Moving to SD...so many neighborhoods (San Diego, Vista: 2015, to rent, house)

[Ruefulbadger]

Hello All,

Would love some help. Moving to SD in Feb with my wife. We're expecting our first baby in May and I'd like to enjoy this time instead of reading about Hillcrest and La Mesa and La Jolla and Encinitas and...you get the point. Any direction would be appreciated. Use as much or as little detail below as you like when formulating your wisdom. Here's the situation.

-buy not rent...can prob afford up to 600k but would prefer to stay under 500k (3+br)
-office is right around Qualcomm (I would be happy with living in a box against the side of the office if it meant no commute. Iow, short commute high priority. Short equals less than 30 min in traffic)
-would love an area that felt like a community
-don't need public transport
-wife loves the "single story detached house on tree lined street that she can safely walk down to meet her new friend in the house down the street"
-the kid won't start school for a couple years so schools aren't the TOP priority, but they will be soon.

Thanks!

[docmcstuffin]

Based on those criteria, I would highly recommend West side of Mira Mesa. From West side of Mira Mesa to Qualcomm area would take you 5-15 depending on how many lights you hit. Single story 1200-1500 sq-ft goes for around $420-470k there. Schools are good. There's a brand new Elementary school being built on the South West side (on corner of Flanders and Parkdale), it'll be opening in Fall 2015. Mira Mesa is definitely a street by street thing when it comes to "community", some streets, people keep to themselves while others, they're more friendly. Mira Mesa doesn't have tree lined streets, but since the area is matured and no HOA, there can be big a lot of big trees (again, depend on the street).

[malcorub16]

Originally Posted by Ruefulbadger

Hello All,
-buy not rent...can prob afford up to 600k but would prefer to stay under 500k (3+br)
-office is right around Qualcomm (I would be happy with living in a box against the side of the office if it meant no commute. Iow, short commute high priority. Short equals less than 30 min in traffic)
Thanks!

I just want to be clear, when you say Qualcomm, you mean the business campus up in Sorrento Mira Mesa and not the stadium right in Mission Valley right? Because there are many offices in both areas.

[Ruefulbadger]

I had no idea. No, Qualcomm Stadium-ish. Friars and the 163 to be exact. Thanks for clarifying, I would have started to get real confused, real fast.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by Ruefulbadger

I had no idea. No, Qualcomm Stadium-ish. Friars and the 163 to be exact. Thanks for clarifying, I would have started to get real confused, real fast.

In that case:

Looking at your budget, Serra Mesa or Clairmont Mesa (CM is a bit farther away but still not bad).

Tierrasanta is a bit newer and nicer, if you could find something within your budget.

[malcorub16]

Originally Posted by oddstray

In that case:

Looking at your budget, Serra Mesa or Clairmont Mesa (CM is a bit farther away but still not bad).

Tierrasanta is a bit newer and nicer, if you could find something within your budget.

These are good places to look, OP also look in Linda Vista around the Mesa College/Kearny High area as well as a neighborhood called Birdland. I have a couple of colleagues in my office that live in "Birdland" which is a small subdivision behind the Sharp Memorial Hospital Campus. They have nice homes and can hop on the 163 easily and coast down the freeway and be at the office in Mission Valley 5-10 mins. My work is closer to the Qualcomm Stadium, i can see it clrearly from my bosses corner office, great place to watch the KBG firework show.

[Ruefulbadger]

I looked at Birdland, thx. It seems like SD has a lot of "good" neighborhoods and "bad" neighborhoods right on top of each other. Is that a fair assessment or am I misinterpreting what I'm seeing online? At least it seems like there are a lot of decent homes in questionable areas. Thoughts?

[oddstray]

"Bad" in San Diego typically means older and not as well kept-up. There are very few "bad" (as in unsafe) neighborhoods in San Diego. So the difference between "good" and "bad" is much less in San Diego than in, say, Chicago.

And yes, many San Diego neighborhoods are block-to-block, so there are some decent homes in questionable areas. And some questionable homes in "good" areas.

[Think4Yourself]

My suggestion is to not buy and instead to rent. At least for one year. That way you can get a really firm finger on which neighborhoods you like and when you do buy you can be certain you're a well informed buyer who is buying exactly where he wants. Take your time. It's on your side.

[Ruefulbadger]

Thank you all very much. Looks like my timetable got a shot in the arm...could be a sandiegan by the new year!