Vista, CA

[barnaby33]

Weather = Great
Commute = Terrible
Large Hispanic community = ? (though it does tend to concentrate in older central vista)
Diversity of housing types = Good (I tend to feel Shadow Ridge is soul-less, but I hate urban sprawl and tracts, there are however lots of options)
City govt = Bad (According to others I have no personal insight)
Culture = Non-existent
Religious Affinity = ? (Vista had when I lived there the highest number of church’s per person in SD)
Schools = Mediocre (At best)

Josh

[FutureSDguy]

Everyone: again, thanks for the honest info. Guess it goes to say you can’t judge a book by its cover. The quality of some of the older homes (1960-80) are spot on according to what I’m looking for, but I’ll have to match elsewhere. Thanks again!!!

[powayseller]

Steve is right; the commute looks easy on a map. Try it once, then decide. Picture yourself going 5 miles in 20 minutes, every single morning, every single night. That’s on the freeway. Imagine yourself waiting for 1-2 minutes at traffic lights just a few blocks apart. If you *love* sitting in your car and are *very patient* in rush hour traffic, then you could tolerate it. My dentist’s receptionist left Vista because her kids were so scared to get beaten up in the school bathroom, that they would “hold it” all day. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Afraid of going into the school bathroom? She said the schools were very very bad.

There’s a reason Vista is cheaper.

When we moved here, I thought the same of Oceanside and Rancho Penasquitos as you do of Vista. Maybe someone can corroborate if Oceanside property values have gone up since the city started its downtown improvements, and if RP property values increased after coastal access improved via the 56.

[balasr]

Powayseller wrote:

“traffic, then you could tolerate it. My dentist’s receptionist left Vista because her kids were so scared to get beaten up in the school bathroom, that they would “hold it” all day. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Afraid of going into the school bathroom? She said the schools were very very bad.”

I thought you said that about San Marcos High once, might be mistaken.

If you work in Vista/Carlsbad/San Marcos/Oceanside and need not move to find alternative work (say you are a lawyer), Vista can give some good deals. The money you save will more than offset the costs of a private school education for 1 or 2 kids, for an equivalent home in Carlsbad. The elementary schools Lake and middle school Madison in Vista are not bad. And even Rancho Buena Vista high school is not the pits like San Marcos high.

If you need to commute ever to San Diego for work, the best option is Shadowridge in Vista. I used to drive from there to work in Carlsbad (I still work in Carlsbad). Now that Melrose is open, it should take you about 20 minutes to hit 5 via La Costa. Or you can take Rancho Santa Fe via Melrose and take El Camino to the Manchester exit (about 1/2 hour even at rush time).

[(former)FormerSanDiegan]

I’ll agree with poway seller that “there’s a reaosn it’s cheaper”. Relative prices of areas tend to track their desirability.

Are you looking only at North County ?

[Steve Beebo]

For someone moving to San Diego, the key is to know where you will be working, (if you’re working), and then look at housing areas at least somewhat close by. You really don’t want to live in Vista if you’re working in Mission Valley, and you don’t want to live in the South Bay if you’re working in the North County.

[sdrealtor]

I disagree. It really depends upon your values. I used to live and work in a place where 1 to 2 hour commutes are the norm. Everyone does it and no one thinks twice about it. If you value being close to work by all means move close to work. If you value a specific lifestyle for your family (who by the way does not bear the brunt of the commute)and you are are willing to make the commute, go where you will be happiest. Free choice is where it is at.

[carlislematthew]

I used to live in Seattle and there’s absolutley no comparision between Issaquah and Vista. Nothing in common at all between the two.

I used to live in Issaquah, now living down in San Diego. I second the comment above.

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