Relocation to SD - where to rent with school-aged kids in NSD? (San Diego: apartment complexes, rentals)

[ReturningExpatsSD]

Hello All
We are moving to the area from overseas this July and have been combing Zillow and craigslist for a month from abroad, looking for rentals in Encinitas (the area we had originally fallen in love with). The pickings are so sparse and we've already lost a house because we weren't there in person to meet the owner during open house (devastating). We will eventually buy in a year and we are testing the waters to see where a good fit is.

Since Encinitas seems unattainable we are expanding our search to the south and I want to know what people would recommend for a family of 5 ( kids 9y, 7y, and newborn plus small dog) who want to attend public school and hopefully meet these criteria:

- walking distance (5-10 min) to any one or more of these: parks or trails, shops and restaurants, school
- quality elementary school and middle school
- strong sense of community and diversity (put another way, not only white 1 percenters)
- short commute (20 minutes or less) to La Jolla area where my husband is opening a branch of his hi-tech company
- coastal climate or coastal inland climate (summers under 85 degrees)

On this forum I have heard about CV being great for kids but it sounds sooo suburban and quiet and we are coming from a European-style city where everything is close and accessible by foot and I think having to get in a car every time I need something would kill me slowly. Are there areas in CV where this is not the case?

Also, if anyone on here has kids in Torrey Pines High School, what has been the reaction after that freshman, poor Jacob, was shot by police? That news really freaked me out and I don't really want my kids spending their formative years in a place where cops shoot to kill and can't understand that kids may not be lethal criminals.

Del Mar Heights? There are some rentals available here but I know that Del Mar is very gentrified and caters more to retirees, etc. Is Del Mar Heights the same?

Solana Beach?
Cardiff?

Thanks so much for any advice!

[RosieSD]

Del Mar Heights actually IS Carmel Valley. Cardiff is part of Encinitas.

Solana Beach is great. Also check rentals in La Jolla and University City if that's where your husband will be based. There's something to be said for keeping the commute as short as possible.

You might also like Coronado, which has fantastic schools.

Carlsbad can be a good alternative to Encinitas; there are some lovely areas and the schools are very good. Depending on where in Carlsbad, however, it may mean a bit longer commute for your husband though.

Have you considered more central areas like Mission Hills, South Park, Point Loma, and Kensington? They'd give you the walkable "European" feel and diversity you say you are looking for. North Pacific Beach might work as well; it's a little quieter than the stereotype of PB, and an easy commute to La Jolla. Charter public high schools like the Albert Einstein Academy in South Park, High Tech schools in Point Loma and the IB program at San Diego High, among others, are all good options for families in these areas. And, there are also great private school options like Francis Parker, La Jolla country Day, Bishops, Our Lady of Peace, etc.

Torrey Pines H.S. has been around for 40+ years and is an excellent school. I wouldn't base my opinion of it (or the SD police) on a single very sad incident.

[oddstray]

You're not going to find European walkability in San Diego. Sorry - it's just not there.

Short commute to La Jolla. On the north, Del Mar. You seem to get that Del Mar isn't a family/kid friendly place. East of La Jolla - University City; I don't know about schools - RosieSD, can you fill in?. South of La Jolla - Pacific Beach/Clairmont. Here we're starting to get into iffy public schools. But there are the options of charter schools and/or private schools.

The other neighborhoods that RosieSD mention are going to have a longer commute to La Jolla. Or maybe not, if you can use the limited public transportation: www.sdmts.com

[ReturningExpatsSD]

Thanks guys
We really want to stay away from the central city areas like Kensington or University City, although I've heard nice things. We really want to stay north, despite the commute, and enjoy the beach town life.
I will check out more around Solana Beach. It's pricey but it's only for a year...

[LaJollaEast]

La Jolla has great public schools. My daughters went through public schools in La Jolla and received great educations. If you rent in La Jolla Shores or the village you have great walkability.

[sprez33]

Just a little fine tuning of Rosie's post. Del Mar Heights is the SD neighborhood east of Del Mar but west of I-5. Carmel Valley is east of I-5.

Carmel Valley is a great place for bringing up kids but it's not walkable in terms of carrying out your daily activities. It's a master planned community with a lot of walking trails so kids walk easily to school. But shopping and restaurants is likely a drive. It does meet all your other criteria. Coastal climate, 5 mins from the beach (we almost never use AC and have turned off the pilot light on our heater). Lots of parks. More diverse than people think. There are a lot of apartment complexes so some socioeconomic diversity. Good ethnic and racial diversity. Strong sense of community. Majority white with strong representation from Hispanic, Asian and Jewish. 15-20 mins from La Jolla (although I suspect you mean UTC if it's a tech company). On the downside, Carmel Valley is an absolute dessert with respect to public transit.

My son was a class-mate of the Torrey Pines student that was shot by the police. As it turns out he had a suicide note in his pocket and was committing suicide by cop. While it's a sad commentary on our society that a 15 year old fully understands that if he puts a police officer at any risk he'll be killed instantly, it's not a reflection on Torrey Pines per se. The school and district responded admirably to the incident, being very respectful of the family and helping the students deal with the tragedy.

[ReturningExpatsSD]

Thanks for the feedback, Sprez33!

I'm sorry to hear your son was affected, it's definitely a learning experience that he won't forget, and a chance for many, many talk at home. I appreciate your perspective!

We are having some luck finding nice homes in Solana Beach E of I-5 and are also applying in CV. I feel a lot better about these communities thanks to this forum!

[sprez33]

Originally Posted by ReturningExpatsSD

Thanks for the feedback, Sprez33!

I'm sorry to hear your son was affected, it's definitely a learning experience that he won't forget, and a chance for many, many talk at home. I appreciate your perspective!

We are having some luck finding nice homes in Solana Beach E of I-5 and are also applying in CV. I feel a lot better about these communities thanks to this forum!

My pleasure! Solana Beach School District actually penetrates into Carmel Valley and both my kids went through with a great experience. An SB is a very nice community, so good luck! Feel free to PM me with any other questions.

[Frozenthinmint]

Given the age of your kids, it's worth noting that some Solana Beach schools are divided into K-3 and 4-6, which means you may be driving to two different campuses for a couple of years. (Also if for some reason you end up in the zone for Skyline Elementary, there will extensive construction work on that campus next year and I believe the kids will be temporarily housed at the middle school across the street, Earl Warren). And as Sprez33 notes, the Torrey Pines incident was an isolated incident (and when the time comes, it's worth noting the high school district has 2 academies to choose from, in addition to TP.) Good luck with the move!

[Larry Siegel]

Originally Posted by oddstray

You're not going to find European walkability in San Diego. Sorry - it's just not there.

In downtown La Jolla it is. There are a lot of rentals. Very expensive, but you are looking in other high priced areas.