Help with apartments... (San Diego, Carlsbad, Beverly Hills: apartment complexes, amusement park, how much) - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

j1983m · 09-04-2009, 12:19 AM

Hi,

I have been offered a job in San Diego and have been looking at areas and apartment complexes bur cant really find anything with decent reviews and in a 'safe' area. Im only looking for a 1 bed or a large studio and wanting to pay up to about $1500/month. I would prefer to live as close to the ocean as possible... like a short cycle away.

Im not from the area and recently read really bad things about most of the beach ares within San Diego. I am looking for recomondations of areas that fit within this price range and would be very safe. If i had to compromize safety or proximity to the ocean it would proximity to the ocean. If anyone can healp that woud be great...

Thanks.

kettlepot · 09-04-2009, 12:56 AM

Malcontents tend to post the most, and so everything is described as worse than it really is. Unless, of course your expectations are to live your life in some kind of Beverly Hills fantasy land. In that case, the negative reviews are accurate.

Where is the general location of your job? That is the first question that must be answered. A recommendation to live in Carlsbad when your job is at the San Ysidro border crossing would be absurd. How much of a commute can you tolerate?

Besides proximity to the ocean, what else do you want for your neighborhood? Besides relative safety, what else do you want for your apartment? $1500/month is a reasonable amount that will provide a reasonable, and broad range of choices. It won't get you paradise, but an apartment for that amount should be decent.

j1983m · 09-04-2009, 01:24 AM

hi,

thanks for the reply. the job is downtown so maybe looking for somewhere that i could take the trolley or bus to and from work. i would like it near a community i guess, im not looking for anything really lively but something that would be walkable to a couple of bars/places to eat. other than that im really up for anything.

i just dont know where to start. I have been living in the LA beach town of Hermosa beach, and would love an area or community similar (close to beach, walkable to bars/stores). i had originally been looking at ocean/mission/pacific beach areas but recently read really bad things about the areas. Other than La Jolla - what other beach areas would you class as really nice that i could look at apartments a little further inland to fit my price range?

I will initially be there by myself so safety is the main thing im looking for. I have been looking at some really amazing luxury gated apartments but then read reviews about them about theft and violence and so on!

sd1 · 09-04-2009, 05:51 AM

do yourself a favor and don't listen to all the negativity. ocean/mission/pacific beach are awesome. don't know how anyone could say otherwise. go visit for yourself and beware what you read here. you could find an apartment west of I-5 and ride your bike to the beach every morning. my friend just rented a 2 BR house with a garage in northern pb for $1200. you shouldn't have a problem living wherever you want. not everyone in sd is broke, it just seems that way from reading this board.

MAK802 · 09-04-2009, 08:35 AM

I agree with sd1. I would not discount PB/OB/MB. In fact, check out the Crown Point section of PB. It's quieter and still a fairly reasonable distance to the beach.

oBak · 09-04-2009, 08:38 AM

Lots of people talk down on the beach areas because that is what they have to do to feel better about living in lakeside.
PB has a whole street of bars you can walk to, and would easily fall within your price range. However, everyone goes to PB to drink.
I don't like MB that much, as there was a lot of gang violence at night when I worked at the amusement park there back in 03-04.
Of course I love OB, but it does have some odd inhabitants. Nothing to feel unsafe about though, the closer you get to sunset cliffs (southern part of OB) the nicer it seems to get. Newport has bars (The Harp is excellent!) Burgers and everything is in walking distance. Also easily affordable with what you want to pay.

geralt · 09-06-2009, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sd1

do yourself a favor and don't listen to all the negativity. ocean/mission/pacific beach are awesome. don't know how anyone could say otherwise. go visit for yourself and beware what you read here. you could find an apartment west of I-5 and ride your bike to the beach every morning. my friend just rented a 2 BR house with a garage in northern pb for $1200. you shouldn't have a problem living wherever you want. not everyone in sd is broke, it just seems that way from reading this board.

A 2 BR house w/garage in northern PB for $1200? Your friend is lying. That does not exist