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Personally I'm a native New Yorker - born & raised on Long Island. I moved out to Temecula in 2004 (as the housing prices were climbing). Here's the background info as to why we chose Temecula and my thoughts of living here:
My wife is from LA originally. When we chose to move out West I agreed as long as we could head down towards San Diego (which I always preferred over LA). As we started looking at homes closer to SD, we were blown away at how little home you got for the money (and that's even compared to Long Island standards which are high). As we looked further North the prices became more reasonable until my wife stumbled upon Temecula. What was different about Temecula was 1) it was located between SD and LA (where my mother-in-law lives) and easy enough to get to both, 2)the school districts were actually rated quite high for California standards (take that for what its worth.... it IS California), 3) the weather was more inline with southern France due to the ridge in the mountain that allowed for a cool pacific breeze which is great for grape growing - hence the 22+ wineries in town and 4) at the time the prices of homes were at a relatively good cost for what you got. Long story short, my wife flew out here and found a perfect house for us without my ever having to set foot in the town (the internet rules).
Since moving out here w/ our 3 kids I have to say that by-and-large I love it. Yes there are pros and cons, but you can say that about Anytown, USA.
Tool Shed has a pretty comprehensive list of pros/cons about Temecula, but I'm not sure I agree with them all.
Most of the Pros are spot on - although I don't know if I'd consider alot of churches a pro (that's personal preference). I have noticed that there seems to be a large population of Mormons in this town. That's not a knock on them, just an observation. I happen to live next door to some and having never been exposed to the culture in NY it was a bit odd to me. But they are by and far some of the greatest neighbors I've ever had.
As for the other cons -
- yes, Temecula has been growing fast, but it seems to have slowed quite a bit (the economy has alot to do with that).
- I'm not sure traffic here is any worse than back East or anywhere else in Southern Cal. There are alot of cars and not much in the way of mass transit. Within town, its usually tough driving around the mall area (especially when they're doing construction)
- the price of homes are actually dropping now... and fast. Housing prices now are on par with pre-2004 prices. Great time to buy. Horrible time to sell. There are ALOT of foreclosures since people are upside down in their mortgages. Sad times.
-success of city may depend on gas prices staying reasonable(unlikely) due to the fact that there aren't to many well paying jobs here. I have to agree. The charm of Temecula being more of a "bedroom community" drew people in, but with many people commuting to work the toll of the long drives combined with the cost of gas is a killer. I've seen a number of people have to move out due to this.
-even though many, many dinning options, waits can still be over an hour
-Pechanga Casino(brings substance abuse, greed, and sin in general) This is a generalization and I'm not sure if I agree. it really depends on where in town you're in. I'm sure its not pleasant over by the casino itself, but is that a surprise?
-rat race is here to stay(people in New York City appear to be more mellow) I completely disagree here (and being from NY I have quite a bit to compare it to). I haven't experienced anything but politeness (for the most part) from people. Are there a-holes around? of course. But like most things, you get out of it what you put into it.
-rude/materialistic/overly vain/fake/snobby population growing at an alarming rate See above. However I have noticed that there's a bit of vanity with some folks. This typically has come (from my observations) from people who moved here from Orange County (of which there are quite a few). The vast number of people I've run into who moved here from San Diego or Out of State haven't shown this. -keeping up w/ Jones' is priority 1 here (my home and truck is bigger than yours and my trophy wife's boobs are bigger too!) Really? I yes there are alot of trucks, but I don't get the "keeping up with the Jones" vibe other than making sure that the homes meet the HomeOwner Association standards (which are mostly a joke). I think that attitude comes from the OC crowd and all depends on where you are and who you're living by. I never bought into it and can care less about that attitude. -not the quiet ranch like town it once was Obviously. The town has grown to 90K + people. Its a bit bigger these days along with its sister town Murrieta. -no museums Well what do you expect? Other than the occasional exhibit in a small town, museums are typically suited for the larger cities (NY, LA, Chicago, et al). There is a bit of an underground art movement in Temecula though. -medical facilities are sub-par(and ERs are packed and usually have long waits.. mediocre service) I couldn't agree more. Hopefully the medical facility they're building on Temecula Freeway (79S) alleviates that. -closest 4 year college over 35 min away(assuming traffic doesn't get worse) That's a problem? 35 min isn't far. Is it necessary to have a large university in town? I don't think so. -closest community college is 20 min away and is mediocre Still talks of building one in Murrieta, but not likely. -DMV, Costco, IN'n'OUT are BERSERK almost all the time (going here may test patience) Agreed. Actually my BIGGEST gripe about Temecula is that its "All about the chain franchise". There are a few good (and really good) local "Mom 'n Pop" type shops but mainly there's alot of franchises. Its all about Olive Garden, Applebees, Cold Stone and the likes. Not much creativity. There are some good restaurants in the wineries and in Old Town. Its worth finding the smaller places. There used to be a GREAT Italian Ice shop in Murrieta (original NY style) that went out because people just didn't "get it". They stumbled into Cold Stones to pay twice as much for a fatty ice cream with some candy mixed into it instead of a fresh made Italian Ices and Gelato. Ugh.
Otherwise though I'd have to say I absolutely LOVE it here. The weather is FANTASTIC. Now is probably a great time to buy since housing prices are low.
Although I am not sure I agree with the Pechanga comment. I actually have lived here 6 years and just a month ago went to Pechanga for the 1st time..... for Sunday Buffet Breakfast But I am 30+ and have young kids so maybe I am missing something.
Anyway, I grew up in the San Francisco bay area, have lived in SFO, Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Denver, Colorado Springs and way up in the mountains in Colorado...... and we are dying to leave Temecula. My husband has a couple offers to go elsewhere (which we are currently considering - to New England or New Mexico) and I cannot get out of here fast enough. I AM going to miss being so close to San Diego (we have spent a lot of time there and if he could relocate to SD we might live in So. Cal for ever). I WILL miss the weather - it is pretty mild (the too hot people speak of isn't too bad & doesnt last too long ... it is not Phonenix or Vegas hot + that is what air con is for) and when it rains we are on STORM WATCH . My husband spends a lot of time in LA for work and he IS going to miss LA (I personally can live without it).
Back to Temecula - the schools are good (for California), we feel safe here, like other posters have said if you need something we have every chain store close by. But, the people here (that I have met) are pretty much how Tool Shed described. Personally the people are high on my list of why I want to leave Temecula most.....
Oh & I might add, Temecula is like the bible belt of So.Cal.... I am not being mean, I am just saying that in Temecula it is cool to be a christian.
OK I decided to not be in such a I HATE Temecula mood and share what I really do like about it here as well:
For this Southern California Area (the Inland Empire) Temecula is lovely and it is the best city in the IE. We do have a great Farmer's Market, Old Town, Wine Country and some great dining options. For the IE we have the best schools as well.
The thing I like most about Temecula is the location. We are a nice juant away from San Diego - we can get to most places down there in about an hour - The World famous San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Museums, the beach, shopping, dining, etc. and we are also close to Orange County (depending on the time of day) I can make it to Corona Del Mar (the beach we prefer) in about 1 hour and 20 minutes not to mention DisneyLand (on early release days from school my kids and I jet over there for some magical fun and we can be there, have the car parked and be in the gates in about 1 hour and 15 minutes). We are also close enough to LA (never a dull moment in LA if LA is your thing) & Big Bear if you need a mountain fix.
The weather really is the best, I have never lived anywhere else where I can wear my flip flops year round (or at least through December). No heavy coats, gloves, hats or that business....
But, the people here (that I have met) are pretty much how Tool Shed described. Personally the people are high on my list of why I want to leave Temecula most.....
Oh & I might add, Temecula is like the bible belt of So.Cal.... I am not being mean, I am just saying that in Temecula it is cool to be a christian.
Really? I must be living a fairly sheltered life here in Temecula then because while I've heard others complain about people's attitudes here, I really haven't experienced it at all. Then again I spent the previous 33 years of my life living in NY and the most recent 8 before my move commuting in and out of Manhattan. So "attitude" is a huge step down for me.
As for the "bible belt"... I think anytime you step away from the larger cities it gets to be that way. Odd for me as I'm anything but religious, but not a big deal either.
Look we must be sincere here...traffic now are heavy in any where in the south and north of California... I live in West Los Angeles for 25 year, today your better be prepare to get on the 10 the 405 or any mayor route during traffic hours is impossible!. Also in San Francisco, San Jose, the traffic there is incredible, any where and almost any time the traffic are became a nightmare....Temecula like other popular cities don't escape to those problems. So we better be cool and be patient until the people in charge a least try to do something for us...with our money any way!
Although I am not sure I agree with the Pechanga comment. I actually have lived here 6 years and just a month ago went to Pechanga for the 1st time..... for Sunday Buffet Breakfast But I am 30+ and have young kids so maybe I am missing something.
Anyway, I grew up in the San Francisco bay area, have lived in SFO, Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Denver, Colorado Springs and way up in the mountains in Colorado...... and we are dying to leave Temecula. My husband has a couple offers to go elsewhere (which we are currently considering - to New England or New Mexico) and I cannot get out of here fast enough. I AM going to miss being so close to San Diego (we have spent a lot of time there and if he could relocate to SD we might live in So. Cal for ever). I WILL miss the weather - it is pretty mild (the too hot people speak of isn't too bad & doesnt last too long ... it is not Phonenix or Vegas hot + that is what air con is for) and when it rains we are on STORM WATCH . My husband spends a lot of time in LA for work and he IS going to miss LA (I personally can live without it).
Back to Temecula - the schools are good (for California), we feel safe here, like other posters have said if you need something we have every chain store close by. But, the people here (that I have met) are pretty much how Tool Shed described. Personally the people are high on my list of why I want to leave Temecula most.....
Oh & I might add, Temecula is like the bible belt of So.Cal.... I am not being mean, I am just saying that in Temecula it is cool to be a christian.
I've had the exact opposite experience - the people in this town (at least the ones I've encountered) are amazingly nice and friendly. I have wonderful neighbors that I'm fairly close to and I am friendly with many shop owners, bar tenders, etc when I go out. There is a great little family run Thai place in Murrieta (next to the 7/11) and the owner is one of the nicest people I've met - we come in and he already has our orders in and drinks ready.
I used to work for a local real estate company (IT/etc) and I met many local residents, as well as people coming into the office looking to move to the area. The best word I could describe is "humble". Generally people haven't come to Temecula to portray any certain image or be better than anyone else. People are here to live an affordable So. Cal life, have their children go to good schools and enjoyer a slower pace of life. You don't see a lot of the social ladder climbers that are are rude by default, or people only concerned with themselves.
I think a lot of the bad experiences people have stem from their own negative attitudes causing them to interpret and react to social interactions a certain way. If you already believe Temecula is an awful place, full of rude people, you might tend to act defensively and be less approachable to others. Its really a self fufilling prophecy of sorts... Have an open mind, enjoy life and appreciate the beauty around you - the people, the places and things in this world that make life worth living!
I think a lot of the bad experiences people have stem from their own negative attitudes causing them to interpret and react to social interactions a certain way. If you already believe Temecula is an awful place, full of rude people, you might tend to act defensively and be less approachable to others. Its really a self fufilling prophecy of sorts... Have an open mind, enjoy life and appreciate the beauty around you - the people, the places and things in this world that make life worth living!
I don't agree. I have not had bad experiences which "stem from my negative attitudes", I am a happy go lucky, easy going, friendly person. I never said I felt like Temecula was an awful place. Based on MY experience living other places, people here are just more fake & stand offish compared to what I have encountered other places. I am not saying there are not genuine, nice people here, there are & we have some great friends here. However, it has taken us a lot longer to establish friendships & meet people who are genuine instead of self centered here compared to all of the other places we have lived.... in MY opinion people are more concerned about apperance/brand names/what they drive/where they live in Temecula then I have experienced in other places. That has nothing to do with my attitude of feelings about Temecula it has to do with my experience living numerous other places where the people (in general) were not like they are here.
Try living in Boise. At least in Temecula you have a town less then an hour away. You can drive to major tourist destinations but you don't have to live in them. (I grew up in San Diego. The town was very crowded in the summer). In Boise our nearest city is 6 hours away. We're land locked. Everyone knows your business. It's hard to develop close friendships. People are guarded because of what I just stated.But they always willing give you a friendly "Hello".
Also in Boise, 30% of the population is mormon and we live 6 hours away from their mecca. Yes, the town is very safe and there are a lot of good works but there isn't much grace.
I don't agree. I have not had bad experiences which "stem from my negative attitudes", I am a happy go lucky, easy going, friendly person. I never said I felt like Temecula was an awful place. Based on MY experience living other places, people here are just more fake & stand offish compared to what I have encountered other places. I am not saying there are not genuine, nice people here, there are & we have some great friends here. However, it has taken us a lot longer to establish friendships & meet people who are genuine instead of self centered here compared to all of the other places we have lived.... in MY opinion people are more concerned about apperance/brand names/what they drive/where they live in Temecula then I have experienced in other places. That has nothing to do with my attitude of feelings about Temecula it has to do with my experience living numerous other places where the people (in general) were not like they are here.
I respect your opinion. I grew up in LA/OC so I'm used to an especially vapid and fake approach to human interaction. Temecula was a breath of fresh air, but maybe all of So Cal seems fake and stand offish to outsiders.
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But I am 30+ and have young kids so maybe I am missing something.
Look we must be sincere here...traffic now are heavy in any where in the south and north of California... I live in West Los Angeles for 25 year, today your better be prepare to get on the 10 the 405 or any mayor route during traffic hours is impossible!. Also in San Francisco, San Jose, the traffic there is incredible, any where and almost any time the traffic are became a nightmare....Temecula like other popular cities don't escape to those problems. So we better be cool and be patient until the people in charge a least try to do something for us...with our money any way!
