Otay Ranch VS 4S Ranch/Del Sur (San Diego, Chula Vista: middle-class, for sale)

[bbjr]

Can anyone tell me the pros and cons of Otay Ranch VS 4S Ranch/Del Sur? I will be comming out from NY to look at homes in the spring and would like to get peoples opinions on which community is better overall. Thank you.

[CrissCT]

Otay Ranch is in Chula Vista - not the best area - especially if you have children. The schools in 4S Ranch/Del Sur are much better. The weather is milder also in 4S Ranch/Del Sur since it is not as far inland as Chula Vista where you will have very hot summers. The crime rate in Chula Vista is also a lot higher. I don't even think the 2 areas are in the same league but that is just my opinion. You can get some "good deals" in 4S right now -several short sales on very nice homes (I live in 4S ranch).

Do you know what area you will be commuting to?

[bbjr]

Thank you. Are there any other communities like 4s anywhere in San Diego? I will be in SD in May to look at homes and I only have 9 days to look so I want to make the best of my time and do my research now. Thank you. I will be commuting to mission valley.

[CrissCT]

There are areas that are nicer (Rancho Santa Fe for example which is right next door to us) but they are more expensive. There are areas that are cheaper, but they may be older homes. Anything in the Poway school district is great though (some suggestions are Carmel Mountain Ranch or Sabre Springs). Obviously I have a biased opinion but I love 4S ranch because it was just the right mix of everything.

Best of luck on your search, I know how you feel, we just found out we will be moving to Connecticut for sure and I will be very sad to leave our great friends we have made here, neighborhood, schools and we will be doing the same search on the opposite coast! I am trying to research everything I can online too. I think we are going to keep our house here in 4S though and just rent it out - not ready to let it go!

[esmith143]

Hmm I don't think that's very accurate. As a quick look at Gooogle Maps would tell you, 4S Ranch is 10 miles inland and Otay Ranch is 9 miles inland (counting from San Diego Bay). The reality is, 4S Ranch and Otay Ranch were built around the same time by the same homebuilders using the same house layouts. Otay Ranch is a multiethnic area where whites are a minority and hispanics constitute ~50%. (BTW don't mistake San Diego upper-middle-class hispanics with New York blacks - it's day and night) 4S Ranch and Del Sur are white with some Asian population. 4S is a lot more expensive than Otay Ranch. Del Sur is a lot more expensive than both.

SDLookup.com > 10212*Lone*Dove*St - MLS# 086008609 (4S)
SDLookup.com > 1308*Silver*Hawk*Way - MLS# 076074706 (Otay)
SDLookup.com > 7547*Delfina - MLS# 086006825 (Del Sur)

In 4S you're paying extra money for "ethnic cleanness", somewhat better schools, and more central location. I'm not sure why you'd pay extra to live in Del Sur. Some houses have bigger lots but that's not universally true.

Here's a good resource to compare schools:

http://www.ed-data.k12.ca.us/profile...school=0102822

Some things to pay attention to:
"API base scores"
"Free/Reduced Price Meals" (are there many poor kids in this school?)
"Compensatory Education" (you want that to be 0%)

[CrissCT]

Originally Posted by esmith143

Hmm I don't think that's very accurate. As a quick look at Gooogle Maps would tell you, 4S Ranch is 10 miles inland and Otay Ranch is 9 miles inland (counting from San Diego Bay). The reality is, 4S Ranch and Otay Ranch were built around the same time by the same homebuilders using the same house layouts. Otay Ranch is a multiethnic area where whites are a minority and hispanics constitute ~50%. (BTW don't mistake San Diego upper-middle-class hispanics with New York blacks - it's day and night) 4S Ranch and Del Sur are white with some Asian population. 4S is a lot more expensive than Otay Ranch. Del Sur is a lot more expensive than both.

SDLookup.com > 10212*Lone*Dove*St - MLS# 086008609 (4S)
SDLookup.com > 1308*Silver*Hawk*Way - MLS# 076074706 (Otay)
SDLookup.com > 7547*Delfina - MLS# 086006825 (Del Sur)

In 4S you're paying extra money for "ethnic cleanness", somewhat better schools, and more central location. I'm not sure why you'd pay extra to live in Del Sur. Some houses have bigger lots but that's not universally true.

Here's a good resource to compare schools:

http://www.ed-data.k12.ca.us/profile...school=0102822

Some things to pay attention to:
"API base scores"
"Free/Reduced Price Meals" (are there many poor kids in this school?)
"Compensatory Education" (you want that to be 0%)

Sorry I didn't realize that Chula Vista wasn't further inland. I guess I consider it "East County" and that is why I thought is was more inland.

The listing you provided for Del Sur is not in Del Sur, it is in Santa Luz, where all the homes are upwards of $1million. The listing you provided for 4S is correct but there are similiar sized homes for sale listed in the upper $600s - low $700's in 4S. Still more expensive than Otay Ranch though.

[Sassberto]

Squint your eyes and you can barely tell the two from each other, with the biggest difference being that 4S is about 2 years old and parts of Otay Ranch are probably looking at almost 20 years by now.

Otay Ranch is not even a moderate crime area, it is as far away from crime as 4S is from Mira Mesa.

Otay is generally a little less affluent, The schools are generally seen as better in 4S, and Otay Ranch is generally more diverse, but both are fairly similar middle-to-upper middle class tract-home development, strip-mall commercial districts, lots of parks and new schools. Prices are quite a bit less on SFR's in Otay Ranch and there are a lot of foreclosures there. However in both areas a lot of people got in by the skin of their teeth - the only diff is that the people in 4S seem to able to pay their mortgages.

Personally I don't agree that in 4S that you are paying more just to live with white people. You are paying more to be around white-collar professionals who may be White, Asian, Indian, etc.. There are a lot of engineers and techies in that area, whereas Otay Ranch tends to a bit less service-economy centric.

I will be honest I am not a big fan of either area but if I had to pick one it would be 4S because it is closer to the tech job centers in Sorrento / Carmel Valley / RB.

[CrissCT]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Personally I don't agree that in 4S that you are paying more just to live with white people. You are paying more to be around white-collar professionals who may be White, Asian, Indian, etc.. There are a lot of engineers and techies in that area, whereas Otay Ranch tends to a bit less service-economy centric.

I second that. My kids classmates are very ethnically and culturally diverse - which I see as a major plus. The common bond is that we want a great community and education for our children - not "ethnic cleanness".

[esmith143]

parts of Otay Ranch are probably looking at almost 20 years by now.

Some parts were indeed built in early 90's, but mass development didn't start till 2001 (I think?)

Prices are quite a bit less on SFR's in Otay Ranch and there are a lot of foreclosures there. However in both areas a lot of people got in by the skin of their teeth - the only diff is that the people in 4S seem to able to pay their mortgages.

This is a fact - Otay Ranch is San Diego's Foreclosure Central and 4S is remarkably stable. 4S has a lot of well-paid professionals from Sorrento Valley and RB. I have no idea where they found enough people to buy all those $500k+ houses in Otay and Eastlake.

Personally I don't agree that in 4S that you are paying more just to live with white people. You are paying more to be around white-collar professionals who may be White, Asian, Indian, etc..

More accurately, you're paying LESS in Otay Ranch because many white people don't want to live in what's technically still Chula Juana. Even if it's every single bit as nice as 4S.

Are there any other communities like 4s anywhere in San Diego?

Carmel Valley. But it's even more expensive than 4S. There are several new communities along the 78 (San Elijo Hills, Discovery Hills, Eureka Springs) but the commute from 78 to Mission Valley would be rather horrible.

similiar sized homes for sale listed in the upper $600s - low $700's in 4S.

5 cheapest 3000 sf houses in 4S:
699k
725k
735k
745k
750k

5 cheapest 3000 sf houses in Otay/Eastlake:
499k
525k
545k
549k
549k

[BNB]

Otay Ranch is South County and will have more hispanic influence. 4 S Ranch is more WASPy but snooty. Which suits you better?

I live in Clairemont...middle class, older neighborhoods, traditional, laid back and real. My neighborhood is full of former or current military and I love it...there are no aires about how much money you make or dont...just good people.