Need friendly opinions on Temecula/Murrieta - Please no bashing (San Diego: fit in, for sale)

[m227luv]

Hello everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read this. I am originally from Temecula, spending most my teenage years there. I moved with my husband to a suburb of Chicago and recently have decided to possibly move back to Temecula (maybe Murrieta?!) due to the fact that it seems more affordable to us to do so in this unfortunate ecomonic slow down. Anyway, I've been reading quite a few posts on here saying how Temecula is 'fake" or congested, has gotten higher in crimes etc and it has me completely saddened and freaked out. We have a 2 year old daughter and I was in hoped that Temecula was still as much a family/friendly area for her to be raised in and now I feel as though I will be signing some sort of certificate for harm. Has it really gotten this bad? I've been back to visit several times, but always focused on the positives that I don't know what it is actually like to live there on a day to day basis..... That said, I am wondering what subdivisions you recommend for my family (if we do choose to move after all these articles lol) We are in our upper 20's, planning to have more children, love the wineries and really want good schools and friendly neighbors etc.

Thank you to all you who reply and again I hope I am not provoking any negativity - I have just become so sensitive to protecting my child now that I am mother.

Thanks again!

[Twinkle Toes]

I don't live in Tememcula and don't really know what it's like to live there, but we do visit the wineries a few times a year and it's beautiful there and we've always felt very safe.

[eclipxe]

Originally Posted by m227luv

Hello everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read this. I am originally from Temecula, spending most my teenage years there. I moved with my husband to a suburb of Chicago and recently have decided to possibly move back to Temecula (maybe Murrieta?!) due to the fact that it seems more affordable to us to do so in this unfortunate ecomonic slow down. Anyway, I've been reading quite a few posts on here saying how Temecula is 'fake" or congested, has gotten higher in crimes etc and it has me completely saddened and freaked out. We have a 2 year old daughter and I was in hoped that Temecula was still as much a family/friendly area for her to be raised in and now I feel as though I will be signing some sort of certificate for harm. Has it really gotten this bad? I've been back to visit several times, but always focused on the positives that I don't know what it is actually like to live there on a day to day basis..... That said, I am wondering what subdivisions you recommend for my family (if we do choose to move after all these articles lol) We are in our upper 20's, planning to have more children, love the wineries and really want good schools and friendly neighbors etc.

Thank you to all you who reply and again I hope I am not provoking any negativity - I have just become so sensitive to protecting my child now that I am mother.

Thanks again!

Temecula is very safe. It is just as safe as most coastal North SD or South OC cities. Some of my favorite neighborhoods:

Morgan Hill
Redhawk
Harveston
Paseo Del Sol
Central Park (Murrieta)

I've been here 10 years and watched the city grow up. I'm in my mid 20's and a good number of my friends from high school now live and work in town. It is very affordable now (we're at 2.5-3.0x median income for household for a single family home). This is a sustainable amount for a stable housing market. The subprime implosion pushed out a lot of the "rift-raft" that really couldn't afford a home and high gas prices over the summer further "cleansed" the resident pool (for folks that truly were living above their means).

[ThAdam]

given the choice between Temecula or Murrietta, i would choose Murrietta. You are close enough to Temec to enjoy all the "big" city stuff that is there now, but not in the middle of the bustle that comes along with the population increase as it grew.

[carmac]

Originally Posted by ThAdam

given the choice between Temecula or Murrietta, i would choose Murrietta. You are close enough to Temec to enjoy all the "big" city stuff that is there now, but not in the middle of the bustle that comes along with the population increase as it grew.

I can agree with this post. Although I don't live in either place, Murrieta is a better choice probably, because the traffic is bad in Temecula...it's just a fact, not bashing it! Both are beautiful communities, and as far as crime goes, you cannot get away from it no matter where you go...but, whenever I shop in either place, I don't feel threatened in the least. I'm not sure I'd walk anywhere after dark alone in this day and age...that's just kind of a sad fact of life today!

[KrystaVeronica]

I have lived in Temecula for 12 years and have raised my 11 and 13 year old children here. I would have no qualms about this as a safe, clean, friendly, fun place to raise a family. It is very affordable. I have never feared for my safety here. The schools are outstanding. There are a lot of fun activities for kids here, great sports programs, and a lot of young families- a real sense of community where you can really feel that you fit in as young parents. There is some traffic on the freeways for a few miles, but nothing like what you would experience in L.A., San Diego, or Orange County. I highly recommend Temecula. My kids went to Abby Reinke Elementary School in the neighborhood of Paseo del Sol. It was the highest ranked elementary school in Riverside County and a California Distinguished School. It is a great school in a great community. There is a community pool, lots of parks, walking trails, lots of kids, and friendly neighbors.

[Mamalicious]

I love living in Temecula. I have a 3 year old and a 6 month old and think the community is very family oriented. I really do think that my children have a better quality of life living here (I am from the OC.) I too say to look in the Paloma del Sol or Paseo del Sol communities. Lots of pools, walking paths, parks and you don't have to deal with the traffic around Winchester/the mall. Plus Paseo resisdents get to send their kids to one of the best schools in Riverside county. (Abby Reinke Elementary)

[pll]

Originally Posted by Mamalicious

I love living in Temecula. I have a 3 year old and a 6 month old and think the community is very family oriented. I really do think that my children have a better quality of life living here (I am from the OC.) I too say to look in the Paloma del Sol or Paseo del Sol communities. Lots of pools, walking paths, parks and you don't have to deal with the traffic around Winchester/the mall. Plus Paseo resisdents get to send their kids to one of the best schools in Riverside county. (Abby Reinke Elementary)

It seems a lot of people get referred to Paloma del Sol. Are there any homes available? Are most of them foreclosures?

[dweej]

Originally Posted by pll

It seems a lot of people get referred to Paloma del Sol. Are there any homes available? Are most of them foreclosures?

I know all the different neighborhood names can get to be a bit much to keep track of...hopefully I can help . Paloma del Sol and Paseo del Sol are sister neighborhoods built by the same developer, so have a lot of similar qualities (paths, parks, pools...you know the three P's ). Paloma is the more affordable of the two and homes there are zoned for either Paloma Elementary School (decent scores) or Sparkman Elementary (not as good scores, and right on a major street). Paseo is the higher priced of the two (in general) and that entire neighborhood is zoned for Abbey Reinke elementary (super duper test scores, right in the middle of the quiet residential area, involved families, etc.).

There are many, many, many homes available in those areas and almost every single one will be a short sale or a foreclosure as almost every home there changed hands or was purchased for the first time during the sub-prime debacle. Either that, or people received high HELOCs.....well, you know the story. My favorite site for real estate in this area is Find All the Homes for Sale & Experienced Real Estate Agents | Redfin - every listing also shows you the last sale price and sale date. I am always surprised to find a home listed that's not a foreclosure.

Hope this helps!

dweej

[pll]

Originally Posted by dweej

There are many, many, many homes available in those areas and almost every single one will be a short sale or a foreclosure as almost every home there changed hands or was purchased for the first time during the sub-prime debacle. Either that, or people received high HELOCs.....well, you know the story. My favorite site for real estate in this area is Find All the Homes for Sale & Experienced Real Estate Agents | Redfin - every listing also shows you the last sale price and sale date. I am always surprised to find a home listed that's not a foreclosure.

Hope this helps!

dweej

Thanks for your help dweej.