Anyone else seen the Santa Luz area lately?

User Forum Topic
Submitted by doublewide on July 18, 2007 - 1:02pm

Just curious if anyone else notices what I've seen the last couple of days and has insight into what's up.

We live in Scripps and since Monday I've been driving daughter to a camp in RSF. We exit Camino Del Sur off the 56 and take the back way to RSF right through Santa Luz. As we leave the freeway heading west-ish all looks like it did last time I saw it 3 years ago. Trees are a bit bigger, but the medians are well kept, green and flowering. The homes are packed in like sardines but seem to be well kept as well. Then, you pass over Carmel Valley Road and it's like entering Texas or Santa Fe, NM. The medians are all brown and growing weeds. The trees look tired. Trash (boxes, trash bags) litter the sidewalks. It really is odd. We saw that area start to develop a few years ago and it looked nice then. Even as you look out towards the hills and mountains everything is BROWN and just sad looking.

I thought they had an HOA out there, is no one paying their dues so there are no funds to maintain the area or was it the builders/owners intention to let the area go back to what I'm sure was it's natural state - brown scrub brush, weeds, etc?

You just get such a sad feeling driving through. The area near the highschool (Westview) looks very lived in and cared for, then of course you enter Fairbanks Ranch and RSF which is always well manicured, but in between the two it's like a ghost town.

Thoughts, other observations?

Doublewide

‹ North County San Diego Marina District: Park Row? ›
I've driven through that
Submitted by Carlsbadliving on July 18, 2007 - 1:56pm.

I've driven through that area every day for the last few years. I haven't noticed much of any changes. I think the brown that you're seeing if from the lack of rainfall over the last 2 years. Those homes are on large lots with plenty of open space between homes and roads. With out much rain, all of the open space is now brown.

The one thing that I have noticed is that traffic through the area hasn't increase as much as I would have suspected with the opening of Del Sur. I don't believe Del Sur is doing well at all.

Traffic has been increased a
Submitted by fromnj on July 18, 2007 - 3:23pm.

Traffic has been increased a little, but not much. I was wondering why so. Since it has only one lane on each side, it is unusual to see heavy traffic. I guess people rather prefer to drive free way in CA. They have opened Camino Del Sur to Camino Del Norte this spring. And then they just opened Carmel Valley Rd toward 4S ranch over Black Mountain early this month.
Del Sur is slow growing, but selling in a steady pace. I hope the price will go down much faster pace, but it is not happening fast enough.

I jog a lot along Camino Del Sur, but do not remember much trash along the street. I agree the scenery looked dull due to its color, but I do not know what it is causing the problem.
I also jog along Carmel Valley Rd towards Fairbanks Ranch and Torrey Del Mar, but do not notice much difference. Maybe I am too tired of paying attention while jogging since all houses for sale are worth more than few millions.

I have a few friends who
Submitted by gracie on July 18, 2007 - 8:31pm.

I have a few friends who live in that area....Apparently
the dry grass that you see is the landscape. They pay big bucks to gardeners and the HOA to have a natural Sante Fe like look. In the summer months...the hillside and ground cover does look very brown.
I am not sure about the trash....that doesn't make sense at all. I know they pay and great deal in HOA fees...I believe it is over $400 a month.

My observations were based
Submitted by doublewide on July 19, 2007 - 8:24am.

My observations were based only on driving Camino del Sur between the 56 and San Deguito so I'm sure back up in the actual developments there is no trash on the streets.

Maybe that area along Cam. del Sur is maintained by the city and we all know their financial situation - it looks as if they planted grass at some point (there are even multiple sprinkler heads poking up everywhere) and just let it go to seed.

It's just such a stark contrast once you pass over Carmel Valley Road between one area and the other....

they try for the desert
Submitted by ocrenter on July 19, 2007 - 9:35am.

they try for the desert southwest look over in Santa Luz. So that explains the brownness.

anyhow, the place is teeming with flipper activities, mostly by REALTORS®.

here's some of the stories I done so far on Santa Luz (I included Crosby stuff in it as well).

I don't know whether to
Submitted by doublewide on July 19, 2007 - 7:57pm.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry...As you dig up more and more of this stuff (I read your site almost daily) I just can't wrap my brain around all the money. Some day I'd love to know if these REALTORS® you track also had family members who are/were BROKERS and made additional gazillions of dollars. We've run into families like that in 4S (we love to hit Open Houses every now and then just for kicks) where Dad is a Broker who will get you a loan, while Daughter is the REALTOR® and other Daughter is an Escrow Officer and Son-In-Law will do the appraisal...Everyone has their hand in the cookie jar.

Doublewide