Northern San Diego County (Oceanside, Escondido: home, neighborhoods, school district)

[angeladancona]

Just got orders to San Diego (active duty Navy), and will be in SD for the next 3 years. My husbands college is in LA, so naturally we are looking for a place a little north (about a half hour) of San Diego. Sofar we've been looking at Escondido and Rancho Bernardo. We have a few appointments to look at some places in downtown Escondido--does anyone know the area? is it safe? is downtown a happening place? Would love to hear any feedback! Thanks

[oddstray]

Downtown Escondido can be iffy. If you give us specific addresses, maybe someone will have more specific information.

RB is the antithesis of a 'happening' place. It's a bedroom community with high proportions of both families and retired people. Other than that, it's quite nice with good access to open spaces and trails and parks.

Is there any reason you aren't also looking at North County coastal? (Oceanside/Carlsbad/Encinitas, etc.)

[whiteboyslo]

Honestly, unless you have kids, skip RB. And this is coming from a guy who grew up there. It's a really great area if you have kids (great schools, very family-oriented, etc), but not much there otherwise. And, as with all areas located inside Poway Unified School District (PUSD), the home purchase/rental prices are appreciably higher.

Escondido can be really hit or miss depending on what part you're talking about.

I agree with oddstray about checking out the coast, especially if you have to commute between SD and LA a lot (saves you having to come inland). Of course, coast property has a price premium as well.

Mike

[htnspz]

I would check out Encinitas and Carlsbad if you are checking out Rancho Bernardo. I also would check out San Marcos and the Shadowridge area of Vista for more budget conscious options.

I particularly like Encinitas because they have some neat restaurants and things to do.

[JamestheFin]

Escondido isn't that great and as noted, can be really dodgy. Plus if you've got to drive to SD, the drive can really grind you down. Downtown San Diego can be really dodgy, while there have been improvements in certain areas around downtown like Little Italy, there are sections that still resemble the old downtown San Diego of tattoo parlours, dive bars, homeless, etc. You have to remember most of the welfare/charity services are located downtown, thus the people whom these services cater to live downtown as well. A down economy hasn't helped matters and I still see a lot of empty storefronts, sometimes disguised by the placement of posters/art in the front windows to give the illusion of occupancy.

You might want to check out some of the neighborhoods more central in San Diego if you're looking for being in proximity to 'happening' areas of San Diego. Some of them can be nice, the Kensington neighborhood is decent, so too the University Heights area west of Park Avenue, bits of North Park. In between the gay area, Hillcrest and Little Italy has some decent places too. However, it can get sketchy though from one block or two to the next. South of Rancho Bernardo, you'll find Rancho Penasquitos which is nice, but like Rancho Bernardo can be quiet. Mira Mesa is still dodgy in parts.