Moving to SD From NYC - which area? (San Diego, Corona: 2015, house)

[oddstray]

I'm watching you being willing to give up your New York standards. But I'm still seeing you sticking close to the coast.

There are many areas of San Diego that aren't close to the coast, but are 15-20 minutes' drive away. And they aren't hugely walkable, but more and more the developers are learning that neighborhoods need have walkable shops.

So, I'd encourage you to widen your search parameters. In particular, I live in Rancho Penasquitos. It's some 12 miles from the coast, but a direct shot down Highway 56. Depending where you are within Penasquitos there are shops within a walk. And it's in a good school district.

There are other areas with similar advantages. So, again, I encourage you to widen your search parameters. And, if you can make it work, move here to a temporary location and stay there long enough to get the feel of the entire county before you commit to a long-term neighborhood.

[NYSD1995]

92109 - is vibrant, fun, and not family friendly, ok with little ones but you don't want your teenagers running around there, couldn't imagine raising kids there.
92110 - is a nice area with not-so-great K-8 schools and a bad high school
92111 - is mostly undesirable high density 1000sf tract homes and strip malls. Includes some super sketchy areas and some nicer areas but overall no
92117 - is mostly high density 1000sf tract homes and strip malls with so-so schools, some nicer custom homes too.

You do not want to spend 1MM on a single family home in any of these areas. Agree with the above poster look at the 56 corridor if you really need to be close to the beach (you don't). Maybe look at Point Loma, there are some 1400sf 1950's starters in the 800-1MM range. You will drive everywhere. There is traffic everywhere. Accept it now, and it will be easier to open up to areas that are 15-30 mins from the beach. Instead of walking in an authentic downtown you will be walking on traffic-free trails in your development or neighborhood canyons. There are very, very few cute walkable areas in SD. SD is sort of a west coast version of FL in many ways.

[loveautumn]

I'd recommend looking at Encinitas east of the 5. You should be able to find a home in your price range, excellent schools, area is sort of suburban-urban, lots of restaurants, stores, grocery stores, the usual big box stores. I can find everything I need to live easily here without ever having to leave a Encinitas. Beach is about 2 miles away. There is a lot of traffic here, but I could walk to a lot of stores if I needed/wanted to. It's quiet in most areas but some are more noisy. SD has grown enormously in 20 years with no end in sight. Even with the negatives, it's still way better than living in NYC, imho, I've done it myself. You may miss having good sports teams here.

[loveautumn]

Also, just my opinion, but the definition of excellent schools in California can be very different than schools back east. And career wise SD is not the most ambitious place.

[cocoon]

The reason to stick to the coast is simple. First it's beautiful! My thinking is that I'm moving all the way from NYC I may as well get it as close to perfect as I can. We enjoy walkability, but that doesn't mean it has to be a cute downtown or city, we'd just like to be able to walk for miles and miles even if it's on trails or on the beach (even better!) without the risk of being run-over by cars! I get the driving part of SD and most of CA and in fact this country as well (compared to NYC) so I'm not trying to fight that. If I lived 15-20 minutes away from the coast vs. a 5 minute drive or 15 minute walk, I wonder how many times a week I'd hit the beach to run or surf etc. I will definitely widen my search parameters, this is an ongoing process. Thanks for recommending Rancho Penasquitos.

Originally Posted by oddstray

I'm watching you being willing to give up your New York standards. But I'm still seeing you sticking close to the coast.

There are many areas of San Diego that aren't close to the coast, but are 15-20 minutes' drive away. And they aren't hugely walkable, but more and more the developers are learning that neighborhoods need have walkable shops.

So, I'd encourage you to widen your search parameters. In particular, I live in Rancho Penasquitos. It's some 12 miles from the coast, but a direct shot down Highway 56. Depending where you are within Penasquitos there are shops within a walk. And it's in a good school district.

There are other areas with similar advantages. So, again, I encourage you to widen your search parameters. And, if you can make it work, move here to a temporary location and stay there long enough to get the feel of the entire county before you commit to a long-term neighborhood.

[cocoon]

Great info, thanks!
What parts of Encinitas are quieter vs. louder? What's the average we should budget for a 3-4 bedroom home with outdoor space both West and East of the 5?

Originally Posted by loveautumn

I'd recommend looking at Encinitas east of the 5. You should be able to find a home in your price range, excellent schools, area is sort of suburban-urban, lots of restaurants, stores, grocery stores, the usual big box stores. I can find everything I need to live easily here without ever having to leave a Encinitas. Beach is about 2 miles away. There is a lot of traffic here, but I could walk to a lot of stores if I needed/wanted to. It's quiet in most areas but some are more noisy. SD has grown enormously in 20 years with no end in sight. Even with the negatives, it's still way better than living in NYC, imho, I've done it myself. You may miss having good sports teams here.

[cocoon]

Thanks for your summaries on those zipcodes. Very useful. They don't sound ideal for raising a family now,
but might change in later years. I'll concentrate on Point Loma in the DT area.I am accepting the driving situation, even if it's going to be culture shock for me! I do drive in NYC right now (specifically to leave the city, not in NYC), without a car I'd never be able to get out of this urban concrete jungle.I am not expecting an authentic downtown, or anything cute, traffic free trails and canyons sound good. We just like to walk for miles and miles and if it's more of a nature walk/hike maybe that's even better than walking the streets in NYC. What areas are your favorites that are 15-30 minutes from the beach? Yes SD may be like FL, but FL has humidity and heat, while SD has better weather and the relaxed West Coast attitude.

Originally Posted by Sassberto

92109 - is vibrant, fun, and not family friendly, ok with little ones but you don't want your teenagers running around there, couldn't imagine raising kids there.
92110 - is a nice area with not-so-great K-8 schools and a bad high school
92111 - is mostly undesirable high density 1000sf tract homes and strip malls. Includes some super sketchy areas and some nicer areas but overall no
92117 - is mostly high density 1000sf tract homes and strip malls with so-so schools, some nicer custom homes too.

You do not want to spend 1MM on a single family home in any of these areas. Agree with the above poster look at the 56 corridor if you really need to be close to the beach (you don't). Maybe look at Point Loma, there are some 1400sf 1950's starters in the 800-1MM range. You will drive everywhere. There is traffic everywhere. Accept it now, and it will be easier to open up to areas that are 15-30 mins from the beach. Instead of walking in an authentic downtown you will be walking on traffic-free trails in your development or neighborhood canyons. There are very, very few cute walkable areas in SD. SD is sort of a west coast version of FL in many ways.

[cocoon]

Can you elaborate on this? Do you mean SD good schools are not as good as East Cost good schools? They're not as academically strong? I believe education should be an all around experience, not being stuck in a cocoon. If you visit a top university Engineering program, you'll see kids from all over the country, not just elite East Coast privates and rich suburb publics.

Originally Posted by loveautumn

Also, just my opinion, but the definition of excellent schools in California can be very different than schools back east. And career wise SD is not the most ambitious place.

[someguy10]

Originally Posted by cocoon

The reason to stick to the coast is simple. First it's beautiful! My thinking is that I'm moving all the way from NYC I may as well get it as close to perfect as I can. We enjoy walkability, but that doesn't mean it has to be a cute downtown or city, we'd just like to be able to walk for miles and miles even if it's on trails or on the beach (even better!) without the risk of being run-over by cars! I get the driving part of SD and most of CA and in fact this country as well (compared to NYC) so I'm not trying to fight that. If I lived 15-20 minutes away from the coast vs. a 5 minute drive or 15 minute walk, I wonder how many times a week I'd hit the beach to run or surf etc. I will definitely widen my search parameters, this is an ongoing process. Thanks for recommending Rancho Penasquitos.

I suggest you check out Red Fin and acquaint yourself with real estate on offer. Basically moving east (away from coast) and north (away from downtown), you get more house for the same money. At your budget range, most would say 2,000-3,500 sqft and near the ocean is incompatible. Try setting Red Fin for 2000+ sqft, range up to $1.5mm and look for anything suitable that's west of I-5. I don't think you'll find anything.

[cocoon]

I see you what you mean. I'm not expecting to be right on the beach for 1.5mm, but I'd like to be close enough that getting there every other day won't seem like a pain. On RedFin, I did a rough search for Encinitas, under 1.5m, over 2000 sqft, 4bd+, 2ba+ and I found 26 homes, too my eyes they all look better than my (expensive) life in NYC! Of course, there are only 3 homes that are west of I-5 and maybe another 5-10 just east of I-5.

https://www.redfin.com/city/5844/CA/...n-sqft=2k-sqft

Originally Posted by someguy10

I suggest you check out Red Fin and acquaint yourself with real estate on offer. Basically moving east (away from coast) and north (away from downtown), you get more house for the same money. At your budget range, most would say 2,000-3,500 sqft and near the ocean is incompatible. Try setting Red Fin for 2000+ sqft, range up to $1.5mm and look for anything suitable that's west of I-5. I don't think you'll find anything.