Potentially relocating to San Diego - RB (Mesa: apartments, neighborhoods)

[flycasual]

Im a 23 year old male currently in the interview process for a position at a firm at rancho bernardo.

they're flying me out this coming weekend for a panel interview. I feel like i have a very good chance of getting an offer. Gonna try to get them to offer me more money as I currently live in new london, ct, which by comparison is a lot cheaper area to live.

When i go to san diego this weekend, I want to check out the area, and maybe check out a couple apartments. main criteria is a short commute and a decent night life. I'm fine with anything less than a 30 min commute but obviously the shorter the better. From browsing this forum, it seems like RB is not the place for a young guy like me. what areas would you recommend? don't care too much about living on the water since i feel like any place in san diego is only a short drive from the beach.

cost wise, i'm open to ~$800-$1200 a month. Ideally i'd prefer to find roommates and get a 2-3 bedroom apartment (~around $2500 i think). is there a local forum or service people use to find roommates in SD?

also when I go visit, any attractions or beaches in particular i should visit? or restaurants?

[oddstray]

Yeah, RB residents are mostly well-off retirees or families.

The closest interesting (not bedroom communities) areas that come to mind are places like North Park, Hillcrest, etc. It's not so close to RB, but it's a reverse commute.

Not so sure what specific things you should visit. Specific stuff won't tell you much about what it's like to live here. Your time will be better spent checking out the areas that people will suggest for you. Plenty of time to visit specific stuff if you do decide to move here.

[RosieSD]

Although it's geared towards tourists, the SD visitor's website has some good descriptions of the various neighborhoods in San Diego that might be helpful to help you get an overview of the County: Discover San Diego Cities, Neighborhoods & Communities | Official Ca. Travel Destination

I wouldn't rule out the beach areas (Pacific Beach especially) or the areas Oddstray mentions; you may decide that a longer commute is worth it to be closer to the action for younger people. You may find it easier to find a roommate sharing situation in those areas too, as there are more people your age.

in addition to Oddstray's recommendations, you might check out places like Mira Mesa, Clairemont Mesa, and Mission Valley. They're not as "hip" as places like North Park, Hillcrest, Normal Heights, Little Italy, etc., but will have more to offer a young person than Rancho Bernardo, and will put you mid-way between work and where the action will be on weekends.

For room sharing situations, your best bet will be to start with Craigslist, but don't give anyone any money until you've checked out the place. In places like North Park, you might be able to find a one bedroom or studio on your own towards the top end of your budget, maybe a little higher. So, keep that in mind with salary negotiations.

For places to see while you are here, the visitor's bureau has an extensive list here: Find Things to Do in San Diego | Activities, Attractions, Tours & More

But if you have limited time, I'd focus more on exploring places that you might want to live, such as North Park, Hillcrest, Pacific Beach, etc. Look through the neighborhood links above, and then map their distance from RB.

Good luck with your interview!