San Diego Pelicans: A few living questions

Vipergrün · 01-09-2006, 05:56 AM

Ok, ok, so we decided to bail out of CA and move to CO last June. It's pretty neat here, but after visiting CA over Christmas, I was starting to miss it. I was born in San Diego many moons ago and have always liked it there.

Are there ANY affordable areas with decent schools where one could get a house for < 700k?

How are areas like North County, Chula Vista, etc?

What areas would you avoid?

I doubt we'll make a move back any time soon, but wifey and I both miss stuff in CA, she misses flowers and greenary and I miss the ocean.

Looks like there are a lot of jobs in the tech sector.....true?

Thanks for your replies

-Brad

aways · 01-09-2006, 06:18 AM

There are lots of areas that you can get a house in SD for slightly less than 700K... just not much less!. I'd predict that within a year or two, prices will be slightly lower.

pbs911 · pbs911's Garage

Brad, hold out a little longer. Real estate has dropped 10% in San Diego over the past 4 months. The inventory of available homes has increased more than 200%. Experts predict San Diego will be one of the first bubbles to pop.

Here is a great link that compares almost every city in the US. I think you are in Boulder. If so, San Diego's crime rate is more than double, but housing is surprisingly similar.

pbs911 · pbs911's Garage

Here's the link for San Diego.

Vipergrün · 01-09-2006, 10:01 AM

Thanks Paul! I am actually in North Colorado Springs, and I do not doubt the crime rate is much less. Man, I just cannot stop thinking about the beach

We are here for at least a year and probably more, but I am looking anyway. Luckily homes here are not over valued and in fact, may be a bit under valued. How are things with you? Looking for a 993? That's the way to heal brother

Evans, Marv · 01-09-2006, 03:54 PM

Brad,
I was going to quote some of the statistics from Paul's link. My advice is not to come back. I live in the south bay area, and it's the sixth fastest growing area in the U.S., or so I heard on the news not long ago. There are real problems with traffic, and way too many people. I have some ground in east county past Alpine I'm hoping to build on and move to. Last night there was a traffic accident in east Chula Vista that killed 4 people, and that's in a residential area. In the last week, I've seen 4 major accidents while running errands. They were the kind with 4 fire trucks, 7 police cars and traffic diverted. New houses around here are going for $700K to $1 mill. Older houses are going for close to the same, while north county is crazy. If you don't have close to $2 mill., you can't buy a decent home. I used to like to go to the beach too, but like everything else, there are too many people. I'd look for someplace else.

DonDavis · DonDavis's Garage

Just this past Saturday the 7th, I was in Laguna Niguel. I'm sure you know where it is. Probably more north than you want to go. There was an open house down the street so we checked it out. 1440sq ft, 3 bed 2.5 bath, 2 car (maybe) garage, built in '91. It was 800k.

We then went up to meet up with Tyson, nostatic and Jeremy at TRE for a brew and talked cars. Isn't that your green monster I was oogling? Lucky for you it was on a lift and my drool just went on the shop floor. That car looks fantastic.

lowyder993s · lowyder993s's Garage

How do the Colo people treat you knowing you're bringing all that money into Co???
We were hunting elk a number of years ago up there and those people just couldn't stand Cali's or Texans. They said we were driving the prices thru the roof. But...their RE was pretty cheap in comparison. That was in the early 90's.
I'm born and raised here, I often think where else I'd rather live. There really isn't anyplace I know of other than L.A. that offers beach, mtn, desert or the 3rd world w/in a three hour drive.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

I'm 3rd generation San Diegan but don't know that I'll ever get back there. I'd love to be in Cardiff or equivalent, but I don't see that happening unless I get very, very lucky. And i'm not going to do the "live at the edge of my budget to afford a house" thing again. So rent I shall...until something breaks and I manage to get setup so I can work remotely from Hawaii.

Vipergrün · 01-09-2006, 06:37 PM

Actually, I have done the buying thing 3x now and could care less about owning a home. I have my nestegg, so renting would not bother me. My wife thinks it's a waste, but I digress.

Yeah, Cardiff, maybe Carlsbad.....anywhere close to surf

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

traffic sucks in north county...I5 through that section is as bad as LA.

Part of the problem is that I grew up there and lived there when it really didn't suck. So I'm jaded...

lowyder993s · lowyder993s's Garage

[QUOTE]traffic sucks in north county...I5 through that section is as bad as LA.

Yer right...that's why I ride my bicycle from Chula Vista (work) to Leucadia (home) 3x a week during daylight savings time. I'd prolly bust a cap in some J/A if I was packin as many gats as Todd.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

You know RE prices are stupid when Hawaii is a better deal than San Diego...

JavaBrewer · JavaBrewer's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Evans, Marv
New houses around here are going for $700K to $1 mill. Older houses are going for close to the same, while north county is crazy. If you don't have close to $2 mill., you can't buy a decent home.

Really? I guess your standards for a "decent" home are far above mine...

I would wait another couple years before buying anything in SD as the prices are coming down. The Joker to factor in are rising interest rates. There are a lot of homes on the market now with plenty more coming in a couple months. Easy to get a newer North County San Diego 4 bdrm, 2.5 bath, 3000 sq/ft home in a good community in North County for ~ $750K. In two years I expect to see the same home for 25% less than that.

Vipergrün · 01-10-2006, 08:52 AM

Thanks for the replies

It will be at least a year, probably 1.5 so I can avoid capital gains. The area I live is somewhat of a hidden gem, at least for Coloradians, so I hope prices here will continue to climb a bit. Local folks think I am crazy to miss CA, much less, consider a return. Dunno, guess it's the lifestyle thing, I have too much beach bum in be and not enough cowboy

4to8m8 · 4to8m8's Garage

I sold a 1936 built 900sq ft postage stamp in a crappy neighborhood by SDSU for 310K in 2000!!! It's going for 500K now!! SD is nice but only if you have I'd say at least 800K to get into a decent area and your kids will have to go to a very pricey private school.