moving from Bay Area to San Diego with kids (Long Beach: crime, home)

[JoeSanDiegoHomes]

Originally Posted by movingjubilation

Also, which schools do you recommend for living in South Park?

I don't recommend schools. A few clients in that area have gone to the Catholic schools nearby. I would recommend looking online.

[JoeSanDiegoHomes]

Originally Posted by movingjubilation

thanks for the suggestions.

I keep reading about plane noise in Point Loma. Is that a big problem? And are some parts worse than others?

Yes. There is a flight path and it can be very loud in some parts. I've found some parts in sunset Cliffs to be very quiet. It's a bit louder in the north end near liberty station.

[GuyInSD]

Originally Posted by JoeSanDiegoHomes

Yes. There is a flight path and it can be very loud in some parts. I've found some parts in sunset Cliffs to be very quiet. It's a bit louder in the north end near liberty station.

Yup - the further South you go on Point Loma, the quieter it'll be...

[tstieber]

Originally Posted by movingjubilation

thanks for the suggestions.

I keep reading about plane noise in Point Loma. Is that a big problem? And are some parts worse than others?

Agree with all the suggestions so far. Plane noise improves drastically farther south. The 'wooded area' in Pt. Loma has an eclectic mix of architectural styles, home sizes, lot sizes, and it feels established. Sunset Cliffs is great too -- homes are a little more close together, but the beach access is great, and you've got Ocean Beach nearby. Loma Portal has beautiful historic homes on the bay side of Pt Loma, but that's sadly in the flight path. My favorite architecture, with homes from the 1930s, but that makes it a deal breaker for many.

I live just south of Poway in Scripps Ranch and know Poway very well. Much of Poway is either older tract homes or gated communities with big mansions. There are older, ranchy areas in Green Valley, east of Pomerado and south of Espola that are unique and not tract, but I wouldn't call most of them architecturally interesting. There are a few interesting ones here and there. The area would be very similar in feel to parts of the Bay Area like Orinda or Lafayette. Larger lots, somewhat older homes, and a great country feel. In general, your price range would be a bit higher than most (but not all) of those properties. In the mid to high $1 mil range, there are other options in Poway with larger lots and square footage. Poway is relatively less expensive than, say, Pt Loma or Mission Hills, because most people prefer the coastal strip to the inland communities. But Poway does have strong schools and is generally very safe.

I'll PM you with a few more thoughts!

[tstieber]

Originally Posted by JoeSanDiegoHomes

Bay Park or Point Loma are good choices. South Park is fun and a little more eclectic homes. Mission Hills can be nice as well. I'd suggest you also look at Encinitas.

LOVE South Park -- possibly the most interesting architecture in SD, but for the OP... I'm thinking schools aren't as strong, and as in Pt Loma, airplane noise can be a concern (on approach to the airport).

OP, I'd also look into Kensington with your budget.

[kettlepot]

Boxes to tick: Low crime, interesting architecture, community center, good schools, quiet.

I'm biased against ranch houses, so I won't be recommending those neighborhoods, so take that into account.

Mission Hills - (ticks all boxes)
La Jolla - (ticks all boxes except summer noise/congestion)
Point Loma - (airport noise, better or worse depending on proximity - the quietest parts are kind of ranch house-y)
Kensington - (limited flight/helicopter/freeway noise - elementary school not quite as good LJ & MH)
South Park - (flight noise, school not quite as good LJ & MH)
University Heights - (far back from Park Blvd - limited freeway noise, schools not quite as good as LJ & MH)

Do your own research on elementary schools, but don't judge a school by its test scores alone. Middling scores won't mean your kid won't get a good education when as parents you do your part.

Since all of the areas I have listed are urban, you will have a bit of crime centered around theft of your car, and theft of what is in your car. None of these areas will put you in physical danger.

All of these neighborhoods have a walkable community center

All of these neighborhoods have a good chunk of interesting architecture.

[moved]

Kettlepot - you forgot to include that Kensington is a high crime area, since it's in mid-city. I'm on NextDoor, and the Kensington residents are always posting about their car break-ins.

[davdaven]

Originally Posted by moved

Kensington residents are always posting about their car break-ins.

Such occurrences are likely much lower than what is found in the Bay Area.

[sfosyd]

Originally Posted by davdaven

Such occurrences are likely much lower than what is found in the Bay Area.

Can confirm. There is no comparison. Mid-City is Leave it to Beaver type safe compared to similar areas in the Bay Area and leagues above any type area in the Midwest/East Coast.

I’d highly recommend University Heights. Been extremely happy with Birney elementary and 1.5 will get you a nice home....if you can find it.

Good luck. From your considerations, I would not recommend Poway at all. It seems the polar opposite of what you value.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally Posted by movingjubilation

The things we want are:
-a good public elementary school
-a neighborhood that is on the quiet side, and without a much violent crime
-a neighborhood with a sense of community (a local coffee shop, strip, or restaurant area close--if not walking distance then ~5 min drive)
-interesting architecture (homes that are not all the same time period or style)
-ocean, nature, or a park nearby
-easy access to culture is a plus (museums, concert halls, that kind of thing).

You just described Laguna Beach, Seal Beach, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente.