From Long Beach To Menifee, Murietta, Temecula Or Wildomar (Riverside: loans, foreclosed)

[mama07]

Originally from the Bay Area have been in Long Beach for 10 years, desperate to get out have 5 children under the age of 16 so crime and schools are my number one priority, Menifee seems to be the least expensive out of Murietta, Temucula and Wildomar but I have not been able to find out much information on the web about it as it is an unicorporated area of Riverside, can anyone give me feedback.

[CaliforniatoTexas]

Menifee may be least expensive, but for a reason, schools are not great, We were once thinking of buying there but the school I checked out most of the kids were always in trouble/gangs and it didn't seem very safe to me, there is not much there, it not a place to live coming from the bay area, you will be in for a shocker, far from everything, are you looking to buy?

[antredd]

Originally Posted by CaliforniatoTexas

Menifee may be least expensive, but for a reason, schools are not great, We were once thinking of buying there but the school I checked out most of the kids were always in trouble/gangs and it didn't seem very safe to me, there is not much there, it not a place to live coming from the bay area, you will be in for a shocker, far from everything, are you looking to buy?

Menifee schools were one of the main reasons I decided to move from Moreno Valley to protect my 16 year old from being jumped into gangs. But after moving down to Menifee, I discovered that the schools are about the same as Moreno VAlley in terms of test scores. Menifee elementary and middle schools are decent. But the school district doesn't have a high school yet, and therefore my high school son has to attend one of the PErris Union High Schools, Paloma Valley or the brand new Heritage High. I was hoping by the time my youngest son gets to high school, Menifee would have it's own high school.

Menifee is an unincorporated area just north of Murrieta but just 10 miles south of the city of Perris that is notorious for its gangs and poor schools. Menifee is increasingly becoming diverse. . You have many professionals, move up buyers, and first time buyers buying out here in the new tracts.

What's hurting the area is the investors who are renting out 3000 sq feet homes to people who wouldn't other wise be able to afford to live out here, and the large number of homes being forclosed due to adjustable rate loans.

I haven't noticed any gang activity on the east side of town, east of the 215 fwy or any graphitti. This side of the freeway is still practically brand new. Most of the homes built,besides Menifee lakes development, were built after 2000 to present. These homes are at least 2000 sq feet and can be as large as 4000 sq. feet.

There is also a very large regional shopping center being built just west of the 215 fwy and newport rd. Many of the long time residents are happy that they don't have to drive to Temecula, Murrieta, or Riverside to just go to Best Buy anymore.

In my opinion, Menifee has the potential of becoming the next Temecula or Murrieta, or it can remain a stagnant area where if the economy doesn't improve, many desperate people who are losing their homes may rent them out to people who won't have the pride of ownership or care if the neighborhood goes to crap.

[antredd]

Originally Posted by mama07

Originally from the Bay Area have been in Long Beach for 10 years, desperate to get out have 5 children under the age of 16 so crime and schools are my number one priority, Menifee seems to be the least expensive out of Murietta, Temucula and Wildomar but I have not been able to find out much information on the web about it as it is an unicorporated area of Riverside, can anyone give me feedback.

My mother in law moved to Temecula in the mid 90s, and I remember when you could buy a home there for less than 200,000, and get about 2300 sq feet of living area.

Just like most cities in southern california, Temecula and Murrieta, grew very fast, and with that, so did the crime as those areas grew over 100,000 people. The sad reality now is that Temecula and Murrieta are having some of the same problems as the larger cities are having with shootings, rapes, and murders.

The schools down there are still very good, but as the demographics change time will only tell how much longer the schools will maintain their image.

With the housing crisis growing worse by the day, I am sure that you will be able to get some good deals. Many banks are reducing their asking price on many of their foreclosed houses by 100-200 grand. In my menifee neighborhood alone, there is a 3500 sq foot home, that was appraised at 600,000, reduced down to 239,000 in a bank auction.

[perskakras]

I live in the Murrieta/Menifee area and so far its a very up and coming area. Ignore what Californiatotexas says about the schools - the Murrieta/Menifee/Temecula schools are the among the best in the state. Unfortunately, for the Menifee area, there isn't that many of them just yet - so most likely your kids will have to be bussed to the nearest school. But, they have many new schools planned in the near future. There is a HUGE center in the stages of getting built which will include a Super Target, Lowes, Kohls, a bunch of restaurants, and other stores. There will be a Home Depot, Circuit City, Wal-Mart, and Costco down the street in the next few years. The I-215 will be expanded to 6 or 8 lanes each way and the construction starts around 2008-2009.
Home prices are dropping - you can get a decent sized house with a big back yard for around $300,000 in some communities.

I am originally from the Cypress area and I believe that this is a comparable place to live with low crime and no gangs from what I have seen. I do agree with ANTREDD about the Perris remark - its a place to stay away from - Perris does have high crime and gangs, but I belive that will be changing in the near future. There are many new developments builing in Perris and I think that area will eventually get better. Besides, its about 15-20 miles from Menifee to downtown Perris. You will have nothing to worry about there.

I hope I have been a help.

D

[leonard]

Originally Posted by perskakras

I live in the Murrieta/Menifee area and so far its a very up and coming area. Ignore what Californiatotexas says D

Yep I moved here FROM Texas. Texas was a nice place to live but I will not be moving back. This area has it's problems as all areas of the USA do. On the other hand it is within east reach of so many things to do and places to go, it is un equaled in any other part of the country.

In Dallas, Houston, Austin or in fact most any other place in the country you might want to go to different restaurants. Here you will have 10 times the choice; go to a movie, you can't count the screens within 30 minutes of any given point. Want to try a different store for whatever, no end to choices. Most areas of the country center around one major city close by. Here a dozen large cities are close by, each with it's own character and choices. Then of course there are the beaches.

Hectic, crowded, expensive, YES. On the other hand once you have established yourself here it is hard to leave until you are ready to retire and live a slower pace of life. Then selling your house (You will buy one eventually) will make you enough to buy one in another State and pay for it in full.

[Daniv]

We moved to Menifee, 3 years ago and love it.....no gangs, low crime and a very friendly family neighborhood......and yes, we have two sons...one is a junior at the high school. Menifee is voting next year for cityhood, we are getting alot more shopping and things are looking good....
Daniv

[cmla2]

Menifee does not have a high school so your kids would go to Perris Union High schools, and I personally would not recommend moving there. I worked at a new home community in Menifee, the homes are beautiful and affordable but you sacrifice quality schools. Murrieta and Temecula schools are probably the best in the Inland Empire. I live in Murrieta and am very happy!

[kamesse]

Originally Posted by cmla2

Menifee does not have a high school so your kids would go to Perris Union High schools, and I personally would not recommend moving there. I worked at a new home community in Menifee, the homes are beautiful and affordable but you sacrifice quality schools. Murrieta and Temecula schools are probably the best in the Inland Empire. I live in Murrieta and am very happy!

Not true. Menifee has a high school. It's called Paloma Valley High School, and it is fairly new.

[LuvRedSox]

I have had two of my children do 9 through 12 grade at Paloma High School and had no problems other than the traffic going to and from school. The traffic situation is terrible and is likely to get worse with that new shopping area that antredd and perskakras have both mentioned.

I have a sister that lives in Wildomar and her kids are doing fantastic at their schools. The city has really started to fix up areas, (adding parks, sidewalks, etc.), and my sister likes the area. She has been there for about 16 years now.

Diana