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Santa Maria, California is a city of about 95,000 residents in the state’s central coast region. The city is now the largest city in Santa Barbara County, larger than Santa Barbara. The city is part of the Santa Maria Valley, which includes the city of Guadalupe and the unincorporated township of Orcutt. Santa Maria is a cheaper but still sunny alternative to Southern California

The city is known for its wine industry and agricultural products. Crops produced in the area include strawberries, wine grapes, peas, cauliflower, squash, lettuce, broccoli, beans, and spinach. There is also cattle ranching in the valley. According to data from the 2000 U.S. Census, Santa Maria has a 60% Hispanic population. Large retailers in Santa Maria include Wal-Mart, Target, Macy, Toys R’ Us, Home Depot and Costco. There is also an In-N-Out Burger Restaurant in Santa Maria.

Industries important to the city include high-tech research and development, health care, energy production, military operations, manufacturing, aerospace, and communications. The city’s largest employers are the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, Marian Medical Center, and Allan Hancock College. The Vandenberg Air Force Base is located 15 miles south of Santa Maria near Lompoc.

The Santa Maria Valley has long been used as a filming location for Hollywood movies. Major motion pictures filmed in the valley include: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Sideways, Hidalgo, G.I. Jane, The Rocketeer, and The Spirit of St. Louis.

Santa Maria is about twenty miles east of Pacific Ocean along the Santa Maria River. The river is formed by the confluence of the Sisquoc and Cuyama Rivers just a few miles east of Santa Maria. However, the river runs nearly dry much of the year, except after rainstorms. The Cuyama River is dammed upstream forming the Twitchell Reservoir. East of the city is a coastal mountain range that rises to nearly 3,000 feet.

The city is at an elevation of 216 feet and has a moderate year round climate which allows for excellent growing conditions. Santa Maria rarely dips below freezing in the winter and receives average annual precipitation of 14 inches. January average high temperatures are 64 degrees with an average low of 39. Snowfall in the city is extremely rare.

September is actually the warmest month in the city with average high temperatures of 75 and lows of 51. Santa Maria is very dry during the spring and summer months. On average, less than 1.5 inches of total rain falls between the months of May and October. However, fog is common. The city has a climate comparable to Los Angeles but is typically a few degrees cooler. The hillsides east of the city turn brown during the dry months.

There are many beautiful places and attractions to visit within one hour of Santa Maria. They include: San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, Cayucos, Solvang, Chumash Casino, Lake Cachuma, Santa Yñez Mountains, and Los Olivos (home of numerous wine tasting rooms and Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch).

Santa Maria housing prices have fallen significantly since 2007. The city and surrounding area saw a rapid rise in housing prices in the years prior to 2006. Subsequently, average median home prices have fallen nearly 50%. According to RealEstate.Yahoo.com, the current median home price in Santa Maria is $253,900. This is significantly less than the city of Santa Barbara’s astronomical prices, which are currently $1,099,000. Santa Barbara is located 63 miles southeast from Santa Maria, about a one hour and 15 minute drive.

If you are considering moving, Santa Maria is a cheaper but still sunny alternative to Southern California. It has significantly less traffic and a fairly diverse economy for its size. If you have family, be sure to carefully consider area schools.

Source for climate data: Western Regional Climate Center

As the number of mortgage defaults and foreclosures continues to rise, an increasing number of Americans are looking to rent. Foreclosure notwithstanding, people rent for a number of reasons including attending college, a job change, income level, desire for a change in roommates, a divorce of separation, or simply the desire or need to move to a new area. Also, with today’s stricter lending standards, many people who qualified for a home loan just a few years ago, no longer qualify. In this article, we look at some of the best places to rent, relative to the median home price in the area.

According to third quarter 2010 data from Moody Analytics, the top ten best places to rent for major metropolitan areas relative to median home prices are:

1. East Bay, California (includes cities such as Oakland, Berkeley, and Hayward)
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
3. San Jose, California (Silicon Valley, southern part of San Francisco Bay Area)
4. Manhattan, New York (largest borough of New York City)
5. San Francisco, California
6. Orange County, California (includes cities of Anaheim, Irvine, and Huntington Beach)
7. Seattle, Washington (includes cities of Tacoma, Bellevue, Kent, and Federal Way)
8. Charlotte, North Carolina
9. Portland, Oregon
10. North – Central, New Jersey

These cities and metropolitan areas are regional job centers and most have relatively high median home prices, making renting an attractive option. Each has a price – rent ratio of at least 24.69%. Charlotte is the cheapest of these markets for home ownership with a median home price of $200,100. On the other end, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California market has a median home price of $628,700, according to preliminary third quarter 2010 figures from the California Association of Realtors.

However, the shift towards renting may begin to change. On average, rents rose 3% in 2010 in the U.S. as a result of demand. If rent prices continue to rise and home prices do not increase, renting becomes a less attractive option. However, if you live in an area where home prices continue to see a significant drop, renting can make a lot of sense.

Obviously wherever you live and need to rent, that is the best place to rent. However, home and rent prices are worth considering if you are moving to a new area need to make a local move from your current residence. If you are moving and need help with your move, get a moving quote. It can help you save significantly on your moving costs.

Source for rent data: Moody Analytics

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine published an article ranking the best values in public colleges for 2011. The list below represents some of the best public colleges and universities in different parts of the country. These schools offer an excellent, affordable education at a price typically considerably lower than private colleges. The magazine evaluated public schools based on factors such as in-state tuition costs, competitive admissions, and available financial aid.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (“UNC”). UNC is a perennial favorite. The university was founded in 1789 and has a beautiful campus. Its tuition costs for in-state residents are only slightly above the national average. UNC has produced more Rhodes Scholars than any other public university. The school also has a very strong men’s basketball program. UNC ranked fifth on U.S. News & World Report magazine’s list of best public colleges and universities for 2011.

Chapel Hill is nearby other sizable cities such as Raleigh, Durham and Cary. The metropolitan area has a population of more than 1.1 million. Other schools nearby UNC include Duke, North Carolina State, and Wake Forest. Raleigh, North Carolina ranked number one on Forbes Magazine’s 2009 list of Best Places for Business and Careers.

2. University of Florida (“UF”) – Gainesville, FL. UF has low in-state tuition costs. It also has strong sports programs in football and men’s basketball. UF ranked 17th on U.S. News & World Report magazine’s list of best public colleges and universities for 2011.

Gainesville is a city of about 100,000 residents in north central Florida. It enjoys mild winters that allow for outdoor activities such as biking and swimming even during the cooler months. There is also an abundance of wildlife in the area. Atlantic Ocean beaches and the city of Jacksonville are less than 90 minutes away.

3. University of Virginia (“UVA”) – Charlottesville, FL. Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, founded UVA. It was established in 1819. UVA along with Jefferson’s nearby mountaintop home of Monticello are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. UVA has one of the highest graduation rates among public universities. It also offers generous need-based financial aid for qualified students. UVA ranked second (tied with UCLA) on U.S. News & World Report magazine’s list of best public colleges and universities for 2011.

Charlottesville is a scenic city of about 50,000 near the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is about one hour northwest of Richmond. The city has a greenbelt trail system 20 miles in length called the Rivanna Trail that encircles the city.

4. College of William & Mary – Williamsburg, VA. This college also ranked sixth on U.S. News & World Report magazine’s list of best public colleges and universities for 2011.

5. University of Maryland (“UM”) – College Park, MD. UM tied for 18th on U.S. News & World Report magazine’s list of best public colleges and universities for 2011.

6. Binghamton University (SUNY (State University of New York)) – Vestal/Binghamton, NY. This school tied for 38th on U.S. News & World Report magazine’s list of best public colleges and universities for 2011.

7. SUNY Geneseo – Geneseo, NY.

8. University of Georgia (“UGA”) – Athens, GA. UGA tied for 18th on U.S. News & World Report magazine’s list of best public colleges and universities for 2011.

9. University of Wisconsin (“UW”) – Madison, WI. UW tied for 13th on U.S. News & World Report magazine’s list of best public colleges and universities for 2011.

10. University of Washington (“U-dub”) – Seattle, WA. U-dub tied for 11th on U.S. News & World Report magazine’s list of best public colleges and universities for 2011.

Many of these best public colleges and universities are located in cities that are desirable places to live. Cities such as Madison, Seattle, and Charlottesville have an abundance of outdoor activities in each season. Colleges and universities add cultural value to towns that can be enjoyed by more than just students. They often have vibrant music, art, and athletic venues to be enjoyed by all. Schools also attract businesses such as coffee shops, bars, and restaurants with a variety of different types of ethnic cuisine.

Colleges and universities also typically attract a diverse population with the youth, intellect, and drive to start up new companies and make major contributions to local employers. For example, University of Washington graduates have greatly helped the fortunes of large local employers such as Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon.com, Starbucks, and Costco.

If you are considering moving for work or to retire, college towns usually make for an excellent place to live. Some colleges and universities also offer discounted classes for seniors for continuing education. Other cities to consider with major universities include: Austin, Texas; Boston; Ann Arbor, Michigan; and Lawrence, Kansas.

California is the most populous state in the country. Despite its size, it continues to attract new residents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, from 2000-2010, California’s population increased 10 percent to 37,253,956 people. The state now has about 12% of the entire country’s population.

According to the Census Burea, California had five of the top 25 metropolitan statistical area populations in the U.S as of July 1, 2009: 2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana (12,874,797); 13. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont (4,317,853); 14. Riverside-San Bernandino-Ontario (4,143,113); 17. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos (3,053,793); and 25. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville (2,127,355).

California home prices have been hard hit by the recession. The state has seen high levels of employment, mortgage defaults, and bankruptcies. As a result, median home prices in all of the state’s major markets have declined by more than 1/4 since 2007. In the Riverside-San Bernandino-Ontario market, median home prices have dropped by 50% since 2007.

According the California Association of Realtors, for existing homes as of September 30, 2010, the preliminary median home prices for the top 10 markets in California are:

1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana ($350,000)
2. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ($588,900)
3. Riverside-San Bernandino-Ontario ($190,100)
4. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos ($387,600)
5. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville ($185,000)
6. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ($628,700)
7. Fresno ($189,000)
8. Bakersfield-Delano ($149,500)
9. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura ($399,000*)
10. Modesto ($130,000)

*Source: Yahoo Real Estate, December 27, 2010.

California home prices are much more reasonabe than they were just a few years ago. The state’s warm weather, beaches, scenic terrain, and other attractions continue to be a major draw for residents and visitors alike. This dip in prices may create a buying opportunity if you are considering moving to California.