[quote=investor]While I know that the weather in coronado isn’t 70 degrees 365 days a year, outside of key west, I think that coronado offers just about the best weather. And, I love the cali “extraction of enjoying life everyday” that I’ve only felt there, despite some of the ding dongs that make you shake your head. No one really has said much about rancho santa fe, despite the long commute to the ocean. My wife has a cousin there and loves it.[/quote]
investor, I agree with SDRealtor here. At the very least, come to Coronado and other beach areas you are interested in and drive around during high tourist season, which is coming up (June thru Sept [maybe a little longer on either end].) Experience the “June gloom” and Orange Ave. bottleneck to the strand, witness the military traffic patterns, etc. Try to park within two blocks of a beach yourself on a weekend morning. The best way to see every street intimately is by bike. You can rent bikes by the day at several places at or near the Hotel Del.
Your wife should ask her cousin about all the fees and rules associated with owning in RSF. It is inside of a “covenant,” meaning, aside from a layer of county government, there is another “government” inside the covenant. If an owner chooses to change the exterior footprint, paint, shingle, door, window, tree, awning, etc. on a property located within the “covenant,” even if you paid all your fees and the county approved your project, it will have to be approved by the covenant’s board, as well, before you begin work. Even though Sheriff service is provided by the County just outside the RSF covenant, as an owner inside, you will pay extra for your own police and security, as the sheriff’s department cannot enter unless covenant security lets them in (ex. they are cooperating in an investigation). Since you originally posted of mistrust of government in CA, IMHO, I wasn’t sure if you were aware of the concept of a “Covenant” as a de-facto mini-government layer within a local government.
Here’s another exercise for you this summer. Start at the RSF southwest entrance gate at the bottom of the hill and drive to your fav beach in north county. Clock the time it takes to get there and the additional time it takes to find a parking spot.
