Yeah, that was a funny thread. So much Mexican bashing, makes me look almost like a hispanic sympatizer by comparison. Santee is actually the fourth whitest inland geo in San Diego County, after Alpine, Julian, and Lakeside. It is also known as Klantee (or Santucky). How can anybody describe it as a mexican slum, it escapes me.
Santee does in fact have one of the lowest crime rates inland, it’s a lot safer than its immediate neighbors La Mesa and El Cajon. It’s even a little safer than Carlsbad. Here’s the link
Santee is much hotter than MM. I think it’s hotter that San Marcos, too. Last time I was there, I got the impression that roads were in a rather bad shape.
52 East through Mission Trails is extremely congested during the evening rush hour. The same is probably true westbound in the mornings but to a lesser degree. All problems stem from the fact that the freeway narrows from 3 to 2 lanes a mile or so west of Mast Blvd. I seem to recall something about freeway widening.
The K-8 school (Rio Seco) is good, the high school (Santana) is so-so.
It takes 45 minutes by trolley to get from Santee to Old Town, plus connection, plus 10-15 minutes from Old Town to the downtown.
Planning to negotiate down to 400k is ambitious, the sticker price of a 2000 sf model is 497k before options. There could be Mello Roos, too.
Personally I wouldn’t pay anywhere close to 497k for a 2000 sf townhouse in Santee, I’d get an older and slightly smaller detached in RB/PQ, Poway, or Carlsbad, for the same money. I also think that RB/PQ and Carlsbad have more downside potential. But schools are a bigger factor for me.
If you like Santee, check out houses near Santee Lakes, they are older but IMHO better value.
