Which areas of PQ are the safest (and which to avoid)? (Escondido: cul-de-sac, low income)

[nprcomments]

We're a young family looking into a single-family home in PQ, max price $700k. Just within the last few weeks, I've read about crime happening in PQ (one was a murder-suicide, and the other was a random baseball bat beating at 2am in what seemed like a nice, safe neighborhood.) Can anyone speak into which area/neighborhoods in PQ are the safest, and also which ones to avoid, especially since we have young kids? Thanks in advance!

[oddstray]

There are no areas of PQ to avoid. There is occasional crime in all neighborhoods - even the very best of them.

[itisthumper]

Most of the crimes are done by bored teenagers. All areas are relatively safe but the safest areas are closer to Carmel Valley than Carmel Mountain

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by itisthumper

Most of the crimes are done by bored teenagers. All areas are relatively safe but the safest areas are closer to Carmel Valley than Carmel Mountain

I live at the Carmel Mountain Ranch (not Carmel Mountain ... that's a different topological feature) end of PQ and I wouldn't agree with this. We do get graffiti and tagging, but so does the western end of PQ.

The far western end of PQ is much newer than the rest. Maybe it seems safer because the brats haven't yet chosen their pet tagging spots. It'll creep over to there ...

[nprcomments]

Thanks everyone! I know crime is everywhere, just trying to gauge things since we don't live in the area and can't drive around to see the neighborhoods. Graffiti/tagging is usually gangs, is that a big deal in PQ? Seems weird to me since the schools are great etc. And not to be a snob, but I heard that the worst areas have apartments/section8 housing-- where is that part?

[oddstray]

Gangs isn't a big deal in PQ. The worst I've seen is the tagging, and we had a spate of vehicle broken windows. The local police told us they thought it was a "dare you" sort of thing. That was several years ago.

I think there's some Section 8 housing just west of I-15/Carmel Mountain Road. But I'm not sure, and I don't know if there are any other Section 8 areas in PQ.

You can check crime stats here: http://www.crimemapping.com/

[nprcomments]

Thanks oddstray! Since you live there, do you mind sharing what you love (or not-like-so-much) about PQ? We drove around there once and really enjoyed Hilltop Park, and most of the houses looked well-kept. We like that there's no HOA or Mello-Roos. Do you know the demographic of PQ? Where are the best areas to shop nearby (grocery, Target, bookstores etc)?

[oddstray]

Like: It's a quiet neighborhood. It has older areas that are still kept up nice and aren't so cookie-cutter as some newer areas. Lots of available hiking nearby (Penasquitos Canyon, Black Mountain). I agree, Hilltop Park is nice and has a million-dollar view! Public transportation here recently improved significantly with the new Sabre Springs Transit Station and the new Rapid routes. Not so much: I grew up in Chicago, which is ultra-flat. Walking or biking around here, the hills get to me! (Penasquitos = Little Hills).

I'm in a condo, so I do have an HOA. You might have Mello-Roos in PQ - depends on how new the place is that you're looking at. And you might also have an HOA if you buy in a newer housing development. The older neighborhoods don't have them, though.

We shop at the Staters Brothers on Carmel Mountain Road, because it's closest to us and is generally the lowest-cost of the chain groceries. Less selection, though. Otherwise we go to Carmel Mountain Ranch for Trader Joe (sometimes to Mira Mesa/Scripps Ranch Trader Joe, depending which one we're closer to). There's a Barnes & Noble bookstore in both CMR and MM. The Target we go to most often is the one in Poway on Twin Peaks Road/Pomerado. If we want a bigger mall, we drive to North County Fair at the south end of Escondido. Apparently a Whole Paycheck is going to be built at Mercy Road and I-15.

So that you know, in case it matters to you, there's a corner at Azuaga and Carmel Mountain Road where the casual day laborors hang around waiting for someone to come hire them. They've never bothered me at all and I've never heard anyone object to their being there, except when the "Patriots" came over here from Arizona to butt into our business. (The "Patriots" wound up getting arrested for vandalism of the casual workers' possessions. Hooray! Karma does happen!)

[AnotherBravesFan]

We lived in N. Penasquitos (Carmel Mtn. Rd exit) for 17 years until 2009, when we left CA. Once you head up Penasquitos Dr., it is pretty quiet and safe. We never had crime issues while living there. It's like a giant cul-de-sac up there. All roads dead end at the canyons or circle around, so there is little "through traffic" or reason for anyone other than residents to be up there. We primarily shopped in Carmel Mtn Ranch at the Trader Joe's/Ralphs center, the same Target oddstray mentioned, and the Poway Walmart. I went up to S. Escondido to Henry's (formerly Boney's) market for produce. (Not sure if it is still a Henry's.) The homes are 1970s vintage and generally under 2,200 sq ft.; don't know if that is a deal breaker for you. When we left, the neighborhood had a mix of young couples, families with school-age kids, and retirees.

And, yes, there were some older attached units along Carmel Mtn. Rd. South of Penasquitos Dr. that I think were low income. Never heard of any trouble there, though. Hope that helps.

[nprcomments]

Oddstray, lol about the Patriots! Curious, isn't CMR considered a different area than PQ because of zip?

Thanks BravesFan for the confirmation. That area does seem nice and private, and 2000 sq ft is just right for us. Right now houses are coming on the market and going off within a week. It's nuts trying to figure this all out remotely but our realtor takes videos and sends them to us, and then I map it out to see if the neighborhood is good. So far nothing has come up near that part of Penasquitos Rd, but cul-de-sac would be great for my kids. Thanks again.