Affordable locations near Sorrento Valley? (San Diego, Escondido: lease, condos, townhomes)

[djc6535]

Hello everyone. I am being relocated to San Diego in January. My wife will be working in Sorrento Valley area (biotech) and we would like to live somewhere near to where she'll be working. Something like Carmel Valley would be perfect but the problem is we will be making in around 115 - 120k a year.

I've only heard bad things about Mira Mesa and Clairemont, but are those really my only options for affordable housing? What would you suggest as a good location to live near that area?

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by djc6535

Hello everyone. I am being relocated to San Diego in January. My wife will be working in Sorrento Valley area (biotech) and we would like to live somewhere near to where she'll be working. Something like Carmel Valley would be perfect but the problem is we will be making in around 115 - 120k a year.

I've only heard bad things about Mira Mesa and Clairemont, but are those really my only options for affordable housing? What would you suggest as a good location to live near that area?

You can live in Carmel Valley no problem. Just will be a condo or townhome, not a house. Carmel Valley is surprisingly dense. If you want a house, I would say parts of RB, parts of Poway, Clairemont or Escondido are probably the closest affordable areas.

[djc6535]

Thanks! What is your opinion of those areas in comparison to each other? Are there certain areas of Clairemont that are nicer than others? I'm guessing by your response that there aren't areas of Mira Mesa you'd find suitable.

Thanks again!

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by djc6535

Thanks! What is your opinion of those areas in comparison to each other? Are there certain areas of Clairemont that are nicer than others? I'm guessing by your response that there aren't areas of Mira Mesa you'd find suitable.

Thanks again!

It all depends on your preferences. I didn't leave out Mira Mesa on purpose. Personally I would choose Clairemont over any of those areas - older housing stock, larger lots, more of a socioeconomic mix than CV, which is very new with lots of over-leveraged people in expensive leased luxury cars.

But there are a lot of factors that should go into your decision - type of housing, schools, etc. So take my opinion with a grain of salt... I live in an old funky neighborhood and like it that way.

I am not a big North County inland fan in general. The coast is awesome, but I work in Carmel Valley and have to say I can't stand the place. It is a traffic nightmare and everything is chain stores. The 56 corridor is wall-to-wall tract homes and everything looks the same. Before that I worked in Poway and that might have been my personal version of hell.

If you want the "nicest" areas, stick to the 56 corridor and look at the condos and townhomes. Scripps Ranch would also be in the same category. You might get lucky and find an older home in RP or RB or Poway too. Skip Mira Mesa, Clairemont and Escondido entirely.

[bloom]

What is the average cost and range for sf homes in coastal north county like Encinitas? How does that compare with CV? Where (CV vs. Encinitas) do you get more bang for buck (yard, etc)?

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by bloom

What is the average cost and range for sf homes in coastal north county like Encinitas? How does that compare with CV? Where (CV vs. Encinitas) do you get more bang for buck (yard, etc)?

- price per square foot is higher west of the 5, but the houses are smaller.
- aside from RSF and Olivenhain, and parts of old RP, lot sizes tend to be small in both the coastal areas and the tract developments. The difference is that your typical Encinitas rancher is 1500 sf on a 5000sf lot, while your Carmel Valley stucco box is 2500sf on a 4500sf lot.
- if you are looking for bang for your buck, forget these areas entirely. You pay a premium. 78 corridor or 15 corridor has better bang for the buck, but of course there are tradeoffs in commutes, schools, neighborhood, etc.