San Diego - reasonably-priced areas for transit access/walkability (La Mesa: transfer, where to live)

[kettlepot]

University City, Mission Valley, Mira Mesa, Clairemont, are car dependent areas. La Jolla can be car dependent as well depending on where the apartment is located and the hills. Pacific Beach works as a walkable area, but your ability to get out of PB to other areas is probably limited. If you want to live in a walkable neighborhood, you really need to stick to the urban core bounded by the I-8 on the north, I-5 to the west, SR94 to the south and 54th Street to the east, with exceptions for Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, and downtown La Jolla which are outside this area, but are walkable.

[moved]

University City isn't really a walkable area, I'd stick to downtown, Little Italy, Hillcrest or Mission Valley. With the exception of Hilllcrest you have the trolley, Hillcrest has lots of busses.

[pi314]

That's kind of what I figured - I wasn't sure if there were some exceptions outside of that area, but my general impression from looking on the map and setting the density of streets/amenities was that the best areas for me would be near downtown (as well as possibly Hillcrest and pockets of Mission Valley near the trolley).

There are other areas I could make a bus commute work from, though it looks like I'd have to take a bus to go anywhere (and those stop running at 10-11) - and even if I could walk to a grocery store, it would be an unpleasant walk across 8-lane highways and through big parking lots. I know what that's like - I'm under a half-mile from a grocery store where I live now, and I hate doing the walk as I have to walk uphill a bit, cross a busy street (though nothing in the league of California busy streets), and walk through a parking lot to get there.

I guess I'll see if I can make this work well enough - I'm going out there relatively soon to scope things out. I definitely love the weather and the area, though the transit is an issue (though it's definitely way better than anything in Michigan).

[tonyinsd]

Originally Posted by pi314

However, I'm perhaps a bit concerned about ending up in a not-so-walkable area, and would like to be able to walk to basic amenities. Will this be the case in any of the non-downtown areas I mentioned (basically the areas with direct bus service to UCSD)?

You may be able to save some money, but you will need a car. So then you may save $100-$200 in rent, but you'll have to put $50 every couple of weeks into your tank. And then insurance will cost you another $50 a month. And then you've got a car payment.

So very quickly, the $200 a month you save in rent is gone.

You want walkable, Mira Mesa ain't gonna have it. Clairemont is where my dad lived when he was a grad student at UCSD. Some little rugrat came along and he and my mother were still able to make it to La Jolla. But they had a car.

[pi314]

OK - well a car isn't an option in my case. If it were, this would probably not be the issue it is - I'd just pick any place that is affordable, has a reasonable commute, and reasonably safe. Though you do raise a good point - if you do have a car, the cost of having the car is going to offset the lower cost of living.

Anyway, I was curious - as a rule, what percentage of your AGI would you want to keep your housing costs too? I figure in my case it could be a tad higher than usual due to lack of car. Also, what are you looking at for typical rents in the downtown/near-downtown areas and Hillcrest?

[moved]

Thanks for your wonderful contribution.

-I am sure it has helped the OP immensely!

The OP had a job offer, so he's in no need of the MTS part of their website.

[Mugsy]

My suggestion is Morena Trolley stop apartments

I posted this 2 pages back...
Here is the link:

http://www.villageatmorenavista.com/

Good Luck!

Welcome to San Diego. The weather here is perfect now.

[moved]

My suggestion is Morena Trolley stop apartments.

This would be a good idea. You'd be right above the green line trolley, and probably have a five minute walk max to the station. There isn't a grocery store within walking distance, but the Hazard Center stop has a Food4Less right there, or you could walk a couple blocks to Ralph's at Friars Mission Center.

I don't know how much the apartments rent for, though.

[pi314]

That would be decent, though they are definitely quite pricey - the lowest cost one I saw available was $1665/month. I do think the idea of looking either in/near downtown or near Old Town off the trolley seems like the best idea. Hillcrest may work, but from what I can tell their last bus service ends at 11 normally (and 8 on Sundays) - though a cab from Old Town/downtown to Hillcrest probably isn't bad (unlike up near UTC/La Jolla).

Anyone have any general rules for what you're looking at for rent in these areas, and is there a good website to see reviews/listings? I don't want to spend too much, though I don't want to end up in a run-down place/unsafe area either.

Also, are there any areas north of SD proper that may be reasonable in the walkability department and are perhaps less costly than downtown SD? I'm thinking mostly of areas near the Coaster train and NCTD 101 bus route, as those would get me to UCSD (the latter with a UCSD shuttle from Sorrento Valley). I'll probably just stick with the previously-mentioned areas, but I was just curious...

[moved]

That's really pricey. Weekend bus service isn't good anywhere in San Diego, especially on Sundays.