I LOVE San Diego, but waiting for a $600K house to drop to $400K is insufferable.
No it's not…. patience, patience. If you leave you'll regret it.
kicksavedave, you're one of rare ones in San Diego who won't spend all his money on real estate. Realtors will tell you that you can "afford" a million dollar house. Get a teaser rate loan and when the market goes back up, you can sell. Do that a few times then you'll have enough money to pay-off your forever dream house. Remember, everyone wants to live in San Diego. You can't loose.
Seriously, it's like gambling. Even if the odds are in your favor, unless you have enough cash to stay in the game, long term, you're out.