rent in UTC for awhile. It will be super close to work and get to learn about the different areas of San Diego. UTC is super generic will no character. It consists of a large shopping mall surrounded by subdivision after subdivision of inimiums. There is also a large amount of commercial building around the area. UCSD is a adjacent to the west. The best thing about UTC is that it is about as central as you can get in the county. So rent there for a spell… get to know the area, and then rent somewhere else after you find a good fit for the lifestyle you lead. If you can delay buying for a few years, I would recommend to wait instead of buying in 6 month.
San Diego is not a cheap place to live… however your first winter here will give you a chance to compare our climate to the Michigan climate. Finally if you want, just go to Craigslist San Diego and look for rentals in UTC or University City to compare against the price you have. I think you will be able to do a little bit better then 1800 but not alot better. What complex is the condo in? How many SF?
