What is your favorite Inland Empire city? (San Bernardino, Orange: income, living in)

[bouncethelight]

Originally Posted by CarawayDJ

No, I think it's fair to say that Temecula is better....

For me, that's definitely true!

Murrieta and Temecula are fairly equal if you're only looking at housing tracts, schools, and access to the mall - but if you think about Temecula's old town, the wine country, and my favorite part of Temecula, the part of De Luz that's over the Riverside County side of the line, then Temecula comes way out ahead.

To me, I love a downtown area - a place you can park and walk to a restaurant for lunch, and do a little shopping as you go. I like the mall just fine, for some things, but for me a few strip malls or even a big enclosed mall can never take the place of a real downtown area!

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Dub D

Yea sorry, I did get my directions mixed up. David, I guarantee I'm in much better shape than you. With that said, you are making the fat references to the wrong person my friend.

I guarantee it too, but I wasn't making any references to fat or anything (I'm not sure why you were assuming I was going that route). Hometown Buffet was the only business I could think of that I knew was in Loma Linda proper on Redlands Blvd. I also vaguely recall a Baker's and a nail shop -- but I know that the northern end of Loma Linda isn't very long -- I agree, the north end does feel more San Bernardino-like than Loma Linda.

[JohnSoCal]

Originally Posted by CarawayDJ

No, I think it's fair to say that Temecula is better....but not by a large margin. And I agree for many people (perhaps you) there is no difference. Both areas have good schools, but Temecula is a tad better. There are plenty of tourists that visit Temecula each weekend for the Old Town and the wineries. I don't think they are driving here to visit Murrieta. I believe the home prices support my argument. I bought not that long ago. I definitely could have purchased a bigger, nicer home for less money in Murrieta. Why?

I can see where you are coming from though.

I agree from a tourist's point of view however we are talking about where to live and not tourists. Both cities are virtually identical on all statistical data. Median home prices, population, income, demographics, etc. are all the same. Murrieta grew much faster than Temecula from 2002 - present ( 42,000 to 104,000 ). There was much more new home construction in Murrieta during the 2002-2006 period with a boom in real estate prices. Home prices in Murrieta went up 51% in one year. As a result of the housing crash more people in Murrieta ended up under water because of the boom from 2002-2006. Our house that we bought new in 2002 peaked at $650,000 in 2006 and is now worth ~$300,000. It doesn't matter to me as we aren't going anywhere. However Murrieta does have more upscale luxury homes for example La Cresta. And if you want to compare, we also have great medical facilities with 2 hospitals vs none in Temecula.

All of this doesn't matter because it is in reality one city. We enjoy all the amenities of Temecula which are readily accessible to us and we enjoy our own. The important thing is to find the home and neighborhood you like regardless of which city it is in. We first started looking in Temecula but couldn't find the home we wanted. As I said, both cities are great places to live.

[JohnSoCal]

Originally Posted by bouncethelight

For me, that's definitely true!

Murrieta and Temecula are fairly equal if you're only looking at housing tracts, schools, and access to the mall - but if you think about Temecula's old town, the wine country, and my favorite part of Temecula, the part of De Luz that's over the Riverside County side of the line, then Temecula comes way out ahead.

To me, I love a downtown area - a place you can park and walk to a restaurant for lunch, and do a little shopping as you go. I like the mall just fine, for some things, but for me a few strip malls or even a big enclosed mall can never take the place of a real downtown area!

Why do you think that only people from Temecula can enjoy those things? We can enjoy Old Town Temecula, etc. just as easily as they are readily accessible from my home in Murrieta.

I have no idea why so many people from Temecula want to compare the 2 cities when in reality they are just one bigger city.

[bouncethelight]

Originally Posted by JohnSoCal

I have no idea why so many people from Temecula want to compare the 2 cities when in reality they are just one bigger city.

Well officially they are two different cities, and that's the whole point of this thread - to compare different cities.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by Dub D

David, I guarantee I'm in much better shape than you. With that said, you are making the fat references to the wrong person my friend.

Seek help. You're seeing things that aren't there. That's a disorder.

[Dub D]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Seek help. You're seeing things that aren't there. That's a disorder.

Hometown Buffet is a buffet and what type of people love buffets? Fat people...it wasn't a big stretch.

There is actually alot of stuff north of the 10 off Hospitality which goes back and forth between San Bern and Loma Linda.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Dub D

Hometown Buffet is a buffet and what type of people love buffets? Fat people...it wasn't a big stretch.

There is actually alot of stuff north of the 10 off Hospitality which goes back and forth between San Bern and Loma Linda.

There is no part of Loma Linda city proper that goes north of the 10.

And yeah, actually it was a pretty big stretch. Not all of the clientele is fat. Just hungry. And cheap (and/or below average income). Or may like good value. Or has lots of mouths to feed. Or just really enjoys their lower-than-average quality food.

I'm fat and I go to Hometown Buffet a couple of times a year (rather, its incarnation in Colorado known as Country Buffet). I'm the last person who would make a joke about said restaurant, or the people who might go there, and the last to make a joke about anybody for any reason, even if it is "a stretch".

[JohnSoCal]

Originally Posted by bouncethelight

Well officially they are two different cities, and that's the whole point of this thread - to compare different cities.

If it makes you feel better then go ahead. When 2 cities are very much the same and are joined together then it is much more realistic to look at them as one.

[bouncethelight]

Different people have different opinions - and that's the whole point of the thread - we don't have to come to a consensus! It's perfectly fine for all of us to have our own opinions about these cities, and to share them here.

Back on topic, I don't think anyone has mentioned Lake Elsinore yet - but it's one of my favorite cities as well. I love the little downtown area. Love that there are some major recreational attractions. And love that it's so close to the Ortega Highway, which in my opinion is the best way to get to Orange County. If I ever have to work in Orange County on a full time basis, I might very well end up living in Lake Elsinore.