Yet another "where should I live" thread (San Diego: new home, neighborhoods)

[xy313]

Hi all. We live in Irvine. I love it here, but my husband has gotten such a great job offer in Tri-City that we need to move.

We have two kids in KG and 1st grade. I have been trying to figure out how to minimize his commute to Tri-City while remaining in a good school district.

I would like to stay at or below $900k, but we can go to $1.1m if we really have to.

Any suggestions?

PS--I'll also mention that from preschool until the end of college, I was always the only South Asian kid in my classes. It gets a bit tiresome to be the "only" anything, so I'd prefer my kids not be in that situation--if there's a school/neighborhood with nonzero South Asian representation that would be a plus. Here in Irvine, the teachers wished my kids "Happy Diwali" this week--it was a small thing, but it was just so amazing to hear our heritage recognized.

[cruitr]

Originally Posted by xy313

Hi all. We live in Irvine. I love it here, but my husband has gotten such a great job offer in Tri-City that we need to move.

Where is the Tri-City area in San Diego? Are you talking about the Golden Triangle area?

[NORTY FLATZ]

"Tri-City" Med Cntr?

[JoeSanDiegoHomes]

Originally Posted by xy313

Hi all. We live in Irvine. I love it here, but my husband has gotten such a great job offer in Tri-City that we need to move.

We have two kids in KG and 1st grade. I have been trying to figure out how to minimize his commute to Tri-City while remaining in a good school district.

I would like to stay at or below $900k, but we can go to $1.1m if we really have to.

Any suggestions?

PS--I'll also mention that from preschool until the end of college, I was always the only South Asian kid in my classes. It gets a bit tiresome to be the "only" anything, so I'd prefer my kids not be in that situation--if there's a school/neighborhood with nonzero South Asian representation that would be a plus. Here in Irvine, the teachers wished my kids "Happy Diwali" this week--it was a small thing, but it was just so amazing to hear our heritage recognized.

What size place do you need for that budget? You will have options. Can you also confirm what you mean by tri-city?

[xy313]

Hello all. Sorry, I should have been more clear! Where to move is so much on my mind this week that I forget that there are many "Tri Cities," and the whole world isn't currently laser-focused on a particular neighborhood in a particular exurb of San Diego.

Despite my ambiguity, some of you got it! By Tri-City I do indeed mean the "Tri City" neighborhood in Oceanside, where Tri City Medical Center is.

We are looking for a 4BR detached single family home--our priorities being (1) good schools all the way from K-12 and (2) a minimal commute to Tri City Medical Center. Our budget is $900k-$1.1m, and it'd be nice to stay on the lower end of that budget (which seems to knock out Carlsbad).

General diversity, including a nonzero South Asian population, is a bonus. Although I can work remotely, long-term it might also be nice to have some biotech companies nearby so I have options.

Any advice appreciated! I'm thinking our best bet may be inland.

[someguy10]

Carlsbad has good schools and is also next to the medical center. I think you could make your budget work for a 4 BR SFH in the northern part (which is closer to the medical center), although you will definitely be giving up some house size and quality for the Carlsbad location. Calavera Hills is an area I'd specifically suggest -- it's close (possibly walkable and definitely bikeable, or a very short car drive) to the MC and also close enough to make trips to the beach and Carlsbad boardwalk easy if you care about that. It's also just east of El Camino Real, which is often the cutoff for the grey marine layer.

I would also check out San Marcos and especially the San Elijo Hills area within SM.

The Shadowridge neighborhood in Vista is nice and has lots of families. You could get into a very nice 4BR SFH there for $700-$900K. It is very close to the medical center. But schools may or may not meet your "good" standard.

[stablegenius]

Originally Posted by someguy10

Carlsbad has good schools and is also next to the medical center. I think you could make your budget work for a 4 BR SFH in the northern part (which is closer to the medical center), although you will definitely be giving up some house size and quality for the Carlsbad location. Calavera Hills is an area I'd specifically suggest -- it's close (possibly walkable and definitely bikeable, or a very short car drive) to the MC and also close enough to make trips to the beach and Carlsbad boardwalk easy if you care about that. It's also just east of El Camino Real, which is often the cutoff for the grey marine layer.

I would also check out San Marcos and especially the San Elijo Hills area within SM.

The Shadowridge neighborhood in Vista is nice and has lots of families. You could get into a very nice 4BR SFH there for $700-$900K. It is very close to the medical center. But schools may or may not meet your "good" standard.

Carlsbad is also home to some biotech companies. Sorrento Valley would be another location for biotech companies that would not be too far away.

[NORTY FLATZ]

https://www.cornerstonecommunities.com/cypress/
https://www.cornerstonecommunities.com/blue-sage/

These have award winning schools.

They're WALKING distance to TCMC.

They're within your budget.

They're new.

Now, for "Bio-tech." You'll find a BUNCH of bio-tech in Carlsbad at the Airport area. (Just North of the runway, actually.)

These are all in a cluster about 5 miles South of the homes I linked.
Companies like:

Genoptix
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Navigate Biopharma
Ionis Pharma
BioSpyder Tech

These are all in a half mile square. Faraday/College Ave, to El Camino Real.

If you're a researcher, there's even an incubator facility there. (Bio, Tech & Beyond.)

someguy10 above, mentioned Calavera Hills. Those are very nice neighborhoods. Your budget qualifies (It'll be close, though.) The schools are solid 9's and 10's.

[xy313]

Originally Posted by NORTY FLATZ

https://www.cornerstonecommunities.com/cypress/
https://www.cornerstonecommunities.com/blue-sage/

These have award winning schools.

They're WALKING distance to TCMC.

They're within your budget.

They're new.

Now, for "Bio-tech." You'll find a BUNCH of bio-tech in Carlsbad at the Airport area. (Just North of the runway, actually.)

These are all in a cluster about 5 miles South of the homes I linked.
Companies like:

Genoptix
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Navigate Biopharma
Ionis Pharma
BioSpyder Tech

These are all in a half mile square. Faraday/College Ave, to El Camino Real.

If you're a researcher, there's even an incubator facility there. (Bio, Tech & Beyond.)

someguy10 above, mentioned Calavera Hills. Those are very nice neighborhoods. Your budget qualifies (It'll be close, though.) The schools are solid 9's and 10's.

Hello Norty Flatz. What can I say...you are a genius. I'd been searching Redfin for a week, and really hadn't found much. When you mentioned this build--which we probably drove past last week and didn't realize existed--I realized new construction wasn't even showing up in my searches. I thought all of Carlsbad was totally out of my price range, but I guess it isn't.

I also read your sticky on this forum. Thanks for all the insight you provide here.

[NORTY FLATZ]

Originally Posted by xy313

Hello Norty Flatz. What can I say...you are a genius. I'd been searching Redfin for a week, and really hadn't found much. When you mentioned this build--which we probably drove past last week and didn't realize existed--I realized new construction wasn't even showing up in my searches. I thought all of Carlsbad was totally out of my price range, but I guess it isn't.

I also read your sticky on this forum. Thanks for all the insight you provide here.

Glad I could be of help. Good luck in your search!
You can find houses in the upper 900's in Carlsbad. Another area to look at was called El Camino Mesa years ago.
Just thought of another new home development... it's only 8 homes, and I think there may be 1 or 2 left.

Afton Way Homes by Pebble Creek.

Sorry, there's no website, but a search should lead to a phone #.

3119 Afton Way, Carlsbad 92008

This area is way better than those 3 story houses I mentioned before. Not nearly the HWY 78 noise. But, it's a little further to TCMC.