please help decide...OC or SD (Los Angeles, San Diego: bedroom, offer, traffic)

[califantastic]

Originally Posted by bob-jenkins

I have lived in both...and love them both. San Diego is more affordable though and more natural, OC is more commercialized and less natural. (I am talking nature here, not the people)

I think that is a great summary. San Diego feels more natural since it is hilly almost everywhere and there is not as much high density cookie cutter tract housing. Although much of OC is hilly much of it is flat and most areas have high density cookie cutter tract housing. On the plus side, OC's strategic location between LA, SD, and the IE is great. Plus there are more business opportunities in OC it seems to me. I also think the traffic is better in OC but many people disagree with me about that. But both are wonderful as is all of southern California.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by runnergrl

He has to go to downtown...I know huge commute from SD..

Forgive me if I've misread this thread. It is quite hard to believe.

He is working in downtown Los Angeles? He is considering commuting from San Diego?


What line of work is he in? Do you work outside the home?

What is 1) his comfort level and 2) his absolute limit for commuting in minutes? How many hours a day will he be away from the home (and his two kids)?

Is not living in California an option? Somewhere more affordable (in $/sqft) and more commuter friendly for someone who has to work in a downtown?

What is your price range for a home?

Are private schools an option?

[runnergrl]

Dont worry, Charles. We will most likely not move to SD, but we are keeping our options open. We looked at SD because is was out of the LA influence and close to a metrolink. My husband does work downtown... I brought it up as a consideration, and he was the one who was more willing to consider it than I was.

In any case, it has been taken out of the equation for mostly that reason. I dont know what we will do in the next yr maybe 2 yrs as far as selling our house we bought at the high end and trying to take advantage of getting something more for our money. I have been here for 2 yrs, and I am not enamored with CA whatsoever. Everything is so expensive and it is difficult to meet genuine people. I just want to go somewhere that is normal...and CA is anything but normal. Is that why you are on CO??

If I had my dithers I would just go back to Gilbert AZ and be done with moving. I have moved 10 times in almost 18 yrs (4 of those time were with kids intow)and all around too(GA, NC, VA, OH, AZ, CT) So I have alot to compare to. CA is not where I want to be for anymore time than I have to.
It is far over rated in my book. BUt for now, I have to make happy until we can find a solution. Thanks though for your concern.

[Unkllars]

My friend sold his house in NorCal and moved to Queencreek. He enjoys living out in Power Ranch, but when I told him what the prices are like in North San Diego County, it made him think about possibly moving back to California. He has a gorgeous young family that loves coming to Disneyland, so he is thinking of coming back as soon as a job campus comes to San Diego.

[runnergrl]

I know exactly where that is, Power ranch is nice....I hope that works out for him. I know he will be in the same boat we are in....losing precious equity. He probably was able to outright buy a house in AZ.

We are just sitting tight now...might have a realtor come and give her 2 cents. Then decide what to do.

[sgvkev]

Both are very similar in many ways and both are very different in many ways...

Both are beach oriented in a way. In OC the most popular cities are beach towns whereas in SD the beaches are the only places that don't feel like a suburb for the most part.

Both have lots of great areas to choose from. In OC Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, and San Clemente offer a lot in terms of beauty whereas in SD Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Poway, La Jolla, and about anywhere in north SD easily compare while even some of the more undesirable suburbs (Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Chula Vista, El Cajon) have some very nice hilly areas.

SD is more laid back and is a military town whereas OC revolves around money and appearance in a few areas (Irvine, Newport, Laguna).

SD doesn't really have a huge standout bad area like OC has (Santa Ana) although City Heights, the areas east of the 5 and south of the 94, and National City come close.

SD is MUCH cheaper. Around $350,000 will get you a house in a solid middle class area whereas that amount in OC will get you a place like Garden Grove or the Anaheim flats (the area west of the 57) which are very undesirable. Santa Ana's by far the cheapest area there and its prices are similar to NW Oceanside which isn't the best area.

Overall, I'd give the nod to SD... mainly for the price and you won't get ridiculed for not having a luxury car in the richer areas.

[runnergrl]

Good points...thanks for your response.

The reasons you mentioned is what brought SD into being considered. Lower cost and being in a place that was more grounded. I like OC compared to where I am now in Ventura...but it is important to me to be in an area where I can be around just normal people as much as possible, rather than having to have a BS filter on most the time.

[Unkllars]

Originally Posted by runnergrl

I know exactly where that is, Power ranch is nice....I hope that works out for him. I know he will be in the same boat we are in....losing precious equity. He probably was able to outright buy a house in AZ.

We are just sitting tight now...might have a realtor come and give her 2 cents. Then decide what to do.

Yeah, he is a prime example of the fortunate group. He bought his house in NorCal for 400K, sold it for 700K a few years later, and then bought the house in Power Ranch with every upgrade and amenity and still wound up with 100K in the bank. Even if its lost a little equity, he doesn't have to make payments, so that can be a later sale when the strong job market in the greater Phoenix area counters the over-abundance of new home inventory, or he could (should) keep it as an investment property when it comes time to return to the Golden State.

As for OC, I still say North Orange County to get as close to LA as possible, making your hubby and the commute nicer Speak with the Realtor and see if it is feasible. Do you still owe a lot on your home?

[bob-jenkins]

They are very different places, at best. It depends on the lifestyle you desire...personally San Diego is better for families. That is why San Diego can have mountain to Ocean firestorms, because they have preserved their open space well (about half the density of OC). Even their beach communities are less expensive and more down to earth. However, singles often are bored in San Diego because they lack much culture outside of Downtown. I personally am a nature lover and about 95% of San Diego has a rural feel to it (even areas like downtown Escondido where you will see farms right off the main street). It is what I wish OC was more like (an "Irvine" type city would be totally out of place in San Diego). Good luck, and know that whatever you choose, neither destinations will disappoint you.

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by bob-jenkins

However, singles often are bored in San Diego because they lack much culture outside of Downtown.

I find it hilarious that someone living in Orange County would call San Diego boring.