Should we move to Carlsbad (or Oceanside/San Marcos/Vista)? (San Diego: oceanfront, rental homes)

[gposton]

Hi! My family is looking to move to San Diego in the next month or two and we would ideally like to reside in Carlsbad. We are planning to rent for a year (maybe 2) before buying and really setting roots. We have been to Carlsbad a few times and love the area, specifically Aviara - wonderful neighborhoods with new developments popping up, great parks for the little ones, swimming/aquatic centers, great grocery options, etc..)

The issue is that the homes we are targeting (4 bedrooms + big backyard for the kids - we have two little ones 2 and 4 years old) come with pretty steep rents, upwards of $4500/month. Ideally, we'd like to save a little money to put towards buying a house in the next few years, and paying around $3300-$3700 is more around the range we want to be at. (Paying more is not out of the question - it just prevents us from saving more; we can find something more affordable there that doesn't have everything we want).

All that said, in looking at places online, I can see that areas such as Oceanside, San Marcos, Vista offer houses at those ranges, easily accommodating what we want. The problem is that we have never been to those areas and aren't sure what they offer - good communities/safety/activities for little ones/welcoming neighborhoods/etc..?? Since we are relocating (we are currently up in Northern California) we'd love to find a neighborhood and community that fits us - family with young kids, we want to be out and about, get the kids into activities (soccer/dance/etc..) and just be active with our neighbors (who are ideally young families like us) with fun things.

We plan to visit the area in a few weeks but would love guidance on what area(s) we should focus our efforts. Should we stick with Carlsbad and try to find something a little more affordable because we love the area? (Even if it means compromising the backyard or a bedroom?) Or are there other cities worth exploring, that fit what we are looking for (Oceanside, San Marcos, Vista, etc..)

Appreciate any feedback/guidance you can provide to us - thank you!

[RosieSD]

For Vista and Oceanside, you'll need to do your homework. There are some neighborhoods in both cities that are less desirable.

In Oceanside, you might take a look at the Ivey Ranch neighborhood -- it's very family oriented and has somewhat newer homes.

In Vista, look around the Shadowridge neighborhood. It's a somewhat older neighborhood.

There are other neighborhoods in both cities that might work, but these two probably come the closest to what you like about Aviara. Again, do your homework before renting in either city just to make sure you end up in an OK neighborhood.

In San Marcos, see what rents are going for in the San Elijo Hills area. Again, just my opinion, but it shares a lot of characteristics with the Aviara area.

One thing to know if you opt for Carlsbad is that since the school district is highly rated, you'll find rentals get snapped up very quickly there. Landlords can afford to be picky as a result.

Also, when you get ready to home shop, know that not every part of Carlsbad is part of that same highly rated school district. Parts of Carlsbad (eastern sections) are assigned to the San Marcos School District, not the Carlsbad School District. The San Marcos School District is fine, but not as highly rated. Thus, as a general rule, you'll find home prices to be a little less in that part of Carlsbad. That *might* be the case with rental homes too.

You can find the school district boundaries for the entire county here: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/audit.../schoolmap.pdf

Good luck with your move!

[RosieSD]

P.S. You didn't mention where you or your spouse will be working, but if you don't need to be in North County for work reasons, there are other parts of San Diego County that you might also want to take a look at if home prices in Carlsbad are too steep. Some possibilities: Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penasquitos, Eastern Chula Vista (Otay Ranch, Vista Del Cielo, etc), La Mesa, Del Cerro, Rancho San Diego. Bonita, Santee.

And if you have the budget for Carlsbad and need to be in North County for work reasons, you might take a look at Carmel Valley, Encinitas, and Solana Beach as well as Carlsbad.

Coronado and Scripps Ranch are two other really nice areas if you have the budget for Carlsbad and don't need to be in North County for work reasons.

Carlsbad is great, but there are many other terrific family oriented areas in San Diego County too!

[gposton]

Thank you so much @RosieSD! In terms of where we are working - I will be working remotely from home and my husband plans to rent an office. The last time we visited Carlsbad we checked out office rentals (Regus) north of Aviara. Thank you for advice on the areas we are considering along with ideas on new areas as well. Very much appreciated!

[cruitr]

I'd go with your heart. Aviara @ $4500 a month vs San Marcos @ $3700 a month. How much are you really going to save in a year or two? $20k? You can't even buy a new Honda Accord for $20k. Since you're working at home, most of the $4500 is a tax-deductible expense.

[newgensandiego]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

The San Marcos School District is fine, but not as highly rated. Thus, as a general rule, you'll find home prices to be a little less in that part of Carlsbad. That *might* be the case with rental homes too.

The parts of Carlsbad that are served by SMUSD send students to Carrillo Elementary, La Costa Meadows Elementary, San Elijo Middle, and San Marcos High. These are the best schools in San Marcos and are generally higher performing than most CUSD schools. It's a marginal difference.

The home prices are cheaper because they are older. The homes are also further inland and are typically more modest in size, relative to the McMansions on puny lots in other parts of Carlsbad.

San Marcos used to be a very good value given its decent schools, low crime, and nice neighborhoods. People finally realized that living 1 mile inland isn't much different than 5 miles inland and you save $300K on a SFH.

[Suburban_Guy]

What's it like in Carlsbad?

Is Oceanside still a cool place to live?

New Job in Carlsbad, where to live?

Talk me out of Vista/Oceanside

[thait84]

Originally Posted by cruitr

I'd go with your heart. Aviara @ $4500 a month vs San Marcos @ $3700 a month. How much are you really going to save in a year or two? $20k? You can't even buy a new Honda Accord for $20k. Since you're working at home, most of the $4500 is a tax-deductible expense.

You can't deduct home offices with the new tax law if you are still a salaried worker. So it depends on their circumstances.

[USDefault]

Originally Posted by gposton

I can see that areas such as Oceanside, San Marcos, Vista offer houses at those ranges, easily accommodating what we want.

These three are not Carlsbad. Especially with kids, if you don't need to be in North County, go with the above recommendation and look to other areas more south in San Diego, like a Del Cerro or La Mesa, Scripps, even Coronado, or the other recommendations.


Oceanside and Vista are further away and the traffic stinks. If you're in the correct locale, Oceanside and Vista are reasonably decent. But point-blank, there are areas in both where I would not walk around when it turns dark, and on the whole I find other San Diego county neighborhoods superior. And you'll have to scrutinize school boundaries very carefully, because other school districts are superior. Unless you're buying an oceanfront Oceanside home and saving a couple million versus much more expensive Encinitas, Solana, or Del Mar, there's no reason to live there if you don't have to be that far north.

[Axxlrod]

San Elijo Hills fits the bill perfectly.