Moving to Rancho Palos Verdes from San Diego (Torrance, Manhattan Beach: real estate, houses)

[Noel :)]

Just curious about the area and want to get a feel for what to expect. Are people in LA and San Diego generally the same? What fun family activities are nearby? Any opinion on the schools ( I know they all are ranked very highly academically). We are moving here due to husbands job, so i thought it would be nice to see what locals have to say about the area. We will be living near Terranea. Thanks in advance for any tips/insights.

[BRinSM]

that's a very nice, upscale area similar to la jolla with respect to beaches, views and real estate prices but considerably less shopping/dining options.

[RVD90277]

The area is nice but it is a bit of a trek to get to the freeway to get to other parts of LA. The ground there shifts a bit so that always makes me a little uneasy. I ride my bike a lot and ride past Terranea most weekends.

Most people up in PV stay in PV for the most part since it is such a hassle to get out. So they have their own community for shopping, malls, gas, groceries, etc. Torrance isn't far though if you want a change of scenery, more restaurants, etc.

[Noel :)]

Thx for the info!

[billyrawlison]

If you like to hike and beachcomb you're in an ideal location. Just get out and explore.

[Visit a Library]

Originally Posted by RVD90277

The area is nice but it is a bit of a trek to get to the freeway to get to other parts of LA. The ground there shifts a bit so that always makes me a little uneasy. I ride my bike a lot and ride past Terranea most weekends.

The ground only shifts around Terranea. The rest of RPV is on solid rock.

You can hear quite a few San Diego radio stations from RPV, but you'll sometimes miss some L.A. stations such as KABC, depending on the time of day and atmospheric conditions.

RPV kind of feels like its only little island. It does feel isolated, but on the upshot, most of the typical L.A. trash doesn't venture up onto the peninsula. There's a fair amount of shopping, but for certain stores like Target or Costco, you need to be prepared to drive down off the peninsula, which can take 20 minutes and you'll burn a lot of fuel if you do it too often.

[808n310]

Where does your husband work? RPV and PVE are beautiful and have spectacular views...and like others say you'll feel almost completely removed / detached from the hustle and bustle. The downside is that if you need to leave and go further than, say, Torrance or South Redondo, it'll take a bit. Getting to the 405 or the 110 will take 15-20 minutes...on the flip side that's also why you get way more bang for your buck on the hill vs. someplace like Manhattan Beach.

[Noel :)]

Husband works near the Manhattan Beach/El Segundo border. Oh no ...the ground shifts at Terranea...right where we will be living...yikes. We do love trails/hiking, so that will be wonderful. Thank you all for the great info!

[BRinSM]

do some research on the portuguese bend near terranea. the roads are regularly repaved because of the earth shifting (read: not earthquakes!). when you buy a home. make sure to do your due diligence on this matter. also, your husband is looking at a 45+ minute commute. if you can afford RPV, there are closer, equally nice cities (if not more crowded) much closer to the office.

[RVD90277]

yeah the ground shifting thing makes me a bit uneasy. for many years, i don't think they allowed houses to be built too close to the cliffs because of shifting ground but it seems like in recent years they are making more developments closer to the edge.

for me personally, i like PVE. i like lunada bay, malaga cove, etc. it is a great area for families because the schools are great, parks are nice, and you are close to some nice scenery. for single people, it's the worst.

terranea resort is also nice but i think they declared bankruptcy (or they do that every so often). they have a nice weekend brunch and friday night seafood buffet.

trump national golf course is also nearby. the green fees are expensive but you get some great views. los verdes is a lot cheaper but also a lot more crowded if you're into golf.

i'm in south redondo beach so i'm not too far from the area and i'm always looking at houses up there. who knows, maybe one of these days i'll pull the trigger and move up there.