[quote=drboom]Those few of us who really are natives know far more about the area than any agent.[/quote]
drboom, I don’t know where you’re from, but here, in Chula Vista, 91910, most of the residents have lived here all of their lives. Many, many homes here have been occupied by the same residents or their heirs for 40, 50 and even 60+ years. Another large group grew up in National City, Imperial Beach or Otay Mesa and now reside in Chula. This also applies to 91911 to a little lesser extent. Adjacent Bonita (inc & uninc) is also heavily occupied by residents who have lived there 30-40 years. Many long-time Bonita residents are originally from Chula 91910 and National City and so have lived in the area 40-70+ years. Many HS graduates of South County HS’s remained in the local area after HS or return here to live after college to raise their own families. This has been changing the last eight years or so, however, as more HS graduates have been leaving to attend college and not returning.
Of all my adult neighbors that I know, aged 30-90, every single one of them grew up in Chula Vista or moved here as a young adult after WWII.
I don’t have any facts to back this claim up, but I would venture that all the new housing tracts built within the last 20 years in recently annexed portions of Chula Vista (91913, 91914 and 91915) are primarily (85%) occupied by persons that grew up less than ten miles away.
I believe this is the case in some areas of East County as well. A couple of areas there come to mind.
When I referred above to agents having area knowledge, I meant an approx. 10 x 10 mile area or smaller, inhabited by one or more adjacent zip codes, NOT a general knowledge of San Diego.
I myself am not “native” but am from No. Cal. I have lived in SD County over 35 years, with 10 years in residence in metro San Diego (south of I-8) and 25+ years in residence in South County. I moved to SD as a young adult and retired from a local government. That’s enough time to know who’s who and what’s what.
