Where to move??? (Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside: relocation, real estate, cul-de-sac)

[Fatty Jay]

I'm new to this forum and I've seen a couple of threads that helped a little, but I have a question.

I grew up in Phx AZ and now live in Yuma, AZ (in USMC)... I want to move to So. Cal. when I get out of the Marine Corps and was looking for a good place to move. I'm thinking about somewhere in the San Diego area maybe. My friend is stationed at Camp Pendleton and is looking for a place to live also when he gets out. He mentioned Temecula. Looking on the map, I think that'd be about as far north as I might want to go. I don't really want to be in the LA area or any further north.

My wife and I have 2 kids. A 1 1/2 yr old and a newborn. We're getting out in about a year. I'm trying to get my Real Estate License, Appraisal License, and Home Inspection License. I want to get into that field when I'm done with the USMC. My wife will probably work at a restaurant serving for a while. We don't really want to live inside of San Diego because the traffic is really bad, but how is it in the cities around there?

I've written too much already, so if anyone can point me in the right direction that'd be great... Where to move????

[LuvRedSox]

Originally Posted by Fatty Jay

I'm new to this forum and I've seen a couple of threads that helped a little, but I have a question.

I grew up in Phx AZ and now live in Yuma, AZ (in USMC)... I want to move to So. Cal. when I get out of the Marine Corps and was looking for a good place to move. I'm thinking about somewhere in the San Diego area maybe. My friend is stationed at Camp Pendleton and is looking for a place to live also when he gets out. He mentioned Temecula. Looking on the map, I think that'd be about as far north as I might want to go. I don't really want to be in the LA area or any further north.

My wife and I have 2 kids. A 1 1/2 yr old and a newborn. We're getting out in about a year. I'm trying to get my Real Estate License, Appraisal License, and Home Inspection License. I want to get into that field when I'm done with the USMC. My wife will probably work at a restaurant serving for a while. We don't really want to live inside of San Diego because the traffic is really bad, but how is it in the cities around there?

I've written too much already, so if anyone can point me in the right direction that'd be great... Where to move????

Temecula is a nice and congested area. Housing is expensive and many of the housing tracts have homeowner association fees. You might look into Fallbrook which is on the eastern border of Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad, and Escondido. San Diego has some nice areas, (expensive though), and you really need to take your time on picking a place to live. Go back several times at different times of the day. Check traffic first thing in the morning, during school hours, and in the evening and weekends. You might spot a beautiful neighborhood that actually becomes party central or worse.

Because you have children, check on the area school ratings. Check if the house you are interested in has a Mello Roos fee. If you have time, look into the projected growth for the area you are settled on.....it may become downtown Los Angeles-like within a few years.

I' d like to thank you for your service in our military and wish you and yours the best of luck and good wishes for a smooth move. (I am an army brat and we settled from Germany into Whittier, CA with my father commuting to Hollywood to teach ROTC for 25 years after he retired at 25 1/2 years from the Army.) I now reside in Riverside County and have been here for 19 years.

[VALOVE]

I've lived in Temecula 18 years and absolutely love it. We raised both our children here (now 17 and 20). It's a very family oriented community, with many parks, restaurants and shopping. There is always an event of one kind or another going on - parades, the balloon and wine festival, movies in the park, jazz concerts, the annual rod run, etc. The traffic can be heavy at times, and downright hideous in certain areas! It just depends where you live. Although Temecula has become more expensive as it has grown, it is still much more affordable than many parts of southern California, including Orange County and LA County, and most of San Diego County.

Let me know if you have any other questions - I'd be glad to help!

[andtm66]

Carlsbad is a great area ... though I have to admit it's been awhile since I've been there. I'm sure the traffic is crazy ... though it is probably crazy anywhere.

One thing that I've found to be true where I live now (in Portland, OR) ... and I think is probably true in San Diego county as well ... is that the traffic is actually WORSE in the suburbs than in the older city neighborhoods. The older neighborhoods are not as compact and therefore don't have as many people ... so not as much traffic. Plus, more and more people are moving to the suburbs ... anyway, that's what I've found to be true here ... and would assume was true there as well.

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by andtm66

One thing that I've found to be true where I live now (in Portland, OR) ... and I think is probably true in San Diego county as well ... is that the traffic is actually WORSE in the suburbs than in the older city neighborhoods. The older neighborhoods are not as compact and therefore don't have as many people ... so not as much traffic. Plus, more and more people are moving to the suburbs ... anyway, that's what I've found to be true here ... and would assume was true there as well.

Actually, in San Diego, population density is much higher than in the suburbs. Our urban neighborhoods are very compact, we have more multi-family property and mixed commercial / residential in close quarters compared to the suburbs.

The difference is that most of our suburban neighborhoods are laid out in the modern subdivision style where a wide central boulevard is connected to multiple cul-de-sac style neighborhoods. This means there are very few through-routes from one end of the suburb to the other, which leads to heavy traffic on the boulevards. The only way to deal with this is lots and lots of stop lights.

The urban grid is much more effective in managing traffic since it offers many in/out routes from residential neighborhoods to commercial areas.

The perfect example of this is Poway, with only 2 major east/west thoroughfares (Scripps Poway Pkwy and Poway Road) and just a few north / south through streets (Pomerado / Community). As a result Poway's surface streets are a nightmare of multiple extended stoplights, 2-mile stretches of high-speed travel alternating with complete stops. 50-car columns are stopped for 3 minutes for 1 car to make a left turn leave a residential subdivision. Making a trip for groceries or gas is an hour-long ordeal waiting to get through heavily trafficked intersections.

Almost all of North County suffers from this and it's just a part of life up there. South County has it too - take a look at the situation on Telegraph Canyon road as an example.

It's a trade-off - quiet cul-de-sacs with lots of local traffic vs more residential traffic and light surface street traffic.

[jeffncandace]

I lived in Temecula and Murrieta from 2000-2006, and we loved it. Not without it's flaws (like anywhere else on earth), but still a great place to live.

[kettlepot]

Originally Posted by andtm66

One thing that I've found to be true where I live now (in Portland, OR) ... and I think is probably true in San Diego county as well ... is that the traffic is actually WORSE in the suburbs than in the older city neighborhoods. The older neighborhoods are not as compact and therefore don't have as many people ... so not as much traffic. Plus, more and more people are moving to the suburbs ... anyway, that's what I've found to be true here ... and would assume was true there as well.

Actually, both Andtm and Sassberto are right. I believe they are are talking about apples and oranges. Sassberto is comparing pre-WWII neighborhoods with post-WWII neighborhoods. and I believe Andtm is comparing immediate post-WWII suburban neighborhoods from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, with their cousins from the 90s and today. Those earlier developments were constructed with ranch style single family residences, on relatively large lots while homes from the 90s and today even though built farther out, because of the greater cost of land, were built with bigger homes, McMansions, on smaller lots, with some big condo developments thrown in for good measure to add diversity (and traffic congestion).

[GA777]

Hi,

I have lived in downtown San Diego and also the cities just outside of San Diego. My recommendation is to visit these following cities and get a feel for them before planting there permanently.

Carlsbad - Excellent school district and somewhat affordable homes - you might still be able to get $500,000-600,000 homes/condos. Also, near Camp Pendelton, which is located in Oceanside, the city next to Carlsbad.

Del Mar - Excellent school district and somewhat affordable homes on the east of the 5 freeway - new home developments

Chula Vista - East - new home developments and upscale neighborhoods but still have some affordable homes. Although, I don't know about their schools and how they rank. You can call the school district of Chula Vista directly and have them forward you a stat report on where their schools rank based on the students test scores.

Scripps Ranch, Poway, Carmel Highlands, Rancho Bernardo - all off the 15 freeway with great school districts and homes although these cities are located inland.

However - Temecula is further north from these cities I have noted above. Temecula is north of Escondido off the 15 freeway which if you have to work in San Diego or along the west side near the beach areas it would probably take you 1 to 1 1/2 hours without traffic and with traffic especially in the early mornings during the week it would take you longer. As you get closer in Rancho Bernardo there is a lane called Fast Track but you will have to pay for this in advance through the city. It's an advantage since you will be able to pass all the traffic.

It really just comes down to what you are going to be doing as far as your job, if you are going to be in real estate then you will be highly commuting back and forth no matter where you live - just depends on how far you want to commute and what areas you want to focus in for your real estate career including an excellent school system for your children and affordable housing.

I hope this helps!! Best of Luck on your relocation.

[Fatty Jay]

Thx everyone for the replies...

I've done a little more research about Temecula. So far I've found that Temecula/Murrieta sound pretty good to me. Homes are cheaper and traffic is less than the main San Diego area. The weather is a little warmer and we'd be about 40 mins from the ocean, but I think it's a trade we can do in the beginning.

We're probably going to be looking for a small house around $300,000 if possible, because to us, $300,000 would buy you a big house in AZ. We couldn't afford a HUGE house that would be $500,000 in AZ, so I don't want to assume that we'd be able to afford a MODEST $500,000 house in CA.

Again, thx for the help...

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by Fatty Jay

I've done a little more research about Temecula. So far I've found that Temecula/Murrieta sound pretty good to me. Homes are cheaper and traffic is less than the main San Diego area. The weather is a little warmer and we'd be about 40 mins from the ocean, but I think it's a trade we can do in the beginning.
.

Traffic is less in Temecula only if you never have to leave. There are really almost no jobs in Temecula other than retail jobs. Commuting to San Diego every day is possibly the worst commute in the county - 90-120 minutes of bumper-to-bumper traffic.