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My family and I are giving serious thought to relocating to San Diego from New Jersey. We'll be spending a week there in March to check things out, and we've done a pretty good amount of research on the Internet already. We're looking for a 3-4 bedroom house or townhouse in the $450-525k range. From what I can tell, the best location for us will likely be San Marcos, Vista, or Carlsbad (if we could find a home we can afford). However, when looking at homes in those areas, I see some that are in the $500k range, but the address says Oceanside. The homes appear to be quite nice, and some of them send to Vista schools.
My questions are: 1. are there any nice, safe neighborhoods in Oceanside, such as the ones on the border with those other communities? And 2. If we really like a particular home in Vista or Oceanside, but the closest schools get very poor ratings, is it possible to send our child to one of the better schools nearby?
Also, I would imagine Carlsbad has very nice weather year round, but what about San Marcos and Vista? Is it noticeably hotter there in the summer? My first thought was, we want a community that has a pool, but after doing more research, it seems as though the summers (west of Rt 15) are not at all like the brutally hot and humid summers we have in New Jersey. So perhaps a pool isn't the necessity we thought it was?
Thanks in advance for your replies...I appreciate your help!
My family and I are giving serious thought to relocating to San Diego from New Jersey. We'll be spending a week there in March to check things out, and we've done a pretty good amount of research on the Internet already. We're looking for a 3-4 bedroom house or townhouse in the $450-525k range. From what I can tell, the best location for us will likely be San Marcos, Vista, or Carlsbad (if we could find a home we can afford). However, when looking at homes in those areas, I see some that are in the $500k range, but the address says Oceanside. The homes appear to be quite nice, and some of them send to Vista schools.
My questions are: 1. are there any nice, safe neighborhoods in Oceanside, such as the ones on the border with those other communities? And 2. If we really like a particular home in Vista or Oceanside, but the closest schools get very poor ratings, is it possible to send our child to one of the better schools nearby?
Also, I would imagine Carlsbad has very nice weather year round, but what about San Marcos and Vista? Is it noticeably hotter there in the summer? My first thought was, we want a community that has a pool, but after doing more research, it seems as though the summers (west of Rt 15) are not at all like the brutally hot and humid summers we have in New Jersey. So perhaps a pool isn't the necessity we thought it was?
Thanks in advance for your replies...I appreciate your help!
1. Oceanside is a coastal California city of 170,000 residents. Of course there are going to be nice parts of town. Most of the nice neighborhoods (and schools) are inland. Ivey Ranch, Fire Mountain (not inland), Rancho Del Oro, and Ocean Hills come to mind. Fire Mountain has more custom homes with larger lots, while the other 3 are general suburbia. Some of the areas heading out into Bonsall/Fallbrook are pretty nice as well, but definitely avoid northern Vista.
2. It is possible to do inter/intra district transfers, but it really depends on the school you are transferring to/from. Being within Vista Unified gives you a bit more flexibility because there is guajome park, mission vista, a magnet middle, casita, etc. which offer another option if you can't get a school transfer approved. You can also look into High Tech High/Middle (and eventually elementary) in San Marcos.
3. In my opinion, San Marcos and Vista have better weather year round. In fact, I hands down would rather live in Vista than (most of) Carlsbad if you are only considering weather. Vista doesn't get the marine layer or the chilly ocean breezes during the winter months. Vista was/is regarded as a "climatic wonderland" because it doesn't get hot like the inland cities, but is able to avoid the marine layer and cool of the coast. Many San Diegans (a majority of whom are not natives) will argue that living in SD means being close to the beach. I appreciate SD for its weather, not its beaches. The water is too cold and the sand irritates. The worst weather I've experienced while living in SD is in La Jolla, where the climate is more similar to the central coast/SF. There are good waves if that's your thing.
Just look at the highs today. SM is 77, Vista is 72, and Carlsbad, 68. SM is about 10 degrees warmer (highs) than Carlsbad throughout the week. A minor difference between potential pool weather in winter and a light windbreaker. Disclosure: I'm a total weather baby lol. The tradeoff is SM will get warmer during the summer. However, it's dry heat and bearable. IMHO Vista still has the best weather.
4. It's nice having a pool in SD, partly because you can use it most of the year. We had a one month spell of pool weather this winter. Vista, Carlsbad, and San Marcos all have community pools. Vista has the waterpark, while SM/Carlsbad both have 2 different pools. The new one near Bressi Ranch is beautiful!
My family and I are giving serious thought to relocating to San Diego from New Jersey. We'll be spending a week there in March to check things out, and we've done a pretty good amount of research on the Internet already. We're looking for a 3-4 bedroom house or townhouse in the $450-525k range. From what I can tell, the best location for us will likely be San Marcos, Vista, or Carlsbad (if we could find a home we can afford). However, when looking at homes in those areas, I see some that are in the $500k range, but the address says Oceanside. The homes appear to be quite nice, and some of them send to Vista schools.
My questions are: 1. are there any nice, safe neighborhoods in Oceanside, such as the ones on the border with those other communities? And 2. If we really like a particular home in Vista or Oceanside, but the closest schools get very poor ratings, is it possible to send our child to one of the better schools nearby?
Also, I would imagine Carlsbad has very nice weather year round, but what about San Marcos and Vista? Is it noticeably hotter there in the summer? My first thought was, we want a community that has a pool, but after doing more research, it seems as though the summers (west of Rt 15) are not at all like the brutally hot and humid summers we have in New Jersey. So perhaps a pool isn't the necessity we thought it was?
Thanks in advance for your replies...I appreciate your help!
San Marcos has better schools, on average, than O-side. Also, part of SM feeds into La Costa Canyon/Carlsbad it's part of the San Dieguito middle/high school district-nationally regarded and one of the top 2 in SD. If you can figure out the boundary maps and find something in your budget there, it's a good bet.
Also, part of Escondido [by elfin forest/lake hodges] feeds into Rancho Santa Fe schools [very affluent] and then on to San Dieguito for upper grades. True, escondido is warmer in the summer.
Also, San Marcos, IMO, is better for families than O-side, overall.
Parts of Vista are quite nice, and parts are pretty bad. Schools are dicey.
Check great schools dot org for school ratings and parent reviews.
Another suggestion: Look at the public charter schools. Ex: Vista has a new Montessori Charter school; I think it's k-12. Vista has a few other charters and actually, anyone in SD county can attend any charter school in the county. There are no residency requirements per district boundaries, as charters are state funded. The caveats are that you'll need to transport your child yourself and you need to get a spot at the school you want; they operate on lottery and some do have waiting lists.
Here is a list of SD County charter schools: Charter Schools in San Diego County (CA Dept of Education)
Note: Some are listed as 'IS'-independent study and may be hybrid home school options, with a couple of days on campus. the ones listed as 'site based' will be usually regular, 5 day a week school schedules.
Also, each district may have magnet schools, which are open to all residents in that district. They'll be organized around a focus such as tech, math, science, foreign language, etc. Check the district websites for info.
SD city proper does have open enrollment; not sure about the other cities. But how it works in SD is that you need to request based on the new school offering a program that is not offered in your neighborhood school. ie, Latin for high school, that sort of thing. I'm sure people are probably savvy about this-so it might be something to check out, if O-side has open enrollment. Check their district website.
If you are willing to do townhome, I personally would look at the carlsbad schools that feed into La Costa Canyon/San Dieguito district. Honestly, the better districts in SD, relative to oceanside schools, are a world apart. I have kids in the San Dieguito district myself. In the past, I have been in other districts and used charter schools. Charter schools are a good option to have but the peace of mind of knowing you are located in one of the top districts and are guaranteed a spot, is something that cannot be beat, especially as your kids get older [or if they already are middle/high school age].
San Elijo Hills in San Marcos is a great area to check for both schools and amenities. Keep in mind many housing and nearly all townhome/condo complexes will have a community pool and recreation area. It's not like the east coast where people have large lots and tend to have their own, even for many of the higher end homes in the planned suburban communities here, the common area is shared with gated tennis and pool. Of course, really high end Rancho santa fe, del mar, etc people may have large lots and a pool. But most don't.
Also, similar to escondido, SM does get warmer in the summer-but relative to the east coast months of humidity and bugs, etc., it's definitely tolerable. And within 20 minutes you are at the coast, too. Heat here is dry and summers are not months and months long. There are years with more high temp. days than others, so there is some variability and you might get a cool summer, too! We also have may gray and june gloom in SD-where the days are more overcast and people complain. LOL. So, July/August/September are typically the warmest months. You can google for average temps. in SM or Vista to get an idea.
You could also check Poway, which is currently considered the top district in SD and housing can be a tad less than the coastal areas.
I know people say Oside has nice areas and 'is not that bad', but the bad areas are definitely bad, and the streets can be block by block. So I don't recommend choosing there just to have a house vs. condo. I don't think it's worth it in your case, when schools are clearly a concern. With the better schools also comes family friendly amenities, lifestyle and neighbors, too. So it's not just about affluent or test scores. It's about an area that caters to families and that attracts people who also value and prioritize education and are focused on that and their families at this time in their lives. Having that commonality is a very reliable factor. Also, it is a good choice in terms of real estate. The regarded school districts in SD will continue to be in areas that have stable or appreciating real estate in the coming years. They are not gentrifying areas nor are they relying on being an area that is chosen b/c it's 'cheaper than the place I really wanted to live', as is often the case with somewhere like Oside and parts of Vista.
Coming from the east coast, you'll need to approach your housing very differently. As mentioned, lots are smaller, school districts that are 'good to great' are fewer [east coast has many solid middle class with solid schools, and many little towns in between larger areas] and the outdoors in so cal is like an extra room year round. In that way, maybe it's not as insular as the east coast. Go to the local rec center and use their pool, or use your complex amenities, or the beach, etc. [btw, the beaches here are almost universally clean, safe and very easy to access, even in summer months. SD is situated along the coastline, so it's not a case of having to drive off the freeway far and then wander over large expanses of dunes or sand to get to the beach. It's quite easy to simply pop over to the beach and watch the sunset and then head home. This is very common in SD. Also, the 20 minute rule here is that nearly everything is 20 minutes away on the freeway. This has increased with growth in the area, but it still applies in many cases. So you are not relegated only to your area, by any means. You are likely to check out different beaches and areas regularly. Fun!]
Not sure if you've visited before or are familiar, just thought I'd add what comes to mind in addressing your questions. My .02. Enjoy and good luck!
ps-just to confirm: No, I don't think a pool is the necessity you thought it was. But it's nice to enjoy them and you'll have no trouble finding one to use, if your complex or community does not have one, a rec center, etc will. AND, you have the OCEAN. Water is warm enough to swim in for a few months of the year, and sometimes longer...some people do of course swim or surf year round. It's never frigid like the Atlantic coast of the NE, though. And, while there is sometimes seaweed or other concerns, not nearly as prolific as the seaweed at beaches on the east coast. Basically, if you've never been to the beaches in so cal, they really ARE as amazing as you see on TV/ in pictures. Expect to be wowed. And if you have visited on vacation, then yes, you will still enjoy them as much as you did then. (:
Also, part of SM feeds into La Costa Canyon/Carlsbad it's part of the San Dieguito middle/high school district-nationally regarded and one of the top 2 in SD.
No, just.....no. wrong wrong wrong. Please stop saying this.
lrmsd and rhanifin, thanks so much for your replies, they were both super helpful. We've yet to visit San Diego, but I'm certain we are going to love it. Good schools and a family-oriented community are definitely top priorities, and i think we'll settle for less house to live in San Marcos or Carlsbad, or possibly a nicer part of Vista. I'm happy to hear that the towns themselves have pools…that means it won't be a deal breaker if a house or complex doesn't have a pool.
Looking forward to our trip in a few weeks, and desperately hoping this is the last winter i'll spend in New Jersey! Thanks again.
I really wander what you decide as far as schools and housing.
We are moving from Colorado and are looking in the neighborhood of Oceanside or L.A., but most important is a good elementary school and a safe neighborhood. Any advice?
Thanks in advance!
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so what is your opinion now you live there?
