Area around Balboa Park (San Diego, Corona: rent, HOA, condos)

[NoWhere2GoButUp]

How does the area around Balaboa Park change as you go around the park? Is it all generally good or are there bad areas? I 'think,' and keep in mind I have never been to SD, that Hillcrest, North Park and South Park are upscale areas. Am I correct? What about the rest of the perimeter of Blaboa Park?

[T. Damon]

It's all pretty much the same, in that there are no "bad" areas. A little more urban on the West (Park West), Northwest (Hillcrest) and Northeast corner (North Park) areas of Balboa Park and more residential and village like at the Southeast corner (Golden Hill/South Park) areas but that's about it.

[i_love_autumn]

The Balboa Park area is where I want to move to,because there is just so much to do in the area.

[NoWhere2GoButUp]

Originally Posted by T. Damon

It's all pretty much the same, in that there are no "bad" areas. A little more urban on the West (Park West), Northwest (Hillcrest) and Northeast corner (North Park) areas of Balboa Park and more residential and village like at the Southeast corner (Golden Hill/South Park) areas but that's about it.

Are the rents generally about the same throughout?

[NoWhere2GoButUp]

Originally Posted by i_love_autumn

The Balboa Park area is where I want to move to,because there is just so much to do in the area.

Which side would you prefer to live on?

By the way, is that area considered upscale? And by the way, where is the most upscale neighborhood in SD?

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by NoWhere2GoButUp

How does the area around Balaboa Park change as you go around the park? Is it all generally good or are there bad areas? I 'think,' and keep in mind I have never been to SD, that Hillcrest, North Park and South Park are upscale areas. Am I correct? What about the rest of the perimeter of Blaboa Park?

Originally Posted by NoWhere2GoButUp

Which side would you prefer to live on?

By the way, is that area considered upscale? And by the way, where is the most upscale neighborhood in SD?

I am a little confused with what you are looking for.

Firstly the location. Are you dead set on living in or near the downtown exclusively? Or are you open?
Secondly, have you ever been to SD before or are looking to live somewhere in SD with a vibe you are familiar with?

Also, 'upscale' as in what? The prices may be upscale, but not necessarily the accommodations as compared with other upscale cities.

San Diego core neighborhoods have some high rises and gorgeous older homes in areas like Mission Hills, South Park and North Park. Its 'old, classic' San Diego.
Point being, there are homes well over million dollar in the core neighborhoods, but there are many folks that have the budget but would avoid living in them and prefer newer HOA type communities in the suburbs or just live near the beach.

[skeke]

Upscale to me means no urban grittiness, everything looking pretty and expensive homes. Mission Hills is mostly upscale. Hillcrest is on the upscale side. I wouldn't necessarily call NorthPark or SouthPark upscale, (though they have their sections) but they are definitely cool and I would enjoy living there. La Jolla and Rancho Santa Fe are upscale by anyone's definition as are some areas of north county coastal.

[i_love_autumn]

For me,since I haven't yet seen the area in person,all I know is I want close to Balboa Park, because I have no desire to live 'out in the burbs'. I have lived in a small city of 67,000,for the past 46 years,and now I want things to do/shopping close by.

[rcjhku]

OP, you're wasting your time and also some of the nicer user's time by posting vague questions without enough info for anyone to give you a satisfactory answer.

"How does the area around Balaboa Park change as you go around the park?"
It changes a lot and it changes a little. The concentration of authentic Mexican restaurants definitely change as you go around the park.

"Is it all generally good or are there bad areas?"
Yes it is generally "good" and yes there are bad areas. Keep in mind I grew up in the middle of the Rwanda's genocide, so "good" is obviously relative.

"I 'think,' and keep in mind I have never been to SD, that Hillcrest, North Park and South Park are upscale areas. Am I correct?"
Yes, you are correct. After I left Rwanda, I stayed in Compton, CA back when Bloods and Crips were trying figure out the future political agenda for the city.

"What about the rest of the perimeter of Blaboa Park?"
Upscale too. I see the same amountof Lamborghinis in other areas as compared to the previous neighborhoods you've mentioned.

"Are the rents generally about the same throughout?"
Yes. Rent is generally more than free in all these areas.

"Which side would you prefer to live on?"
I prefer to live on the good side.

"And by the way, where is the most upscale neighborhood in SD?"
Go on craigslist and figure it out.

[lrmsd]

Originally Posted by shmoov_groovzsd

I am a little confused with what you are looking for.

Firstly the location. Are you dead set on living in or near the downtown exclusively? Or are you open?
Secondly, have you ever been to SD before or are looking to live somewhere in SD with a vibe you are familiar with?

Also, 'upscale' as in what? The prices may be upscale, but not necessarily the accommodations as compared with other upscale cities.

San Diego core neighborhoods have some high rises and gorgeous older homes in areas like Mission Hills, South Park and North Park. Its 'old, classic' San Diego.
Point being, there are homes well over million dollar in the core neighborhoods, but there are many folks that have the budget but would avoid living in them and prefer newer HOA type communities in the suburbs or just live near the beach.

True. Upscale in SD includes many different options: suburbs, coastal, inner urban, etc. Those who want beach living will choose coastal, those who prefer suburbs or want top schools and the amenities of a suburban neighborhood/safe, or those who want proximity to specific types of hiking canyons/biking etc. will choose those areas. Urban culture, vibrancy, walkable neighborhoods will choose balboa park and surrounds.

For the OP: North park is not upscale; it is quite hit or miss and gentrified in the last 10 plus years. Parts of NP are upscale, however. But most is not what I would consider upscale. South Park is very small geographically and is upscale overall. Hillcrest is expensive, but not necessarily upscale. It's very mixed and pretty urban/busy. Has a number of social issues, meth, homelessness, large commercial district [great restaurants, shops, etc.]. It does have some nice homes/condos, etc. but overall I wouldn't refer to it as upscale.

Mission Hills is historically one of the wealthy areas of SD. I'd call it upscale. Though some people refer to parts of little italy as MH, and I don't consider that area particularly upscale. [Though it may be desirable to live in and pricey.] Actually, some realtors/ads will call parts of golden hill 'south park' and parts of city heights 'south kensington'. Again, trading on the upscale areas but I would not call these 'knock offs' upscale. Kensington is also a historically wealthy and upscale area. I agree with this assessment, as well as Mission Hills. Just be aware when renting that the boundaries overlap with less desirable/decidedly not upscale areas and may be advertised in a somewhat exaggerrated manner.

Morley Field area of north park and some areas near balboa park are really nice. If you want to be right next to the park, I'd check that area, followed by south park. But really, Kensington and Mission Hills probably fit the upscale classification the best, as far as central SD hoods.

Other historically upscale areas of SD: Coronado, La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe
Other upscale areas include: Carmel Valley, Penasquitos, Scripp's Ranch, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Parts of Pt. Loma, Birdrock, Cardiff, etc.
Okay, I think I just used the word 'upscale' more times in this post than I have my entire life. lol. I need a thesaurus.