Why is Mira Mesa so cheap? (San Diego, Garden Grove: apartments, rental, condos)

[sbmohr75]

I am looking at homes and condos and Mira Mesa is seems pretty cheap. The crime rates are not bad and there are other communities located farther out (like scripps ranch) that are more expensive. So what is undesirable about Mira Mesa that makes it so much cheaper?

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by sbmohr75

I am looking at homes and condos and Mira Mesa is seems pretty cheap. The crime rates are not bad and there are other communities located farther out (like scripps ranch) that are more expensive. So what is undesirable about Mira Mesa that makes it so much cheaper?

- "Ethnic people" (Vietnamese, Filipinos)
- It's a bit run down (Not much worse than much more expensive inner-city areas like North Park)

Let's be honest for a second. Mira Mesa is 10 minutes from nearly every high paying job in Sorrento Valley, Carmel Valley, and RB, but it is the "bad area"? The reality is that it is the only racially diverse area north of 52 until you hit the 78 corridor.

I have heard co-workers call Penasquitos "the next ghetto" because the Vietnamese live there... you gotta be kidding me!

North County is really more Orange County than San Diego, and Mira Mesa is our version of Garden Grove.

[kimmer]

Mira Mesa Blvd. is one giant strip mall...after strip mall...after strip mall. And cars cars cars. Lots of housing tracts that aren't very nice or well-maintained pocketed with some that are nice. I seem to recall there are some nicer houses closer towards the west end of town.

Oh yeah, and gangs, too. (They're the ones who stole my car there).

It is centrally located.

[socketz]

When I think of Mira Mesa, I think uneventful, racially diverse, blue collar, average.

Thoughts of gangs never enter my mind, and I lived in and around that area for 15 years.

I challenge anyone to say they feel threatened in Mira Mesa. Bored maybe.

[BigBoy]

Mira Mesa is not bad, just not visually appealing. Boring homes, kinda dirty. Lots of B rated strip malls. Great vietnamese restaurants. Move to the other other side of the I-15 and you can still take advantage of everything Mira Mesa has to offer. Been there many times at night and never felt unsafe.

[mini_cute]

Mira Mesa is not too bad, but it's not great. I am so glad I don't live there.

[etrnleclipse420a]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

- "Ethnic people" (Vietnamese, Filipinos)
- It's a bit run down (Not much worse than much more expensive inner-city areas like North Park)

Let's be honest for a second. Mira Mesa is 10 minutes from nearly every high paying job in Sorrento Valley, Carmel Valley, and RB, but it is the "bad area"? The reality is that it is the only racially diverse area north of 52 until you hit the 78 corridor.

I have heard co-workers call Penasquitos "the next ghetto" because the Vietnamese live there... you gotta be kidding me!

North County is really more Orange County than San Diego, and Mira Mesa is our version of Garden Grove.

agreed. I grew up in Spring Valley but have a lot of family in Mira Mesa so its like a second home. MM is not bad at all. Ive noticed on these forums when an area has some sort of "ethnic majority" besides white its considered the ghetto and mira mesa is not the ghetto. Only gripe I have about mira mesa is traffic on Mira Mesa Blvd is horrendous

[seventhcandle]

I work in Mira Mesa and lived there on and off for over three years and I would not refer to any part of it as "ghetto" except maybe the part by 7/11 and Capricorn Way, over by the Kelowna condos and apartments. It seems like the majority of crime you hear about in Mira Mesa happens around or near there.

I agree with the previous poster that traffic on Mira Mesa Blvd. is horrendous. One other thing I don't like about the traffic is if you're traveling from the South in the evening, you're pretty much guaranteed to be stuck in some kind of rut, be it Miramar Blvd/Camino Ruiz, Black Mountain Road (the Southern end), or the Western side of Mira Mesa Blvd. off the 805.

That being said, I spent a lot of time living in Summerset Village on the Western side of Mira Mesa and there was a lot of crime there, including frequent car break-ins and even some apt. robberies, but I think that crime was more localized and confined to the complex.

Mira Mesa is run down in most of its central parts and the housing is also kind of run down too, but I think overall it's a pretty safe place to raise a family. I'm much happier living North of Mira Mesa because there is less of a cramped-in feeling up here than there was when I lived there. Also, rental prices have skyrocketed there from when I was living there.

Back in 2000, I paid $1075/mo. for a 2bed/2bath 1000 sq. foot apt. In 2005, I paid $1220/mo for a 2/1. Now, in 2008, the exact same apt. complex I lived in during 2005 (which hasn't made any significant improvements) is renting for over $1500/mo, matching its prices up with the rest of North County.

Personally, I'd rather live in Rancho Penasquitos, Rancho Bernardo, Poway, Scripps Ranch, or 4S Ranch, than in Mira Mesa. However, living in Mira Mesa beats the hell out of living in certain parts of the South Bay, from my experience.

[nobodyspecial08]

Originally Posted by seventhcandle

overall it's a pretty safe place to raise a family. I'm much happier living North of Mira Mesa because there is less of a cramped-in feeling up here than there was when I lived there. .

When I visited san diego I stayed in a nice hotel/inn in Mira Mesa , my husband caught a flick or two at the edwards theatre down on Mira mesa blvd. and we liked the area. It seemed quiet and people were nice. Mira Mesa was actually my target area if/when i move to SD. Should I reconsider?
can you elaborate on why you prefer north of mira mesa and are there particular neighborhoods that I should research in that area?
thanks

[jksouthbay88]

Originally Posted by nobodyspecial08

When I visited san diego I stayed in a nice hotel/inn in Mira Mesa , my husband caught a flick or two at the edwards theatre down on Mira mesa blvd. and we liked the area. It seemed quiet and people were nice. Mira Mesa was actually my target area if/when i move to SD. Should I reconsider?
can you elaborate on why you prefer north of mira mesa and are there particular neighborhoods that I should research in that area?
thanks

I don't know about "reconsider" but SD county is very big.There are other options out there.But if I was to move to San Diego county,Mira Mesa would def.be in my top 5.