Temecula Duck Pond Area Any Good? (Vista, Highland: cul-de-sac, houses, safe neighborhood)

[JoshD2000]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to move to Temecula in the next 6 months and am currently looking at some houses near the duck pond area.

Any locals here that can tell me about the general area? Crime, schools, shopping/entertainment, etc..? Any suggestions for better neighborhoods in that city?

Thanks for all your help,
Josh

[dweej]

What subdivisions are you considering? Rancho Highlands is probably the closest one, and it's very nice. Zoned for the same elementary school that my kids attend. If you're talking about the north side of Rancho California Rd. though, they're zoned for a less desirable school. Can you give us more specific information?

[JoshD2000]

Dweej, thanks for the heads up on the school district. Yeah, I am looking at Rancho Highlands--you must know this place well! I'll be working in the area. I'm moving down from WA with my wife, who'll be due in 7 months. We want to be close to shopping/entertainment and in a generally good safe neighborhood for kids (we plan on sticking around for a while).

For people that think about this area, where would you usually compare it to?

THanks!

[dweej]

Rancho Highlands is very nice and super convenient. Several of my kids' friends live in that neighborhood- good pool, tennis courts, well taken care of, and at Halloween it is absolutely the most fun but safe places to be. One of the cul-de-sacs really goes all out with haunted houses and the decorations and everything. Love it! The western side does back to the 15 freeway (or pretty close) so just make sure to use google maps or whatever when you're looking at specific homes if you want to avoid car noise. I don't know if you go to church, but there are several different churches on Santiago Dr. just to the south of the RH subdivision, plus you've got the main library right down Pauba Rd., Target right around the corner, wine country 7 miles down Rancho Cal. Rd., and the community rec. center and sports park just down Rancho Vista Rd., but you still get to avoid all the mall traffic (Winchester/79N) and Wal-mart/Kohls etc. traffic (Temecula Pkwy/79S). Really, that neighborhood and all surrounding that are south of Rancho Cal. Rd. are my favorite parts of Temecula for the combination of convenience and family atmosphere. If you go north of Rancho Cal. Rd, you've got to get east of Margarita to get back into a preferred elementary school, and that's when you start adding some time to your commute, etc. Hope that all makes sense!

As for comparisons, I'm not entirely sure, but I tell you that if you were to get homes and neighborhoods as nice as these, with as many city services and events, about 20 miles south of here, you'd pay twice as much easily. Every now and then I try to see where we could live to get hubby a little closer to work, and there is just no comparison anywhere in terms of what you get for your money (unless we're talking about out of state or something, but that's a different story!!).

Hope this helps~ feel free to dm me with specific questions, or just continue here on the forum for general info. I haven't been good about updating it lately, but I was writing a blog for a while about Temecula. If you go to my profile info it's listed there if you want to see more (just pics and write ups about different things around town)- I'd give you the link here, but that'll get me in trouble .

Good luck!

~dweej

[JoshD2000]

Thanks alot dweej! Your blog is excellent--very informative and easy/fun to read. I really appreciate your insights.

All the best,
Josh