Family relocating to SD. Help please! (San Diego, Carlsbad: 2015, house, neighborhoods)

[OC Investor2]

My Family is going to relocate to San Diego in 2015. We have 3rd & 5th grade boys. We are looking for:

1. 4 BR house with $700k budget. Could possibly stretch as high as $800k.

2. Excellent public schools. Elementary, Middle & High schools. Also, are there any good schools in the area that run on a year around schedule, that would be a huge plus.

3. Would love a master planned community if that is possible.

4. Within 30 minutes of the Del Mar area for commute & 20-25 minutes of the beach for the weekend.

After a little research, some of the areas we are thinking about include Carlsbad, Encinitas, Sorrento Valley, Poway, San Marcos, Rancho Santa Fe. Very curious about other areas, particularly below the 5/805 split.

Any and all advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[oddstray]

Poway itself, and probably San Marcos, are a rather long commute to Del Mar during rush hours. On the weekends, though, they would be within your beach time.

The Poway school district (which has good schools) extends westward along Highway 56 well past I-15. I don't know whether homes along western stretches of Highway 56 (which are new-ish) are within your budget.

[RainbowHope]

What about Rancho Pensquitos? This is the area west of the 15, but you would have access to the 56 to get over to Del Mar. I believe (someone correct me if I am wrong) that they use the Poway schools. A quick search on Zillow revealed 4 bedroom homes from between 600-800K.

ETA: Just read oddstray's response, and we are talking about the same area if that helps you, OP. :-)

[oddstray]

Yes, we are talking about the same area. Penasquitos is in Poway USD, and places even farther west than that are still in Poway USD. Penasquitos is more likely to be within the OP's budget, since it's older than the new neighborhoods to the west of it.

The thing is that the rush-hour commute along Highway 56 is heavy heading westward in the AM. So as far west as possible will lessen the commuting time to Del Mar.

[LuvSouthOC]

OP yours is a good list, as are the recommendations, but RSF is not in that price range. Consider Carmel Valley and surrounds too, although that budget might be a bit light.

[bigdaddy5]

You can add Scripps Ranch to that list, also. Overall, a good list to start with; considering all your needs and requirements. There are pockets of homes in that price range, not all are mansions.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by bigdaddy5

You can add Scripps Ranch to that list, also. Overall, a good list to start with; considering all your needs and requirements. There are pockets of homes in that price range, not all are mansions.

Scripps Ranch to Del Mar is probably longer than your commute time. But it has the advantage of pretty good schools. OP, you may have to be flexible in some of your wish list items (but you probably already know that).