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My daughter will be attending SDSU in the fall of this year and I plan to buy an investment property near the SDSU. Can someone who knows San Diego well tell me where the safe neighborhoods are near the campus? Thanks.
My daughter will be attending SDSU in the fall of this year and I plan to buy an investment property near the SDSU. Can someone who knows San Diego well tell me where the safe neighborhoods are near the campus? Thanks.
I live in the area.
It is a high crime area but most of that crime is actually created by the students themselves (i.e. drug dealing, drunk driving, fights, date rape, loud parties). Other crime is largely unrelated to the students and occurs on the main streets late at night, i.e. robberies or drug dealing along El Cajon Boulevard. The neighborhoods around the school are mostly residential, some actually very nice, some very congested with students.
If you are looking at investment property catering to students this is a particularly bad time - CSU is cutting enrollment and in fact will not allow any enrollment in the spring this year (and most likely next year). This year it is obvious that many student rentals are going unfilled. At the same time, SDSU is buying up existing apartment complexes and building a massive complex near school as off-campus housing. Additionally the new trolley line means that students can live in areas like Mission Valley or Grossmont and no longer need to live right near the campus.
There is also the issue of neighborhood resistance to students in the single-family homes. A few years ago there was a trend of chopping up homes but that has somewhat been abated. The neighborhoods around SDSU are mostly older and retired longtime residents who were able to get particularly organized about student behavior, in particular loud parties.
All that said, the closer to SDSU you can get the higher the rents go. The homes are larger and the area has very high rents considering much of the rental stock is in very bad shape. There are some recently-converted condo buildings that have had a very hard time selling where you could probably pick up a 2BR condo for less than 200k. Once you get about a mile away from SDSU in any direction, the demand from students starts to wane and the neighborhoods become quieter and less attractive to the students.
For your daughter's sake and safety, anywhere immediately around the school is fine. Stay north of El Cajon Boulevard or University Avenue, and stay east of 54th street or so in the immedate area. Apartments on main streets tend to be nasty, but houses inside the neighborhoods are usually OK.
For your daughter's sake and safety, anywhere immediately around the school is fine. Stay north of El Cajon Boulevard or University Avenue, and stay east of 54th street or so in the immedate area. Apartments on main streets tend to be nasty, but houses inside the neighborhoods are usually OK.
I live in the area too, and I concur with what Sassberto has said. There are condo conversions in the area that could be had relatively cheaply because of the current R/E market. Some houses too. If you will be saving on student housing costs by buying a place your daughter and her potential roommates could be living in, you will then be primed in 4-5 years time to either rent it out or resell it into a better R/E market.
Regarding areas to buy, I would modify Sassberto's boundary's slightly. You could buy west of 54th Street if you stay north of El Cajon Boulevard in the Talmadge neighborhood. Talmadge and the apartment complexes on Collwood Avenue are within easy biking distance of SDSU. East of 54th Street to College Avenue stay north of El Cajon Boulevard, though the closer you get to College Avenue then south of El Cajon Boulevard can be considered. I've seen the first block east of 54th Street that is south of El Cajon Boulevard and it is pretty 'iffy' looking. At College Avenue and further east then you could consider south to University Avenue.
Another option is to buy a property north of I-8 immediately near one of the last one or two trolley stops before SDSU. These areas would be an easy commute for your daughter, and would have potential as both student rentals, and as rentals for people working downtown.
As a general comment, unrelated to your particular needs, it's about time the SDSU administration got serious about rectifying the housing shortage the growth of their campus has created in the area. With all the complaints we have heard over the decades about "Big Developers," and the effects of the "Growth" they've created on traffic, housing, environment, recreation, etc., SDSU seems to have gotten off scott free from alleviating any of the impacts their growth has caused. It's about time our educational institutions realized they are part of the problem, not some sacrosanct Holy of untouchable Holies.
Final Edit -
Neighborhoods South of I-8: College East, College West, Rolando, El Cerrito, Talmadge.
Nieghborhoods North of I-8: Grantville or Mission Valley near a trolley stop. Allied Gardens and Del Cerro.
Last edited by kettlepot; 07-15-2009 at 05:24 AM..
My husband and I just moved from the east coast are looking into buying our 1st home near SDSU. We've looked in San Carlos, Birdland as well. What are your takes on these areas? For neighborhoods near SDSU, what are your thoughts on the College Area right off of College Ave? It seems like there are some nice homes there with well-kept lawns, but also quite a few renter single family homes for students. The elementary school for the area is pretty good. How well will the single family homes there keep their values or even increase/decrease with SDSU trying to get student housing nearby? Thanks
We've looked in San Carlos, Birdland as well. What are your takes on these areas?
Nice areas. Birdland is more central and has more charm but is near some pretty bad areas in Linda Vista. San Carlos is more middle-of-the road suburban with larger but somewhat unattractive housing. Much of San Carlos (commercial areas in particular) are pretty run-down, although not unsafe. Also would look at Lake Murray area, Allied Gardens, and La Mesa which are nearby.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cleoneo
For neighborhoods near SDSU, what are your thoughts on the College Area right off of College Ave?
Depends on exactly where. North of El Cajon Boulevard, the houses tend to be larger but there are a ton of students. South of El Cajon Boulevard, that starts to drop off. Where I live south of El Cajon Blvd and east of College, there is only one house with college-aged kids in the immediate area. Personally I would not want to live north of El Cajon Boulevard near SDSU. SDSU students are responsible for 90% of the problems in this area, in particular noise, litter, drugs, fighting. They really do let anyone in that school and many of the kids have a thuggish attitude, especially those from inland OC and IE in my experience.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cleoneo
It seems like there are some nice homes there with well-kept lawns, but also quite a few renter single family homes for students. The elementary school for the area is pretty good. How well will the single family homes there keep their values or even increase/decrease with SDSU trying to get student housing nearby?
No matter how many units they add it will never be enough. SDSU is so far behind on housing they could build for 10 years and never keep up. And of course in that time the demand will just increase.
There are 2 factors at play in the area, one is an influx of younger homeowners and the other is college rentals. The proximity to SDSU keeps rents very high compared to other, nicer areas. Generally I seem property values increasing over the long term, but not within the next 3-5+ years given the current economic situation.
Thanks for the response Sassberto! The reason we're considering closer to SDSU is b/c of its proximity to the metro area. We currently live in Univ. Hgts/Hillcrest and love it. But dont want to pay so much for just a condo where we will be staying longer term. The properties we're looking at are north of El Cajon Blvd. How is the Rolando area's schools?
And this is just my curiosity, if SDSU needs so much housing, would they try to buy all those homes near them north of El Cajon? I'd think if they tried to mass purchase it, the value wouldnt be that great...
Otherwise, the San Carlos neighborhood we looked at is nicer. But much further out east.
Not much inventory in Birdland... or in San Diego in general!!
The properties we're looking at are north of El Cajon Blvd. How is the Rolando area's schools?
If you are in La Mesa schools or in the area of SD with the variance, you can send your kid to Rolando Elementary which is 9-rated. My niece went there, it is very good. Clay / Mann / Crawford is horrible. Hardy is good but most kids don't live in the area, Hearst is really the best. There are some changes coming to CA state law that should improve open enrollment options. After elementary, the schools south of 8 become a problem, that is where San Carlos becomes more attractive. Due to declining enrollment in most of the city, it is not that hard to get your kid into a better school if you are willing to provide transportation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cleoneo
And this is just my curiosity, if SDSU needs so much housing, would they try to buy all those homes near them north of El Cajon? I'd think if they tried to mass purchase it, the value wouldnt be that great...
The time to have done that was 20 years ago. State of CA is essentially broke and they could never afford it today. The area is still quite expensive and many of the people that own homes paid next-to-nothing for them in the 80's and 90's. They are trying to redevelop some SDSU-owned property at College & Montezuma but it is a pretty small-scale project. Most of the new housing that will eventually be built will be apartment-style and located on the main streets like El Cajon Boulevard. The residents would never allow any multi-family apartments within their neighborhoods like you see in Hillcrest or University Heights.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cleoneo
Otherwise, the San Carlos neighborhood we looked at is nicer. But much further out east.
Not much inventory in Birdland... or in San Diego in general!!
San Carlos is a cleaner and better-kept area for sure. Schools are better. I find it charmless and many of the houses are not all that well-kept either. But the schools issue is definitely something to consider. Birdland is more similar to Rolando-College, with nicer pockets and bad pockets.
Nice areas. Birdland is more central and has more charm but is near some pretty bad areas in Linda Vista. San Carlos is more middle-of-the road suburban with larger but somewhat unattractive housing. Much of San Carlos (commercial areas in particular) are pretty run-down, although not unsafe. Also would look at Lake Murray area, Allied Gardens, and La Mesa which are nearby.
Depends on exactly where. North of El Cajon Boulevard, the houses tend to be larger but there are a ton of students. South of El Cajon Boulevard, that starts to drop off. Where I live south of El Cajon Blvd and east of College, there is only one house with college-aged kids in the immediate area. Personally I would not want to live north of El Cajon Boulevard near SDSU. SDSU students are responsible for 90% of the problems in this area, in particular noise, litter, drugs, fighting. They really do let anyone in that school and many of the kids have a thuggish attitude, especially those from inland OC and IE in my experience.
No matter how many units they add it will never be enough. SDSU is so far behind on housing they could build for 10 years and never keep up. And of course in that time the demand will just increase.
There are 2 factors at play in the area, one is an influx of younger homeowners and the other is college rentals. The proximity to SDSU keeps rents very high compared to other, nicer areas. Generally I seem property values increasing over the long term, but not within the next 3-5+ years given the current economic situation.
Heck when I went there they didn't have any student housing. It was a nightmere. Of course it was pretty much a computers school but had started changing. Luckily many of us were able to live in the sorortiy and frat houses.
I just recently moved to the area and I am renting a place in La Mesa that is great. I'm right on the trolley line and only 2 stops to SDSU, the neighborhood and people are really nice, there are some good restaurants, and it isn't sketchy at all.
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