Alta Vista
Midcentury builds commonly bought as investment properties for student rentals
Alta Vista is primarily made up of single-level, midcentury ranch-style homes with 7,000- to 10,000-square-foot lots that are larger than most in the city. “We find the prices of home sales in the neighborhood have recently gone up dramatically,” says Brans, adding that most local homes range from $1.3 million to $1.6 million. Brans notes that while there are some owner-occupied residences here, most homes are used as rental properties for Cal Poly students; according to her, Alta Vista has one of the highest bedroom-rental rates in San Luis Obispo. “The rental market has seen a significant uptick in this neighborhood," Brans says, "so you’ll find a lot of owners adding density and value where possible.” Some owners do so by building accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. Not every rental unit has laundry access, so the Laundromat by Swish and Swirl is located right in the neighborhood.While the homes here are older, few of them are completely original. “We're seeing a lot of people coming in and updating the properties to make them more modern,” Brans says. Because homes in this neighborhood have appreciated in value over the past few years and buyers know they can get a big return on investment for long-term rentals, Brans says, “People aren’t buying and flipping, they are buying and holding.”
Proximity to an array of local eateries, with plenty of restaurants and retailers downtown
In Alta Vista's southwest corner, takeout spots include Ziggy’s for vegan burgers, tacos and milkshakes, and Tiki Hut for Carribean-inspired stir fry. About a mile west of the neighborhood, Foothill Boulevard is lined with locally owned eateries like Charlie’s Place, known for breakfast burritos, burgers and brews, and Scout Coffee, a go-to for specialty lattes and baked goods. Also here is local staple SloDoCo Donuts, popular with students for its 24/7 hours, and a California Fresh Market for groceries.Downtown San Luis Obispo has yet more local restaurants, as well as plenty of retail. Old SLO BBQ Co. serves up Santa Maria-style barbeque plates and sandwiches, while Woodstock's Pizza doles out late-night slices. Locally owned shops include Boo Boo Records for vinyl and concert memorabilia, and Phoenix Books for new, used and rare titles. There are also lots of national retailers here, like lululemon and Anthropologie.
Two community parks within a mile
Just west of the neighborhood, Santa Rosa Park has a large playground for kids, and residents of all ages can enjoy the basketball court, baseball and softball fields. The on-site skate park attracts boarders and bladers of all skill levels with its large bowls and ramps, and also has a neighboring hockey rink.About a mile east of the neighborhood, Cuesta Canyon Park sits at the base of the Cuesta Grade, offering visitors views of the foothills. San Luis Obispo Creek runs directly through the park, where kids and dogs are commonly found wading in the shallow water. Park goers can also scout for fish and turtles from the footbridge. The park is also home to a playground, a sand volleyball court and horseshoe pits, as well as several barbeque areas with plenty of seating, popular for hosting family reunions and birthday parties.
Learning in the highly rated San Luis Coastal Unified District
Alta Vista is zoned for San Luis Coastal Unified District, which Niche gives an overall A rating and names as the best district in San Luis Obispo County. Local kids can start school at the A-minus-rated Bishop’s Peak Elementary, and continue to the A-rated Laguna Middle. At San Luis Obispo High, which also receives an A, students can enroll in career and technical education courses in a variety of fields including information and communication technologies and manufacturing and product development.Close to Downtown SLO events, museums and performing arts venues
Residents are just a mile from Downtown San Luis Obispo’s most popular events and museums. Every Thursday the Downtown SLO Farmers Market attracts thousands of visitors with its fresh produce, locally made goods, live music performances and local food vendors. On Friday evenings during the summer, downtown’s Mission Plaza showcases a variety of music acts of all genres at Music in Plaza, the Central Coast’s largest free concert series. Also downtown, the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art displays pottery, paintings and photography by regional artists. On Cal Poly’s campus, a mile north of the neighborhood, the Performing Arts Center of San Luis Obispo stages touring music, dance and theatre performances.Access to bike lanes, public transportation and Highway 101
Alta Vista is bordered south by Highway 101, which travels the West Coast north to south. SLO Transit bus stops line California Boulevard on the neighborhood's west side and Grand Avenue on the east, and routes travel throughout the city. From Alta Vista, sidewalks and bike lanes run south to Downtown SLO and north to Cal Poly’s campus. Adventist Health’s Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center is just a mile west of the neighborhood, and the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport is about 5 miles south, with nonstop flights to major cities throughout the West.
Written By
Lauren Schott
Photography Contributed By
Elliott McCracken
Video By
Bill Jennings
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Agents Specializing in this Area
-
Rob Rose
Rob Rose
Responds QuicklyChristie's International Real Estate Sereno
(805) 779-3754
77 Total Sales
1 in Alta Vista
$1,846,155 Price
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Kevin Goodwin
Kevin Goodwin
Responds QuicklyGoodwin & Thyne Properties
(805) 979-2658
54 Total Sales
2 in Alta Vista
$870K - $1M Price Range
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Lindsey Harn
Lindsey Harn
Christie's International Real Estate Sereno
(805) 706-8803
751 Total Sales
7 in Alta Vista
$1M - $2.1M Price Range
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Hal Sweasey
Hal Sweasey
Keller Williams Realty Central Coast
(805) 329-3346
566 Total Sales
9 in Alta Vista
$760K - $2.1M Price Range
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Sharon Benedik
Sharon Benedik
Keller Williams Realty Central Coast
(657) 387-2160
562 Total Sales
9 in Alta Vista
$760K - $2.1M Price Range
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Steve Ferrario
Steve Ferrario
BHGRE HAVEN PROPERTIES
(805) 706-8095
54 Total Sales
5 in Alta Vista
$900K - $1.4M Price Range
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 9th to 12th
- Public
- 7th to 8th
- Public
- K to 6th
- Public
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Transit
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Alta Vista | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 3 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 5 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 2 | 4 |
| Robbery | 4 | 4 |
| Burglary | 4 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 4 | 4 |
| Larceny | 4 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 4 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Alta Vista Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Alta Vista, San Luis Obispo sell after 37 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Alta Vista, San Luis Obispo over the last 12 months is $254,900, down 79% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$265,000
Median Sale Price
$254,900
Median Single Family Sale Price
$254,900
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$250,000
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$364,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
2%
Last 12 months Home Sales
17
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-79%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$269
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
179
Number of Homes for Sale
2
Median Year Built
1956
Months of Supply
1.40
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,911
On par with the national average
1,924
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
2,101
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
8,712
Distribution of Home Values
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Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
1,132
Median Age
25
Population Density
12 ppl/acre
Population under 18
19.5%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
3.7%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$17,696
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$37,634
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
99.1%
Above the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
28.4%
Advanced Degrees
5.1%
% Population in Labor Force
50.4%
Below the national average
65.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
23''
Average Winter Low Temperature
43°F
Average Summer High Temperature
76°F
Annual Snowfall
0''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
68
/ 100
Somewhat Walkable
Walk Score®
68
/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
35
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Cuesta Park
Proximity to Downtown SLO and Cal Poly in the foothills of the Cuesta Ridge
Downtown San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo's trendy and walkable urban core
Foothill
A popular SLO neighborhood at the base of Cerro San Luis just north of downtown
San Luis Drive
Quiet, secluded suburban community next to San Luis Obispo High School
Santa Rosa
An established suburb between Downtown SLO and Cal Poly
Upper Monterey
Popular with locals, tourists and Cal Poly students, near Downtown San Luis Obispo
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