Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've lived in the DC area for almost a decade and am thinking about leaving. I've been reading this forum for a while and recognized several DC area transplants (such as GMUAlum), so I'd be interested in getting some input about their experiences making the move and transition. Some things I'm interested in knowing:
Housing Prices - Everything looks pretty comparable, and in some cases better as long as you avoid Coronado & La Jolla. Seems like there's still a ton of foreclosures, anyone tried to go down that road? I'm coming from a 550K 1200 Sq foot condo in Virginia, but would like to find a larger house with hopefully a pool. It looks like I'd need to look mostly east and south east to meet those requirements with that budget, but locals have told me that anywhere south of 94 is not ideal.
COL - This (Cost of Living Wizard | Salary.com) tells me it's lower, but I'm not sure it's taking into account the tax structure. I know state income taxes are higher, but are there any additional costs or taxes that surprised you?
Job Market - I'm currently in the network security field with a position that allows me to live anywhere in the US (hence the option to move). I also have a clearance, which is pretty marketable in the DC area. Should I need to find a job locally in SD, what's the market like for such positions? Comparable pay (I've heard that it isn't). Also, where are the major job centers (aside from downtown)
Traffic - In DC, you pay a huge premium to be closer to the city and metro simply because it allows you to avoid multiple hour commutes. In my experiences in SD, I've found the freeway system to be much more comprehensive with a much lower population, so it appears that traffic is rarely bad (unlike consistently around here). Does this mean it's not a big deal to live further away to get better housing prices, or would someone be insane to live in a place like El Cajon and expect to commute to Downtown, Coronado or Mission Bay? Similarly, what about Encinitas commute to job centers?
QOL - I know there's very few urban, walkable areas outside of Ocean Beach, Coronado, Downtown or La Jolla, but what are some hidden gems to know about?
Imperial Beach/Chula Vista - What's the big deal about living south of 94 that drives the housing prices down?
Microclimates - A major reason I want to move is the weather. Knowing that I won't be living close enough to the beach to enjoy that microclimate, can you tell me which areas have the most desirable microclimates (cooler, less desert like)
Anything else you can share about your experience would be great.
I know these sorts of questions get old, but if anyone can chime in, I'd really appreciate it.
YellowKing (loved that show btw), I'll try and help you with some of my observations since I've left DC:
1) Housing Prices - Fairly Comparable. Think of Coronado and La Jolla as prime Georgetown and Dupont Circle real estate in terms of housing prices. You can find what you are looking for North county if you look inland a few miles. As far as foreclosures, maybe there are still a lot south of the 94 but I don't see many, if any short sales or foreclosures anymore especially in the coastal communities.
2) COL - Again, fairly comparable. Gas fluctuates and is around $4 a gallon right now. Taxes are higher obviously but I also paid $80 in utilities last month (Water, Gas, Electric, Trash). I don't need AC where I live so that significantly scales things back. Also, I can find meat and produce cheaper at Sprouts than I did at Trader Joes in Arlington. But overall its fairly comparable.
3) Job Market - DC is better obviously. Not much more needs said than that. I had a TS clearance as well when I came out here but was allowed to work remotely so it didn't really matter. I'm sure you will find something that works for you if you want it bad enough
4) Traffic. Again, I work remotely but in general DC has more gridlock IMO. Traffic can get slow here but its never usually gridlocked or snarled for hours at a time. It rolls for the most part even if it is heavy.
5) QOL- Its hard to beat the quality of life here. A hidden gem (that's not hidden at all) is Encinitas/Cardiff area. I may be a bit biased b/c I live here. But I can get off work, throw the surfboard on my bike and be down in the water in 10 minutes any day of the week. How can you beat that?
6) IB/CV - I've only visited the areas but I actually liked them. Not sure what the deal is but you could look for a steal in real estate down there and I don't think it would be a bad idea. I guess the proximity to Mexico scares some people
7) Microclimates - If you are moving here for the weather and the beach then live as close as you can to the beach. It doesn't get as hot or as cold the closer you are to the ocean. I live a mile from the ocean and the temp stays pretty stable here. I wouldn't live east of the 15 (at the most) if you don't want it to get scorching hot during the day and cold at night.
8) If you want it bad enough, you can make it happen. Its been one of the best decisions of my life to move out here and I say that as a native Northern VA resident.
I've lived in the DC area for almost a decade and am thinking about leaving. I've been reading this forum for a while and recognized several DC area transplants (such as GMUAlum), so I'd be interested in getting some input about their experiences making the move and transition. Some things I'm interested in knowing:
QOL - I know there's very few urban, walkable areas outside of Ocean Beach, Coronado, Downtown or La Jolla, but what are some hidden gems to know about?
Imperial Beach/Chula Vista - What's the big deal about living south of 94 that drives the housing prices down?
Microclimates - A major reason I want to move is the weather. Knowing that I won't be living close enough to the beach to enjoy that microclimate, can you tell me which areas have the most desirable microclimates (cooler, less desert like)
Anything else you can share about your experience would be great.
I know these sorts of questions get old, but if anyone can chime in, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks!
Hey Yellow King:
I grew up in Los Angeles but lived in Wash, DC for several years in my 20's (in the heart of the city actually). Have several good buddies from my LA youth that went to college in San Diego and never moved back so I have spent a lot of time in San Diego. Considering a move there myself now.
Additional walkable areas to think about are Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, South Park and North Park. Hillcrest is the historically gay part of town but it has diversified in recent years. I am a straight guy and I lived in Dupont Circle in DC...arguably the most walkable hood in DC. Never bothered me to be around that element.
As for the microclimate question, I will tell you my opinion. This comes in two parts:
1) I think anywhere in San Diego County is a huge upgrade. As I mentioned, I spent several years in my 20's in NYC and Wash, DC. I recall people saying, "Hey you are from So.Calif. You must HATE our winters." I'd always reply, "No actually, it is the SUMMERS I can't stand." I remember one year on the National Mall for a 4th of July celebration I was with a friend who also grew up in SoCalif. It was so hot and humid that my buddy was like, "Damn, we might as well be in the jungles of Vietman. This is so humid and miserable." Bottom line is even in the "hot" parts of San Diego coutny the summers will be so much more comfortable....and pleasant
2) Last point is more about personal taste than anything: I prefer NOT being at the beach. Too foggy and cool for my taste. For my liking, I prefer being inland a little bit (maybe 3 to 7 miles inland). More sun, less fog and yet still very pleasant even in the "worst" part of summer.
YellowKing (loved that show btw), I'll try and help you with some of my observations since I've left DC:
1) Housing Prices - Fairly Comparable. Think of Coronado and La Jolla as prime Georgetown and Dupont Circle real estate in terms of housing prices. You can find what you are looking for North county if you look inland a few miles. As far as foreclosures, maybe there are still a lot south of the 94 but I don't see many, if any short sales or foreclosures anymore especially in the coastal communities.
I've been scouring the real estate sites and it looks like I'd have to move further inland for a 500-550k budget. I could trade one condo for another in the downtown area, but I'm 31 and about done with the condo phase of my life (at least until I hit my 60s)
2) COL - Again, fairly comparable. Gas fluctuates and is around $4 a gallon right now. Taxes are higher obviously but I also paid $80 in utilities last month (Water, Gas, Electric, Trash). I don't need AC where I live so that significantly scales things back. Also, I can find meat and produce cheaper at Sprouts than I did at Trader Joes in Arlington. But overall its fairly comparable.
The COL does seem similar, with gas prices skewing higher, and food prices a little lower. I'm surprised that your utilities are so low though, I pay more than that in electric per month (sometimes double), so that's encouraging!
3) Job Market - DC is better obviously. Not much more needs said than that. I had a TS clearance as well when I came out here but was allowed to work remotely so it didn't really matter. I'm sure you will find something that works for you if you want it bad enough
The Clearance and job market are the big stickers for me. I travel for work currently, so I could move there and keep my current job, however I'd eventually have to get something local there as I'm sure the constant travel will eventually wear on me. Were you in the IT industry? Any input on that? If I were to stay in such an industry and work locally, what would be areas closest to the job centers (aside from Downtown, Coronado and near the airport). AKA, what are the Tyson's Corners or techy areas like the 267 corridor in Virginia?
4) Traffic. Again, I work remotely but in general DC has more gridlock IMO. Traffic can get slow here but its never usually gridlocked or snarled for hours at a time. It rolls for the most part even if it is heavy.
My time in San Diego seems to corroborate your statement. I'd love to live North of San Diego, but have read on here that the north to south commute is the worst..
5) QOL- Its hard to beat the quality of life here. A hidden gem (that's not hidden at all) is Encinitas/Cardiff area. I may be a bit biased b/c I live here. But I can get off work, throw the surfboard on my bike and be down in the water in 10 minutes any day of the week. How can you beat that?
That's pretty nice. Even if I couldn't walk to the beach, at least I wouldn't feel like I was swimming in humidity 5 months of the year and under grey clouds the rest of the time!
6) IB/CV - I've only visited the areas but I actually liked them. Not sure what the deal is but you could look for a steal in real estate down there and I don't think it would be a bad idea. I guess the proximity to Mexico scares some people
7) Microclimates - If you are moving here for the weather and the beach then live as close as you can to the beach. It doesn't get as hot or as cold the closer you are to the ocean. I live a mile from the ocean and the temp stays pretty stable here. I wouldn't live east of the 15 (at the most) if you don't want it to get scorching hot during the day and cold at night.
8) If you want it bad enough, you can make it happen. Its been one of the best decisions of my life to move out here and I say that as a native Northern VA resident.
GMUAlum: Thanks for the great input! Did you have friends or family there before moving?
I grew up in Los Angeles but lived in Wash, DC for several years in my 20's (in the heart of the city actually). Have several good buddies from my LA youth that went to college in San Diego and never moved back so I have spent a lot of time in San Diego. Considering a move there myself now.
Additional walkable areas to think about are Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, South Park and North Park. Hillcrest is the historically gay part of town but it has diversified in recent years. I am a straight guy and I lived in Dupont Circle in DC...arguably the most walkable hood in DC. Never bothered me to be around that element.
As for the microclimate question, I will tell you my opinion. This comes in two parts:
1) I think anywhere in San Diego County is a huge upgrade. As I mentioned, I spent several years in my 20's in NYC and Wash, DC. I recall people saying, "Hey you are from So.Calif. You must HATE our winters." I'd always reply, "No actually, it is the SUMMERS I can't stand." I remember one year on the National Mall for a 4th of July celebration I was with a friend who also grew up in SoCalif. It was so hot and humid that my buddy was like, "Damn, we might as well be in the jungles of Vietman. This is so humid and miserable." Bottom line is even in the "hot" parts of San Diego coutny the summers will be so much more comfortable....and pleasant
2) Last point is more about personal taste than anything: I prefer NOT being at the beach. Too foggy and cool for my taste. For my liking, I prefer being inland a little bit (maybe 3 to 7 miles inland). More sun, less fog and yet still very pleasant even in the "worst" part of summer.
Thanks for the input. Any reason you migrated back to LA (I'm guessing family/friends?). It seems like LA or SF would be the safe choice for someone to move to from the east coast if they had no prior connections there simply due to the availability of jobs. I like lots of LA, but I feel like I'd be trading many of the same hassles in the DC area for what I'd find there (mainly, traffic and having to plan your life around it).
Additional walkable areas to think about are Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, South Park and North Park. Hillcrest is the historically gay part of town but it has diversified in recent years. I am a straight guy and I lived in Dupont Circle in DC...arguably the most walkable hood in DC. Never bothered me to be around that element.
As for the microclimate question, I will tell you my opinion. This comes in two parts:
1) I think anywhere in San Diego County is a huge upgrade. As I mentioned, I spent several years in my 20's in NYC and Wash, DC. I recall people saying, "Hey you are from So.Calif. You must HATE our winters." I'd always reply, "No actually, it is the SUMMERS I can't stand." I remember one year on the National Mall for a 4th of July celebration I was with a friend who also grew up in SoCalif. It was so hot and humid that my buddy was like, "Damn, we might as well be in the jungles of Vietman. This is so humid and miserable." Bottom line is even in the "hot" parts of San Diego coutny the summers will be so much more comfortable....and pleasant
2) Last point is more about personal taste than anything: I prefer NOT being at the beach. Too foggy and cool for my taste. For my liking, I prefer being inland a little bit (maybe 3 to 7 miles inland). More sun, less fog and yet still very pleasant even in the "worst" part of summer.
Yellow King, I'm more in agreement with what Project Mersh said. I lived in the DC area (and the NYC area) in my 20s as well, and it was the summers that I couldn't stand, plus the spring time pollen. In DC the dust is green. In San Diego, the dust is a car soot gray. I may get emphysema from breathing it in, but at least I won't scratch my eyeballs out from the pollen. And I-15 shouldn't be an absolute demarcation line between good weather and bad weather. Everyone should recall what it is you are coming from. Here in San Diego, the weather can vary from Absolute Perfection, to Great, to Good, and you are coming from Fair to Miserable at best. So everywhere in SD will be an upgrade.
Hidden Gems: For urban walkability, I would like to suggest University Heights. If you can afford west of Cleveland street it is quiet and protected, yet wonderfully close to lots of urban amenities in both University Heights and Hillcrest. It's also closer to the ocean yet above the persistent coastal fog.
Kensington is another walkable urban gem, if you can find a way to afford it.
I would second the recommendations of South Park, and parts of North Park, but again the affordability is a factor.
In San Diego, urban walkability commands a stiff premium.
Are you bringing a family with you? I ask because of the desire for a larger house and a pool. Honestly, I'm not sure the pool is a worthwhile addition given that it will be a drag on resale, and costly to maintain. Regarding house square footage, remember, in San Diego, your back yard can function as an active part of your house nearly all year long. Good weather and few bugs make the yard a place you can spend a lot of time.
I've lived in the DC area for almost a decade and am thinking about leaving. I've been reading this forum for a while and recognized several DC area transplants (such as GMUAlum), so I'd be interested in getting some input about their experiences making the move and transition. Some things I'm interested in knowing:
Housing Prices - Everything looks pretty comparable, and in some cases better as long as you avoid Coronado & La Jolla. Seems like there's still a ton of foreclosures, anyone tried to go down that road? I'm coming from a 550K 1200 Sq foot condo in Virginia, but would like to find a larger house with hopefully a pool. It looks like I'd need to look mostly east and south east to meet those requirements with that budget, but locals have told me that anywhere south of 94 is not ideal.
COL - This (Cost of Living Wizard | Salary.com) tells me it's lower, but I'm not sure it's taking into account the tax structure. I know state income taxes are higher, but are there any additional costs or taxes that surprised you?
Job Market - I'm currently in the network security field with a position that allows me to live anywhere in the US (hence the option to move). I also have a clearance, which is pretty marketable in the DC area. Should I need to find a job locally in SD, what's the market like for such positions? Comparable pay (I've heard that it isn't). Also, where are the major job centers (aside from downtown)
Traffic - In DC, you pay a huge premium to be closer to the city and metro simply because it allows you to avoid multiple hour commutes. In my experiences in SD, I've found the freeway system to be much more comprehensive with a much lower population, so it appears that traffic is rarely bad (unlike consistently around here). Does this mean it's not a big deal to live further away to get better housing prices, or would someone be insane to live in a place like El Cajon and expect to commute to Downtown, Coronado or Mission Bay? Similarly, what about Encinitas commute to job centers?
QOL - I know there's very few urban, walkable areas outside of Ocean Beach, Coronado, Downtown or La Jolla, but what are some hidden gems to know about?
Imperial Beach/Chula Vista - What's the big deal about living south of 94 that drives the housing prices down?
Microclimates - A major reason I want to move is the weather. Knowing that I won't be living close enough to the beach to enjoy that microclimate, can you tell me which areas have the most desirable microclimates (cooler, less desert like)
Anything else you can share about your experience would be great.
I know these sorts of questions get old, but if anyone can chime in, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks!
One of the things you're going to miss are the changes of season. Trust me -- you will, sooner or later.
Secondly -- rent for a year or two. If you don't like where you are, it's easy to just get out. A year or two will also give you time to decide on exactly where you want to live, in whatever city you land.
Yellow King, I'm more in agreement with what Project Mersh said. I lived in the DC area (and the NYC area) in my 20s as well, and it was the summers that I couldn't stand, plus the spring time pollen. In DC the dust is green. In San Diego, the dust is a car soot gray. I may get emphysema from breathing it in, but at least I won't scratch my eyeballs out from the pollen. And I-15 shouldn't be an absolute demarcation line between good weather and bad weather. Everyone should recall what it is you are coming from. Here in San Diego, the weather can vary from Absolute Perfection, to Great, to Good, and you are coming from Fair to Miserable at best. So everywhere in SD will be an upgrade.
Hidden Gems: For urban walkability, I would like to suggest University Heights. If you can afford west of Cleveland street it is quiet and protected, yet wonderfully close to lots of urban amenities in both University Heights and Hillcrest. It's also closer to the ocean yet above the persistent coastal fog.
Kensington is another walkable urban gem, if you can find a way to afford it.
I would second the recommendations of South Park, and parts of North Park, but again the affordability is a factor.
In San Diego, urban walkability commands a stiff premium.
Are you bringing a family with you? I ask because of the desire for a larger house and a pool. Honestly, I'm not sure the pool is a worthwhile addition given that it will be a drag on resale, and costly to maintain. Regarding house square footage, remember, in San Diego, your back yard can function as an active part of your house nearly all year long. Good weather and few bugs make the yard a place you can spend a lot of time.
Great information. I'll definitely add those areas to my list of places to research. I hope to get out there in a couple of months again for a week to explore. My timeline is probably upwards of a year at this point.
I don't have a family (wife or kids), but I figure it couldn't hurt to buy a decent sized house now while things are (relatively) cheap and interest rates are low, in the event that the family thing changes in the furture. A pool would be great as I've always wanted one, but I understand they can be put in for less than 50K, so that's something that could come later.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
