Here are my 2 cents as a San Diego native and someone who has recently returned to the area and now rents in Carmel Valley: My simple advice would be to wait to buy ANYwhere. Carmel Valley has low crime, highly-ranked schools and is relatively close to freeways and centers of employment, but apart from that there is little to recommend it. With about a half-dozen exceptions, CV is 100% tract housing (and last holdouts are being bought out), and most homes (especially newer developments) carry hefty Mello-Roos and homeowners’ association fees. Yes, the schools usually achieve high scores, but unless you and your kids are highly competitive, there is a good chance s/he may be left off the team as space in extracurricular activities is always limited. Every house looks the same…every family is competing for the same limited opportunities (at school, on local teams, etc), and frankly most homes are jammed onto undersized lots. Del Sur will also end up a cookie cutter community; it will be relatively cheap for early buyers, but lots there are also small and the commute will be a lot tougher — Camino del Sur was not designed to handle a lot of traffic. If someone put a gun to my head and told me I had to buy today, I would probably look for a shabby 3BR/2BA somewhere in the older parts of Encinitas — lots of 1/2 acre+ lots up there. Poway would be another option; relatively spacious lots and great schools. But again, my primary advice is to WAIT until you get a feel for the neighborhoods before buying…DH
