Job in Torrey Pines area... (San Diego, El Cajon: apartment, for rent, hotel)

[Dadelius]

I have been interviewing for a position in the Torrey Pines area. I already know that the salary is going to be less than what I initially hoped for. With the numbers we discussed today and I looking at having anywhere from $900-1050 that I could could afford for rent, ideally the low end of the spectrum. I would like for the commute to be no longer than 30 minutes with traffic. Is this realistic? I have been looking towards the Santee area. Maps and graphs seem to indicate safe area, would this be a correct assumption. Unfortunately by past visits to the area have kept me either Downtown or in Mission Bay.

I don't want to waste the companies time or my time if my expectations are going to fall terribly short of my financial means. Any advice would certainly be appreciated.

[Think4Yourself]

You can get a 1 bedroom in the El Cajun area for ~1000 but you'll still need to pay utilities and put gas in your car, etc...

The cheapest option would be to rent a room for ~$500 but even so $1050 is desperate poverty. That's just $12600 per year. You'd likely have to sign up for food stamps just to be able to eat.

[moved]

You can get a studio in the city in your price range, and you'll be making too much money for any type of assistance. The $900-1050 is a rent budget, not an income.

[Pedro2000]

If you work in the Torrey Pines area, I wouldn't live out in Santee or El Cajon. You'd hate life with that drive every day.
The UTC area, PB, Downtown, Point Loma area, etc are all areas where you might find your price range. It won't be the nicest of places and you might have a roommate, but it' s doable. And you might get lucky.

[Dadelius]

Thanks for the input. I hadn't given any thought to a studio which at first would probably be better as I would be little to no entertaining while getting acclimated to the area.

[malcorub16]

Originally Posted by Dadelius

Thanks for the input. I hadn't given any thought to a studio which at first would probably be better as I would be little to no entertaining while getting acclimated to the area.

I lived downtown for my 3 first years in SD in $500-$700 studios back in 2003. It was better than living with a room mate and cheaper than a $900-$1000 1 bedroom in NorthPark or wherever. If you are young and single guy, for me girls loved the fact (including my now wife) that I lived downtown even if it was just an oversize hotel room. It was something of novelty back then, maybe it still is. It was always fun to just walk back to my apartment after partying or hanging out. Even as I sit in my 3000 SQ Ft 5 bedroom house where my family calls home 10 years later out in Lakeside, I miss my little downtown studio, not like I was hanging out there much anyway but it was so much fun.

Like Pedro2000 said, if you are young and jump right into San Diego by living in Santee you will hate it, sure its safe but it is the burbs and quite boring and the rush hour drive is long (about 25 minutes from Santee to Torrey Pines WITHOUT traffic). Rent a studio if single and see where life takes you.

[echo42]

Originally Posted by Dadelius

I have been interviewing for a position in the Torrey Pines area. I already know that the salary is going to be less than what I initially hoped for. With the numbers we discussed today and I looking at having anywhere from $900-1050 that I could could afford for rent, ideally the low end of the spectrum. I would like for the commute to be no longer than 30 minutes with traffic. Is this realistic? I have been looking towards the Santee area. Maps and graphs seem to indicate safe area, would this be a correct assumption. Unfortunately by past visits to the area have kept me either Downtown or in Mission Bay.

I don't want to waste the companies time or my time if my expectations are going to fall terribly short of my financial means. Any advice would certainly be appreciated.

Well, it seems that you have found a job and that is really 75 percent of the challenge when moving to SD. I would go super cheap to start out and acclimate. Yes, you can find a cheap studio in the places that you and everyone have mention. Make that a base of operations for about a year and get out and explore, what kind of budget you are really going to be able to afford.

[Dadelius]

Thanks for all of the input. Well hard part is done. I received an employment offer today. Waiting to see if they accept the counter but either way I am now seriously looking for a place. I have been reading about the Hill Crest area and it seems to be a good fit. Any suggestions for properties with good reputations. I'm not looking for high end luxury but I certainly don't want to be terrified of leaving the house after dark. I am not fixed on Hill Crest but would like to keep the commute reasonable no more than 30 minutes traffic. Any suggestions would be most appreciated!

[moved]

Just make sure that any place that you rent has assigned parking. If an ad says anything at all about street parking, don't even consider it.

[AADAD]

Hope this works out for you. Nothing to regret going inexpensive at 1st landing. Hillcrest is the Gay area of San Diego with good coffee and good eateries. Commute is doable.