Menifee or Winchester? (San Diego, Hemet, Temecula: new house, buying, school districts)

[naughtee_kittee]

I'm looking around in Temecula or Murrieta, but now I'm curious about Menifee and Winchester. What are your thoughts? Are they a good place to raise a family? My husband will be commuting to San Diego.

[tkboyce]

Hello, I currently live in Winchester also know as French Valley. I don't know much about Menifee, but we really like Winchester we live right off Winchester Rd also know has RT. 79. Winchester Rd is one of the main exits off the 15 freeway, that is Temecula, Winchester is actually 10 mins up the road from Temecula and across from our street is Murrieta city limits. So the cities Temecula, Murrieta and Winchester run so close together that is seems really like one city. If you are looking at buying Winchester is the lowest area out of all three for property taxes and its all a new area , they also have alot of plans for commercial development within Winchester.. Hope this helps!!

It is a good place for raising a family, I dont have children but must of the kids here still attend Murrieta & Temecula school districts, which I have heard are really good! Cummute time to San Diego will be about 1hour 15mins to 1 1/2 hours depending on traffic and what area of San Diego your husband will be going to. It takes about 15mins with traffic to get to the 15 freeway from Winchester..

[evolutionrules]

We love winchester. 10 minutes from Temecula, Temecula school district, new house (2004) 3200 sq ft for under $300 K, lots of families with kids, quiet and still feels kind of like you're living in the country. We couldn't be happier.

[orangeapple]

Menifee is a small town on its way to being a small suburban city like Temecula or Murrieta, that is, if the whole bank repo thing doesn't drag it down. French Valley and Winchester are NOT the same thing in the eyes of people who have lived here awhile. French Valley is closer to Temecula and probably on it's way to becoming the next Menifee (from semi-rural to small town). Winchester has yet to shed it's ghetto image in the eyes of locals. It's also closer to Hemet than Temecula.
I grew up in Menifee...it's a nice place to raise a family, but boring for a young, single person. The commute to SD will be bad...traffic going out of the area is bad, as many commute.

[carmac]

Originally Posted by orangeapple

Menifee is a small town on its way to being a small suburban city like Temecula or Murrieta, that is, if the whole bank repo thing doesn't drag it down. French Valley and Winchester are NOT the same thing in the eyes of people who have lived here awhile. French Valley is closer to Temecula and probably on it's way to becoming the next Menifee (from semi-rural to small town). Winchester has yet to shed it's ghetto image in the eyes of locals. It's also closer to Hemet than Temecula.
I grew up in Menifee...it's a nice place to raise a family, but boring for a young, single person. The commute to SD will be bad...traffic going out of the area is bad, as many commute.

I have to agree with orangeapple. Traffic will be bad going to SD. One thing though, it's quite a drive from Winchester to the 215 freeway, because you have to go through Temecula and deal with their traffic to get there. The 215 runs right down the middle of Menifee, so it has easier freeway access...but then, Menifee is farther north, and you will have to deal with only two lanes going south until you get to Temecula where the freeway opens up. I guess it's 'six of one, half dozen of another'.

[clutternize]

I'd say Menifee. If you live in Winchester, you can add another 20 minutes to the commute.
What about Rainbow? It's close to Temecula for shopping and you will be on the San Diego side and skip a bunch of traffic.

[that1guy]

Stick with Temecula. It's better traffic wise, and the prices are not that different. You can get good deals in Temecula.