What market is underserved in San Diego (Mesa: foreclosure, good credit)

[sav858]

Originally Posted by coaster12

Boy have I nailed SD. El paso but only better with the cost of the hamptons.

Anyhow it is a pretty place and I'm sure are opportunities for some folks. Not many but a small few.

haha, no you haven't b/c all you've done is throw out some BS with nothing to back it up and that's all you keep doing. Either back up your claim or just keep believing whatever you tell yourself, you'll probably will go with the latter though. At this point you're just coming off as bitter and trollish with pretty much no credibility in anything you claim.

[cruitr]

Here's another place to look for an existing biz: san diego business/commercial classifieds - craigslist
Lots of FSBOs advertise here.

Originally Posted by nyny2sdca

I am inclined to buy an existing business, maybe two or three. Then I can create a new brand. A new chain. I'll do my own advertising, so I become a local celebrity. I'll get the best tables at the finest restaurants. I'll be recognized wherever I go. I'll have affairs with beautiful young women who want to be in my commercials. My wife will divorce me and take half of my empire. I'll go broke defending myself against paternity claims. I'll end up homeless and penniless. But at least I'll be in San Diego.

[nyny2sdca]

I'm guessing you (coaster12) don't think much of El Paso... or San Diego. However, I remain undeterred.

I thought perhaps San Diego was more like Northern Virginia (NoVA), but with better weather.

Both SD and NoVA seem to be strongly influenced by the military and tend to be conservative and religious, although not necessarily intolerant. Both SD and NoVA have a number of small town centers, but do require a car for pretty much everything.

People in SD and NoVA tend to shop at malls, and seem okay with chain restaurants. Sadly, I think they may believe that "P.F. Chang's" is good Chinese food and "Maggiano's" is good Italian food (they're not). But chain restaurants are like kudzu, so I can accept this fact.

Look... New York City (Manhattan) is king of all cities. And there can be only one king. So I do not need or expect SD to be as great as Manhattan. I just need a decent place to live and raise my children. I need a place to open a business and make a few honest bucks. And, every now and then, I need authentic Chinese and Italian food cooked by actual Chinese and Italian people.

[Oerdin]

Originally Posted by nyny2sdca

My wife and I are contemplating a move to SD. If I can't find a job as a Senior IT project manager (I have 15 years' experience), then I may start a business.

If I start a business or purchase an existing business, it will NOT be in IT. Instead, I will take a decidedly LOW-TECH route...

It could be a coffee shoppe or a bowling alley or a dry cleaner or a bakery or... whatever. You get the point: low tech. No HTML. No status meetings.

So, my question is: Which markets are under-served in SD? Where is there a business opportunity? Which types of businesses are not done right, or not done at all?

Thanks

It all depends on the neighborhood with local low tech stuff like that. I'd suggest first making a list of the business ideas you like most keeping in mind that if it is successful you'll likely end up doing it seven days a week for several years or more. Once you've decided which type of business appeals to you most you should do some research into demographics by neighborhood, average income by zip code, and check the yellow pages to see what sort of competition is in that neighborhood. Visit the competition keeping a careful eye at what they do right and wrong and see what sort of items or services people seem to be buying the most of.

Lastly, I'd suggest making a full three year business plan with very conservative numbers estimates. Remember most small businesses do not make a profit for the first two years as it takes that long to build up an established costumer base. The local small business administration office can help you in writing a business plan and more importantly have your business plan reviewed by people who either own small businesses themselves or who used to own small businesses so they can help you avoid common mistakes. I hope this helps.

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by nyny2sdca

I thought perhaps San Diego was more like Northern Virginia (NoVA), but with better weather.

NoVa does not have the underclass / poverty that San Diego does.

San Diego is like a small LA. Have you been to LA before? San Diego is probably more like a western version Miami than it is any Northeastern city. Beautiful physical setting. Lots of water and sun. But essentially it is rich people and poor people... college kids and retirees... entrepreneurs and hourly retail workers... not a lot inbetween.

[Oerdin]

Originally Posted by coaster12

San Diego has to be one of worst possible places you could pick. People in sd have less to spend than almost anywhere elese in the contry. Not to mention it doesn't appear to be easy to get permits etc. Your chances of taxes going up for both you and business is virtually 100%..

I never had problems getting permits from any local government entity and I work in a field which requires government permits for numerous items. The area's average disposable income is lower then other areas because housing costs are so high but even so the coastal areas remain very affluent with large amounts of disposable income. As for taxes going up... I honestly can't see any segment of the tax code effecting small businesses going up. Exactly which taxes are you claiming will go up?

I could see a fee being placed on trash collection but businesses and apartment complexes are already charged a trash collection fee so really they're only talking about putting it on single family homes who currently get a free ride. The city's property tax rate is already one of the lowest of any big city's in America and it is legally limited by prop 13 so I don't see that going up. Water rates are just about the only cost I can see which would effect a small business and that mainly has to do with the on going half decade long drought combined with rampant suburban growth without building any new reservoirs since the 1960's. Basically, I totally disagree with your assessment.

[Oerdin]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

NoVa does not have the underclass / poverty that San Diego does.

San Diego is like a small LA. Have you been to LA before? San Diego is probably more like a western version Miami than it is any Northeastern city. Beautiful physical setting. Lots of water and sun. But essentially it is rich people and poor people... college kids and retirees... entrepreneurs and hourly retail workers... not a lot inbetween.

I'm afraid this assessment is true. There is a very affluent coastal area which is mostly white with some Asians and a relatively poor lower class area in east county and south by the international border. East county is mostly poorer whites and non-recent Hispanic immigrants (2nd or 3rd generation) while south county is mainly recent Hispanic immigrants (1st generation). The region just doesn't support a lot of middle of the road incomes to have a very large middle class so it's either haves or have nots.

The crime rate is fairly low so I think there are some key differences compared to greater LA plus San Diego is a much smaller town then LA so it doesn't have as much of the big city problems but any way you slice it they are there.

[coaster12]

El paso is a fine city. Very poor and not a lot of business, just like San Dieo.

I don't care for SD because it is overpriced and A worst of breed city. In El Paso they won't sell you crap and call it a good deal.

San Diegos whole history is riddles with swindleing people. They love a dumb easterner who'll pay NY prices for EL Paso services.

[Oerdin]

I'm sorry you have such a low opinion of the region. Do you live here? If so may I ask what motivated you to move to a place you clearly do not like?

[coaster12]

Yes I live here. In many ways this is the most defunked town I've ever seen. Thousands in forclosure, buisnesses leaving, the state rasing taxes on a whim..

The town may go bankrupt or cut til there's nada left. The standard of livig is the lowest among peer group.. Geeze

what can I say, I think the reasons why I think low of SD are perfectly valid. Not the people per se buy the mess they've created.