How has San Diego changed since the mid 80's? (San Francisco: condo, crime)

[gpraceman]

Originally Posted by kimmer

We own a home here, and with all the equity we have, still can't afford a decent size home for our family. So, we're looking in other states.

That's a big reason why we moved out of there. The prospects of moving up out of our tiny 1950's home, without taking a variable or interest only loan (I cringe at the thought) were nill. We were stuck. We cashed out our equity and got 3 times the home in Colorado. I don't regret moving at all. The kids miss the beach and their friends, but they have settled into a nicer and safer area with far better schools. Their prospects of becoming home owners here are far better than in San Diego.

[Pointer]

Originally Posted by asbury

Hi all,

I lived in San Diego in the 80's and now my wife and I are thinking of moving there to retire. I lived there in the 80's and loved it. I moved in and out for work and have not had the oppertunity, untill now, to move back. In what way do you think the the city has grown? I remember visiting Los Angles and couldn't wait to return to San Diego.

Thanks for your thoughts.
Asbury

San Diego is a great place to vacation in, living here has its challenges, Expensive gas, Expensive Housing, Expensive food, Heavy traffic. If i wasn't retired and owned my home outright, I would leave in a heartbeat. Don't know how people afford to pay 600,000 for a 1000SF home in the coastal area, (area, not on the coast). Its not going to get any better anytime soon.

[BENZBOY15]

The more dramatic changes have occured inland. On the coast, it's more people building custom, larger homes on the same size lot instead of tract homes piled long and wide. In Leucadia, where I live, development has been rather limited. The homes that do get built are usually custom homes or a builder will build 3-6 homes on a dead end street (but they're nice, big homes that go for $2mil+ which increases home values). Other than that, the 101 strip is still rundown and we still have the apartments on Vulcan ave. This hasn't changed since the 80s. There are still the lush gardens/trees, the sidewalkless streets and of course, the hippies.

Del Mar is the same way. Del Mar is beautiful with its huge pine trees. There is no horrible looking tract homes there. La Jolla is the same way.

Even in the Leucadia area in the summer, you can find a beach that isn't crowded.

However most people can't afford to live right along the coast. To see the transistion, go to Del Mar on 101. Drive up in the hills there and that's how Del Mar was in the 80s. Huge trees, nice but modest homes, big lots and natural landscaping. Then get on Del Mar Heights road and go east. You see the transistion from lush landscaping, big lots, huge trees to no trees and beige tract homes as far as the eye can see. But if you live along the coast, you don't have to go see Poway, San Marcos, Vista or any of the other tract home hot spots.

One place that hasn't changed at all is Rancho Santa Fe. I love running on the trails there with the huge eucluptyus trees and NO homes piled on top of each other. Just huge, hidden estates on 5 acres that you can't even see. In fact, I just ran out there today. I happned to run into a lady who asked if I needed water (which I did) and checked out her house. She ended up giving me a tour, since I love real estate and I was gone. Three stories, two bars, movie theater in the entertainment level with a bar, wine cellar and a 10 car subterranian garage. A master suite to die for, a gigantic kitchen and just overall a beaufiul house. Wood beams, a showstopper pool/backyard. The list goes on.

I don't care what it takes...I'm living in Rancho Santa Fe.

I don't care

[SarahGabrielle]

Are you moving to somewhere in Florida?

[otto-focus]

Originally Posted by asbury

Hi all,

I lived in San Diego in the 80's and now my wife and I are thinking of moving there to retire. I lived there in the 80's and loved it. I moved in and out for work and have not had the oppertunity, untill now, to move back. In what way do you think the the city has grown? I remember visiting Los Angles and couldn't wait to return to San Diego.

Thanks for your thoughts.
Asbury

i was born and raised in san diego and a place that cost 20k in the 60's is selling for 500k and up now,as for land forget it unless you hit the lotto.

[SurfSwamis]

You'll be sadly disappointed. I'm a native and grew up in LJ and PB, I've been in Leucadia for 20+ years. I'm looking out of state. SD has been taken over by others and sold out, overbuilt and is now populated by a bunch of clones who want to live in million dollar, beige stucco tract houses and kid themselves they "live the beach lifestyle". Here's a news flash Bucky, wearing a Tommy Bahama shirt does not constitute a beach lifestyle. Our incredible little enclave has been lot split and stacked up with 5k sf boxes filled with stuffed shirts and their bleached blonde, boob-jobbed wives, driving SUV's around with new surfboards on the roof all the time. (You know, in case you have that spare moment in between shopping you can grab a surf) I live near Ponto and Grandview, during the summer it looks like the photos of the Jersey Shore. We are definitely looking fwd to finding the right place and are looking on the SE coast. I miss SD of the 80's unbelievably, but leaving in 07 is no problem.

[majoun]

[quote=mercedes75;187041]

Originally Posted by starkt

San Diego can look like a combination of Los Angeles and Northern T.J. unless you're in a few select areas. All in all, it's really no better than L.A. without the entertainment industry, businesses, subways, etc.[/b]

Or Vegas without casinos? Phoenix, but with a beach?

[kimmer]

SurfSwamis,
You forgot to mention those SUV-mom's who have one ear glued to their phone, the other clutching a Starbucks, and driving like a maniac, and that's just in the mall parking lots! They then have the nerve to glare at you because You're In Their Way.
Sorry you won't be surfin' Swamis anymore. As a SD native, I can commiserate. Moving out of SD as soon as I possibly can. Later dude...

[jksouthbay88]

This is a good question
A great question.
The "ghetto" called E.San Diego is not as ghetto as it was before but it is still the roughest part of the county.
Places that where not that ghetto are now simi-rough.
Areas like Linda Vista,Mission Valley,Beach Cities,East Chula Vista,Downtown.
Also Ntnl City and Chula Vista cleaned up it's image around 1993 but it is starting to get really bad again.
Overall????
It's getting back to the rough days of the 1980's again but it is still an ok place.

[silverslc]

Originally Posted by BIOLYNX

Hi:
I have lived in San Diego, all of my life (over 50 years)(Ramona for the past 17 years)(grew up in La Jolla in the 50s and 60s. In the mid 80s San Diego was still fairly decent, as you probably remember, but by the end of the 80s and into the 90s the influx of people turned it into a nightmare of traffic and insufferable attitude problems.

My hubby and I are now retired and are planning to move as all of the freeways are parking lots day and night and the developing does not stop. Believe me, you do not want to be here, much less move here. Everyone who is a native is leaving and believe me the San Diego you remember from the 80s is not the San Diego of today. Five years ago I could make the drive from Ramona to La Jolla in 45 minutes, now because of the traffic it takes 90 minutes. It is truly a shame. It makes me so sad to see what has happened to my home town.

Hope this helps with your decision.
Biolynx

WOW I couldnt of put it better! Born and rasied San Diegan and I left. Comparing the presnt time in San Diego to the 80's is a joke. Totally different place and attitudes.