I am a native San Diegan, born in Sharp Hospital in 1968. My father was a SD City firefighter for 35 years, my mother did not work outside the home. We lived in rentals in Escondido until I was about 8 (apparently the commute on I-15 wasn’t terrible at the time) and then my parents bought a lot in Valley Center and built a home on it. At that time, all the VC lots were a minimum of 2.5 acres. Our road did not get paved until 1981, and there was no high school. I agree that most of inland north county is pretty soul-less (a bit racist too). Around 1979 my dad got involved in some “speculative” real estate deals and the RE market crashed so he was carrying the costs of 3 houses (2 specs and our home) on his firefighter salary. I remember feeling very, very poor at the time. Eventually the market improved and the spec houses sold. But I don’t remember viewing SD real estate prices as being out of control until the past 5 or 6 years. I moved to Northern Cal for college in the late 80s and and stayed here after, but until 2001 or so felt that the pricing insanity was worse in the Bay Area than in San Diego. There were always “rich places” like La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe where prices were going to be exclusive, but what shocks me now is that people are willing to pay high prices to live in places like Escondido, Vista, Temecula (ugh) and yes, VC. Especially with the crowds. Other than the beautiful weather, I don’t see how the quality of life can be as good as it once was.
