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...You have to be careful where you move to be served by the Poway district because being on one side of the street as opposed to the other could put you into San Diego City schools. You may not want that.....
I agree with the others about getting the job situation set up before moving UNLESS you have lots of savings. I'm the same age range as you, late 30's with young children (under 5) and we LOVE San Diego.
I honestly think very few cities in the country can top San Diego for raising kids and overall high quality of life. If you can afford it, the quality of life here is unbeatable.
I agree with what some of the others wrote. Some of our friends live over in Poway or Rancho Penasquitos. You can get more house for the money in older areas like Poway vs. the newer developments. $600's doesn't buy too much over in the newer developments closer to the beach which is a sad.
However, your search should be easier because you don't mind being close to the beach. Most people that come to these boards put "close to the beach" vs. your "not close to the beach".
With kids, I agree it makes sense to look at which areas have the best school district. Poway Unified is EXCELLENT. It was one of the big reasons we bought where we did and don't regret it at all. I don't know too much about the Christian private schools but there are several in the area.
Definitely you will love San Diego. It's an amazing place to raise kids.
Assuming you are in engineering, the Qualcomm ecosystem is made up of various smaller companies and venture capital. The company I helped start back at the end of 2007 was approached by Qualcomm Ventures to be a partner with but we ultimately chose to sell the company outright to one of the largest offshore R&D co's in the world.
The companies listed above like Broadcom, Q, Nokia are clients of ours in some capacity whether we support them here or another office.
So with that being said, there may not be many HQs set up here, but there WILL BE satellite or support offices nearby for larger companies. But dont expect this to be some major epicenter. The ONLY reason we have set up shop here is because of R&D support for Q or OEM.
Keep in mind, if you are working in wireless (not sure how long you have been) this industry is extremely fickle. Nokia is a prime example of being #1 in the world> #2, then almost being in danger of completely going under. Same with RIMM and Motorola Mobility if Google werent around to take them. So it really depends on what end of the ecosystem you are on. Kyocera and Huawei are here as well. I know some guys there that are pretty sure they might lose their jobs because the ban that is being placed on their products from Congress and other govermental orgs.
This is where the COL here matters vs other places in the country to live where it can be cheaper and you plan on working for a large organization. I have seen WAY too many former colleagues at various levels etc not plan for the dips and only rode the highs with 0 savings and not many employment choices once technologies shift or a company changes direction. Buying Porshes, expensive houses wtc when stocks were flying.
Because if a major shift happens, it affects ALL the companies at some point down the line like dominoes. Its just the nature of the beast. One of my clients has downsized significantly globally and has changed their R&D support structure with it. So many of the jobs that were have been reduced to a third and split across the globe. Decision making also changes and that can cause problems in of itself.
So does PNW put you in the operator space like T-Mobile or the ADM/SW/OS space like MSFT?
You will be hard pressed to see real, genuine development like the Bay Area in that regard. But as the others mentioned, naturally because of Q being here, anything RF related or baseband is and will be some degree of job security through and through.
As far as 'best' areas to live, I would say the broadest and best area to live is all around Sorrento Valley. Basically that whole corridor from La Jolla, Del Mar east to Poway and then north or south in either direction +,- 10 miles. Put centered around the Poway Unified School District. The premiums to live in these areas range from high 400s to well over a million. San Diego is very transparent in that sense and this is suburban not unlike other areas in the country centered around white collar centers of inudstry.
Not really many bad areas outside the general region mentioned above.
Some very valuable information here from folks like you and several others. There are a few ways of viewing job security. Some view it as a stable job in one company while others view it as working for a company where if you got redeployed or simply was looking for a change, you can easily migrate to a different org. Personally, I view job security more as a place than a single company where one can find another job and still keep the home without making major compromises in quality of life. Basically, I am ok switching parking lots and for this type of outlook, probably the bay area will be top pick for a HW/SW Engineer. However, there are many reasons to choose SD overy the bay area that most of us would agree on. I am not an RF guy, but have extensive experience in both HW and SW with mostly 10+ years in the tech role and some engineering mgmt experience. Being currently in wireless and focused in SW, I am hoping that the skill set I am developing will make SD a place where I hope to move my family and settle down until kid/s reach college age. That is the perspective, but life is not always in our hands . I am not sure how much of a concern it is, not having RF or baseband related experience. Since Q is expanding in areas like peer-to-peer and the wireless eco-system is rapidly evolving towards an end-to-end solution (app, middle-ware, OS down to HW) and user-experience being more than just performance but also power and end-user focused, hopefully skills beyond RF will be sought after in areas like SD.
Some very valuable information here from folks like you and several others. There are a few ways of viewing job security. Some view it as a stable job in one company while others view it as working for a company where if you got redeployed or simply was looking for a change, you can easily migrate to a different org. Personally, I view job security more as a place than a single company where one can find another job and still keep the home without making major compromises in quality of life. Basically, I am ok switching parking lots and for this type of outlook, probably the bay area will be top pick for a HW/SW Engineer. However, there are many reasons to choose SD overy the bay area that most of us would agree on. I am not an RF guy, but have extensive experience in both HW and SW with mostly 10+ years in the tech role and some engineering mgmt experience. Being currently in wireless and focused in SW, I am hoping that the skill set I am developing will make SD a place where I hope to move my family and settle down until kid/s reach college age. That is the perspective, but life is not always in our hands . I am not sure how much of a concern it is, not having RF or baseband related experience. Since Q is expanding in areas like peer-to-peer and the wireless eco-system is rapidly evolving towards an end-to-end solution (app, middle-ware, OS down to HW) and user-experience being more than just performance but also power and end-user focused, hopefully skills beyond RF will be sought after in areas like SD.
There is SW development here but its an everchanging and evolving area. Actually right now this is probably what we do the most of here in SD with our clients. We run small in this office but are I dont hire run of the mill 'engineeers', I hire problem solvers and big picture guys that have had experience at all levels, not just one aspect. While its difficult to find in telecom, its there, but they are typically guys that have been in the game for a while and understand legacy HW and SW architecture and methodolgy.
I am lucky and just another tech nerd that cant code, but can communicate with all parties and give clear direction. If you are a successful manager, then there is no question you understand what I am talking about.
My words of caution are more in the sense that I have hired and seen many folks come our here from Seattle, SF, Austin, RTP, NJ etc for the same reasons you listed. One thing I have learned is that they 'thought' they could land a job in a very volatile industry only to be here for 2-3 years and have to leave because of industry changes and consolidation of jobs.
Or that some thought they were hot shi*t at what they did and that no one else could do what they did until a simple restrucuring split those duties into several different lower paying jobs. It happens and is a fact.
One of my former colleagues is a brilliant engineer and was easily making over six figures, got laid off and now is having to work as a contactor making $20/hr for the past 2 years just to put food on the table and live in a 900k house that is upside down in Carmel Valley. He has little to no financial leverage and for as bright as he is, is a disapointing interview. He is now overqualified for many salaried positions and the next level up requires detailed communication and management of people, not technology.
As far as success stories, there are quite a few but the road has been bumpy having to survive layoffs and workforce reductions which by any measure isnt exactly comforting. If you are good, you are good and everyone will know. This is how transparent it is vs back in 2006 when just having soem experience got you hired.
So IMHO, people pay a lot to live here not only financially, but also losing that one job in a two income household and not being prepared can be a rude awakening.
Because of my own personal experience, SD is a great place to start a company in this industry. This is one industry where large companies are starved for new ideas and or services but will cut the cord on its own workforce when the ship starts sinking (think HP ad WebOS fail).
However, I am not nearly as bullish about working for a large multinational here. There are areas of the country that are much better served for the that mindset, work ethic and expectation. So like I was saying, if you have ample savings, you could live really well here and weather any storms or being out of work for 12+ months. Or you can just start your business and utilize connections. BUt genreally I have found very few R&D types run a business well and have it grow successfully. They pretty much look to break into doing something they know already and just be an outsrouced service. Problem with that is, there is little to no profit and the cost of equipment, skilled workers etc are just too much to absorb and stay afloat for more than 3 years.
Good luck. I think its worth noting some of potential challenges that, if they come your way, might be able to steer away from. Nothing should stop you from doing what you feel is the right thing for you or your family so long as you have some ducks in a row.
Thanks again to all for the useful pointers. Since the question about savings is an important one, I would like to have a better understanding on down payments etc. What is the percentage of down payment required for a detached single family home to avoid mortgage insurance and also avoid a second loan and avoid jumbo rates? Also, currently what are the local rates for a 30-yr fixed assuming a single loan with a loan-to-value adhering to the previous question's pre-condition (no PMI and no second loan)? I am interested in what are the rates folks got (assuming excellent FICO) with no points going through for example a mortgage broker and not what is just listed on the pages of banks or bankrate.
The next question maybe odd, but we have a preference for Organic fruits and vegetables and meat/poultry. By what factor would this multiply grocery bills in SD? This is one of those significant monthly recurring expenses that has to be factored in while budgeting. Most times we try to get whatever we can find in Costco and then go to Whole foods etc.
There are not many large wireless companies in San Diego besides Qualcomm, but there are plenty of small ones.
Broadcomm has a wireless engineering presence in the area.
Yes, Nokia is also here, but they are much smaller nowadays and much of their engineering is outsourced. Motorola is also here, but the wireless division is shrinking.
Intel now has a wireless office in SD (Scripps Ranch, I think) and they are hiring.
I know people who work at all of these companies and I've worked at some myself (Qualcomm and others).
You should not have much trouble finding work here if you are an engineer w/wireless experience.
LG Wireless has an engineering center in Scripps Ranch. Samsung's wireless business has a massive office in Sorrento Valley plus there are numerous smaller start up style companies doing everything from speciality chips to apps for smart phones. All aspects of wireless are huge in San Diego.
Thanks again to all for the useful pointers. Since the question about savings is an important one, I would like to have a better understanding on down payments etc. What is the percentage of down payment required for a detached single family home to avoid mortgage insurance and also avoid a second loan and avoid jumbo rates? Also, currently what are the local rates for a 30-yr fixed assuming a single loan with a loan-to-value adhering to the previous question's pre-condition (no PMI and no second loan)? I am interested in what are the rates folks got (assuming excellent FICO) with no points going through for example a mortgage broker and not what is just listed on the pages of banks or bankrate.
The next question maybe odd, but we have a preference for Organic fruits and vegetables and meat/poultry. By what factor would this multiply grocery bills in SD? This is one of those significant monthly recurring expenses that has to be factored in while budgeting. Most times we try to get whatever we can find in Costco and then go to Whole foods etc.
Thanks!
Don't know how much down payment was needed to avoid PMI, but I thought it was 20%. Others here will know.
M guess is that organic foods here would add no more than 10% to your bill. They have some organic foods in Costco, but your favorite stores will be those like Henry's Market/Sprouts. There are also neighborhood farmers' markets on certain days/locations.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Think4Yourself
LG Wireless has an engineering center in Scripps Ranch. Samsung's wireless business has a massive office in Sorrento Valley plus there are numerous smaller start up style companies doing everything from speciality chips to apps for smart phones. All aspects of wireless are huge in San Diego.
That's right. Also, there are wireless companies here that are independent of the cell phone ecosystem.
LG Wireless has an engineering center in Scripps Ranch. Samsung's wireless business has a massive office in Sorrento Valley plus there are numerous smaller start up style companies doing everything from speciality chips to apps for smart phones. All aspects of wireless are huge in San Diego.
LG just downsized and moved their marketing, logistics and sales to NJ where their HQ is. Yes they have their localized R&D here, again, because of Q, no other reason. Its only a matter of time before that changes as they continue to consolidate.
Samsung's 'massive' office has nothing to do with wireless here in SD, its purely logistics. They have a smaller office which does do localized R&D, because of guess who?
Sony mobile has a small presence here but decisions come from Japan (formerly Sweden)
RIMM has a small R&D presence here, but HQ is Canada
So this is totally true, there are many aspects of wireless here in SD, you are just not going to find the big decisions from OEMs coming from here. It just depends on what aspect of tech you work in to really have a long lasting career here if you are not planning on either starting your own company or being part of a start up.
OP, I just wanted to note that you might also want to to look in Irvine as well, of course, depending on your expertise. Broadcom is based out of there and actually have a smaller office right down the road from where I am sitting right now.
Thanks again to all for the useful pointers. Since the question about savings is an important one, I would like to have a better understanding on down payments etc. What is the percentage of down payment required for a detached single family home to avoid mortgage insurance and also avoid a second loan and avoid jumbo rates? Also, currently what are the local rates for a 30-yr fixed assuming a single loan with a loan-to-value adhering to the previous question's pre-condition (no PMI and no second loan)? I am interested in what are the rates folks got (assuming excellent FICO) with no points going through for example a mortgage broker and not what is just listed on the pages of banks or bankrate.
The next question maybe odd, but we have a preference for Organic fruits and vegetables and meat/poultry. By what factor would this multiply grocery bills in SD? This is one of those significant monthly recurring expenses that has to be factored in while budgeting. Most times we try to get whatever we can find in Costco and then go to Whole foods etc.
Thanks!
Not sure about 'local' rates per se. AFAIK, with the exception of credit unions, rates are national. Just go to Wells Fargo to see their weekly published rates. I believe right now for a 30yr fixed its around 3.75%ish. your credit score is what determines the % rate.
20%+ conventional is PMI free, anything below will require PMI, but you can pay all of that up front as well vs monthly. Lenders vary though.
We bought a house in 2010 @4.25 and another at the begining of this year @4.1, 0 points as an example.
If you are up in the PNW, I think you might paying less down here for local organic, especially at farmers markets.
LG just downsized and moved their marketing, logistics and sales to NJ where their HQ is. Yes they have their localized R&D here, again, because of Q, no other reason. Its only a matter of time before that changes as they continue to consolidate.
Samsung's 'massive' office has nothing to do with wireless here in SD, its purely logistics. They have a smaller office which does do localized R&D, because of guess who?
Sony mobile has a small presence here but decisions come from Japan (formerly Sweden)
RIMM has a small R&D presence here, but HQ is Canada
So this is totally true, there are many aspects of wireless here in SD, you are just not going to find the big decisions from OEMs coming from here. It just depends on what aspect of tech you work in to really have a long lasting career here if you are not planning on either starting your own company or being part of a start up.
OP, I just wanted to note that you might also want to to look in Irvine as well, of course, depending on your expertise. Broadcom is based out of there and actually have a smaller office right down the road from where I am sitting right now.
Feel free to PM me if you want some other info.
Let me be clear, I am not planning on starting my own company or being part of a start up. In your opinion, what aspect of tech will offer a long lasting career in San Diego? By tech, I specifically mean HW/SW engineering both technical (meaning individual contributor like member of technical Sr. Staff/PE) or Management (Engineering, specifically people, not Program Management). Yes, I consider myselfe someone who can still code and enjoys it . I have of course considered Irvine and the bay area and it is currently not in scope, maybe unless you can convince me in a PM
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and for this type of outlook, probably the bay area will be top pick for a HW/SW Engineer. However, there are many reasons to choose SD overy the bay area that most of us would agree on. I am not an RF guy, but have extensive experience in both HW and SW with mostly 10+ years in the tech role and some engineering mgmt experience. Being currently in wireless and focused in SW, I am hoping that the skill set I am developing will make SD a place where I hope to move my family and settle down until kid/s reach college age. That is the perspective, but life is not always in our hands 
. I am not sure how much of a concern it is, not having RF or baseband related experience. Since Q is expanding in areas like peer-to-peer and the wireless eco-system is rapidly evolving towards an end-to-end solution (app, middle-ware, OS down to HW) and user-experience being more than just performance but also power and end-user focused, hopefully skills beyond RF will be sought after in areas like SD.
