sdrealtor, that’s great that you have a career that is within that distant from the area you want to live. I love my profession, so changing profession is out of the question. You’re right that if you depend on an employer, you’ll be limited as to where you live. Don’t worry about me, I’m living my dream too. Albeit at a much earlier stage in that dream than you. Maybe when I’m in my 40-50s, I’ll be retired and be able to do some of the things that I can’t do when tied to a employer and a salary. But that’s for the future. Life is moving fast enough as is, no need to sit and dream about the future, time to live life today.
Regarding to your statement about NCC, I totally agree with those assessment. Those are some of the things that I see as positive in NCC too. Being a s/w engineer in the telecom industry, I have to be around Sorrento Valley area. I love SV because, it’s close to the beach (just as close as NCC, unless you’re talking about west of the 5 in NCC), price is much more reasonable than NCC, newer homes, close to everything (I can truly say I can get to most places I want to go in SD w/in 15-20 minutes), great canyon view, great health care (Scripps Hospital in La Jolla are one of the top in the country and my wife works there), education (well, I’m not sure which school SV belongs to, but there’s always private school), entertainment is w/in 15 minute drive for me. As you can see, SV have many quality you describe about NCC, it lack in some area, but it makes up in other areas.
Regarding your close ties to your child hood friends, that’s fabulous. I’ve lived in the same house since I was 10, but I’ve made new friends from Jr. High to HS to college. The friends I made in college are the friends I’m still talking to now. So, not everyone is as fortunate as you to find that kind of friends since you were little. I didn’t find mine till I got into college.
I think we’re basically agreeing on the principle, but the details of the two area are what made NCC right for you and SV area right for me. Since SV area is more right for me, I don’t see the need to pay a premium for NCC. That’s just my 2.5 cents.
