6 potential cities for relocation to SD area - your thoughts? (San Diego: real estate, buying a house)

[kmfdm]

Hello,

My family and I are currently planning on relocating from metro Detroit to an area around San Diego in the next 1-3 years. We have already visited some of these areas and we're taking another trip out to SD in a few weeks to look into them further. We are considering:

Vista
Escondido
Fallbrook
San Marcos
Temecula
Valley Center

Our main priorities are

- schools
- safety
- weather
- lot size

Potentially the commute to the city as well, but for now I work from home. Obviously weather will vary, we know it will be significantly hotter for 4-5 months in Temecula and possibly Valley Center compared to the rest. We are looking for .5 acre or more, so that does limit our options. Potentially could purchase land and build, after doing required research for the utilities.

I was wondering if some of you might rank the cities in order from best to worst for both 1) school systems, and 2) safety? We will check the #s of course, but it's always interesting to get the thoughts from some actual residents in the area.

If any of you have lived in 2 or more of these areas, how do you think they compared? Any other thoughts regarding how these areas might compare to each other would be welcome.

Thanks.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by kmfdm

Hello,

My family and I are currently planning on relocating from metro Detroit to an area around San Diego in the next 1-3 years. We have already visited some of these areas and we're taking another trip out to SD in a few weeks to look into them further. We are considering:

Vista
Escondido
Fallbrook
San Marcos
Temecula
Valley Center

Our main priorities are

- schools
- safety
- weather
- lot size

Potentially the commute to the city as well, but for now I work from home. Obviously weather will vary, we know it will be significantly hotter for 4-5 months in Temecula and possibly Valley Center compared to the rest. We are looking for .5 acre or more, so that does limit our options. Potentially could purchase land and build, after doing required research for the utilities.

I was wondering if some of you might rank the cities in order from best to worst for both 1) school systems, and 2) safety? We will check the #s of course, but it's always interesting to get the thoughts from some actual residents in the area.

If any of you have lived in 2 or more of these areas, how do you think they compared? Any other thoughts regarding how these areas might compare to each other would be welcome.

Thanks.

Hi,

First I have to say that its nice that you are considering areas other than beach Our backcountry and rural areas are fantastic.

I have not lived in these places you mentioned but have friends in or near there. The areas you will likely get .5 acres or more are in the unincorporated areas of the county. So Valley Center (unincorporated Escondido) and Fallbrook are definitely. I am not sure if the others listed have sections that are or not. Temecula is not San Diego County, its Riverside. So you might want to post exclusively for that in the Riverside section of city-data.

Valley Center from what I have heard, is probably the better of the ones you mentioned. With Vista maybe coming second.
Escondido the city is quite large. The city center doesnt have a great reputation, but the surrounding parts do that border the west and south.

The other thing is, we have TONS of backcountry here that can give you that kind of lot size. From what I am seeing in your list, you focused mainly on the northern part of the county. There are also other areas like Ramona and east El Cajon and Lakeside that fit what you are looking for.

Try this map. Its a google map of the county and it has each zip code (the green dots) with real estate lisitngs on it. It may give you a beter visual what you are seeking. Just hover each green circle and it will tell you prices and what the name of said area is.
http://www.sdlookup.com/Market_Map-San_Diego

There are some experts on here that really know the schools or can add more than what greatschools has to offer. I am hoping they can get on here and contribute.

[kmfdm]

Thanks for the reply. Noted that Temecula is actually Riverside, but I thought I might get a better response in here with regards to specifically comparing it to the other SD areas listed.

Each area does have a few (or more) listings with .5 acre or greater lot size...some more than others. We're packed like sardines in our current MI neighborhood, and one of our top priorities now is to find a lot with some sort of space and privacy, preferably 1 full acre or more. I realize we will probably have to sacrifice distance to the ciy of San Diego to achieve this.

There are also some listings for land of various sizes in each area. I am considering buying land and building to get the lot size I want at a decent price because I have experience doing many parts of the construction process myself. This would really depend on the costs associated for setting up utilities, permits, and creating a pad suitable for construction.

That SDLookup site looks helpful, but I don't see the ability to filter/sort by Lot size that I often use with realtor.com or Redfin (unless I am missing it).

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by kmfdm

Thanks for the reply. Noted that Temecula is actually Riverside, but I thought I might get a better response in here with regards to specifically comparing it to the other SD areas listed.

Each area does have a few (or more) listings with .5 acre or greater lot size...some more than others. We're packed like sardines in our current MI neighborhood, and one of our top priorities now is to find a lot with some sort of space and privacy, preferably 1 full acre or more. I realize we will probably have to sacrifice distance to the ciy of San Diego to achieve this.

There are also some listings for land of various sizes in each area. I am considering buying land and building to get the lot size I want at a decent price because I have experience doing many parts of the construction process myself. This would really depend on the costs associated for setting up utilities, permits, and creating a pad suitable for construction.

That SDLookup site looks helpful, but I don't see the ability to filter/sort by Lot size that I often use with realtor.com or Redfin (unless I am missing it).

Hi, you can basically assume that most unincorporated areas are going to have .5+ lot sizes. You are correct, there is no filter available. it was more of a overhead view of the various areas as a starting point.
This map will give you a guide to the unincorprated parts of the county. If you are unsure of what that means, just do a quick google search. Long story short, these areas are where you will find larger lots.

http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/reusable_...ommunities.pdf

Unfortuantely, buying land here and then building is a challenge as there may be some hurdles to jump and red tape in regards to the utility set up, permits etc. What should take a relatively short amount of time can take years with the permit process. This isnt even getting to the building part. Even then, you may be way out in the middle of nowhere and having any decent access to things (food, school) may be a challenge.
There is so much inventory in some of these areas, its really worth looking at just buying a house with the land where its set up already.

[NYSD1995]

Vista - large lots, rural feel, some areas are very run down, some areas are downright nasty. Schools are mostly bad.

Escondido - highly populated, many run down areas, much nicer estate type areas on the periphery. Mixed bag on schools.

Fallbrook - mostly well kept rural feel with estate homes in Bonsall. Mixed bag on schools.

San Marcos - mostly overbuilt tract home suburbia. Schools mostly good.

Temecula - same as San Marcos but farther out and newer. Best schools of this list

Valley Center - mix of Vista-type areas and estate home areas. Schools are mostly good.

[eastcoastbias]

Originally Posted by kmfdm

Hello,

My family and I are currently planning on relocating from metro Detroit to an area around San Diego in the next 1-3 years. We have already visited some of these areas and we're taking another trip out to SD in a few weeks to look into them further. We are considering:

Vista
Escondido
Fallbrook
San Marcos
Temecula
Valley Center

Our main priorities are

- schools
- safety
- weather
- lot size

Potentially the commute to the city as well, but for now I work from home. Obviously weather will vary, we know it will be significantly hotter for 4-5 months in Temecula and possibly Valley Center compared to the rest. We are looking for .5 acre or more, so that does limit our options. Potentially could purchase land and build, after doing required research for the utilities.

I was wondering if some of you might rank the cities in order from best to worst for both 1) school systems, and 2) safety? We will check the #s of course, but it's always interesting to get the thoughts from some actual residents in the area.

If any of you have lived in 2 or more of these areas, how do you think they compared? Any other thoughts regarding how these areas might compare to each other would be welcome.

Thanks.

I just moved to Esco and I researched many of those places that you have listed before I moved. I also grew up in the Midwest so I imagine we probably think along the same lines. If you are coming from a metro area in the midwest you won't feel unsafe here. This isn't Detroit, Cleveland or St. Louis in regard to crime. Maybe someone has the stats to say otherwise, but its not bad IMO.

Tem. Valley commute to Downtown SD should be enough to steer you away from there. I know some incredibly patient people that do it, but its probably not something you want to do if you have a family. Granted, there are some great deals up there. If you plan on working from home it might work though.

My wife a lifelong resident of SD wouldn't even consider Fallbrook. I don't know a lot about the area.

Vista is probably the most unsafe area of the group. The 78 is no picnic (arguably the worst highway in SD county) There is a new high school being built there.

San Marcos- Is the Newer/Safer Vista. Ditto with the 78, lots of food and shopping options, schools are above average but personally I think this area is a little overpriced.

Valley Center would probably be a smoother transition for a midwestern. If Valley Center is in consideration have you thought about Ramona? Both of these places have decent schools- and you are more likely to know your neighbor in both places.

I like Esco- the further you get away from downtown Esco the better (North has some nice neighborhoods- Hidden Meadows area) also there are some nice and for the most part decently priced neighborhoods off Del Dios Highway. The Schools are okay- some are good and some are bad. Overall, Esco is very hit and miss- you really have to do your homework. The commute is the most tolerable to downtown. Also, add on Esco- lots of license/DUI/Reg. checkpoints- they don't mess around.

[kmfdm]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Interesting about Vista, wikipedia said it was voted one of the best places to raise a family in 2008, but I do see now that the school ratings are quite low. If the area and the schools are that bad, we might count that one out.

Had not considered Ramona, thought it was basically just horse-country. So the Ramona and Valley Center schools are both comparable? (decent to good?) I will look into Ramona a bit more.

[oddstray]

The part of Vista south of I-78 is pretty nice (my sister and nephew lived there for several years). The area north of I-78 is where it's iffy. Can't tell you anything about the schools ...

[SDbeachbum]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Vista - large lots, rural feel, some areas are very run down, some areas are downright nasty. Schools are mostly bad.

Escondido - highly populated, many run down areas, much nicer estate type areas on the periphery. Mixed bag on schools.

Fallbrook - mostly well kept rural feel with estate homes in Bonsall. Mixed bag on schools.

San Marcos - mostly overbuilt tract home suburbia. Schools mostly good.

Temecula - same as San Marcos but farther out and newer. Best schools of this list

Valley Center - mix of Vista-type areas and estate home areas. Schools are mostly good.

I have to agree with all of this. I will add that Temecula will ensure you an hour or more commute each way. If you're looking for country feel, check out Ramona, although that drive can be bad too, as there is only one road in and one road out. If you want nice homes, lots of families, and good schools, but not necessarily country, maybe the Eastlake or Otay Ranch area of Chula Vista.

[kmfdm]

we took the trip and are looking at temecula and possibly san marcos.

just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the input.