u/BrantasticHomes

Hi everyone!

My husband, our almost 5-year-old son and I will be moving from the UK to San Diego later this year, and we're currently trying to figure out the best area to live in.

We've never lived in California before, so we'd really appreciate some advice from locals!

We're looking for:

• A safe, family-friendly neighbourhood.
• Good public elementary schools.
• Parks, playgrounds and activities for young children.
• Ideally somewhere not too far inland, as we'd prefer to avoid the really hot summers.
• A monthly rental budget of around $3,000 - $4,000.

We've been looking at Carlsbad, San Marcos, Rancho Bernardo, 4S Ranch, Oceanside and Poway, but we're open to other suggestions!

We really like Carlsbad, but it seems quite expensive, so we're trying to find somewhere that offers a good balance between affordability, schools and quality of life.

Since we're moving from another country, this is all completely new to us, and we'd love to hear your experiences, especially from families with young children.

Are there any particular neighbourhoods you'd recommend? Or areas you'd avoid?

Thank you so much in advance! 😊

Any advice on moving long distance from Austin, TX to San Diego, CA? I need to bring my car and cat and dog and am a single income household. I was thinking of driving from tx to ca in my car with as much as possible but will definitely have some things that won’t fit in my car I would hope to bring out there. Any advice is appreciated!!

the question can incites some controversy over here in Los Angeles. to sum it up: for some people not everywhere in Los Angeles county counts as "Los Angeles"

and there is even funny "cultural definitions" vs the city boundaries. Think Santa Monica or Beverly Hills.

anyway, How do people of San Diego talk about this topic, if at all?

San Diego county is huge, so I doubt anywhere in the county counts as "San Diego", or is this just my LA person talking now?

Should we be concerned about this? Should i prepare of what’s supposedly to come? I’ve lived here 6 years and haven’t experienced anything bad with rain and flooding.

Hiii does anyone work in leasing and get a rent discount, if so, what company? I’m looking to move from Austin, and I get about 40% off rent at a downtown property here. All the listings I see in SD do not advertise a discount. Please advise:)

How is the job market in San Diego? And does anyone know anyone who’s hiring currently? I’ve applied to several places and I’m just wondering what everyone’s experiences have been like getting a job here :,)

Hi!! Need locals opinions. My boyfriend and I are in mid 20s and moving to north county SD. I was really wanting to live in Encinitas but not finding much luck trying to find somewhere under $3.4k/month (with a garage, a must for him :/) I came across a lot of townhomes in “Carmel Valley”? Inland of Del Mar (right next to One Paseo shopping center and Del Mar heights which seems to have a lot too).

Thoughts here?? Is Carmel valley way to suburban? I saw it’s about a 10 minute drive to beach but I feel like I’ll be okay being walking distance to shopping center/restaurants?? Or should I just keep looking in Encinitas?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ANY INSIGHT !!!!

Just wanted to compare HOA fees here in San Diego. Mine is:

HOA: $462 - Clairemont Mesa, 2bd/2ba condo, includes water

And is it starting to improve yet? Seems just as bad now as it's been for the last couple years.

I've been renting in San Diego for a few years and I'm finally getting serious about buying. I'm realizing pretty quickly that staying close to the areas where I spend most of my time means either pushing my budget harder than I'd like or accepting a much smaller place.

Once I move the search farther inland, I can actually picture getting a house I'd be happy staying in for years. I'm just worried I'll get the house I wanted and then realize I moved too far away from the life I liked here in the first place. For people who made that tradeoff to become homeowners, how has it worked out a few years later?

Grew up in the Coachella Valley so im used to the heat. Im currently in Ventura but some transfer opportunities opened up with pay for both around $180k after 2 years. I will be moving in with my fiancée we are both in our mid 20s Mexican/Vietnamese. We see what both cities have to offer just looking to see what you guys think about both cities and where i should transfer. I guess another option is to stay in Ventura. COL in Ventura and SD is quite high but we do love the coastal weather and activities.

Considering moving from Newport/irvine area to Oceanside/Vista area for family/friends. Has anyone else made this move before? What was your experience like?

Hey everyone! My husband and I are looking to move to SD in 2028. We both work remote and can transfer there.
There is a few things we're looking to get a feel for as this would be our first time moving out of state.
Combined we make 164k yearly. We are looking for advice on a few things:

-Area to live based off of lifestyle and affordability. We're both big on outdoorsy stuff, creative/music oriented and big foodies in our mid 20s.

-Is 164k a good amount to live comfortably?

-Pros and Cons of San Diego/California as a whole?

Any direction helps a ton! Thank you in advance!

What is the needed income to retire in mission beach area or La Jolla? We really enjoy the area and I feel like I’ve been missing out on life not being there. The people are very friendly and we like the weather, culture, and overall vibe. I realize nowhere is perfect but those of you who live there are in about the closest place to perfect and it gets in my opinion. Currently living in a LCOL area with hopes to move to San Diego when we retire. It appears that it would be best for us to rent after seeing the price of homes. A studio apartment with a small kitchen is what we would need. We like to travel 2-3 times a year but just taking into consideration living costs what would a couple need as far as annual income?

Hi everyone!
I need to relocate to the area for work so I am looking for housing! I'd like to think I know the area because I used to live here a few years ago but things change fast.

I have some solid leads (and would appreciate any recs if you have em!) but I'd also like to know if there's any complexes you would definitely NOT recommend.

I'm looking in the cities of escondido, san marcos, vista, and oceanside!

Hey, I’m a guy in my mid 20’s & thinking of moving to San Diego. Always have loved the city. The only thing really holding me back is I’ve read everywhere online if you’re a guy the dating scene here is brutal, I’m a straight guy. Honestly other cities I’ve lived in I’ve met my girlfriends through dating apps. I seem to get lots of likes in other cities but never in San Diego, I guess because there’s such a large population of guys? My question for guys is, is the dating scene here that bad? If a good dating scene is something I’m looking for should I look elsewhere? Los Angeles is better?

Is Imperial Beach in San Diego County really that bad? Is it a good place to live or is the location with proximity to Mexico and the environmental issues it has not worth it? Anything good about that town?

Which neighborhoods are considered more affordable to find a roommate

which parts of North County are realistically affordable for roommates?

I’ve been researching NC and wanted local opinions.

Which neighborhoods are considered more affordable while still being relatively safe and decent for someone without wanting to drive everywhere constantly?

I keep seeing mixed opinions online about different areas, so I wanted feedback from locals.