Need to move closer to El Centro, CA (San Diego, Calexico: rental, new home)

[newjob1960]

I am getting a new job at a manufacturing plant in Mexicali; we have lived in San Diego for the last five years and want to stay away from the extreme heat at El Centro and Calexico. We have a 5 yr. boy that needs to get in a good school.
Can someone recommend an area of San Diego that will be located as far Eastbound close to FWY 8 where I could find a reasonable rental options with 2bdr and a good school
I would not mind at all driving 100 miles each way every work day, if I can keep the family under more benign weather and have my kid in a good education program

Thank you

[BacktoBlue]

Alpine

[Willy702]

I give you a month before you give up on your "dream" and either move the family east or get yourself a weekday place to live in Mexicali. The border crossing into Calexico will likely eat up an hour of your time every day and now there are delays crossing into Mexico thanks to Mexican inspections as well. Are you really willing to commute 6 or so hours a day?

[esmith143]

Yikes. Between the drive and the border wait, you'll be spending more time in your car than working. Get SENTRI if you don't have it already.

You might be able to find something like this (http://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/apa/1876890314.html - broken link) in Pine Valley, that's about 80 miles one way to the border crossing, the elementary school seems OK. But it's in the middle of nowhere. The selection would be better in Alpine, but it's another 15 to 20 miles. Keep in mind that interstate 8 occasionally gets closed in winter due to snow.

[Chelito23]

The daily border crossing back to the US will kill you. And then throw in the commute...and potential bad weather in winter on 1-8 going over the mountains, the commute issue isn't the miles, it is the waiting in traffic. You won't be home until laaaate at night and would have to leave so early I can't forsee you having enough sleeping time and forget about seeing the family while awake.

You will need to get a place in the Imperial Valley and deal with the heat if you took this job. Plenty of people can handle it, just look at Phoenix for inspiration. I would say to invest in a home you will enjoy with a pool...and you can find many nice and affordable homes in El Centro that are new. The electricity is sold directly from the electric company so there is no middle man. A friend with a 3 bedroom house inImperial just got his July electric bill: $130. His hosue in San Diego for the same period was $250 for a similar usage. So there are pros as well, and like I said, there are nice old and new homes in the IV...living in the valley would give you time to actually be with your family...you wouldn't have to deal with traffic at all...yeah the heat sucks but you will have AC and adapt. Dont be afraid to give the IV a try, you might be surprised that it is more liveable than you think.

[newjob1960]

Thank you all for your input, I will come around and look for a place at El Centro, I will be a good neighbor

[BacktoBlue]

El Centro isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. It's really hot and isolated about the only things I don't like about it

[Chelito23]

There is something endeering about being in an affordable, slow-paced California city with virtually no traffic...easy to get around, find parking, no lines at stores or in the malls...it sort of has a semi-ghost town feeling due to the lack of overcrowding. This is a huge plus...


My point is that you can be content in EC, Imperial, Calexico or Brawley if you want to be. The heat is absolutely the biggest challenge to overcome. The region is isolated but it isn't exactly the end of the Earth either. San Diego, two hours away. Not many places in the US can boast that. LA is a little further. Mountain retreats, skiing, Vegas casinos, Mexican beach resorts, all within a days drive. I think you will be pleasantly surprised once you get here.