El Cajon? Good/bad? (San Diego, Oceanside: apartment, renting, condos)

[Manno]

Hi all,

I moved from NYC to san diego 2 years ago for a new job. Love it out here. I currently work in Encinitas and live in Oceanside (renting an apt). I've been considering buying something - mostly considering a condo as we all know what home prices are. However, i see that El Cajon has some really good priced homes. My question is why are homes so well priced there? I see the crime rate is a bit above national standards... but other than that, i dunno what it is. If it means anything, I am single and no kids.

Ramona, CA also has some decently priced homes. But this is mainly because it's a bit out there for most commuters.

[Mugsy]

El Cajon means the bowl or the pit. Mostly desert. I would stay put and watch out for condo conversions. Save up to buy an SFR in your area or a mobile home incliding the land. The climate is very different too.

[kimmer]

As a San Diego native who grew up by the beaches, El Cajon was considered "backward" in comparison to San Diego. The general view of the people there were that they weren't as educated or cultured as people in other parts of the city. Of course this isn't necessarily the case, but I think the city is still regarded somewhat in this manner. There was an old saying, "there is no life east of 5". Again, not necessarily a fair assessment, but if you asked anyone their opinion of El Cajon, these would most likely be the responses you'd get. Keep in mind this is from people who could afford the beach areas.

El Cajon tends to get very hot, a bit hazy/polluted (being down in a bowl), and there doesn't seem to be a lot to do there. I know people who've moved there just to afford an apartment or buy an affordable house if they have a family. I think there are some nice houses in certain areas though.

It just isn't considered one of the most desirable places to live, compared to other areas in San Diego. Your commute to Encinitas each day would be long. Not necessarily a lot of traffic, but long. Being without kids you have more freedom to choose your location.
That said, you should check it out since you're curious.

I agree with Mugsy, wait for a good deal on a condo conversion. San Marcos has some decent looking ones if you want to stay in North County.

[Sassberto]

Ahhh the Cajon Zone... where else can you see that eclectic mix of east county tweaker with a dash of south county ghetto, topped off with a smidge of middle class bliss and some haze on top.

Personally I would recommend the areas in the canyon walls (Granite Hills, Fletcher Hills) above the flats of El Cajon itself. The Southeastern end of the canyon is more rural and quiet, the central and northwestern side ranges from light industrial to straight ghetto.

If you are looking at condos, check out stuff in La Mesa or Eastern SD City, it's more or less the same thing as the Cajon Zone but a lot closer to fun stuff to do.

[kimmer]

Nicely put Sassberto! Beautiful reply!

And here I was trying my best to be polite....

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by Mugsy

El Cajon means the bowl or the pit. Mostly desert.

There is no desert in El Cajon, the desert is about 50 miles east.

[socketz]

If you think El Cajon is backwards, then Ramona will seem like the other end of the earth. If you want to look at Ramona, take a look at SDCE (San Diego Country Estates). Homes are costly inside this area for Ramona, but still alot less than the rest of North County. The schools in SDCE are great as well. Most are run by people that left the Poway school district. However, move outside of SDCE, all bets are off. Mira Mesa is nicer than El Cajon and has some older housing that may be affordable. I know you can live in Mira Mesa under 500k.

[cnkad]

I lived in El cajon for a while, with kids even. And for the most part it wasn't so bad. It was nice having such a wide variety of shopping stores and the mall so close and although a lot of el cajon is considered scummy, there are some areas that are better than others. And as for the people I have to say that I meant some of the nicest when I lived in el cajon. I am not sure I would want to make the commute from el cajon to Encinitas though, that could be brutal.

[eastsandiegobornandraised]

I swear everytime I go to El Cajon my mood worsens

[KQSellsHomes]

Why does everyone have such a negative impression of El Cajon? I have lived in East county for 20 years and love it. Yes there are some bad areas but it is not all like that. I have raised 3 great kids who did great in school, were involved in sports and went on to great careers. There are Dr's, Lawyers, Business People and all kinds of professionals that make El Cajon home. There are beautiful homes and views in El Cajon. There is no desert and no more smog than anywhere else in the county. I have never been a victim of crime. All in All El Cajon and the East County in general is a great place to live.