I willingly paid a huge premium to live in CV to have access to the DelMar Union for elementary, and Carmel Valley Middle School and Torrey Pines HS.
The thing I have a beef with about Portico is that I don’t consider it really to be part of Carmel Valley, but you’re being asked to pay the premium. If you live Portico, I believe the way it works is k-6 is in Solana Beach Unified. Middle school is “anticipated” to be in Carmel Valley Middle and Torrey Pines HS OR Canyon Crest Academy. But that I think this is still subject to change. Also, I’m generally leary of brand new planned neighborhoods with a lot of promises of future infrastructure being a certain way. For example the entire Del Sur community I wouldn’t consider buying there regardless of price, until I get a clear indication that they said new planned community/infrastructure is going to happen. Seeing builders pull out is kinda alarming. Now, the Pacific Highlands Ranch area is better built out than I would say Del Sur, but unless you are sure you’re going to get access to San Dieguito Unified, I don’t think there quite a justification for the markup just from school district itself. Unfortunately, this is also why I also don’t like 4s ranch. I think of 4s ranch as “new money” or I should say “new borrowed money”….If there are too many new buyers (which sketchy financiing), and they start pulling out or getting foreclosed, it doesn’t help your property value. (2) It won’t help your surrounding infrastructure either, because not enough people will be paying taxes.
If you were my friend who was deciding between the two, I would try to talk you out of buying in both areas frankly. If you want to live in CV, wait for prices to fall so you can buy in central CV.
