$998,276Average Value$646Average Price per Sq Ft2Homes For Sale
Access to popular greenspaces and an elementary school with Downtown SLO a walk or bike ride away
Residents of walkable, bikeable and suburban Johnson are a mile southeast of Downtown San Luis Obispo, with popular parks and trails right in their own community. “There’s always people out walking their dogs, and there are lots of mature trees, so it's very charming,” says neighborhood resident Michelle Braunschweig, a broker associate with Richardson Sotheby’s International Realty. “It’s part of the larger Banana Belt region of SLO, which tends to have really great weather. We’re a little more protected from wind, and it always seems to be a few degrees warmer on this side of town.”
The neighborhood is also home to highly regarded Sinsheimer Elementary School, and to Dignity Health’s French Hospital Medical Center. “A lot of people in the medical field tend to like living there because they're close to work, and a lot of them can walk to the hospital,” says San Luis Obispo resident Erik Berg-Johansen, a Realtor with Richardson Sotheby's International Realty.
A popular pedestrian trail, several community parks, and hiking at Terrace Hill
The Union Pacific Railroad runs along the neighborhood’s western border, traced for 2 miles by the multi-use SLO Railroad Safety Trail. Dog walkers, joggers and bikers can access this trail from several points throughout the neighborhood, and it leads to a popular pedestrian bridge over the busy tracks. “There are very few ways to legally and safely cross the railroad in town, so people really like living in the Johnson area because once you cross the bridge, you’re really close to downtown.”
On the neighborhood’s north end, the 23-acre Terrace Hill Open Space has about a mile's worth of trails, some offering panoramic views of San Luis Obispo. A mile south of Terrace Hill, 14-acre Sinsheimer Park is, says Berg-Johansen, "probably the most well-known park in San Luis Obispo.” The park has a disc golf course and courts for tennis and sand volleyball, but it's especially popular for its half-acre playground, which features three towering slides, a zipline, and an astroturf hill that kids commonly sled down on large pieces of cardboard.
Just east of Sinsheimer, Johnson Park has a playground of its own, as well as basketball courts, a barbeque area, walking paths and a bike path. Between the two parks, the SLO Swim Center has an Olympic-sized outdoor pool.
A wide range of housing styles with construction spanning over a century
Single-family homes dominate the housing market here, and most were built between the early 1900s and the early 2000s; styles vary from early 20th century bungalows to midcentury ranch-style homes to custom 21st century two-story builds. The roughly 20 homes within SLO Terrace, a development set at the base of Terrace Hill, were constructed in 2015 and 2016. “There’s only been about 5 homes built more recently, and three of them I’ve built myself,” says former Johnson area resident Zach Wilson, a builder and Realtor with Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno. Many of the homes in SLO Terrace are set at high elevations to maximize potential views of Bishop Peak and Cerro San Luis. Single-family homes throughout the neighborhood range from 1,000 to 3,000 square feet, and prices range from around $850,000 to over $2 million.
"A lot of the older homes in Johnson are being remodeled," Wilson says, "so the overall value has increased tremendously in the last 5 years.” According to Braunschweig, when homeowners in the neighborhood outgrow their house, they will often completely renovate and add on to their existing house instead of moving to a different home. And when homeowners do move, it’s often to another home in the neighborhood.
Buyers can also find condominiums and townhouses built between 1980 and the early 2000s. Modest, apartment-style units under 800 square feet start at around $400,000, while those closer to 1000 square feet with plenty of modern upgrades can be over $600,000. Townhouses feature private entrances and attached garages, and sizes range from 1,200 to 1,700 square feet; prices range from $685,000 to over $1 million.
If you're in the market for something larger, Johnson offers custom-built homes.
The luxurious homes in Johnson offer everything your family could want.
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Local favorite eateries within walking and biking distance, with retail shopping downtown
Residents can pick up local, sustainably sourced groceries at the SLO Food Co-op just west of the neighborhood. Just across the pedestrian bridge over the railroad, the Railroad District offers local spots like Cafe Roma, a go-to for Italian dinners and specialty cocktails. “It’s been around for decades, and it’s family-owned and operated,” Braunschweig says. Next door, Sally Loo’s Wholesome Cafe is a favorite for farm-to-table brunches made from local, organic ingredients.
On the neighborhood’s southwest end, the recently opened Duncan Alley is a lively food court and marketplace in a former industrial complex. “It’s a really popular gathering spot for people in this neighborhood,” Berg-Johansen says. "There are breweries and a bunch of little wineries, and there’s a lot of food trucks, so it’s kind of like an adult playground.” Ancient Owl Beer Garden & Bottle Shop hosts DJs on Fridays and live music on Saturdays, while Croma Vera Wines has a signature red blend with grapes grown in the SLO and Paso Robles wine regions. Plenty more dining options can be found downtown, along with local boutiques and popular chain retailers.
You'll love the covered patio at Bon Temps for breakfast, lunch, and live music.
Located in the Johnson area, Sally Loo's provides a modern atmosphere for enjoying your coffee.
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A popular elementary school right in the neighborhood
Students can attend schools in San Luis Coastal Unified District, which Niche rates an overall A and names the top school district in San Luis Obispo County. Local kids can start school at the A-minus-rated Sinsheimer Elementary, which is conveniently located right in the neighborhood. “Sinsheimer Elementary makes the neighborhood really popular with families,” Braunschweig says. “Lots of kids can just walk to school.” Laguna Middle and San Luis Obispo High each receive an A; the high school's renowned performing arts academy has been staging productions since the 1920s, making it the longest-running theatre program in San Luis Obispo.
Summer baseball games, a railroad museum and proximity to Downtown SLO events
During the summer, the local Sinsheimer Park Baseball Stadium hosts weekly games with the San Luis Obispo Blues, a California Collegiate League baseball team. “For the 4th of July, the stadium will also do a big fireworks show, and people climb up Terrace Hill to watch,” Braunschweig says.
In Downtown San Luis Obispo, the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum is set within the restored Southern Pacific freight house, built in 1894; exhibits and model train sets here explore the railroading history of the Central Coast. The Downtown SLO Farmers Market is held year-round on Thursday evenings, and the Music in the Plaza concert series, featuring live performances of all genres, kicks off on Friday evenings during the summer.
Enjoy a history on trains in SLO at the Train Museum located in Johnson.
Your kids will love watching and learning about trains, local info and more at the train museum.
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A walkable and bikeable community close to the highway and an Amtrak station
Residents are within just a few miles of Highway 101 and Highway 1. State Route 227, a major area thoroughfare known locally as Broad Street, is just west of the neighborhood. The Union Pacific Railroad spans the neighborhood’s west side, connecting riders to destinations throughout the U.S; the adjacent Amtrak station also serves as a Greyhound bus stop. San Luis Obispo has been named a “Gold Level” bike-friendly-community by the League of American Cyclists; several low-traffic streets here are designated as bicycle boulevards, with pavement markings and speed bumps to make it safer for riders to share the road with cars. Dignity Health’s French Hospital Medical Center is located on the neighborhood's north side and San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport is a few miles south on Broad Street, with nonstop flights to major destinations throughout the west.
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Johnson Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Johnson, San Luis Obispo sell after 51 days on the market compared to the national average of 55 days. The median sale price for homes in Johnson, San Luis Obispo over the last 12 months is $880,500, down 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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