Planning on moving to San Diego - Insights?

[OffToDWD]

Not sure if this is the best place to post this topic but...

We're looking to move to San Diego during the first 1/2 of 2021. Good schools is one of the top priorities so we're considering the Carmel Valley area... just wondering if anyone has any insights regarding the schools and how they like living in that area. Our kids are currently 2nd and 7th grades. The realtor we spoke to also recommended Scripps Ranch area but we've never been there so no idea what the area is like. Any thoughts on that would be great too. Thanks in advance!

 

[Katiebird]

Where will you be working and how long are you willing to spend commuting?

 

[OffToDWD]

Where will you be working and how long are you willing to spend commuting?

We both work remotely so commute time is not an issue.

 

[Ronaldo17]

Wish it was me, I'd love to move to Southern California. Good luck

 

[cruisehopeful]

The Poway school district is the main one that people try to live in for the schools. Scripps Ranch is next to Poway, but I don't think it's in the school district. Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penasquitos (probably the most popular for families moving to San Diego), 4S Ranch (lots of fees), and Sabre Springs are some areas that come to mind that are in the school district. There could be others that I don't know about.

Supposedly, the latest on the best schools in San Diego County:
https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/m/san-diego-metro-area/
Carmel Valley tends to be newer builds. It's close enough to the beach to enjoy the beach without being close enough that you have the marine layer (overcast) going on much of the time. It's pretty convenient to a lot of hubs.

Scripps Ranch has some beautiful homes tucked away as well as newer cookie cutter places closer to the main drag. Technically, you wouldn't have to leave Scripps Ranch for anything as far as shopping, etc, goes. It has everything right there. I can't speak to the schools. It's more inland and therefore not as convenient to go to the beach.

If I had kids that age, I'd be happy in either location (Scripps Ranch or Carmel Valley). If money were no object, I'd be as close to the beach as possible without getting under the marine layer. If I were mainly concerned with schools, I'd live in the Poway school district.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

Not sure if this is the best place to post this topic but...

We're looking to move to San Diego during the first 1/2 of 2021. Good schools is one of the top priorities so we're considering the Carmel Valley area... just wondering if anyone has any insights regarding the schools and how they like living in that area. Our kids are currently 2nd and 7th grades. The realtor we spoke to also recommended Scripps Ranch area but we've never been there so no idea what the area is like. Any thoughts on that would be great too. Thanks in advance!

It really depends on where you are working and what you want in a community outside of good schools. Scripps Ranch is north inland San Diego and has warmer weather than Carmel Valley, which is north but more coastal than inland but not quite coastal (it is east of the 5 freeway, I consider anything west as coastal). If your jobs are in the Sorrento Valley/UCSD area, Carmel Valley and Scripps Ranch are great options. If your jobs are south in the downtown area, be prepared for long, frustrating commutes into work most days. I live in the San Carlos area which has excellent schools and better access to the downtown area where I work. So if you work downtown or really anywhere south of the UTC/UCSD/Sorrento Valley areas, I recommend the San Carlos, Del Cerro, and Allied Gardens areas. There are also a couple of areas south of the 8 freeway that are in the same middle and high school cluster as those neighborhoods, such as Kensington and some of the area surrounding SDSU.

 

[Katiebird]

If commutes are no issue, east Chula Vista (Eastlake, Otay Ranch, Rolling Hills Ranch, etc) have excellent schools, low housing costs compared to north county, and just as much shopping and amenities. Plenty of people do of course commute from there, as well.

 

[OffToDWD]

Thanks for all the input so far!! This also gives me more neighborhoods to research. We're hoping the stay-at-home order gets lifted by February so we can come check out the different areas!

 

[OffToDWD]

The Poway school district is the main one that people try to live in for the schools. Scripps Ranch is next to Poway, but I don't think it's in the school district. Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penasquitos (probably the most popular for families moving to San Diego), 4S Ranch (lots of fees), and Sabre Springs are some areas that come to mind that are in the school district. There could be others that I don't know about.

Supposedly, the latest on the best schools in San Diego County:
https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/m/san-diego-metro-area/
Carmel Valley tends to be newer builds. It's close enough to the beach to enjoy the beach without being close enough that you have the marine layer (overcast) going on much of the time. It's pretty convenient to a lot of hubs.

Scripps Ranch has some beautiful homes tucked away as well as newer cookie cutter places closer to the main drag. Technically, you wouldn't have to leave Scripps Ranch for anything as far as shopping, etc, goes. It has everything right there. I can't speak to the schools. It's more inland and therefore not as convenient to go to the beach.

If I had kids that age, I'd be happy in either location (Scripps Ranch or Carmel Valley). If money were no object, I'd be as close to the beach as possible without getting under the marine layer. If I were mainly concerned with schools, I'd live in the Poway school district.

Just curios... what types of additional fees can be found in 4S Ranch? Just so we know what to watch out for!

 

[OffToDWD]

It really depends on where you are working and what you want in a community outside of good schools. Scripps Ranch is north inland San Diego and has warmer weather than Carmel Valley, which is north but more coastal than inland but not quite coastal (it is east of the 5 freeway, I consider anything west as coastal). If your jobs are in the Sorrento Valley/UCSD area, Carmel Valley and Scripps Ranch are great options. If your jobs are south in the downtown area, be prepared for long, frustrating commutes into work most days. I live in the San Carlos area which has excellent schools and better access to the downtown area where I work. So if you work downtown or really anywhere south of the UTC/UCSD/Sorrento Valley areas, I recommend the San Carlos, Del Cerro, and Allied Gardens areas. There are also a couple of areas south of the 8 freeway that are in the same middle and high school cluster as those neighborhoods, such as Kensington and some of the area surrounding SDSU.

Thanks for the breakdown on commute patterns! Just curious... around how long is your commute from San Carlos area to downtown area?

 

[OffToDWD]

The Poway school district is the main one that people try to live in for the schools. Scripps Ranch is next to Poway, but I don't think it's in the school district. Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penasquitos (probably the most popular for families moving to San Diego), 4S Ranch (lots of fees), and Sabre Springs are some areas that come to mind that are in the school district. There could be others that I don't know about.

Supposedly, the latest on the best schools in San Diego County:
https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/m/san-diego-metro-area/
Carmel Valley tends to be newer builds. It's close enough to the beach to enjoy the beach without being close enough that you have the marine layer (overcast) going on much of the time. It's pretty convenient to a lot of hubs.

Scripps Ranch has some beautiful homes tucked away as well as newer cookie cutter places closer to the main drag. Technically, you wouldn't have to leave Scripps Ranch for anything as far as shopping, etc, goes. It has everything right there. I can't speak to the schools. It's more inland and therefore not as convenient to go to the beach.

If I had kids that age, I'd be happy in either location (Scripps Ranch or Carmel Valley). If money were no object, I'd be as close to the beach as possible without getting under the marine layer. If I were mainly concerned with schools, I'd live in the Poway school district.

And thanks for the note on marine layer/overcast - good to know!

 

[kristensideaoffun]

The Poway school district is the main one that people try to live in for the schools. Scripps Ranch is next to Poway, but I don't think it's in the school district. Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penasquitos (probably the most popular for families moving to San Diego), 4S Ranch (lots of fees), and Sabre Springs are some areas that come to mind that are in the school district. There could be others that I don't know about.

Poway school district is a great school district in the city of Poway. The area is much more rural (especially as you go further east, some Poway properties are zoned for horses) compared to Carmel Valley and Scripps Ranch, but has everything you need from big box stores to restaurants. It also gets very, very hot during the summer. Our daughter’s gymnastics gym is in Poway and the summer workouts are miserable even with the AC blasting there. Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penasquitos, 4S Ranch, and Sabre Springs are all communities located within the city of San Diego and are part of San Diego Unified. But those communities do have great schools within San Diego Unified.

Thanks for the breakdown on commute patterns! Just curious... around how long is your commute from San Carlos area to downtown area?

It depends on the time I leave, but usually between 20-25 minutes in the mornings, sometimes 12-15 minutes in the afternoons/non-rush hours. Could be 30-35 minutes in really heavy traffic. If you don’t mind public transportation, you can take the trolley into downtown. It isn’t any faster but you don’t have to be the one driving, although you will likely have to drive and leave your car at the trolley station.

We used to live in Mission Hills which is a neighborhood adjacent to downtown. It took me less than 10 minutes to get to work from there and that was usually because of traffic signals, not from sitting in traffic. There is a great K-8 school (Grant) in Mission Hills and is zoned for Point Loma High which is pretty good (7 rating). We really miss that area and plan to move back there in the next few years. We thought we wanted a larger house with more yard space when we moved to San Carlos, but we realize now how much we value and miss the shorter commute and ability to walk/bike to the grocery store, gym, schools, Balboa Park, bay, etc in the Mission Hills area.

 

[OffToDWD]

Poway school district is a great school district in the city of Poway. The area is much more rural (especially as you go further east, some Poway properties are zoned for horses) compared to Carmel Valley and Scripps Ranch, but has everything you need from big box stores to restaurants. It also gets very, very hot during the summer. Our daughter’s gymnastics gym is in Poway and the summer workouts are miserable even with the AC blasting there. Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penasquitos, 4S Ranch, and Sabre Springs are all communities located within the city of San Diego and are part of San Diego Unified. But those communities do have great schools within San Diego Unified.




It depends on the time I leave, but usually between 20-25 minutes in the mornings, sometimes 12-15 minutes in the afternoons/non-rush hours. Could be 30-35 minutes in really heavy traffic. If you don’t mind public transportation, you can take the trolley into downtown. It isn’t any faster but you don’t have to be the one driving, although you will likely have to drive and leave your car at the trolley station.

We used to live in Mission Hills which is a neighborhood adjacent to downtown. It took me less than 10 minutes to get to work from there and that was usually because of traffic signals, not from sitting in traffic. There is a great K-8 school (Grant) in Mission Hills and is zoned for Point Loma High which is pretty good (7 rating). We really miss that area and plan to move back there in the next few years. We thought we wanted a larger house with more yard space when we moved to San Carlos, but we realize now how much we value and miss the shorter commute and ability to walk/bike to the grocery store, gym, schools, Balboa Park, bay, etc in the Mission Hills area.

Thanks!! Super helpful. I heard that it can get really hot the more inland you get. Carmel Valley area looked appealing with the schools and it seemed like it's fairly central to other parts of San Diego... and think has the more mild weather. Have the areas you guys mentioned listed and now need to look them up on a map!

I used to commute into NYC from NJ and then from the East Bay into SF... those are commutes I don't want to repeat again!

 

[cruisehopeful]

Just curios... what types of additional fees can be found in 4S Ranch? Just so we know what to watch out for!

I looked when they were building up the area. There were mello roos (fees that covered the cost of being in the Poway school district), associated fees for living in 4 S ranch and additional fees for the particular community buildout that each were in. When we looked, way back when they were just starting to build the area, our tax and fees were going to be about $2K/per month, not including the actual house payment. We decided not to buy there. A couple years after that, a large percentage of people were underwater and many of those homes were foreclosed on. It's now a very booming community.

Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Penasquitos, 4S Ranch, and Sabre Springs are all communities located within the city of San Diego and are part of San Diego Unified.

The communities/homes are in San Diego, but the schools are in the Poway school district. Many people that I know purposely bought in Rancho Bernardo and Rancho Penasquitos for the school district without the added property tax of living in Poway. Much of the newer builds charge mello roos that contribute to the Poway school district because the homes aren't paying taxes that go into the district. There is a part of Rancho Penasquitos that falls in the San Diego school district, but it is a very small sliver of the area.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

My apologies, you’re correct. I completely forgot those areas are part of the Poway Unified.

And to make it more confusing, Carmel Valley is also in San Diego but part of the San Dieguito High School District and Del Mar Union School District (I believe Del Mar Union is only elementary schools, but I could be mistaken). We briefly lived in La Mesa where there are similar overlapping district boundaries and, while there were no mello roos, our taxes were noticeably higher. We moved a few streets over back into San Diego where the taxes are lower and the neighborhood schools are better, even though our daughter attends a German charter school and not our neighborhood school.

 

[OffToDWD]

I looked when they were building up the area. There were mello roos (fees that covered the cost of being in the Poway school district), associated fees for living in 4 S ranch and additional fees for the particular community buildout that each were in. When we looked, way back when they were just starting to build the area, our tax and fees were going to be about $2K/per month, not including the actual house payment. We decided not to buy there. A couple years after that, a large percentage of people were underwater and many of those homes were foreclosed on. It's now a very booming community.
The communities/homes are in San Diego, but the schools are in the Poway school district. Many people that I know purposely bought in Rancho Bernardo and Rancho Penasquitos for the school district without the added property tax of living in Poway. Much of the newer builds charge mello roos that contribute to the Poway school district because the homes aren't paying taxes that go into the district. There is a part of Rancho Penasquitos that falls in the San Diego school district, but it is a very small sliver of the area.

Yikes - That's a lot in just taxes and fees! Thanks for explaining - super helpful.

 

[OffToDWD]

My apologies, you’re correct. I completely forgot those areas are part of the Poway Unified.

And to make it more confusing, Carmel Valley is also in San Diego but part of the San Dieguito High School District and Del Mar Union School District (I believe Del Mar Union is only elementary schools, but I could be mistaken). We briefly lived in La Mesa where there are similar overlapping district boundaries and, while there were no mello roos, our taxes were noticeably higher. We moved a few streets over back into San Diego where the taxes are lower and the neighborhood schools are better, even though our daughter attends a German charter school and not our neighborhood school.

Thanks! There are quite a few school districts in San Diego!! San Dieguito High School District sounds like it's a good one too.

 

[OffToDWD]

I was reading up a bit on mello roos... so it's a "temporary" tax for a specific purpose (though it sounds like it can last up to 40 years!)? If an area currently does not have mello roos, can it have it in the future?

 

[xWilliam]

Hello! I currently live in San Diego, grew up in Poway before moving to Mira Mesa, which is right next to scripps ranch, so I mingled with the kids from that nieghborhood quite a lot while I was in highschool. It wasn't until recently that moved a bit further south. So I'm fairly qualified to answer some of your questions!!

But I need some information from you.
- what is your budget?
- where are you planning to work?

 

[cruisehopeful]

I was reading up a bit on mello roos... so it's a "temporary" tax for a specific purpose (though it sounds like it can last up to 40 years!)? If an area currently does not have mello roos, can it have it in the future?

As far as I know, homes are either built with mello roos attached or they aren't. Your realtor will know and you can specifically say that you don't want to see anything that has mello roos if you don't want that. Some people don't mind mello roos because it covers better schools, parks, etc. in a particular area. I wouldn't expect mello roos fees to go away completely. Any communities that are recently built in what was previously open land has a high chance of mello roos. It's rare for older communities to have them. If you love the home and it has mello roos, it may be easier to just think of that as part of the cost of the home and not additional taxes. Or, you can bypass all of that by telling your realtor not to show you anything that has mello roos, or association fees above a particular amount. The areas that you mentioned most likely have at least association fees.