Need to move to SD, but scared (Los Angeles, San Diego: apartment complexes, rental)

[EquityTrader]

I really appreciate any info anyone can give me here.....

I have been all over Cali but never to SD. My wife and I have to move to San Diego area for a job related move (my wife's) and we want to rent an apartment.

She will be working mainly in the Solana Beach/Del Mar area. I have been online looking at Craigslist, forrent.com and alike. All I can find everyone saying about living anywhere in SD county, whether north or south is that "you will get mugged, you will have your car keyed or broken into, and your house/apt will be burglarized" and "it's not a matter of if it will happen but when"

Is it really that bad. According to all the reviews of apartment complexes I see online everyone posts that they had their cars vandalized or stolen, and that all apartments are filled with ants, roaches, and mice.

I am lost and don't know what to do. Is there an area that is "safer" than others, or areas to avoid?

Is it better to rent in North County? or is it "ok" to rent close to PB, La Jolla, UTC area and be able to walk to stores/shopping/cafes???

Is is just me or is all of San Diego just crime infested?

I have a friend that lives out near Poway and she loves it. Just seems that Poway is too far from everything and I also read online that "the center of Poway has just as much crime as the worst areas of SD county"


Any info is greatly appreciated here as I am stumped as to where to get the correct info....

Can anyone guide me in the right direction????

BIG THANKS!!

[Jaded]

Here's some info on SD...you will not get mugged in every city, there are some that are better than others.

North County (inc. Coastal cities) - Best Areas
South Carlsbad
Rancho Bernardo
Poway (most areas)
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Solana Beach
Encinitas
Carmel Mountain
Carmel Valley

North County - Okay Areas
Oceanside (closer to Carlsbad side)
Escondido (closer to Rancho Bernardo side)
Rancho Penasquitos

Central County - Best Areas
La Jolla
Del Mar
Tierrasanta
Scripps Ranch
Kensington (Pricey)
Talmadge (Pricey)

Central County - Okay Areas
Mira Mesa
Mission Valley

South County - NOT
Although Chula Vista has some nice areas (Eastlake), it's best to avoid
South County SD unless you are going to live in Coronado.

East County - Can't help you here

Hope this helps.

[Roman11]

This is shocking to me to read that no matter where you live in San Diego you will get mugged or your car will be broken into? Where is that coming from? Yes San Diego has it's bad areas, what major city doesn't have areas like this. Most of these area are in the South and South east. I can tell you I live in the North County and I have never and I mean never been hassled, mugged, burglarized either in my home or car. I've been here for years and have lived along the coast and inland. North County is very safe. The Poway area, where I live, is very family oriented and very safe and it's not that bad of a commute since the 56 opened up. Like your friend, I love it here too. Lot's to do, plenty of restaurants, movie theater and shopping. The closer you get to the coast the more expensive it gets especially in the La Jolla area so keep that in mind. But very safe!

Crime isn't that bad in the North County, except for parts of Escondido (mostly the center of Escondido), San Marcos, parts of Oceanside and parts of Vista. Sounds like a lot but there are many parts to North County. I'm sure some will chime in on Carlsbad, also a nice place but more pricey since it's along the coast.

Come to think of it there has been a lot of disenchanted people here on this forum because of the expensiveness of San Diego along with the traffic but all in all San Diego is pretty nice...no kidding.

Good Luck.

[Sampaguita]

I'm also surprised by all the reports of San Diego being a city where you will get mugged or have your car broken into. I've actually lived in City Heights (not exactly what I would call paradise) and in 2 yrs there, NEVER had anything stolen or broken into or vandalized. In fact, DH once left his Bronco unlocked with windows rolled down over a weekend. We discovered his big oops Monday afternoon when we got home.

Certainly, there is crime all over San Diego but it's not rampant like some folks have been led to believe. I don't think it's any different than other cities of comparable size. It's not as if San Diego is one big inner city with an inordinate amount of theft or assaults.

Yes - San Diego is expensive. As my husband says, Location, Location, Location - San Diego is ideally located with ideal weather...and we pay through the nose for it. We love it here but just can't afford to live here anymore.

Oh - for what it's worth - we have never had a mice or roach problem. Ants can become an issue when it rains but ant traps do a good job.

[kjodle]

We are thinking of semi-retiring in the San Diego inland area. House prices are fairly reasonable and you can actually purchase a couple of acres of land. Are there any more favorable cities/less favorable? Searching the MLS on the internet shows beautiful homes, but if you are in a crummy area, it's not worth the price.
Thanks for any info.

[ashlyc]

I am trying to get out of San Diego, or should I say Mexico. The further south you go, the more it has become Mexico. It smells, there are tons of illegals and there is trash all over the street. The best advice I could give you is to have your wife relocate somewhere else.

[jmc]

I agree that San Diego is not that bad in regard to crime. I have lived here nearly 6 years and have never had my car broken into, etc. A friend recently had a bike stolen here in Coronado on the 4th of July, but there were thousands of people on the island that day. Crime happens everywhere, and San Diego happens to have a lower crime rate than Jacksonville, FL (where we're likely moving within the next several months). I lived in a somewhat sketchy apartment near Clairemont/Mission Bay when I first moved to San Diego in 2000, and again, no problem with crime....no ants or mice, either. Maybe a few "water bugs" which look like roaches, but nothing serious. If you rent a condo or apartment near Del Mar/Solana Beach, it may be pricey, but I think you'll be fine, crime-wise. UTC and La Jolla are expensive, but if you can find a reasonable rental there, they are certainly nice areas. I, too, was given discouraging advice when told that there was nothing in San Diego but "bars on all the windows" in regard to my desire to move here years ago. I'm glad I didn't listen to him! Yes, there are bad areas, but you're going to get that anywhere. I am blessed to have ended up living in Pt. Loma and Coronado for over 4 years now, so maybe that taints my perspective and gives me a rosy-colored view of life in San Diego, but if you stick with nicer areas, like the ones you mentioned (Del Mar, La Jolla, etc....and can afford them), you'll be just fine. Good luck!

[iPodPal]

TIP: Read the newspapers of the cities to which you might move. Find them at http://www.newslink.org. If your wife has a job in Del Mar I agree with the recommendation that Poway would be the best (altho rather far) home location for you to consider. We have lived in the Lake Murray area (San Carlos) of San Diego for 43 years and have watched all of the County grow along with the moving in and out of friends in all areas.
The only response on this forum that I would disagree with is that San Diego is not a safe place to live...it has high ratings for safety compared to other cities of its size and we have a great new Mayor who was a former S.D. Chief of Police. Poway is similar in good reputation.
Be prepared, tho...San Diego County is having a huge, uncontrolled influx of Spanish speaking, illegal immigrants (primarily from Mexico) which is straining our health services and schools to the limit. Many live in North County canyons and congregate in parking lots seeking work. Immigration laws are not being enforced here and as Los Angeles already has defaulted to Latino majority, we believe San Diego also will become Tijuana north.
Good luck with your move!

[socketz]

"the center of Poway has just as much crime as the worst areas of SD county"

That's bull, National City, SE San Diego, Oceanside and Vista make central Poway look like Kansas. Poway has one of the lowest violent crime per 1000 people rates in the US. Sure, the center of Poway has some muddy pickups and blue collar types (all other areas of Poway are really high end), but the worst thing you might hear happening there is a local wanderer getting drunk and passing out in the bowling room bathroom. Seriously, I live about 7 miles from that area and would feel safe there just about any hour of the day. There are just too many exclusive areas there for the center to be much more than a slight eyesore.

[socketz]

"I am trying to get out of San Diego, or should I say Mexico. The further south you go, the more it has become Mexico. It smells, there are tons of illegals and there is trash all over the street. The best advice I could give you is to have your wife relocate somewhere else."

That sounds somewhat racial. I have lots of friends that live in Eastlake (predominantly latino area) and that area seems just fine.