Semi-Retire in Temecula in 2012

[Anonymous]

I was gonna make a pitch for Temecula but I can’t top what scardey said.

FWIW, I’ve been semi-retired here for about ten years, had toddlers when we came, and it’s worked out great. I’m headed off to my morning run through wine country right now. There will most likely be balloons flying overhead.

[SD Realtor]

Actually most people who badmouth areas don’t or have not lived in them for a long time. The best advice comes from those who have lived there for a long time. Like when people bash Mira Mesa who have never lived there or people who talk about how horrible it is to live in other states but haven’t ever lived there.

It is a simple form or one upsmanship. I have never lived in Temecula and don’t have a desire to because it isn’t for me. However most of the people I know who do live there seem to really enjoy it. Seems like Temecula residents on this blog speak well of it as well. I know lots of people who like Lakeside and even Santee because of pricing and in Lakeside they can buy acreage, but those communities get dissed by outsiders all the time.Same with all of my friends who live out of state. Not places I would live but they really enjoy those communities. Even those that left California.

[spdrun]

Then again, sometimes the badmouthing is true. I know someone from a rural town which had farms, a main street with a few dozen stores, a growing meth/heroin problem, and multiple prisons. His choices were to stay on his parents’ farm, work in a store, or go to work for the prison service in some capacity. Since none appealed, he left and didn’t look back.

His description was that it was the kind of place where you left your car keys in the ignition at night. Not because car theft was nonexistent, but if someone escaped from the prisons, you’d want them to take a car and get out of town, rather than taking you with the car.

[paramount]

How bad could it be?

[img_assist|nid=17882|title=Temecula, California|link=node|align=center|width=399|height=156]

[ice9]

Any reccommendations for realtors that specialize in Temecula/Murrietta?

[flyer]

Have friends around the same age as the OP, who are also “semi-retired,” and are trying to decide between the 4S/Del Sur area and Temecula.

Like Temecula, these Black Mountain areas have great schools, lots of open space for running and biking, sports fields, shopping, etc., etc. They also want to be accessible to San Diego without worrying about the traffic on I-15, and they want to be fairly close to the beaches, so they are evaluating cost vs. convenience.

That said, even though they are relatively young, they are also concerned about the medical facilities in Temecula. They would like to have access to Sharp, Scripps, UCSD, etc. medical, and are trying to find out what facilities are available in Temecula, without having to travel a long distance.

Does anyone know what comprehensive medical facilities are available in Temecula, so I can give them some idea of what they would have access to in the Temecula area, and if they are overcrowded?

Thanks.

[FlyerInHi]

What’s wrong with Austin? Did you read the other thread about moving to Texas?

Sometimes it’s best to retire in place.

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=flyer]Have friends around the same age as the OP, who are also “semi-retired,” and are trying to decide between the 4S/Del Sur area and Temecula.

Like Temecula, these Black Mountain areas have great schools, lots of open space for running and biking, sports fields, shopping, etc., etc. They also want to be accessible to San Diego without worrying about the traffic on I-15, and they want to be fairly close to the beaches, so they are evaluating cost vs. convenience.

That said, even though they are relatively young, they are also concerned about the medical facilities in Temecula. They would like to have access to Sharp, Scripps, UCSD, etc. medical, and are trying to find out what facilities are available in Temecula, without having to travel a long distance.

Does anyone know what comprehensive medical facilities are available in Temecula, so I can give them some idea of what they would have access to in the Temecula area, and if they are overcrowded?

Thanks.[/quote]

new loma linda branch in menifee, about 5 miles north of murrieta.

[scaredyclassic]

that photo is nice. that’s what it actually looks like.

[temeculaguy]

This was enough to bring me out, and a fun trip back through memory lane. Paramount is right, the market has strengthened and for good reason. The deals available when you first posted are gone, but I do not believe the current prices do not represent a bubble yet. When I bought my house at the end of 2008, I had no reservations, now that it sells for almost double I guess I’d worry more, but not for long.

Now with toddlers, you need a car for sure. Probably a job too, those kids get expensive. I’m a few months from being an empty nester and can honestly say that that they are just like fine wine, they cost more with age. Mine cost me about 40k a year combined and both have jobs. Even state college will run you 20k a year with tuition, housing, food, cars, gas, car insurance, health insurance, cell phones, etc etc etc. I’m about to transition to two being away at school and am loading for bear as I expect my tab to get closer to 60k. My advice, come here, but do t soon, great place to raise kids, fun town with lots of things for every speed. However, postpone retirement until the last one graduates college, which in your case will be in about 20 years. Put that retirement fantasy to bed now that you decided to procreate (which I fully support as it will add more to your life than sleeping in for the next 30 years will).

As for medical, we have four hospitals now. Inland valley expanded, loma linda added and the crown jewel is the new Temecula Valley Hospital which recently opened. Scripps or sharp owns rancho springs or inland valley, or at least did when I last checked. All in all, health care caught up finally.

Temecula is a wonderful town, keeps getting better as the years go by. I am currently commuting South and I notice when I exit the freeway the line to exit is shorter than the line to enter the Northbound 15 from Temecula Parkway. There are a lot of jobs here now, unfortunately for most people, the prices get lower as you move North and most cannot afford to live in the city proper, thus we have entered the next phase where people commute TO Temecula.

Which makes me think about all the old discussions, paramount, I hope you kept that paloma house as a rental, you are going to make a mint one day. By my calculations, your doubling down will make you a rich man, wish I had done the same.

Also, the South Temecula bias is confirmed, just like a lot of places, being in certain school boundaries has a value, and Great Oak High School is where the current value is. They are changing the boundaries, being South of Temecula Parkway or the Southern part of the wine country will soon have a financial benefit. The district is rezoning and refusing transfers to that school which used to be fairly easy.

http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/temecula/temecula-headlines-index/20140207-temecula-school-boundary-changes-roil-parents.ece

I personally think all the schools are good and the differences are slight up here, but the Jones’ have decided that keeping up has a value and unless you live in the proposed boundaries, you can’t send your kids to the school with the highest scores in riverside or san bernadino counties combined. It’s no longer a concern of mine personally, but any student of r/e values knows it makes a difference.

Once the town gets a university i believe the transformation will be complete. In the 46 years I’ve lived in So Cal I’ve seen towns boom and bust. With everything I’ve learned, this is a town I placed my bet on and it looks like I won, go to Old town on a Friday night, it gets cooler, younger and hipper every month. Hit the wineries and realize everyone is from orange county. Even saw an episode of a show on food network called “chopped” where they described the town as affluent, I was taken aback. If I hadn’t bought, I’d probably be priced out of my own hood in just a few short years, that doesn’t happen because of macroeconomics, that happens because people want to be here. Don’t wait another 4 years, this clock is ticking, in a few years you will be looking at Menifee, at best.

I wish CalFord would come back, gloating is amongst my favorite hobbies. Temecula is now the 3rd safest city of 100k population or more in the US.

[ice9]

[quote=FlyerInHi]What’s wrong with Austin? Did you read the other thread about moving to Texas?
[/quote]

Austin a great place to live overall. The main reasons why it isn’t the best choice for me:

It can be hot from May through October. I don’t mind hot weather for a couple of months, but in Austin it just lasts too long and it too extreme.

Property taxes are too high. They vary on where you live in Austin, but a 400K house could be anywhere from 8K to 12K per year.

The city is too big. Our ideal city size would probably be around 50K. I know T/M the population is around 200K — so it’s bigger than we would like, but it’s not anything like Austin size (or San Diego size for that matter).

I haven’t seen the Texas thread — I’ll look for it.

[ice9]

Thanks for the comments and information about Temecula. It’s gold for me to get this kind of feedback.

I’ve given up on my no-car ambitions years ago — I’ve accepted car ownership is a necessity with a family, but I can try to minimize car usage (biking, etc) to help keep ownership costs down.

Just for background information, the other cities we are considering are:

Ashland, OR
Signal Mountain, TN
Peachtree City, GA

I am sold on Temecula, but I’ve got my work cut for me to convince my wife. She is concerned about the cost of living (legitimate) and things like earthquakes and wildfires (not legitimate concerns IMO).

She wants me to research what earthquake insurance costs. Is that something you need in Temecula? If so, what does it cost?

It seems like utilities are pretty reasonable (just from reading some posts on city-data.com). Is the drought in SoCal making water prices go higher in Temecula?

We would want to minimize property taxes, so avoiding Mello Roos is a goal. It seems like there are some nice older neighborhoods like Vintage Hills without Mello Roos. Any other good neighborhoods without Mello Roos you would recommend?

We also really want a one-story home — but those seem uncommon in Temecula. It’s going to make the home buying process more difficult, but hopefully not impossible.

Thanks again for everyone’s input!

[paramount]

[quote=ice9]
The city is too big. Our ideal city size would probably be around 50K. I know T/M the population is around 200K — so it’s bigger than we would like, but it’s not anything like Austin size (or San Diego size for that matter).

[/quote]

Unless I missed this, sounds like you need to visit. For all that is great about Temecula and so cal in general, Temecula like essentially anywhere else in so cal is *PACKED* with people. I’m talking buts to nuts.

The official population of Temecula is 105k, but it’s 105k much the same way a city in the san fernando valley might have a population of 100k.

You’d never know….

[flyer]

Not an authority on Temecula, but am a native San Diegan who has also lived in many other places, so I’ll just interject a couple of thoughts here.

You have many valid questions and concerns, but you have to realize every location in the world, including the alternatives you have mentioned, have their pros and cons–just as SoCal does.

No place is perfect, so, in the final analysis, it will all boil down to getting the things you and your family want MOST. There will be a give and take with every location, and you probably need to spend time in all of them to make a good decision.

After living many places in the world, I can tell you that we would never permanently live any place other than San Diego. It ranks the #2 place most Americans would want to live in many polls, (NYC is #1) so, apparently, I’m not alone.

Wish you the best!!

[spdrun]

I’m actually surprised that NYC is #1. Unless you’re talking about “NYC with essentially unlimited money and a 5000 sq ft townhouse.”

NYC is a great place to live, but living there also involves certain compromises that are very different from normal suburban life in the US.

[Author]

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