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Hey pedro2000, I live in CV and have for 6 years. I also lived in normal heights and clairemont and could make the same sweeping generalizations about those areas, believe me! I don't own in CV, I rent. But I'll take being close to the beach, not having crackheads (speaking of 'zombieland) on every block and having tons of clean, safe parks anyday. Plus, I can walk to a locally owned healthstore for food. Love it. Couldn't do that in urban SD.
As far as bang for your buck, CV will give you the best array of amenities for the family and lifestyle criteria asked about-centrally located, stores, schools, etc.
As far as bland: OP, you will find A LOT of bland in SD. It's suburbia, especially for good districts.
I wish I had read this whole thread prior to wasting several minutes of my life typing info that I have already typed hundreds of times on this forum (Use the SEARCH button and look up past threads on CV). If CV is bland for you, trust me, the other suburbs are much worse. With your budget, you likely will be looking at said bland suburbs, too. CV is 'iffy' as far as your price range. Poway is a maybe. And Tierra Santa, Eastlake or San Marcos are much stronger possibilities. But there are always exceptions, so renting while you look is a great way to go.
Note: SD is so cal. So cal is STERILE SUBURBIA, for the most part. Particularly as far as good areas for families/schools.
For families moving to SD, if schools are a priority, suburbia WILL mostly likely be the best choice.
Unless they can afford Encinitas or Rancho Santa Fe/La Jolla. Encnitas is more vibrant. Great community. Higher prices for housing in all 3 of these. RSF and LJ are not really vibrant, though they are less bland and have more character than the suburbs. Very wealthy enclaves such as they are, IMO, are not vibrant feeling, usually. Beautiful places though.
Regular posters: If you only visit an area for a short time once in awhile, such as CV, it's probably tough for you to recommend for a family. Also, your bias against both suburbia and the affluent parts of SD is well known. Try to be of service to people-talking about an area you are visiting as disney land doesn't really help the OP. Also, inevitably, if I said visiting logan heights felt like TJ lite to me, I'd be bashed as being racist or non PC.
There are *some* school options in Mission Hills, and urban SD. Grant k-8 is good. And there are charter schools and magnets. In fact, I just typed on two other threads today, links for charter schools, magnets, etc for families interested in living near downtown SD. You might want to check those threads out.
I do my best to post helpful info to people-of course different subjective and objective info is good. But there is a line where it simply becomes someone's bias against something and is not that helpful to the needs/goals of the OP.
Good luck w/your move, OP. Enjoy SD-it's a very nice city, IMO. And regularly ranks high as 'best place to raise a family' and 'safest and most non violent' for large metros over 1 million. Of course, that safe and good to raise a family can also translate to bland or boring, for some. It's all in what a person is interested in at a given time in life.
Jimbo's health store's original store is the one here in CV [jimbo is a local CV parent and used to work at the ocean beach people's food co-op. His first store was north park years ago-and he moved to north county to start the chain of stores.] There's also a new tea house in CV that was located in hip/trendy South Park. It closed and relocated to CV. Luxury cinema chain from south america-Cinepolis-opened their first US location in CV [now has several]. It's an 'experience', for sure. It was listed on hidden san diego. Hidden San Diego
You do realize that CV is more than just the condos/townhomes and homes near Jimbos right? So not everybody who moves into CV will be within walking distance to Jimbos.
Hey pedro2000, I live in CV and have for 6 years. I also lived in normal heights and clairemont and could make the same sweeping generalizations about those areas, believe me! I don't own in CV, I rent. But I'll take being close to the beach, not having crackheads (speaking of 'zombieland) on every block and having tons of clean, safe parks anyday. Plus, I can walk to a locally owned healthstore for food. Love it. Couldn't do that in urban SD.
As far as bang for your buck, CV will give you the best array of amenities for the family and lifestyle criteria asked about-centrally located, stores, schools, etc.
The joke is that you actually think you are the only person who knows CV. I'm starting to think you have some vested interest in Jimbos or that plaza as every other post seems to be some plug for it.
I know that area. I know Urban Plates and Jimbos and Ralphs. I know the Whole Foods over on via de la valle as well. I'm at Jimbos practically every day. I love Jimbos. I love urban plates. The mall is nice, but it's a mall. And CV is as others have stated, overpriced for what it is. People move there for the schools and it's proximity to everything around it. Most people don't move to CV because of Jimbos or the reclining theatre chairs.
It's a nice place for families and children. It has great schools. it is close to the beaches and many jobs. But don't sell it as something it's not.
But not all of Santaluz is "very affluent". Yes, many households that do make good household incomes but there are also many many people where both spouses have to work or they couldn't afford the homes. Plus, on the West side of Santaluz there are houses that are less expensive than parts of Carmel Valley. In fact, cost per sq. foot in Carmel Valley in most areas is more expensive.
Most of the houses we saw back when we were buying in Carmel Valley were more expensive than the house we ended up buying. Carmel Valley is not a cheap place to buy. Cost per sq. foot is pricey.
I still think it's the great schools that drives most of the demand in that area.
ER, you absolutely made a GREAT choice where you guys are. Santaluz is special in that sense as you know. Such a great community you guys have there.
Its interesting CV as being more expensive in PPSF. I wonder what drives the premium considering its in the same school district? Santaluz has amazing weather so maybe just being closer to the water or the 5 is the difference?
I wish we knew where we would want to move next. Not any time soon, but its something that we ponder as you know.
So many great choices in the County....its a good problem to have.
OK, what about the golf course thing? That doesn't seem ideal...
Oh bloom the golf course is hidden amongst most of the homes. The way the developers designed it was genius! I don't say that because I live here but someone that appreciates developments and communities. You really can't see it unless you happen to have a house on the golf course or you are driving on Camino del Sur. But most of the homes even driving through the community you don't see the golf course. It was designed in that way specifically.
I keep inviting you over for a coffee so hopefully you take me up on it someday. It would be great to meet you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by shmoov_groovzsd
ER, you absolutely made a GREAT choice where you guys are. Santaluz is special in that sense as you know. Such a great community you guys have there.
Its interesting CV as being more expensive in PPSF. I wonder what drives the premium considering its in the same school district? Santaluz has amazing weather so maybe just being closer to the water or the 5 is the difference?
I wish we knew where we would want to move next. Not any time soon, but its something that we ponder as you know.
So many great choices in the County....its a good problem to have.
Oh yeah Shmoov. Look at cost per sq. feet and most of Carmel Valley is more expensive. Nope, the school districts aren't the same. In Santaluz where I live it's PUSD and Carmel Valley is San Dieguito (San Dieguito Union High School District - About SDUHSD ) which has amazing schools as well. In fact, many Carmel Valley schools rank even higher than PUSD schools. Both excellent school districts but most consider Carmel Valley schools to be superior overall.
The rub for many people for Santaluz is the high Mello Roos taxes. Much of Carmel Valley (except for the new developments) don't have Mello Roos fees which when you add that in probably makes it comparable so that probably has much to do with it. When we were looking even the newer developments like Pacific Highlands Ranch the Mello Roos were very low in comparison. When you take the "all in" costs including Mello Roos taxes it's probably comparable or maybe even more out here where I live I guess. Also, much of Carmel Valley there weren't high HOA fees and where I live it's $450 a month in HOA. So you have that cost as well.
Some of the Mello Roos taxes in my area are crazy high. Take Del Sur for example, the M.R. fees there are very high and will take forever to pay off. Just call and get a pay off quote to prepay off your Mello Roos in Del Sur and it's astronomical.
Oh bloom the golf course is hidden amongst most of the homes. The way the developers designed it was genius! I don't say that because I live here but someone that appreciates developments and communities. You really can't see it unless you happen to have a house on the golf course or you are driving on Camino del Sur. But most of the homes even driving through the community you don't see the golf course. It was designed in that way specifically.
I keep inviting you over for a coffee so hopefully you take me up on it someday. It would be great to meet you.
.
You have enough clout and great sensibility, I trust you about Santa Luz golfing and other.
I recall only one coffee invite.
But why spoil the magic we have with anonymity.
Methinks about it...
You have enough clout and great sensibility, I trust you about Santa Luz golfing and other.
I recall only one coffee invite.
But why spoil the magic we have with anonymity.
Methinks about it...
Ah I thought it was twice.
Ha, ha. Yeah, that is true about the anonymity part. Although so far everyone from CD was EXACTLY how I imagined them in real life. You can tell a lot about someone by the way they post.
Ok the invitation is always out there if you ever want to meet up. The CD gang and I often wonder about you. You're one of my favorite posters.
Ha, ha. Yeah, that is true about the anonymity part. Although so far everyone from CD was EXACTLY how I imagined them in real life. You can tell a lot about someone by the way they post.
Ok the invitation is always out there if you ever want to meet up. The CD gang and I often wonder about you. You're one of my favorite posters.
Ha, ha. Yeah, that is true about the anonymity part. Although so far everyone from CD was EXACTLY how I imagined them in real life. You can tell a lot about someone by the way they post.
Ok the invitation is always out there if you ever want to meet up. The CD gang and I often wonder about you. You're one of my favorite posters.
Ha.
I would love to hear my profile (theories), or at least part of it now.
Thanks for compliment! - Discriminating minds...
OP - given your parameters I would take a look at the older neighborhoods in Scripps Ranch, just north of Pomorado. Your $750K will go pretty far in that area. I have several friends who live in SR and they really like it. Good luck and keep us posted!
Husband and I are pretty much in the same boat as you. We are relocating from vegas & transferring to Mira mar radar facility. We also want to find a rental for about a year before we decide on a neighborhood. Carmel Valley seems great as we research on the internet but have yet to visit the area. However the areas and neighborhoods we are drawn to are in Allied Gardens, Del Cerro & San Carlos. These homes have a lot of character and are Craftsman style homes. Schools are a plus. Encinitas is the furthest we will go. I think your budget is way enough!! The homes in these areas mentioned are gorgeous 3 bedrooms, single stories 575k-625k will get you a fabulous pad.
Visited
San Marcos
Poway
Escondido
wasn't impressed at all, very boring!
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