Ramona vs. Fallbrook (San Diego, Escondido, El Cajon: real estate market, homes, movies)

[gruberslp]

We are in the process of relocating to the San Diego area and are looking at homes with a bit more property than can be found in more urban areas. Fallbrook has been recommended as an area offering homes with more square footage & more property. We've also come across Ramona in our searches. Fallbrook is a bit further of a commute than Ramona for me, but the commute looks more highway from Fallbrook & more rural from Ramona. Could someone local be so kind as to offer some comparisons? I'm wondering about community services, local government, infrastructure, the real estate market in general (does one area sell better/quicker than the other), availability & quality of restaurants and social activities (movies, bowling for example). The Ramona schools seem to get better ratings than the Fallbrook schools - any information regarding the schools is greatly appreciated (high schools in particular). Thanks!

[oddstray]

The commute from Ramona is more rural. Highway 67 is the bottleneck from Ramona. Ramona seems more conservative than Fallbrook (though I've spent more time in Ramona than Fallbrook, so someone from Fallbrook might think differently). Fallbrook seems a bit more upscale than Ramona. I can't help with schools or social activities, sorry.

[photo4fun]

depend on your budget but some area in Poway might fit the bill.

[loveautumn]

Both Ramona and Fallbrook are way out there as far as being close to SD and activities there. what are would you be working?

[elcajones]

If I ever get the opportunity to move back I will be going to Ramona again and commuting in. Ramona is my absolute favorite community in SD county (But then again I grew up in SD county and Ramona is not at all what a transplant expects in San Diego). I love the small town feel and natural beauty throughout the area. The commute down the 67 is ideal from Ramona compared to commuting to Escondido or elsewhere down the 78 (I have done commutes to both Vista and Kearny Mesa living there. commuting down the 78 is a slow super curvy drive. If you end up behind a semi they go super slow and never use the turnouts in my past experience. It has taken me an hour and a half some days stuck behind a slow truck in a long line of also frustrated cars to get to Ramona at times. The 67 is a well built road and has passing lanes that open up at various segments. It really should be 2 lanes in both directions all the way but it's still not too bad until that one bottleneck. The commute to Kearny Mesa was easy. 67-Scripps Poway Pkwy - 15 and off at Aero. Traffic can and does gridlock pretty good between Archie Moore Rd. and Dye Road on the 67 (It's that damn light at 67/ Dye). Beyond that section the drive up and down the hill was always a relaxing time for me. That one section of the 67 where you can see the downtown skyline and the ocean on clear days was to die for. People living in less nice parts of the country (Like this dump I'm in now), would be blown away.

I can't speak much about Fallbrook because I haven't spent much time there. I have heard good things though. I guess point being, if you work north of Poway the commute is tough. S of Poway it's not that bad but expect a 20 minute or so delay between Dye and Mt. Woodson in addition to any other traffic down the hill. IMO it's worth it but, we aren't all me.

Also Ramona has some hot days in summer. Upper 90's - over 100 happen a lot but you won't find nicer nights at lower elevations.
Winter nights are cold. In my memory more often than not below freezing but the days tend to warm up nicely. I love winter and cold. I hate heat but it's doable in Ramona. I know you guys have been screwed on winter the past few years. Hopefully that's been the case here in PHX too. I feel like I get no break from the heat here year round.

I will recommend if you choose Ramona to look into the Montessori school next to the High School for k-8. It is a phenomenal school.

Good luck in your search and wherever you end up. SD county is one of the best places to live and raise a family if you can make it there financially. Neither Fallbrook or Ramona will be bad choices.

[gruberslp]

Thank you all for the replies. I will be working basically at the intersection of 15 & 52 - I believe that's considered the northern part of the city. We have definitely considered Poway and are looking very seriously at homes in that school district, but both Fallbrook & Ramona seem to offer more square footage and more property - something my husband, in particular, is very interested in. I thought the commute to Ramona might be more challenging than one to Fallbrook as the roads look more rural from what I can tell. And I do understand that neither is "close". Thank you again for the feedback.

[malcorub16]

Kearny Mesa or Tierrasanta (intersection of 15 and 52) is more central than North city.

Try also Eucalyptus Hills and Winter Gardens areas of Lakeside. And also Granite Hills and Blossom Valley/Flynn Springs areas of El Cajon.

Spacious lots in these areas with much easier access to Kearny Mesa as opposed Fallbrook and Ramona which are great if you work in North County.

[malcorub16]

^^^ I will say the CON for East County as opposed to living North is the 52 during rush hour, the 15 is a much better and wider freeway. But if you could work with your schedule, the 52 is a breeze after 9 AM in the mornings and you could potentially get to work work in 20-25 mins easy where as Fallbrook and Ramona will take 35-45 mins regardless of traffic.

The 8 from eastern El Cajon areas is not so bad compared to the 52.

[elcajones]

Originally Posted by gruberslp

Thank you all for the replies. I will be working basically at the intersection of 15 & 52 - I believe that's considered the northern part of the city. We have definitely considered Poway and are looking very seriously at homes in that school district, but both Fallbrook & Ramona seem to offer more square footage and more property - something my husband, in particular, is very interested in. I thought the commute to Ramona might be more challenging than one to Fallbrook as the roads look more rural from what I can tell. And I do understand that neither is "close". Thank you again for the feedback.

Haha like I said before I ever knew that, Ramona to Kearny Mesa is easy. You can avoid all the freeway gridlock. Just that section of Ramona will be rough the rest will be 60 mph expressway scrips poway parkway and 55 mph hwy 67. It was easier for me to do Ramona to same place in Learny Mesa than it was to commute there from El Cajon ( 9 miles away but through gridlock). Fallbrook will be a very rough commute to work for you IMO. The 78 sucks in both directions both morning and afternoon. Alms the 15 ain't much better.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by elcajones

...The 78 sucks in both directions both morning and afternoon. Alms the 15 ain't much better.

Not so for the 15, between Rancho Bernardo and the 52. It's congested heading southbound in the AM rush hour and northbound in the PM rush hour.