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Old 08-14-2020, 03:38 PM
 
Location: San Diego
5,658 posts, read 4,597,687 times
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That house will get some freeway noise and be in the fog due to it being on the west side of the hill that the golf course sits on.

I often see fog spilling over that hill and down onto the Target/Wal Mart center.
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Old 08-14-2020, 04:18 PM
 
Location: Sandy Eggo's North County
10,186 posts, read 6,657,666 times
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1019 Oldham~
Very nice area.
Very quiet.
There's a bit of traffic on Saxony tho. (Super good roadside veggie stand at La Costa Ave & Saxony.)
You'll be across Saxony from an old fig farm. (Royal Mediterranean Figs.) There's a good chance the kids now own this property, and maybe getting ready to develop it. If that's the case, you may lose your ocean view.
There are nurseries very close to this address, but they may be seeing $$$$$$$$$ signs and getting ready to sell to developers too. The homes are spread out there, so you won't be right next to your neighbor's stucco.

Looking at the price, I'm going to say $2.7 is a bit STRONG. That's a $1.9-$2.1 property though. I just don't see $2.7 there, especially when there's only an ocean "peak." (If this stupid site supported tapatalk, I'd show you what a oceanview on a $2.7 home should look like.)

Also, where that property is, doesn't make for a very nice walk to the beach. To the North, you've got La Costa Ave, where speeds are 55+. (Not sure if there's a sidewalk.) Think of walking on a 4 lane freeway...
To the South, is Leucadia Blvd. Speeds are slower (40ish,) but they have signals/roundabouts to Grandview Beach.
These are the only 2 that cross I-5, in that location.

Even though, the maps all say "Encinitas," the area you're looking at is known as "Leucadia." (Or, as we used to call it...Quaaludia!" It has a very laid back/casual feel. Bring your gunnysacks/birkensalks & Op shorts and relax.

Oh, one other thing. THE TRAINS. The trains run all day/night, and you're slightly uphill from the track. There's a bridge at the La Costa crossing, so there's NO HORN. Unfortunately, at the Leucadia Ave crossing you get the HORN! Here, you'll experience the "Stoopid Zone," where the cars on PCH, the train, all converge in a tight place. This causes back-ups on the East/West as well as the much heavier North/South traffic.
Interesting tidbit~ I ordered a new Chrysler LeBaron convertible from Lee Iacocca in 1988. The car was shipped from St. Louis to Carlsbad. The car made it all the way to the "Stoopid Zone." The low slung car hauling trailer got "high centered" on the railroad tracks. HERE COMES THE TRAIN! The train runs through there at about 70-80mph. BAMMO! The truck, the trailer, and 11 cars were scattered over about 5400' of track. Had to wait another 6 weeks for my car to be built again...
It was built with "special" parts.
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Old 08-15-2020, 07:13 AM
 
10 posts, read 11,119 times
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Somewhere along the way, the property went “pending.” Ok, I am sust assessing and learning right now. As pointed out, the noise level may be too high. The map shoewed “medium”, but it looked marginal. Upon close inspection, the walkability looked pretty bad. Not much neighborhood walking w/o ending up on a big loud busy street (although there is a nice looking nature trail nearby).

Continuing to learn.....
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Old 08-16-2020, 09:48 AM
 
771 posts, read 831,391 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mitchjg View Post
I would appreciate some comments about this particular listing.

It seems to have all I would want in a house (bigger than I really care for) and is about 1.5 miles to the ocean as the crow flies.

Weather?
Neighborhood/Area?
etc?

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-87347?view=qv
I can't comment in detail on that specific neighborhood but a few thoughts (all subject to on-site verification):

-Looks about 1/2mi from I-5 and 1/8mi from Leucadia Blvd -- potential noise considerations from both. Leucadia is four lanes and I believe a 40 or 45mph zone
-May not provide 1-2 mi walks from your front door without crossing Leucadia (may or may not be an issue); depends also on the trails connected to the north end and whether those meet your criteria
-the specific listing could be pretty far beyond the rest of the neighborhood -- seems like a $2-3m home in a $1-$2m neighborhood -- if that matters to you
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Old 08-22-2020, 11:45 PM
 
1,014 posts, read 1,567,201 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mitchjg View Post
My reasoning so far:

Aside from my positive memories and impressions of San Diego from my various visits over the years, I have been looking at San Diego in general for coastal weather, affordability (although my specific neighborhood is nice, Oakland is ridiculously expensive for such a dumpy area with the skyhigh crime rate), and proximity to Kaiser Permanente or health care (including tertiary) of very high quality nearby. We are healthy right now but not getting younger.

These are some pretty good reasons to stick with San Diego. The health care really is very good at multiple hospitals, Kaiser has a decent footprint, arguably the best weather in California, and low crime rate. I think you should stick with your gut on this and continue to look to some of the neighborhoods that were first mentioned.


And focus on finding a ranch / one-story place. You may need to keep an active watch for north county coastal San Diego listing to find the perfect property, and it may take a while. That, or start looking a bit inland, with more inventory and a break on price.
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Old 08-23-2020, 09:42 AM
 
Location: Corona del Mar, CA - Coronado, CA
4,477 posts, read 3,277,344 times
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If you have $2.5 million to spend I'd definitely start with Coronado and probably start with the condo towers of Coronado Shores. That puts you in the Village area with great walkability to dining, shopping, recreation, etc.

After that I'd look at Solona Beach, Cardiff By the Sea, Encinitas, Del Mar and Carlsbad (west of the 5 Freeway).

As to San Clemente it might feel like an enclave, but that is as long as you stay west of the 5. There has been explosive growth east of the 5 and it has very much changed the vibe of the city overall.
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Old 08-23-2020, 07:41 PM
 
Location: Tijuana Exurbs
4,530 posts, read 12,360,705 times
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I have my biases towards older, walkable neighborhoods with character, plus I don't know much about the North Coast coastal areas of San Diego.

I would suggest these neighborhoods:

Coronado

Since it is very expensive, your house may be smaller than you anticipated, but you may find that you don't need as big a house as you think. Plus in San Diego, a well designed backyard is an entire extra room. There will be occasional jet noise from the military base though no freeway noise. Coronado itself is perfectly flat and eminently walkable. However, you're toast if a tsunami comes through, but that hasn't happened yet. You'll have to cross the bridge for medical care.

Mission Hills

A previous poster mentioned hills, but that's only a part of Mission Hills. The majority of it is flat, and the flat areas will get the least freeway noise. However, you might hear some airport takeoff noise reflected off low cloud cover. As a neighborhood, it is well supplied with commercial establishments that are within walking distance. Plus, when you do get really old, your medical appointments won't require your leaving the local roads. The whole Hillcrest medical complex area is close by with no freeways required. Downside will be that the large houses will be two stories, so to get one story living, your house will be smaller. However, as in Coronado, a well designed backyard will be an entire extra room.

Kensington

No hills. Freeway noise only if you overlook the freeways. Other than that it's a low background hum. Very walkable with a nice little downtown area. It would be difficult to find a large one story home, but there are plenty of more modestly sized one story homes in the neighborhood. It's a bit warmer than the other two communities, so you'll have to use your A/C a few additional weeks out of the year.

General Comment

You may be wanting more house than you will really want as you get older. If it's just the two of you, all you really need is a normal sized house (1500 sq ft), with an extra room at each end or in a separate cottage so you can get some distance during the day. Just enough space so that one of you won't have to listen to a 3 hour football game, and the other won't have to listen to a 3 hour conversation about the neighbor's grandchildren. Outside of that, spend the money you save making your backyard a really comfortable place with shade, windbreaks from the breezes, and everything you need to enjoy the day or evening.
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Old 08-24-2020, 10:34 AM
 
3,443 posts, read 5,224,288 times
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Hi Mitch!

Just sent you a DM as well, but this is my favorite topic, given that we are also Bay Area transplants and real estate and city planning junkies. We spend all our free time driving and walking neighborhoods around San Diego (as we used to do in the Bay Area).

RSF is a great area with very low crime, amazing schools, and possibly the best microclimate in SD (warmer and sunnier than the coast, but not too hot). In fact, my mother-in-law has been living there for 20+ years, and we know it really well. Twenty years ago, RSF was possibly the most expensive part of the region, but with coastal properties skyrocketing in recent years and fewer people wanting to maintain large properties (consider water bills), RSF has not appreciated relatively as much, and as such, I consider it to offer a great value for the money and the community, if you have the budget. We happen to love the convenant for its wooded and ranchy setting, but if you want smaller properties, then you could also consider somewhere on the edge of town such as the Cielo gated community, or the Crosby "at" (not in) Rancho Santa Fe, which offer lovely newer Spanish style homes in a combination of upscale tracts and custom homes.

As a former Emeryville resident, I know Oakland all too well and still have friends there. I love many of the neighborhoods there, especially Rockridge, Upper Rockridge, Crocker Highlands, and Piedmont (not technically Oakland), but yes, the politics are beyond crazy. San Diego as a whole is not so activist or extreme, and I think you'll feel extremely comfortable here with your moderately left of center views (which sound similar to ours). Of course, we do have Lorena Gonzalez. :-)

I'm catching up on many of the comments and see that you're looking at flatter lots, less upkeep, and cooler weather, so some of those areas in the north coastal strip will definitely fit the bill. I still love Mission Hills for its location and architecture, but yes, it can be noisy in spots. We walk our St Bernard around there often, and as mentioned, some areas are loud and others quiet. Overall, though, I'd say much of it is about the volume of Piedmont -- quiet but with the occasional faint train honk echoing up the hill. Man, there used to be a beautiful home on Ampudia that could not find a buyer after several attempts and was pulled off the market. It was a newer construction but very historically inspired, but the lot was small -- and it eventually ended well within your budget. Too bad it's not on the market. I still dream about that house.

There are also a few beautiful pockets of Bankers Hill that have lovely historic homes not unlike what you'd see in Piedmont but at a much better price, moderately sized lots, great weather, close to the city for things like restaurants, symphony, bayside concerts, and Balboa Park, and with little airplane noise. I haven't seen any good listings over there recently (and we were just walking our dog there twice last week -- she loves exploring with us). But that's another area to consider if you want more of an Oakland type denisty and vibe without the craziness.

Have you also looked at Mission Bay? There are some lovely homes over there, you've got the water nearby, and you're close to town.

I know how daunting a home search in a new region can be, because you're subject to analysis paralysis -- too many neighborhoods, too many choices. So the best thing will be to drive, walk, and ask the locals and maybe hone in on the 2 or 3 neighborhoods you want the most, add to them your top five items on a wish list, and narrow things down that way. Otherwise, you'll be looking at fifty properties before you know it.

When my husband and I were home shopping here six years ago, we quickly zeroed in on the neighborhood and our main criteria -- privacy, a large(ish) lot (1/2 acre), and a large home -- because we work two businesses from home, spend a lot of time outdoors, and have our dog, and that really helped us move quickly once we found the right home. In fact, we jumped on it within a day or two, still had a minor bidding war, but got a great deal coming out of the tail end of the recession and couldn't be happier.

So many people are making the move from the Bay Area to SD right now. Good luck with this process -- you'll get there!

Also, if you eventually get to the nitty gritty details of everyday life, such as, which bakery has the best bread or croissants, which coffee roaster has the best beans, or which farmers markets are best, send me a DM! I'm happy to help with those recommendations. Sometimes, it helps to find those things that you don't want to give up about your old life in the Bay, and they can all be had here too, plus all the new things.


Quote:
Originally Posted by mitchjg View Post
Hi All:

New here on the forum so please cut me some slack if I missed a relevant prior thread. (I have looked)

We currently live in Oakland (and have lived in California since the 80s), are retired and thinking we are likely to move to San Diego County. We live in a lovely upper middle class neighborhood and the weather sure is great. But we are sick and tired of the lunatics that run the asylum here and the crime rate. Given that we are retired, there is no longer a reason to own a premium priced home in a premium priced area because it is near the office.

Regarding San Diego, our bias is to live in one of the coastal communities. Seems like the most desirable one is La Jolla. From what I remember (it has been years), it sure is a heck of nice area and the coastal weather is just what we like. But, of course, it is big bucks.

I would like some feedback and advice on some of the other communities (and please chime in about La Jolla). When I study listings and maps from afar, I am concerned about freeway noise in towns like Cardiff, Encinitas, Del Mar, etc. It seems like that since the 5 Interstate is so close to the shore, it may be hard to find a quiet area.

Is that accurate?

And, if I go further inland, it gets hotter. But, I am not sure how hot and the likes of weather.com have not been completely helpful to me in terms of understanding very localized climates.

Can you tell me about the summer weather/temperature in areas like Olivenhain, for example? The same for Rancho Santa Fe? Is the western side RSF cooler than the eastern side by a material amount?

I ask these questions because in my quest to find "more house for the money", it looks like I will run into either freeway noise and/or hotter summer weather than I care for. But, I want to know in more detail and with more certainty.

There appear to be several RSF homes that we can afford (say 2.5 million or thereabouts) and the houses and lots are actually much bigger than I care to own. But, I do not want to end up with a weather trade off that is too severe. Similarly priced homes in La Jolla (perhaps quite logically) are smaller and in need of significant improvements.

We are about to start engaging with an agent and planning a road trip (maybe wearing hazmat suits), but I want to be as knowledgable as I can be in advance so we can make the best use of our time.

Any suggestions or feedback is welcome.

Thanks
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Old 08-24-2020, 10:10 PM
 
Location: Sandy Eggo's North County
10,186 posts, read 6,657,666 times
Reputation: 16585
Quote:
Originally Posted by tstieber View Post
We happen to love the convenant for its wooded and ranchy setting
WHOA there! "Covenant?" You know about this? I AM impressed. Not many do. Yes, ma'am, I am impressed!











Might also want to mention Fairbank's Ranch too.

Oh, the stories I could tell....
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Old 08-25-2020, 03:51 PM
 
3,443 posts, read 5,224,288 times
Reputation: 3164
Quote:
Originally Posted by NORTY FLATZ View Post
WHOA there! "Covenant?" You know about this? I AM impressed. Not many do. Yes, ma'am, I am impressed!











Might also want to mention Fairbank's Ranch too.

Oh, the stories I could tell....
Would love to hear stories about Fairbanks. We have family friends in there, and some other friends bought, gutted, and remodeled a home and made a lot of money. Big homes on big lots, with many needing cosmetic updates, which provides some nice opportunities for the right buyers.
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