Barry,

I know your topic is on buying, but I wanted to know more about your wife's job search as a corporate trainer. Has she worked for a corporate wellness/health promotion/wellness center out there in NYC? I ask because I know a company in Carlsbad that is just opening and searching for wellness specialists and personal trainers. This may be of interest to both of you when it comes to income and living situation. Hit me up with more info on what your wife is looking for in a job. My wife and I will be happy to help you, from one young couple to the next :-)

Wed May 21 2008, 18:40

Just continue to do your research! There are many great deals out there and certainly more to come. Study the market, come for a visit and get a feel for the vibe of the communities you are interested in. Know your loan situation going in, have a plan and stick to it. Check outhttp:// www.homepricecheck.com for free real time home valuations so you can get an idea on pricing in different areas. I have great market research from Altos Research I'd be happy to send you. It covers every zip code in San Diego County and offers a comprehensive look at the market. Just let me know and I can e-mail it.

Tue May 20 2008, 22:12

Your timing is great as your purchasing power in San Diego has never been stronger. A young couple would enjoy, Little Italy or downtown condos. Sound like familiar neighborhoos? theya re similar to NYC as Little Italy is a culinary delight and Downtown, well, taht is downtown...close to restaurants, shopping, clubs...the whoel nine yards. if you wish to go somewhere close to the city but far from the maddening crowd...Mission Valley is great. Central and close to all. Other choices include costal communities such as La Jolla, Pacific Beach. The choices are enless here. I myself moved form NYC 11 years ago and we love it. Where else can you swim in your back yard, surf the coast, ski in the mountains and horse back ride in the desert. San Diego has it all. Good luck.

Tue May 20 2008, 19:27

Hey Barry are you guys selling your home here in New York?

Mon May 19 2008, 20:40

first of all, good call on moving from NYC to San Diego.

since youre working in Vista, check out Carlsbad or Encinitas, if you can - Carlsbad 92011 zip or 92009 zip.

should be plenty of places in your range.

yeah, Poway is nice, great schools and all and Rancho Bernardo is great too. Carmel Valley is beautiful but theyre all inland.

if you want the complete So Cal lifestyle, youve got to be near the beaches.

in your range, Del Mar/Solana Beach is not likely but you can find a nice home in Carlsbad or Encinitas.
the reason I say Carlsbad over Encinitas is, well, you work in Vista. Carlsbads a little closer.
Encinitas is nice but there are lots of hippie-surfer spots, eye sore apartment complexes and run down areas.

GL

Mon May 19 2008, 20:18

You can tell times are rough. Instead of showing homes the realtors are all online scrounging for business. I can't believe some of you have the guts to call KB cookie cutters at 800K a screaming deal! You guys are completely out of touch.

The median household income, reported on May18, 2008 for Carlsbad, is 78K. With easy credit drying up, and the majority of savings wiped out of peoples home equity, where do you think they are going to get the money to buy? At 7-10X annual income, prices are still way out of touch. The pressure, particularly with the overall economic picture, is for further decreases in home values. Carlsbad is a great town. Wait 2 years, and you will get in for 70% of what you can get in for now. Maybe we will be neighbors.

Sun May 18 2008, 05:22

Hi Barry
Great question. I would have to ask you what do you two enjoy the most? There is alot to see and do in San Diego so depending on what you like. Downtown is filled with alot of action, can purchase a condo in the $550k to $800K range or do you prefer a nice quiet community with near by attractions in a home? Give me a call and would love to answer any of your questions and help you on your way to relocating to San Diego. Cleda Rodriguez 619 972-0094

Thu May 15 2008, 17:53

Hi Barry,
There is some truth to traffic going the oher way up to Vista. But, if you are working in Vista Carlsbad would be a GREAT place to live. A very reputable newspaper named it a few weeks ago one of the best deals at the water in the Unites States. Because of a tremendous amount of new construction over the last 8 yeras in Carlsbad prices have been artificially supressed and in my opinion the area is WAY underpriced. There are a boatload of homes between 500-800 to buy. If you want a screaming deal you can buu a brand bew home in La Costa Ridge at KB, with over 4000 sq.ft, stainless appliances, granite etc. for UNDER 800,000. If you go onto my website I have put one of the KB homes under Deal of the Week because I beleive it is such a good deal. The best part of Carlsbad for you is that it is right next to Vista. Your commute would be really short. I can't speak to your wife's commute as I don't know where she is going. If she will be downtown University City is a good compromise in the middle It is about 25 mins from Vista and 15 mins from Downtown SD.
As far as investment that is a little bit different. Because of overdeveolpment i think you get a lot for you money in Carlsbad. Since the housing slowdown builders of new construction are taking on huge losses. I think a lot of this will slow down devolpment substantially. In the long term this means Carlsbad should see good growth in price when there isn't a constant infusion of new homes to the inventory. However, even right now, you get a lot for your money. In University City you have a limited number of homes (right now the inventory is 35 for sfr) and a very stable market for professors from UCSD and students as renters. This has kept the University City(UC) area more stable as far as prices than a lot of other pockets in San Diego. For example Oceanside has a tremendous amount of foreclosures and short sales. This doesn't bode well for the values if you buy there and it increases the potential for crime in a neighborhood when there are lots of empty houses.

Oh yeah. Carlsbad has a lot of resuraunts, a downtown to walk around (esssential for transplants from a big city) a fabulous outlet mall with Barneys, Coach, Crate and Barrel etc., the BEACH of course, lots of hiking and biking trails, The world renown La Costa Resort and Spa for massages and a beautiful golf course, and many golf courses. It seems like (at least when I am there) lots of youngish couples (early-late thirties). It's pretty hip for San Diego. It's where people from all over the world come for their two weeks vacation. You could live somewhere that is everyone elses vacation destination.

I could go on and on.

www.sarahdupreerealty.com

Thu May 15 2008, 07:54

If your job is in Vista, then I would suggest Poway (then places along the I-15 corridor - such as Carmel Mountain Ranch, Rancho Bernardo, or even Rancho Penasquitos). From UC (University City) there is an extra leg to your commute that I wouldn't want everyday. Yes, there is a reverse flow to commuter traffic.

Professional / personal opinion on investing in a home... When you buy with the mindset of an investment, your first thought needs to be resale. New is better. Invest in the neighborhood and the school system. (Hence my recommendation for Poway.)

Robert T. Boyer, Ph.D.
Real Estate Investor Advisor
America's Finest Real Estate
San Diego's Finest Real Estate
www.SanDiegosFinestRealEstate.com
SanDiegosFinestRealEstate.blogspot.com
Phone: (858) 755-2111

Thu May 15 2008, 07:35

Thank you for your assistance! We're excited about the move, but haven't spent significant time in the San Diego area so the info is helpful To clarify, I will be working in Vista and my wife will be cleaning offices in the evening if she's unable to find employment as a CPA or corporate trainer. I've heard the commute from University City isn't TOO bad given it's against the flow of traffic. Is there really a reverse commute, or is traffic bad regardless? In your professional opinion, where are the best places to invest in a home? Have prices retreated more in areas with excess inventory, etc? Thanks again!

Thu May 15 2008, 07:05

Barry,

It depends on what you like to do. Downtown probably has the most activities going on (92101), or you could move a little east of downtown which can be more affordable, such as North Park, South park, Golden hills. I have current client who has moved from Long Island New York and loves downtown San Diego. He likes the downtown area, because unlike New York the city isn't as crowded. On a Saturday morning he feels he has Little Italy to himself. He gets the Urban feel with more room.

Another option is to move to Mission Beach or Pacific Beach. These communities tend to be occupied by a younger crowd, a lot of beach and outside acitivities.

If you want an beach community that has become affordable over the pass two years you could look in the North county Area of San Diego. Cardiff, Del Mar, Encinitas, Carlsbad. These cities have a small town feel with great resturants, beaches, parks, trails, and much more.

Hope I have given something to help with your relocation. If you need any other help, please don't give hesitate to call me (760)815-3866 a realtor in San Diego

Tue May 13 2008, 17:23

San Diego is a great place to live. It offers many distinct neighborhoods. A few key questions need to be answered in order to define what area would suit you.
1) Do you have kids? Are kids a future plan, meaning are schools factoring in?
2) Do you already have a job lined up? If so, what is the max commute time you are willing to consider? If not, what field are you in?San Diego is a car based transportation county so this plays a role.
3)What is your style--artsy, funky, traditional, eclectic..etc
4) Are you outdoor types? Runners, Bikers, Volleyball players?
5) Looking for a resort style type living, or do you want a house with land?
6) Do you like the feel of a thriving downtown, a cheers type quaint atmosphere or somewhere in between?
7) New or old...do you like new construction houses or older houses with character-fo rexample a 1930's spanish or 1950's ranch?
So many questions need to be answered in order to suggest an area that you would enjoy. I am a San Diego Native--if I can help you in anyway feel free to contact me:
Alison Bell
619-384-6997 orhttp:// www.abellre.com

Tue May 13 2008, 16:52

Barry,
Here is a great link from the San Diego Daily Transcript that will give you information about locales in San Diego County. http://www.sddt.com/Community/
You can find the median & average list/sale prices, number of listings, number sold, months of inventory, & days on market, for every zip code in San Diego County at http://sandicor.com/statistics/stats2008.html
The data is broken down by month, by year to date and by type of property. It should be a great help in finding a suitable area to relocate too. On the front page of my website shown below, you can research any neighborhood for schools, demographics, crime,etc. Let me know if you need a referral for a Realtor, lender, home inspector, appraiser etc.

Tue May 13 2008, 10:10

HI Barry: A long time ago, I moved to CA from NYC, never looked back! San Diego, as the others have pointed out, has great neighborhoods. I would also suggest areas such as Kensington and North Park. Without knowing what interests you have, where your communte would be, it is more difficult to suggest areas. If being near the beach is important to you I can fill you in all the different communities. Also, an important factor would be whether you would want a single family detached home or a townhouse/condo. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have...P.S. I know some good delis too! Good luck, Maria 858-248-0863

Tue May 13 2008, 09:07

I am a big fan of University City(92122) . I live here. I am 3 minutes from La Jolla (which is at the water). The big advatage is the prices here range from about an average of 500-800 there are a couple cheaper and a couple more expensive. It is exteremly conveniet. I am 1 minute from 3 different freeways (52,5,805) so I can get anywhere fast. I am just over the hill from La Jolla which has kayaking during the day and a great little downtown to walk, and a decent nightlife with a few clubs and lots of resturaunts. If you prefer the hustle bustle of downtown San Diego, UC is only a 10 min. drive from there. If you want to look at the real MLS I have it on my website. I don't make any one register. You can just jump on and start searching.

Thanks

Sarah

Tue May 13 2008, 08:30

There are so many wonderful towns in San Diego, I suggest you look at neighborhoods closer to your work so that you can spend less time in the car and more time by the beach! Downtown is really nice, but if you're looking in north county, in that price range, you will have a lot of choices in the coastal towns of Encinitas and Carlsbad. Carmel Valley is also nice, more inland, but great schools if you need that. Check out the following website and search for properties to see some awesome homes. Welcome to Paradise San Diego!

Mon May 12 2008, 23:51

Barry,

If you like living in the city, Downtown San Diego may be a great option for you. Not as large or busy as New York City but offers all of the benefits of city living. Minutes to the beach, and close to the best of everyting that San Diego has to offer. There are a number of homes downtown that appear to meet your requirements. If you are looking for something less cosmopolitan, there are many areas for young couples to enjoy. You might also like South Park, North Park or Hillcrest. Close to restaurants, shopping, parks, and recreation. You can search for homes on the San Diego Multiple Listing service via my website at the link below. No sign up or sign in required.

Mon May 12 2008, 23:40