They also produce great Rose.  That's right -- I drink Rose.  Come at me, bro.

[Terry Silver 219]

Santa Barbara?  I spent a month there one night.

[Johnny Sack 8,397]

4 minutes ago, South Austin said:

 

Me three.  Better wines with a fraction of the Napa/Sonoma crowds. 

We set up base camp in Los Olivos, and had dinner at the same restaurant where Miles got shitfaced and drunk-dialed his ex-wife in Sideways.  The region makes the best Pinot Noir in California (I might give it a tie with Willamette Valley) and it also made me a fan of Syrah.  They also produce great Rose.  That's right -- I drink Rose.  Come at me, bro.

Was that the Hitching Post II?  If so, we ate there.  I also bought a case of the Highliner Pinot and had it shipped to Houston.  It was really good.

[troph 24,914]

Me three.  Better wines with a fraction of the Napa/Sonoma crowds. 
We set up base camp in Los Olivos, and had dinner at the same restaurant where Miles got shitfaced and drunk-dialed his ex-wife in Sideways.  The region makes the best Pinot Noir in California (I might give it a tie with Willamette Valley) and it also made me a fan of Syrah.  They also produce great Rose.  That's right -- I drink Rose.  Come at me, bro.

This is all kinds of awesome except the rose you need to up your game to sparkling rose. You’ll never go back.

[South Austin 52,632]

1 minute ago, Johnny Sack said:

Was that the Hitching Post II?  If so, we ate there.  I also bought a case of the Highliner Pinot and had it shipped to Houston.  It was really good.

No, the Hitching Post II is in Buellton.  That's where Miles and Jack went on their first night and met Maya.  And I've heard that the Hitching Post II has some great wine.

The place in Los Olivos is the Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café.  Los Olivos is more of a small sleepy town than Buellton or Solvang, which are more suburban.

[South Austin 52,632]

Just now, troph said:

This is all kinds of awesome except the rose you need to up your game to sparkling rose. You’ll never go back.

 

 

Oh believe me, I enjoy the pink bubbly on a regular occasion, but use still Rose more with food.  It pairs great with grilled lobster. 

[Txzen 498]

I wish you'd stop talking about Los Olivos. It's terrible, and there's no reason to go there. So just don't, and don't even mention it to anyone. 

SB is not the most expensive place to live in the US or even California (that would most likely still be on the SF peninsula / Palo Alto area), but it's a different demographic as well, with very many extremely wealthy retired people.  

I think that whole Central Coast area is what most people really want when they think of a California dream. The weather and beaches are amazing, yet it's still remarkably easy and quick to get remote and rural quickly. You feel kind of isolated, but if you're really jonesing a big-city experience, LA begins not too far away.

I agree the wine region is probably tops - at the very least it's a totally different vibe to visit compared to Napa - but they also make some darn fine grape juice as well. There's a lot to love between SB and Paso Robles. That region is really underrepresented in any shops or restaurants in the Bay Area, unfortunately. It was only recently I figured out how much good stuff there is (beyond just Hitching Post, which is relatively easy to find). 

The hardest thing moving here from Texas (and 'here' can be SD, LA or SF) is re-calibrating not only what you will pay in a mortgage, but also what home looks like. If a single/not-single guy with no kids feels he needs a 4BR house, then it's going to be a shock to the system. You quickly recalibrate what you really, really need. We underwent a serious bloodletting when we moved to the Bay Area - gutting our possessions, throwing out half of our clothes (no closets big enough for them anyway), and downsizing the amount and size of our furniture. Simplify, and decide what you really need. Those that figure it out tend to never leave, though I've known many people from Texas who came out this way and never adjusted, and didn't stay long. Remember that your home doesn't need to be a palace, because you're going to be outdoors most of the time anyway.

Edited April 24, 2019 by Txzen

[Chewbacca 7,787]

1 hour ago, troph said:

 

This is all kinds of awesome except the rose you need to up your game to sparkling rose. You’ll never go back.

 

I know this board has strong feelings about Caymus, but the Conundrum sparkling rose is one of my favorites.  And it's only $25-30 a bottle.

[Johnny Sack 8,397]

4 minutes ago, Txzen said:

I wish you'd stop talking about Los Olivos. It's terrible, and there's no reason to go there. So just don't, and don't even mention it to anyone. 

SB is not the most expensive place to live in the US or even California (that would most likely still be on the SF peninsula / Palo Alto area), but it's a different demographic as well, with very many extremely wealthy retired people.  

I think that whole Central Coast area is what most people really want when they think of a California dream. The weather and beaches are amazing, yet it's still remarkably easy and quick to get remote and rural quickly. You feel kind of isolated, but if you're really jonesing a big-city experience, LA begins not too far away. 

I agree the wine region is probably tops - at the very least it's a totally different vibe to visit compared to Napa - but they also make some darn fine grape juice as well. There's a lot to love between SB and Paso Robles. That region is really underrepresented in any shops or restaurants in the Bay Area, unfortunately. It was only recently I figured out how much good stuff there is (beyond just Hitching Post, which is relatively easy to find). 

The hardest thing moving here from Texas (and 'here' can be SD, LA or SF) is re-calibrating not only what you will pay in a mortgage, but also what home looks like. If a single/not-single guy with no kids feels he needs a 4BR house, then it's going to be a shock to the system. You quickly recalibrate what you really, really need. We underwent a serious bloodletting when we moved to the Bay Area - gutting our possessions, throwing out half of our clothes (no closets big enough for them anyway), and downsizing the amount and size of our furniture. Simplify, and decide what you really need. Those that figure it out tend to never leave, though I've known many people from Texas who came out this way and never adjusted, and didn't stay long. Remember that your home doesn't need to be a palace, because you're going to be outdoors most of the time anyway.

I feel you need much less of a house than you do in Texas.  The weather is so damn good you can spend so much time outdoors.

[Ollie Slatt 289]

4 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

I feel you need much less of a house than you do in Texas.  The weather is so damn good you can spend so much time outdoors.

Very true.  I used to live in Cal and spent exponentially more time in my backyard than I do in Texas.  We probably ate dinner on our back patio more often than we did in the house. 

It was also nice not having/needing an air-conditioner (and having lower bills as a consequence).  

[G650 14,278]

20 hours ago, tucker said:

A company reached out that is based in Santa Barbara and wants me to meet the executive team. How much money will I need to consider moving from Texas?

How is it to live for someone with no kids? Am I going to be bored AF living there?

I am late 30s not married but not single. 

In technical terms, a shitload.

I lived in SB at the turn of the millennium, and it's changed a little since then, but not terribly so. Fantastic place to live, I've given serious thought to retiring there.

As late 30's, you will have a better time if you are an outside activity kind of person. It's not a hopping nightlife place unless you are a college kid. There's some solid watering holes on State St. though.

[G650 14,278]

18 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

Some of the 'burbs like Goleta aren't bad at all

lolwut.

[Carl Spackler 3,505]

1 hour ago, Txzen said:

I wish you'd stop talking about Los Olivos. It's terrible, and there's no reason to go there. So just don't, and don't even mention it to anyone.

 

1234

In fact, the entirety of Santa Barbara County wine country is a veritable shithole with absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and should therefore never be mentioned by anyone on this board ever again.

 

[Sbbruin 21,898]

39 minutes ago, G650 said:

lolwut.

If I’m in my 30’s, Goleta is fine.  You’re not gonna live in Hope Ranch.

[pops 7,007]

50 minutes ago, Ollie Slatt said:

Very true.  I used to live in Cal and spent exponentially more time in my backyard than I do in Texas.  We probably ate dinner on our back patio more often than we did in the house. 

It was also nice not having/needing an air-conditioner (and having lower bills as a consequence).  

This. 

The SQ footage of the house is only part of it. Your yard will be your biggest room and where you will probably spend the most time.   There's a reason people figure out how to make it work there. 

[Txzen 498]

3 minutes ago, pops said:

This. 

The SQ footage of the house is only part of it. Your yard will be your biggest room and where you will probably spend the most time.   There's a reason people figure out how to make it work there. 

...and where you don't have much of a yard (quite possible), you may spend that time at the park or beach down the road. 

I recall a first visitor when we were in SF asking, as we walked by a neighborhood park, 'what, do you all just go to the park on a nice day or something?'. Well, yeah. My apartment is in a building from 1903, where would you rather hang out?

[We’reTexas 1,473]

The hardest thing moving here from Texas (and 'here' can be SD, LA or SF) is re-calibrating not only what you will pay in a mortgage, but also what home looks like. If a single/not-single guy with no kids feels he needs a 4BR house, then it's going to be a shock to the system. You quickly recalibrate what you really, really need. We underwent a serious bloodletting when we moved to the Bay Area - gutting our possessions, throwing out half of our clothes (no closets big enough for them anyway), and downsizing the amount and size of our furniture. Simplify, and decide what you really need. Those that figure it out tend to never leave, though I've known many people from Texas who came out this way and never adjusted, and didn't stay long. Remember that your home doesn't need to be a palace, because you're going to be outdoors most of the time anyway.

Completely agree - we moved to SF from Houston and it was quite a shock at first, but we got over it quickly (the space change, I mean - prices are a neverending gut punch). We are outdoors all weekends and most weeknights.



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