The 1997 price comment was in jest. Some people on this board seem to think that if you are paying anything more than the actual cost of the land and the materials to build the house, you are paying too much.
At some point you do trade location and lifestyle for price. There is a premium to be paid. I don’t think that Shadowridge and SEH are very good comps for coastal Carlsbad (schools, access, amenities, location).