Poway vs Temecula - traffic, heat, etc.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by sfosyd

Wow. I feel exactly the opposite. There is no way I would commute to SD for the lackluster job opportunities but I love the amenties and those are worth paying a premium for: Balboa Park, the theater scene, the cooler weather, the super convenient airport, the urban amenities but avoiding many of the hassles of a place like Seattle. If you don't have kids, and work a remote job, central SD is the place to be.

However for families, I could see wanting good schools, less homeless, and less crime which are hard to come by in central SD. Paying 700k for a lackluster house in Clairemont does seem pretty insane. I certainly wish I could find a decent SFH for 700k in South Park though.

Hence SDUSD going bankrupt due to lack of students... Central SD is rapidly becoming a place for childless couples, singles and dogs. Paying 700k to raise your kids in a neighborhood where the homeless have taken over your local park is not a desirable choice for most people. Poway vs Temecula is not nearly as different as South Park vs. Temecula.

[eastcoastbias]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

Southpark? Why would you think you are getting more of anything vs N of the 8 in Clairemont? They were all built around the same time. You'll have more traffic, smaller lots and crappy bike routes for starters if you don't want to drive. Everything downtown is going to be down from the mesa so you'll be ubering most of the time to anything. Car centric for sure. The rush hour traffic is ridiculous on all freeways. Malls? Nope, figure out where you are going to buy food in advance. Try finding parking in the area if you have an appointment for anything. I do like the eclectic homes and hoods just east of Balboa Park but parking in most areas is cramped to say the least. Houses are so tiny, lots even smaller. Every block is a four way stop but feels unsafe to walk or ride because everyone trying to avoid the freeways are hauling donkey.

I like to eat in North Park/Hillcrest I gave up driving there because of the parking situation I uber or lyft.


I agree with you...Downtown SD or parts around it you really need to consider the following:


-commute to work- what good is paying a premium when you have to sit in your car 1-2 hours a day.
-parking (designated spot for your car)
-proximity to a grocery store
-neighborhood is secure
-home is not in complete disrepair


And If you have children: What's the school like.

[ninja_steve]

Thanks expatCA and Sassberto. Hearing from someone who's lived in Texas is gold to me. I'm definitely favoring Temecula again because of price and afternoon breeze, just need to visit. Haven't been there in over 10 years.

Originally Posted by sfosyd

...I love the amenties and those are worth paying a premium for: Balboa Park, the theater scene, the cooler weather, the super convenient airport, the urban amenities but avoiding many of the hassles of a place like Seattle.

These are the kinds of places I try to stay far from, hence 1/3 acre in Temecula or Poway. It's always been interesting to me that one person's paradise is another man's nightmare (urban vs suburban or rural). I do like the weather and zoo, though. My ideal would be Carlsbad for the weather but there's probably zero chance at a larger yard even for a million bucks. I need space to breathe.

Originally Posted by sfosyd

If you don't have kids, and work a remote job, central SD is the place to be.

We do but will homeschool and do work remote. Seems like since we can avoid that 60 - 90 minute commute, that makes Temecula pretty ideal except for the summer heat which now I understand would still be more mild than what we have in Texas.

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

Southpark? Why would you think you are getting more of anything vs N of the 8 in Clairemont? They were all built around the same time. You'll have more traffic, smaller lots and crappy bike routes for starters if you don't want to drive.

I've lived in Clairemont and prefer it over anything near downtown. The same perfect weather (we didn't have or need air conditioning) plus convenient shopping and pretty quick to La Jolla. It's just too expensive for the property you get and while its not downtown, it's still too busy for my taste. I'm sure it's even busier now. I remember a lot of homelessness in Clairemont.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by ninja_steve

Thanks expatCA and Sassberto. Hearing from someone who's lived in Texas is gold to me. I'm definitely favoring Temecula again because of price and afternoon breeze, just need to visit. Haven't been there in over 10 years.



These are the kinds of places I try to stay far from, hence 1/3 acre in Temecula or Poway. It's always been interesting to me that one person's paradise is another man's nightmare (urban vs suburban or rural). I do like the weather and zoo, though. My ideal would be Carlsbad for the weather but there's probably zero chance at a larger yard even for a million bucks. I need space to breathe.



We do but will homeschool and do work remote. Seems like since we can avoid that 60 - 90 minute commute, that makes Temecula pretty ideal except for the summer heat which now I understand would still be more mild than what we have in Texas.



I've lived in Clairemont and prefer it over anything near downtown. The same perfect weather (we didn't have or need air conditioning) plus convenient shopping and pretty quick to La Jolla. It's just too expensive for the property you get and while its not downtown, it's still too busy for my taste. I'm sure it's even busier now. I remember a lot of homelessness in Clairemont.

I really think you won't be able to avoid the traffic from about the 56 all the way to the border now. The homeless problem is mainly downtown. As far as homeless, you'll have at least 1 on every major intersection all through the City.
But ya, housing prices are crazy now. If I have an appt anywhere besides a few miles from home I pretty much have to plan my day around it. Even picking up kids from school the round trip can be an hour.

[tstieber]

Comparing Temecula and Poway is interesting, because neither one is in the heart of San Diego, and both are less expensive than SD proper. I live close to the Poway border but still in SD city limits, so I know Poway well. It has a much older and more established atmosphere than most of Temecula. Temecula is mostly newer subdivisions built in the last twenty years (with exceptions, but that's when most of the growth happened). Poway has a few newer areas too, even some multimillion dollar neighborhoods, but it's generally older and hasn't grown much in past decades. Both are pretty hot, but I'd say Temecula is hotter -- yet with less humidity. I find Poway pretty stifling in the summer, whereas Temecula has that dry, cooling afternoon breeze that reminds me more of inland Northern California (and which is why it's a wine-growing region). Poway can be a tad humid, as it is closer to the coast. And as for avocados, you'll see them in both places, but I'd say Poway is the better climate for them, as Temecula is more prone to cold snaps. I've seen freeze-damaged trees in Temecula after cold winters. This is primarily a concern for commercial varieties like Hass, which happens to be more tender than many of the home-grown varieties like Zutano, Bacon, Mexicola, etc. So you could certainly grow avocados in your back yard in either place.

Temecula's population is much larger than Poway's, so it also has much more infrastructure, including a huge indoor mall and many, many shopping centers and restaurants. It also has a nice Old Town with lots of galleries, boutiques, and eateries. So Temecula is a nice place. The single drawback is location. You're not close to SD, and Poway is just next door to SD. That's where the big difference is. For me, being close to SD would be the bigger consideration.

[ninja_steve]

Thanks tstieber. Everything you guys have given me has been helpful. Sounds like it would be Temecula or Murrieta for us rather than Poway. Just need to visit and see if it's as nice as I remember 10 years ago.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by ninja_steve

Thanks tstieber. Everything you guys have given me has been helpful. Sounds like it would be Temecula or Murrieta for us rather than Poway. Just need to visit and see if it's as nice as I remember 10 years ago.

It's still pretty much the same, most of the growth has been to the north in the Murietta / Menifee area. The estate section is really a nice area.