Moved to san diego 2 months ago...here's an update! (school, moving to)

[jkoz]

Originally Posted by sdlife619

To people that think buying a little dinky house for $300K in a not so great area is affordable, is on something they shouldn't be on.

Anyone who thinks it's better to ramble around in a "big, affordable" house in Oklahoma or Arkansas, where the biggest pastime is going to Walmart or Home Depot, than live in something smaller in a place like San Diego is "on something they shouldn't be on" IMHO. It all depends on where your priorities are (square footage vs. lifestyle), not what you're "on."

[Pom]

Originally Posted by jkoz

Anyone who thinks it's better to ramble around in a "big, affordable" house in Oklahoma or Arkansas, where the biggest pastime is going to Walmart or Home Depot, than live in something smaller in a place like San Diego is "on something they shouldn't be on" IMHO. It all depends on where your priorities are (square footage vs. lifestyle), not what you're "on."

I agree with this!

Maybe you wouldn't need such a big, fancy house in SD because you would be out and about throughout the entire year.

Plus, I don't find the home costs in SD to be that different from any major city. There are expensive areas and less expensive areas.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by DubHaze

Hey Everyone!

Sorry it's been awhile! My husband and I just got settled here in San Diego, we moved here April 8th 2009 and so far.. WE LOVE IT! I figured I would start a new thread for those hopeful movers wondering what it's like out here...

So the apartment... we are lucky. lucky, lucky, lucky. We found a great place in North Park. We originally wanted to be by the beach in OB but ick. for what we could afford anyway. Our place in North Park is a 1br for $1095.00 which I think is extremely reasonable!! We have a stainless steel kitchen, tile, washer/dryer, AND A COVERED PARKING SPACE!! way better than being by the beach with NO parking, and well the tiny cottage was like 400sq ft. SMALL!! much happier in North Park!! Close to Balboa Park, The Zoo, Downtown... It feels like we are 10 minutes from anywhere we want to go... very central! I also really like being close to Hillcrest too!!

I started working about 2 weeks after we moved here (I am a baby photographer for the hospital) which I transfered from MN, but I found work as a Nanny as well!! so that was great. My husband had a harder time finding work. He just got a call last week just to work at the mall in UTC. ANY JOB IS BETTER THAN NO JOB!!! So if you plan on coming out, make sure you have enough savings to hold you until you can find work. I would plan for atleast 4 months of rent/bills to be SAFE!

Also... I want everyone to know.... back in minneapolis rent is just as expensive. Yes i know to BUY a house here is expensive but if you are happy being a renter for awhile then go for it!!! OH... AND WHAT TRAFFIC IS EVERYONE COMPLAINING ABOUT? Go to minneapolis if you want to complain. I've driven in rush hour quite a bit and never have a problem!!! It takes ten minutes to get on the freeway and then it keeps moving!!!

And lastly. QUIT COMPLAINING ABOUT COSTS OF FOOD. If you shop smart, get rewards cards for Ralphs (my fav, secondly vons) then you will do fine!!! Pop, Chips, FRUIT, VEGGIES just about everything is cheaper AND fresher than anywhere in the country!! Although if you are a HUGE meat eater, that can be expensive. (we are mostly vegetarians) We save $200 a month on grocery's here. Also.... there are a lot of free things to do here! Balboa park has free mueseums and organ concerts Tuesdays/Sundays, the beach, Mission bay park... a million attractions!!


SO SAN DIEGO WE ARE HERE TO STAY... YOUR STUCK WITH US AND I HOPE YOU LIKE IT!

IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT MOVING HERE FEEL FREE TO ASK!!!

That is great news. Everyone should be lucky enough to be able to live where they want and find happiness. For each of us, there is someplace we feel is right and every state, every town or city and every region has something special to offer.

good luck for years to come...

Nita

[IloveOC]

DubHaze: I am so happy for you. From reading your post I can almost know how you feel. I grew up in Southern California and the last time I visited I was so happy. I cannot explain it - it is just a feeling. I lived in Oregon for a few years during high school and when we drove down for Easter vacation I felt the very same way. I have lived in Minneapolis for many years, but when out in California nothing seemed to matter other than just taking it all in and enjoying my time there to the fullest. The rush hour traffic didn't bother me - I was just back home.

I am sure that with your attitude you are going to make the best of it. There is so much beauty there to see and it is so totally different than Minnesota. My heart is in OC but SD is so close, that to me it isn't much different. I never lived in SD tho.

Enjoy your new home and keep us posted - I would like to hear about what you are doing there and even see photo's.

[DubHaze]

Thank you everyone! I recently posted a new thread called Dilema!! check it out, I could use your opinions there!!!!

[Rose74]

Originally Posted by Snort

I take it you're not driving the I-5 during rush hour.
Traffic gets even more interesting in the summer months when the glut of tourists come to SD. You should start seeing a lot of Arizona license plates right about now.

I also moved here 1 month ago, and I do take I-5 every day, mon through fri on rush hours. It's nothing compared to Chicago traffic (where I come from)! Traffic here is actually moving, even on rush hours. It only gets a little worse in case of an accident, but still nothing compared to I-290 towards Chicago.. and that's with or without accidents, rush or non-rush hours. I'm pretty happy about traffic here too!

[Encinitan]

Originally Posted by Rose74

I also moved here 1 month ago, and I do take I-5 every day, mon through fri on rush hours. It's nothing compared to Chicago traffic (where I come from)! Traffic here is actually moving, even on rush hours. It only gets a little worse in case of an accident, but still nothing compared to I-290 towards Chicago.. and that's with or without accidents, rush or non-rush hours. I'm pretty happy about traffic here too!

Traffic in San Diego, generally speaking, is nothing compared to most major metro areas all over the country (New York, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, LA/OC all have it worse.) My wife lived in Fullerton and worked in Newport Beach. 22 miles down the 91, to the 57, to the 405. It'd take her an hour each way. Brutal. We in San Diego complain too much about traffic and weather. We have it pretty good in both areas.

[sdurbanite]

Glad to hear things are going well, so far!

Originally Posted by DubHaze

OH... AND WHAT TRAFFIC IS EVERYONE COMPLAINING ABOUT? Go to minneapolis if you want to complain. I've driven in rush hour quite a bit and never have a problem!!! It takes ten minutes to get on the freeway and then it keeps moving!!!

I think everyone who's lived here for awhile will agree that there seems to be less traffic on the freeways these days (bad economy?) Also, after so many years, they recently completed major work on freeway expansions and improvements throughout the area, which has made traffic much easier to deal with.

After sitting in traffic in Cincinatti, Pittsbugh, Seattle, Denver, etc I realize the thing that keeps SD traffic flowing is that our freeways can be up to 8-10 lanes wide in each direction at major interchanges, as opposed to having on 3 lanes like in the cities mentioned above. Ok...enough about traffic...lol

And lastly. QUIT COMPLAINING ABOUT COSTS OF FOOD. If you shop smart, get rewards cards for Ralphs (my fav, secondly vons) then you will do fine!!! Pop, Chips, FRUIT, VEGGIES just about everything is cheaper AND fresher than anywhere in the country!! Although if you are a HUGE meat eater, that can be expensive. (we are mostly vegetarians) We save $200 a month on grocery's here.

Don't forget to check out the local Farmer's Markets, too. Hit up Trader Joe's, Fresh & Easy and Henry's Marketplace for some off the wall and healthy stuff at cheap prices.

[TristramShandy]

Originally Posted by DubHaze

And lastly. QUIT COMPLAINING ABOUT COSTS OF FOOD. If you shop smart, get rewards cards for Ralphs (my fav, secondly vons) then you will do fine!!! Pop, Chips, FRUIT, VEGGIES just about everything is cheaper AND fresher than anywhere in the country!!

I didn't notice this the first time I read your message - - you've got to ditch the "pop" now that you're in San Diego - - they call it by the proper name out here.

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by TristramShandy

I didn't notice this the first time I read your message - - you've got to ditch the "pop" now that you're in San Diego - - they call it by the proper name out here.

I missed that, too.

This map is from 2003, but I'm sure it hasn't changed much. I don't know anyone who uses the term "pop"