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Old 03-18-2015, 09:07 PM
 
1,014 posts, read 1,574,591 times
Reputation: 2631

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For those looking to move to San Diego, you need to get real about the housing and rental costs. There have been a number of ridiculous inquiries with people looking for near-the-coast properties with good schools, safe neighborhood, four bedrooms -- and for a budget of, say, $500k. Maybe 20 years ago you could buy a SFH near the coast for this amount. Today? Double your budget, at minimum, and even then you're looking at a hellhole fixer.

If you want a nice place, with three or more bedrooms, two or more bathrooms, somewhat modern, good schools, a bit of land, and you are somewhat near the moderating temperatures of the coast, get $400k and $500k out of your head. It. Is. Not. Happening. Condos in San Diego are selling for this amount -- and more.

Future renters are doubly in need of readjustment. Stop with this ridiculous lower-bound range of $1,000 per month for something "safe," "two bedrooms," "good schools." You know what $1,000 gets you in San Diego? An absolute dump of a studio; a dorm room suitable for college students. If that's what you want, great, but don't waste time inquiring about these ridiculous lower-bound ranges.

You want two or more bedrooms and two bathrooms? A single-family home to rent? Safe area? Good schools? Within walking or short driving distance of the beach? Stop wasting time asking for $1,000/month properties. Come up with your budget, and then triple it. Then -- and only then -- are you dealing with reality.

If you don't believe me, do your own research. Here is Rentbits showing the median San Diego rental is around $1950 a month in San Diego. And if you have a family, three bedrooms is at $2500. Want something more granular? Click here for some additional data. If you dream of coastal La Jolla, Encinitas, or Del Mar, get ready to shell out $3,000 a month. Want a laugh? Here's a September 2014 article from the UT saying average rents are $1542 a month. This UT article is already outdated and rents are rising faster than the article predicted. The rental market is tight and expensive.

Bottom line, there are more people in San Diego than can comfortably be housed, and the prices are going up. If you are questioning whether you can afford San Diego, there's a good chance you probably cannot, at least not comfortably, so get ready to sacrifice if you must be here. If you can't afford it, you can't afford it.

Good schools are important to you? You and every other parental unit in this overpopulated state and County, so you'll have no choice but to open up that wallet -- good school districts in San Diego cost, both in housing prices and likely Mello Roos taxes (and if you don't know what that is, look it up, because you have a fair shot of paying them, and it ain't cheap). Southern California taxes, real estate, and energy/commodity costs will devour your income, especially if you are a young family.

Oh, you also want a nice modern place that's safe and centrally located? Many working people do, so once again, get ready to pay.

And you also want to be near the coast? Congratulations, you're now competing in arguably the fourth most expensive housing market in the nation, and you'll be up against foreign buyers, wealthy retirees (think Mitt Romney), DINKs, technology and bioscience lifestylers (hello Qualcomm, Illumina, and Pfizer) with no debt, big option packages, lots of money, and these are people who can stroke a check for properties in the $1.5 to $3 million range all day long. And the seven-figure San Diego coastal market is hot right now, so extinguish any ideas about getting some "deal." San Francisco and Los Angeles are even more expensive, so these types love coming to "sleepy" San Diego, where our seven-figure coastal properties are considered a comparative bargain to the Bay Area and the Apple/Google/Facebook/Oracle/ multi-millionaires (there are many) and billionaires (fewer) who can literally buy anything on the Bay Area and LA coasts.
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Old 03-18-2015, 09:40 PM
 
2,986 posts, read 4,575,132 times
Reputation: 1664
Get em....25th Hour type rant

Good post though
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Old 03-18-2015, 09:59 PM
 
Location: 89052 & 75206
8,144 posts, read 8,338,067 times
Reputation: 20063
The Dallas forum consistently gets inquiries about renting in safe areas, great schools, 2/2 apartments with a 30 minute commute into the city for $600-1K/month. Not happening here either. And we are so much cheaper in our cost of living than SD
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Old 03-18-2015, 10:09 PM
 
5,139 posts, read 8,844,996 times
Reputation: 5258
Appreciate your post and it was definitely needed...the "wish list" for most people posting here is not even close to being realistic and some are downright laughable.
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Old 03-18-2015, 11:06 PM
 
Location: Hookerville, formerly in Tweakerville
15,128 posts, read 32,307,461 times
Reputation: 9714
Quote:
Originally Posted by loveautumn View Post
Appreciate your post and it was definitely needed...the "wish list" for most people posting here is not even close to being realistic and some are downright laughable.
I totally agree!
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Old 03-18-2015, 11:22 PM
 
Location: San Diego, CA
813 posts, read 1,272,063 times
Reputation: 916
Moderator cut: see note And, a list of what questions need to be answered when people post new thread about moving here.

Budget?
Rent or buy?
Do you already have a job and where is it?

Last edited by Count David; 03-19-2015 at 06:27 PM.. Reason: action taken, please do not discuss moderation in thread.
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Old 03-18-2015, 11:51 PM
 
Location: Hookerville, formerly in Tweakerville
15,128 posts, read 32,307,461 times
Reputation: 9714
Moderator cut: see note Stickies about what to do in San Diego would be good, too. Maybe we had some of those things, people that thinking of moving here would read them first, and not post unrealistic questions.

Last edited by Count David; 03-19-2015 at 06:27 PM.. Reason: action taken, please do not discuss moderation in thread.
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Old 03-19-2015, 12:29 AM
 
268 posts, read 1,133,051 times
Reputation: 133
Great post! It should be sticky!

Quote:
The Dallas forum consistently gets inquiries about renting in safe areas, great schools, 2/2 apartments with a 30 minute commute into the city for $600-1K/month. Not happening here either. And we are so much cheaper in our cost of living than SD
When I was in Texas, I was living in upper middle class (lower 6 figure). Then I bumped up my salary almost 1.6 times and moved to SD.... And now I became poor Rent is way way way too high for a decent apartment in a good neighborhood

Anyway, I knew it and that's the choice I made.... no complain!
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Old 03-19-2015, 12:48 AM
 
1,014 posts, read 1,574,591 times
Reputation: 2631
Quote:
Originally Posted by deadcoder View Post
When I was in Texas, I was living in upper middle class (lower 6 figure). Then I bumped up my salary almost 1.6 times and moved to SD.... And now I became poor Rent is way way way too high for a decent apartment in a good neighborhood
It is way too high. This is why I believe California in general, and Southern California (LA, San Diego) in particular is terrible for young families. You get creamed by high real estate/rental prices, income tax, energy prices, gas prices and gas tax, all the ancillary fees, etc. Come here after you are retired.
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Old 03-19-2015, 01:29 AM
 
Location: La Mesa Aka The Table
9,820 posts, read 11,536,738 times
Reputation: 11900
You could of just dug up my old Thread.
But Point very well taken!
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