http://www.coronadonewsca.com/

You’ve probably already done this, but if not, subscribe to this paper asap. Then call the rental owners as soon as you see their ads. They go quickly in Coronado. Most owners do not use property managers so you cannot count on your realtor to get you a place.

The charm of Coronado is being able to walk and ride bikes to everything, even to the grocery store, so do not be seduced by the newer construction and plentiful rentals in the Cays (even if you are thinking to yourself… “well, it is only for a little while until we find a place to buy”). You’ll regret it quickly. Drive drive drive up and down the Strand is what you’ll do (I lived there once without kids yet – and it was too much driving even for just me). There isnt even a grocery store in the Cays.

I did not know about the mold OR the previous dump land! Nasty.

We had one rental up in the main part of Coronado (no the Cays) that was so moldy we had to wash the walls twice a year from the floor to 4 ft high with a bleach/water mixture.

The rats in Coronado are unbelievable. You can sit out on your beautiful 10 X 10 patio in the evening and see them scurrying across the utility wires overhead.

You forgot to mention the ants (everyone has ant service – and if they dont, they soon will…) and the last few years we lived there there was a huge increase in the number of flies in the summer. it was disgusting – especially at the Concert in the Park on Sundays. last summer my friends who still live there were complaining about them as well.

Why dont you check out Del Mar or Solana Beach eagleyes? Cleaner ocean water, and much better schools up there too. Is Coronado closer to your work?

Wow, lots of Coronado bashing. The Cays are pretty cool if you live on the water. As for the mold, I’m sure that has a lot more to do with the damp conditions rather than the dump that was here 50 years ago. The village is just as damp (“The village” is the term locals use to describe the main part of the island). I live in the Cays and have never seen a rat here. I have never been unable to get over the bridge because of a closure. The schools are also a 10 out of 10 for California schools.

I rent in the village and I used to rent from a fb in the Cays. I’d move to the Ozarks before I’d ever go back to the Cays, but that is a whole other story. We should have a thread here on Piggingtons for bubble renter legal advice and tips.

Definitely move here and rent for a year or even two years before you buy. Nothing is moving right now. I could just swing a fixer-upper but it doesn’t make sense to me. I have friends that bought within the past 3 years and they are pretty scared. They can’t cover expenses with rent and they can’t sell. The maintenance is killing them on these dumps. And there is a smell to the ocean when it is full of crap that you won’t notice until you have been here awhile.
Rent is negotiable here. Some homeowners don’t advertise when they have a vacancy. That is why you see all the “looking to rent” ads in the Eagle. I think it is a subtle form of discrimination but that is how the system seems to work. Don’t worry about pets because every renter I know here has a dog. A lot of military officers rent homes and they have kids and dogs and seem to do fine.

By the way, you are persona non grata if you rent here. So are your kids. But don’t let the local attitude talk you into anything you feel unsafe about buying. You have nothing to gain by impressing these folks. I love it here, but that is the way it is.

As a poor Temecula/Murrieta dweller just barely scraping by on $100k a year this thread has entertained the &%#* out of me!

The only person I know who lives on Coronado is an in-law of my sister’s. He always has the newest model customized BMW and reportedly takes an hour and half to shower and mousse every morning. He has a personal shopper at Neiman Marcus and peppers his conversation with phrases like “Istanbul has really changed…”

Now I can imagine his mansion built over a moldy dump and I can hear the squeaking of the rats running down his electrical wires at night. At least
he is not a renter so he doesn’t have to be looked down on by his neighbors!

Only in California can someone feel “priced out” of such a place!

Let’s be honest, I would love to breathe the cool ocean air down there at Coronado — even if it has a slight aroma — but the snobs would do me in.

JS

eagleeye, I do think Coronado village is the *perfect* location for working downtown. As far as rental pricing, I think there is a better selection in the 3000-3500 range because the military renters are usually outpriced at that level. I’ve seen some stunning homes on the ocean half of the island at those prices. And we are getting a Panera! We will finally have some good bread without crossing the bridge.