Here's the Dilemma... (San Diego, Poway, Highland: houses, living, price)

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by Marinadistrict

I guess this is what scares me about La Mesa/Mount Helix. That the schools have the potential to be bad enough that buyers are doing whatever they can to avoid certain schools in the district. It's not what I was used to with the Encinitas district or the San Dieguito district. Love the houses though.

That's why those amazing custom homes are going for 600k when they would be millions somewhere else. It's just very spotty. IMO it's mostly an attractive area to well-to-do professionals based in Downtown SD who are sending their kids to private schools. Typical suburban parents focused on great public schools are most likely going to stay centered around the 5/56 corridor and north county coastal, or the inland suburbs

[sschibuola]

Yeah, it is a little weird about Spring Valley Middle. I think it's a combo of things . . .those apartments that Shmoov described along the 94 skewing the demo's - plus I think there are just fewer kids coming from Mt Helix itself - two reasons for that . . . while the population is "turning over" you still have a lot of older families/empty-nesters (witness our neighbors - 88 and 94 respectively!). And second, the really affluent new families probably go the private school route.

I don't have any first-hand knowledge of SVM so can't really say it's "THAT bad" . . . I looked at test-scores (agree - don't put too much into that - but they were pretty bad), read a bunch of on-line reviews that left me an impression of somewhat disconnected teachers and some drama, and walked around the neighborhood a little on a school-day. . .that was enough for us to say no thanks, when there are better alternatives not too far away. FWIW we did settle down east of Avocado.

And yeah, Shmoov, not only south of the 8 but east of the 15! I think the latter carries less stigma here . . . but in OC where I spent the past 17 years, the 15 is basically synonymous with the Inland Empire . . . aka the Valley of the Dirt People . . . . I've double-doomed my children!!

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by sschibuola

Yeah, it is a little weird about Spring Valley Middle. I think it's a combo of things . . .those apartments that Shmoov described along the 94 skewing the demo's - plus I think there are just fewer kids coming from Mt Helix itself - two reasons for that . . . while the population is "turning over" you still have a lot of older families/empty-nesters (witness our neighbors - 88 and 94 respectively!). And second, the really affluent new families probably go the private school route.

I don't have any first-hand knowledge of SVM so can't really say it's "THAT bad" . . . I looked at test-scores (agree - don't put too much into that - but they were pretty bad), read a bunch of on-line reviews that left me an impression of somewhat disconnected teachers and some drama, and walked around the neighborhood a little on a school-day. . .that was enough for us to say no thanks, when there are better alternatives not too far away. FWIW we did settle down east of Avocado.

And yeah, Shmoov, not only south of the 8 but east of the 15! I think the latter carries less stigma here . . . but in OC where I spent the past 17 years, the 15 is basically synonymous with the Inland Empire . . . aka the Valley of the Dirt People . . . . I've double-doomed my children!!

Yep. We have another property in Murietta west of the 15. We get the "oh thats the side you WANT to live on" in conversation. We had no idea when we bought the house that there was such intense scrutiny placed on the dirt you buy as it relates to a freeway lol

Word on the street is that folks east of the 15 there are developing their own dialect. Savages!

To the OP, I have heard schools in GUSD (middle and upper levels are very good). Of course the line between very good and excellent is sort of weird when that is the only type of school those kids will ever know and how conservative the people are that are at giving the reviews lol

[Marinadistrict]

OK, so I've been doing some more research, driving through some other areas of the County. We are now exploring Scripps Ranch. It's a fairly easy drive to our jobs downtown and in Point Loma. The houses are nice, it's a typical suburban paradise. I know that Poway gets hot in the summer, but Penasquitos/Torrey Highlands can be 5-10 degrees less. What is the temperature difference with Scripps Ranch? Most of the houses were in the hills, keeping hope alive that they get a coastal breeze. From everything I've read on the other threads, schools are good (maybe better than Poway), to me it basically looks like La Costa or Encinitas without the beach, which isn't too bad. There also is a lot more inventory there. I've found La Mesa/Mt. Helix isn't getting much inventory showing up on the market, although that could change at any time. Thoughts?

[bigdaddy5]

Scripps Ranch is in the San Diego Unified School District. You should find some homes in your range. It's definitely a whitebread community like La Costa but more inland, more central with easy fwy access from I-15 and 67.

Sorry Shmoov, I got homies who live in Eastlake (Chula Vista) and the schools are decent down there. You get A LOT more for your money for homes, great shopping, lots of activities, good sports. Sure you got more Latinos/Filipinos than some "preferred" whitebread areas but there's more "diversity" overall.

[Marinadistrict]

I think I've got Eastlake next on our list of places to cruise around in. I've played golf there and it does seem nice. I've heard the commute to and from Point Loma can be a nightmare though.

Not sure where the "whitebread" racial accusations are coming from, but every possible city is in play for us if it meets our basic criteria.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by bigdaddy5

Scripps Ranch is in the San Diego Unified School District. You should find some homes in your range. It's definitely a whitebread community like La Costa but more inland, more central with easy fwy access from I-15 and 67.

Sorry Shmoov, I got homies who live in Eastlake (Chula Vista) and the schools are decent down there. You get A LOT more for your money for homes, great shopping, lots of activities, good sports. Sure you got more Latinos/Filipinos than some "preferred" whitebread areas but there's more "diversity" overall.

Huh? Are you referring to my "South of the 8" comment? I was being cheeky, hence the smiley faces

I have always said in other posts that Otay and Eastlake are GREAT places for families etc and an area that is comparable to any north 56 tract communities like 4S Ranch.
You can get great bang for the buck there.

[bigdaddy5]

Originally Posted by Marinadistrict

I think I've got Eastlake next on our list of places to cruise around in. I've played golf there and it does seem nice. I've heard the commute to and from Point Loma can be a nightmare though.

Not sure where the "whitebread" racial accusations are coming from, but every possible city is in play for us if it meets our basic criteria.

Urban Dictionary: whitebread

Not meant to be racial.

[bigdaddy5]

Originally Posted by shmoov_groovzsd

Huh? Are you referring to my "South of the 8" comment? I was being cheeky, hence the smiley faces

I have always said in other posts that Otay and Eastlake are GREAT places for families etc and an area that is comparable to any north 56 tract communities like 4S Ranch.
You can get great bang for the buck there.

No worries, Shmoov, I ain't trippin' and I'm feelin' ya. I've read your other posts and they've all been on point.

The problem with text forums, you can't see the person grinning when they're responding to posts.

We're good.

[Marinadistrict]

No problem, that's the problem with message boards sometimes, they haven't invented sarcasm font. So how much hotter does Scripps Ranch get than Carmel Valley/Torrey Highlands? Or about the same?