$1,272,378Average Value$689Average Price per Sq Ft1Home For Sale
Highly desired neighborhood with access to hiking trails, Cal Poly and Downtown SLO
San Luis Obispo's Foothill neighborhood is home to families with children, retirees, students and professionals alike. Appropriately named, the neighborhood sits in the eastern foothills of Cerro San Luis (known among locals as Madonna Mountain), which is one of the Nine Sisters, a chain of peaks spanning from San Luis Obispo to Morro Bay. Being about a mile north of downtown, residents have access to the city's most popular offerings. “It’s a very desirable part of SLO because it’s within walking distance of downtown, and it’s close to literally everything, including the hospital, highways and lots of hiking trails,” says area resident Natasha Mercurio, a broker associate with Richardson Sotheby’s International Realty. “The homes I’ve sold here went way over the asking price and went really quickly due to the fact that it's in such a great location, as well as its charm. There are a lot of really adorable homes.” The neighborhood is also less than 2 miles south of California Polytechnic State University. “If you want to be close to Cal Poly without being too close to student life, it’s a perfect spot,” says Ashley Hickey, a Realtor with Sullivan & Associates Real Estate. "People are very into hiking, biking and being outdoors. There are always people out and about walking and jogging.”
Foothill residents enjoy the well-established trail that wraps around Cerro San Luis Mountain.
The Green Way is a feature for bicyclists to travel through Foothill.
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Established housing scene and diverse residences with character
Homes date as far back as the early 1900s, though construction slowly continued through the later part of the century. Most of the neighborhood's oldest homes have since been renovated. “It's a well-established neighborhood so there's lots of trees and mature foliage,” says Kellye Grayson, area resident and Realtor with The Avenue Central Coast Realty, adding that homes here tend to be on the higher end of the price range for San Luis Obispo because of the desirability. Aesthetics vary significantly between each home home, adding to the neighborhood's distinct appeal among buyers. "It’s the uniqueness of the individual homes with their age and charm that sets this neighborhood apart,” Grayson says.“For buyers looking for character, it's a great choice.”
The area features ranch-style homes, bungalows and minimal traditional builds, as well as Spanish Revivals and other homes with Mediterranean influence. “On the northern end, there are some student rentals, but by and large, it's a quiet neighborhood,” Grayson says. Homes needing renovation start at around $750,000 and range to $1 million. Modestly sized, updated homes start around $1 million up to $1.4 million, while renovated homes over 2,000 square feet start closer to $1.5 million up to $1.9 million. The few homes in the neighborhood over 3,000 square feet start around $2 million, while those with more square footage can go for over $3 million. Most of the neighborhood's largest homes are located closest to the foothills, where many sit on larger lots of anywhere from a half-acre to 5 acres.
Many of the early to mid 20th century homes in Foothill have been renovated.
Some of the homes in Foothill have a Mediterranean style with tile roofs.
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Hiking at Madonna Mountain and Bishop Peak with access to a community park
Immediately west of the neighborhood, Madonna Mountain offers a 4-mile out-and-back hike to the summit for great views of the city and nearby peaks. There are also several shorter trails, including one that leads to the giant, concrete “M" on the side of the mountain, representing Downtown SLO’s Mission Prep School. Just north of Madonna Mountain, Bishop Peak is the tallest of the Nine Sisters, with an elevation of over 1,500 feet. Residents can access popular hiking trails via the trailhead on Foothill Boulevard, about a mile west of the neighborhood. From here, it’s a steep 3-mile hike to the summit with an elevation gain of over 1,200 feet for panoramic views of the city.
To the east, Santa Rosa Park spans over 10 acres and includes a playground, a skate park with deep bowls, ramps and an in-line skating hockey rink. There is also a covered picnic area, basketball courts and fields for softball and baseball.
Foothill’s favorite local eateries and shopping in downtown SLO
Residents can stock up on groceries at California Fresh Market on Foothill Boulevard. This thoroughfare is also home to several locally owned dining options, including Raku Ramen for Japanese and Milestone Tavern for handhelds, craft brews and Sunday brunch. For a specialty latte, there’s Scout Coffee, while SloDoCo Donuts caters to those with a sweet tooth. To the south, Lincoln Market & Deli is a longstanding neighborhood go-to serving specialty sandwiches and a small selection of groceries and locally made goods. Just east of there, the western-themed Cowgirl Cafe serves homestyle breakfasts and lunches.
Plenty of additional dining options can be found downtown, along with locally owned shops like HumanKind Fair Trade for ethically sourced apparel and home goods, and Fred and Betty's Thrift Store for secondhand finds. Popular chain retailers like Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Pottery Barn also have downtown locations.
Cal Poly students enjoy their get-togethers with friends at SloDoCo Donuts.
Foothill residents can get everything on their grocery list at California Fresh Market.
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Close to downtown museums and events
Residents are a short commute from downtown museums like the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art with work from regional artists, and the San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum with a variety of interactive exhibits. Downtowners can also catch a show at the San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre, which stages regional plays and musicals. Also downtown, the San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, a Spanish Mission founded in 1772, has an attached museum that houses a variety of historical artifacts from the 18th century and has a room dedicated to the Chumash Tribe. This Catholic mission hosts free daily tours and is an active parish, allowing locals to attend weekly masses. On Friday nights during the summer, Mission Plaza in front of the mission hosts performers of all genres at Music in the Plaza, the largest free concert series on the Central Coast. The Downtown SLO Farmer’s Market also attracts thousands of visitors every Thursday evening with its array of vendors, food and live music.
Career courses at San Luis Obispo High
The neighborhood is zoned for San Luis Coastal Unified School District, which Niche gives an overall A rating and names as the best district in the county. Students can attend the A-minus-rated Bishop’s Peak Elementary or the B-rated Pacheco Elementary, a Spanish-immersion school with lottery-based enrollment. Laguna Middle receives an A rating, along with San Luis Obispo High, where students can enroll in a variety of career and technical education courses. Students in the arts, media and entertainment pathway can help produce the school’s daily news broadcast.
A wooden sign outside the entrance to Laguna Middle School welcomes Foothill students.
San Luis Obispo High School provides a great education to help Foothill students succeed.
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A walkable and bikeable neighborhood close to major highways
The neighborhood is bordered to the east by Highway 1 and to the south by Highway 101, providing an easy commute to other major hubs throughout the west. Chorro Street runs north-south through the neighborhood and connects drivers, bikers and pedestrians to downtown. The recent completion of the North Chorro Neighborhood Greenway project created both one-way and two-way bike lanes along this main artery. Safety lighting has also been added for nighttime commutes. SLO Transit bus stops can also be found throughout the neighborhood. Adventist Health’s Sierra Vista Medical Center is just east of Highway 1 and the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport is about 4 miles south.
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
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Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Foothill
US
Homicide
5
4
Sexual Assault
4
4
Assault with Weapon
4
4
Robbery
4
4
Burglary
7
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
7
4
Larceny
6
4
Crime Score
5
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Foothill Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Foothill, San Luis Obispo sell after 45 days on the market compared to the national average of 58 days. The median sale price for homes in Foothill, San Luis Obispo over the last 12 months is $1,195,000, down 34% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Local Logic measures the walkability, access to public transit and bikeability of any address. CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks.
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