Neighborhood Recommendations (Mission Hills, Mesa: houses, schools, university)

[bloom]

Originally Posted by mandasand

I am not writing off Carmel Valley completely. I just am not sure if we can get a single family home for $3k there. They have nice townhomes but a fenced yard space is a non-negotiable at this point. I have a 9 year old lab. She isn't adjusting well in the condo. She's an awesome dog and really easy going. She's an inside dog, but waiting 12 hours before I get home I feel so bad for her.

It is crazy for me to think we cannot get an updated home with a yard in a good neighborhood for $3k. How much should our budget really be?

Carmel Valley can be soul crushingly bland.
Your budget is not crazy at all. I rent well within that range for a 3BR + guest house 1BR + yard in MH.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by cruitr

If you go inland about 10 miles, you'll have lots of luck finding what you describe. Tierrasanta is a good place to look: Via Dominque Court home

This one doesn't look to me like a SFH or townhome. It even calls itself a condo.

But Tierrasanta is a very nice neighborhood.

[cruitr]

Originally Posted by oddstray

This one doesn't look to me like a SFH or townhome. It even calls itself a condo.

But Tierrasanta is a very nice neighborhood.

I think it's a duplex. The ad mentions a backyard.

[mandasand]

It looks decent enough but the backyard won't work for our dog. Maybe I'll look at Tierrasanta but that's right off the not-so-great Clairemont Mesa area.

If we were buying, we would be more worried about school district. But, since we are renting and I'm not even pregnant yet, a good school district isn't on the wish list. However, an area that has good shopping and perhaps a good day care would be valuable. My co-worker is also trying to get pregnant and we talked about doing a co-nanny situation. That can work at either of our houses.

[mandasand]

Safe, well maintained neighborhood close to shopping in a central location....

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by mandasand

... Maybe I'll look at Tierrasanta but that's right off the not-so-great Clairemont Mesa area.....

Tierrasanta shares no borders with Clairemont Mesa. Kearny Mesa is between Tierrasanta and Clairemont Mesa.

[mandasand]

The duplex listed above was off Clairemont Mesa Blvd.

[oddstray]

Clairemont Mesa Blvd. is quite long, and spans from Clairmont Drive all the way east to Mission Trails Park. It goes through Clairemont Mesa, Kearny Mesa, and Tierrasanta.

[mandasand]

I am geographically challenged still...only been here since April.

[mewzikguy]

Sticking w/ Tierrasanta, you could look at housing around Kumeyaay, Vista Grande, and Tierrasanta Elementary schools. I've taught at all those schools, nice family areas around each one. Hopefully find some rentals that would work