If your ruling out places based on vulnerability to fire . . . don’t rule out 4S Ranch. 4S Ranch and four other recently built communities in the Rancho Santa Fe fire district are probably the safest homes from fire ANYWHERE in San Diego. Not a single 4S home burned. http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071025/news_1n25stay.html#
Moreover, firestorms like last month aside, even when some hairbrained 4S homeowner throws burning material into their garage with other combustibles and inevitably a fire starts. The fire safe features of the homes are so good the fires are immediately and automatically extinguished with little damage and no harm to occupants. http://www.rsf-fire.org/assets/documents/news/news_releases/2005/100605%20Cayenne%20Creek%20Fire.pdf
Being nearer to the coast most likely wont make you safer for either of two reasons. 1) the homes are older and don’t have newer “fire safe” features, and 2) being right on the coast is NOT a gaurantee you aren’t going to be wiped out by a firestorm. Examples are Malibu in the most recent fires and most notably. Laguna Beach, CA in 1993 http://www.light-headed.com/asite/laguna/laguna_history/laguna_beach_fire.php
Rather than being close to the coast to protect you from fire, you are better off (in terms of fire protection) to buy a newer home with newer “fire safe” technology intergrated into the homes. 4S homes are the among the very safest from fires anywhere in San Diego.
There are pluses and minuses to 4S. And reasons to buy in 4S or not. However, in your original post you excluded 4S due to “fire danger.” That is not a reason to exclude 4S. In fact if you are worried about fires. 4S should be at the top of your list. Not my 2 cents but that of the experts quoted in the articles linked to herein.
