NY-er moving to SD- but where??

[bearishgurl]

[quote=NYMom]Yes, I’ve been looking, and Poway has some great inventory! Big lots, houses that all look different and reasonable prices (that sounds ridiculous at this price point, doesn’t it?!). It does seem very inland to me though, is that the case? I read someone had said 5-7 miles inland has the best weather, but I cant tell from the online maps how far that is in reality.[/quote]Poway is warm … inland Poway is even warmer. The difference in temps from Poway vs the coast during July is likely 15-25 degrees. You will need to factor in the cost of running central AC 4-5 months per year in Poway. I’m guessing but would surmise that could cost an extra $250 – $450 mo in electricity, depending on square footage of your house.

And Poway attracts the Boys with the Big Toys. They’re parked all over the place out there, albeit behind a 6′ high gate if the subdivision has an HOA.

Isn’t Poway 95% car-dependent? I don’t recall there being any small neighborhood retail villages in Poway (walkable to by local residents). Do any Piggs know?

NYMom, some of Poway is unincorporated or used to be (esp where the 1 AC lots are). As such, they will not have sidewalks or as many street lights as those areas within the city limits.

[Happs]

I think the Isla Verde area of Solana Beach (east of I-5, by the Lomas Santa Fe Country Club Golf Course) would be a good fit to what you’re looking for. North of Lomas Santa Fe Drive East of I-5 might also be a candidate.

[SK in CV]

[quote=bearishgurl]
And Poway attracts the Boys with the Big Toys. They’re parked all over the place out there, albeit behind a 6′ high gate if the subdivision has an HOA.
[/quote]

Stuff like this is why you get accused of describing communities that you know nothing about. There are some parts of Poway where there is a truck in every driveway. And parts where there are a lot more BMW’s and Mercedes than trucks, in communities that have no functional HOAs.

She can get everything she’s looking for in a house, for a lot less than her upper limit price wise in north Poway, in the Valle Verde and Green Valley area. My kids had a horrible experience in the schools, but they tend to produce very good results and most parents are pretty happy with the schools.

[scaredyclassic]

You don’t need ac in temecula. Awesome breeze. We laid on flagstone under gazebo in heat of day w cats and we’re cool. In pool, cold. Why spend 500 month on ac?

Temecula really was nice…

[bearishgurl]

[quote=SK in CV][quote=bearishgurl]
And Poway attracts the Boys with the Big Toys. They’re parked all over the place out there, albeit behind a 6′ high gate if the subdivision has an HOA.
[/quote]

Stuff like this is why you get accused of describing communities that you know nothing about. There are some parts of Poway where there is a truck in every driveway. And parts where there are a lot more BMW’s and Mercedes than trucks, in communities that have no functional HOAs.

She can get everything she’s looking for in a house, for a lot less than her upper limit price wise in north Poway, in the Valle Verde and Green Valley area. My kids had a horrible experience in the schools, but they tend to produce very good results and most parents are pretty happy with the schools.[/quote]

I understand all the reasons why Poway is cheaper, SK. Do the Valle Verde and Green Valley area have “lush greenery with lots of trees?”

The reason I mentioned the Big Toys is because the OP posted this earlier in the thread:

[quote=NYMom]We’ve actually stayed in Carlsbad for a week at a rental house and I wasn’t thrilled with the area. It seemed very barren to me in the housing developments. I like lush, greenery and lots of trees and there were LOTS of mobile homes parked in driveways! LOL. The owner of the house said they moved because they’re kids were getting older and the schools there aren’t good. Now they live in RSF, but keep that house as a vacation rental.[/quote]

I haven’t been to the areas of Poway you describe SK, but you have to be honest here, many buyers like the bigger lots precisely because they CAN park all their toys on it and can’t leave them on the street due to the 72-hour limit ordinance for street parking for RV’s and trailered vehicles. Areas with big lots are a draw to this subset of buyers because commercial off-site storage by the month can be expensive. The residential areas I HAVE been to in Poway had a lot of RVs and boats, etc, both parked and stored.

If NYMom ends up putting Poway on her short list, that’s perfectly fine by me … but you must admit that it is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING like the place she described here that she wanted to live in. All it can offer her is her house and lot size (likely along with lengthy Mello Roos payments if the areas she is shopping in online and those recommended to her here are on the outskirts and “newer” construction). Oh yes . . . and it can offer her an exorbitant utility bill almost half the year and a school district that may very likely be forced into bankruptcy in the coming months/years.

Why did your kids have such a horrible experience in the Poway schools, SK? And were they in Elem, Middle or HS at the time?

[SK in CV]

[quote=bearishgurl]I understand all the reasons why Poway is cheaper, SK. Do the Valle Verde and Green Valley area have “lush greenery with lots of trees?”

The reason I mentioned the Big Toys is because the OP posted this earlier in the thread:

[quote=NYMom]We’ve actually stayed in Carlsbad for a week at a rental house and I wasn’t thrilled with the area. It seemed very barren to me in the housing developments. I like lush, greenery and lots of trees and there were LOTS of mobile homes parked in driveways! LOL. The owner of the house said they moved because they’re kids were getting older and the schools there aren’t good. Now they live in RSF, but keep that house as a vacation rental.[/quote]

I haven’t been to the areas of Poway you describe SK, but you have to be honest here, many buyers like the bigger lots precisely because they CAN park all their toys on it and can’t leave them on the street due to the 72-hour limit ordinance for street parking for RV’s and trailered vehicles. Areas with big lots are a draw to this subset of buyers because commercial off-site storage by the month can be expensive. The residential areas I HAVE been to in Poway had a lot of RVs and boats, etc, both parked and stored.

If NYMom ends up putting Poway on her short list, that’s perfectly fine by me … but you must admit that it is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING like the place she described here that she wanted to live in. All it can offer her is her house and lot size (likely along with lengthy Mello Roos payments if the areas she is shopping in online and those recommended to her here are on the outskirts and “newer” construction). Oh yes . . . and it can offer her an exorbitant utility bill almost half the year and a school district that may very likely be forced into bankruptcy in the coming months/years.

Why did your kids have such a horrible experience in the Poway schools, SK? And were they in Elem, Middle or HS at the time?[/quote]

Yes, lots of greenery. In the area that I’m talking about, the homes are over 40, some more than 50 years old. Almost every one of them has been remodeled in the last 20. No MR. Where I lived in Green Valley, the HOA attempted to collect $50 a year. 80% of it was used for a neighborhood block party once a year. I never paid it. Utility bills were high during the summer, but at $300K to $600K below her target price, there will still be a pretty good trade-off.

Other than the village like feel, it has everything on her list.

My kids were there elementary through my son’s freshman year in HS. They didn’t fit in. CV was much more accepting of kids that were a little bit different.

[bearishgurl]

I’ll take a look at Green Valley online, SK. Sounds like a great area (except for the heat)!

I’ll bet your kids were smart and their peers were just jealous of them. So after awhile, they decided they didn’t want to contribute to class anymore to expose how smart they were.

My kids were all social animals in HS and I wished they would have been a little more interested in their studies. But in the end, it seems the qualities of gregariousness and street smarts are worth something too, in the “real world.” I’m anxious to see how my last kid does in college. They have to live on campus for one year as several of the CSU campuses changed their rules for non-service-area freshman in recent years. The CSU also has a few other thorny, new bureaucratic requirements of incoming freshman and juniors transferring in from CC (all in attempt to boost their 4-year graduation rate and retention stats). Also, about eight of the 23 CSU campuses which are not as impacted are now trying to hold freshmens’ hands a little more so they won’t get lost, sign up for the wrong classes, lose their direction, stop coming to class, not ask for help when they need it, etc. Their fees (aside from classes) went up to almost $1000 year but I’m grateful for all the services offered, including tutoring and test prep.

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=scaredyclassic]You don’t need ac in temecula. Awesome breeze. We laid on flagstone under gazebo in heat of day w cats and we’re cool. In pool, cold. Why spend 500 month on ac?

Temecula really was nice…[/quote]

Are you serious? No AC in Temecula?

Do you also sleep outside under the stars on a hot day?

[CA renter]

NYMom,

I strongly second Flyer-in-HI’s (Brian’s) suggestion to ask your husband about his preferences, and also SDR’s suggestion to rent.

What area is your husband originally from, and exactly what is he trying to replicate? In what industry does he work, and is he able to work from home? Does he have to travel? IMHO, these are all important considerations, too.

Not sure if you’ve considered L.A., but if so, you might want to check out the San Fernando Valley, especially the south and west areas of the valley. It’s much “grittier” than San Diego, but there is a LOT more money up there if your husband doesn’t work in the mobile phone industry or biotech (which are both San Diego’s strengths).

Again, if L.A. is a consideration, you might consider the 91367 area (Woodland Hills), or 91372 (Calabasas) if they would be close to your husband’s work.

As for the downside, this is the area (Calabasas, specifically) is where the Kardashians, Britney Spears, and Justin Bieber live, among many others. There is a definite “see and be seen” attitude there, even among those who are not celebrities. Again, trying to find a down-to-earth area with good schools, high-end homes on large lots, a village feel (very difficult to find in California), etc. is not going to be easy. The schools in these zip codes, though, are the best public schools in the area.

If you are interested in the L.A. area, feel free to PM me, and I’ll do my best to point out certain areas that might interest you based on where your husband will work, etc.

For example, this is a more updated home, so more expensive; but this area has the larger lots that you seem to like, and many of the homes are larger, as well. And this area has glorious trees! 🙂

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Woodland-Hills/23141-Hatteras-St-91367/home/3238575

Or, build your own home:

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Woodland-Hills/23054-Erwin-St-91367/home/3217776

This one is in Hidden Hills, a guard-gated community:

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Hidden-Hills/23547-Long-Valley-Rd-91302/home/3297665

Or something in more of a master-planned development (I used to skate/bike/walk here fairly frequently when I lived up there, and it’s a really beautiful place, though it’s been really built up over the past 10-15 years):

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Calabasas/4520-Park-Verona-91302/home/3496744

Best of luck with your decision! Of course, I think you should really think about what you are leaving, too. It sounds like you live in a more idyllic place than what you’ll be able to find here.

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=FlyerInHi][quote=scaredyclassic]You don’t need ac in temecula. Awesome breeze. We laid on flagstone under gazebo in heat of day w cats and we’re cool. In pool, cold. Why spend 500 month on ac?

Temecula really was nice…[/quote]

Are you serious? No AC in Temecula?

Do you also sleep outside under the stars on a hot day?[/quote]

Serious.

Ac is bad for the body like white flour. Messes with your ability to naturally regulate …

Also, $

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=NYMom]I totally hear you. Our town where we live, the kids don’t even get bussed to school! We can walk to schools, the village, parks, friends houses, and my husband has a 7 minute walk to the train which takes him to NYC in 30 minutes. It’s ideal for sure. But he’s FROM California, and is dying to return. I think my marriage basically depends on it at this point. So, pretty compelling. :)[/quote]

if your marriage depends on moving, then I can relate. I was in the same position a bit over a decade ago. I was int he same boat. Almost certainly moving wont really make any difference to the reality fo whatever is wrong in his life. giving up relatives in the area has a high dollar value. i would put it at 900k.

[scaredyclassic]

what happens if you dont move?

personally, i was pissy. i had what i perceived to be a good job and a good setup where we were at but my wife was dying to get back to southern ca.

then we moved.

jobwise, i wasfine, better off ultimately after a while. but who knows. maybe things wouldve bene great where i was. as for the move for her, it wasn’t quite what she expected.

[NYMom]

Thanks for replying. Husband is from North Hollywood, his Mom is still there. And NOT in a fun, NOHO part. He would never move back to the Valley, and I really don’t like it either. When we visit, we drive over the hill almost daily or head to South Pas to eat, shop etc. I have looked at Calabasas, but shied away for those exact reasons you mentioned. That’s why I had hoped Thousand Oaks could be the answer, but neither of us liked it there.

He’s in Finance, but is in between jobs now and could switch careers altogether if he wanted to. If he had to be in LA for work, that would obviously affect the LA or OC decision, but he prefers to live in OC. Santa Monica I think is his ideal but he knows how important being on a bigger lot is to me, I’m just not willing to compromise, no matter how awesome the house or the neighborhood is, if I’m on top of my neighbors I will be miserable.

[NYMom]

He’s lived here for close to 15 years now and has hated it from the start. It was supposed to be a temporary move for work, but the co. took off and then we met. He’s been wanting to go back for about 8 years now. He’s just very unhappy here. Doesn’t like “the lifestyle,” the weather, or pretty much anything. He feels like he’s waited long enough, worked hard, and should be able to live where he wants to finally.

[scaredyclassic]

Lifestyle is in your house and in your head.

I guess it’s worth a shot.

[Author]

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