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Review of San Diego, California

Native San Diegan Looking Elsewhere!!
Star Rating - 6/3/2011
After reading these posts I can agree with both the "Pro's" and the "Cons" but as a native SD born & raised here for 39 years I am now looking to leave, no doubt about it. Yes it's sunny ALL the time, I can't tell if it's summer or winter, it all blends together, and I'm not so sure i like looking out the dining room window at Xmas dinner and seeing palm trees swaying in the sun. it's weird, yet all i know. it was fine growing up i guess, but now that i have a child i am scared to death to raise him here - no way. there are drugs everywhere - in the good neighborhoods & bad - it's the NORM. gangs, crime, homeless people multiplying 10 fold since i was a girl, and growing rapidly, expanding right into the suburban neighborhoods. i don't feel safe, the people really are so shallow & rude, it's crazy. Traffic, road rage, pathetic schools unless you get really lucky or live in an elite neighborhood. even then the proximity to the border means a majority of hispanics in many schools and while i truly have nothing against any particular race it DOES create problems when 1/2 the students primary language - or only language - is spanish. i don't want my child to be the minority or held back to keep pace with the others, and this IS happening. as for housing, even now in 2011 after the huge "correction" in the RE market I would have to pay 1/2 mill.+ for a very modest house, small lot, 5 minutes from the border. I still can't afford it and wouldn't anyway. My plan is to work my butt off for the next 5 yrs save all i can and by the time my son is ready for middle school - we need to get outta here. I can handle the traffic, shallow people and rat race, but i WON'T have my child exposed to a sub-standard education, drugs, gangs, etc. there's little hope for the next generation here, that's sadly how I feel. I've been researching the northeast/new england towns. cold weather, real people, from what i hear & hope!! i'm sad to think about it as my heart IS here in SD but it isn't what it used to be, and i just see it getting worse & worse.
Amanda | San Diego, CA
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8 Replies

You should check out Virginia Beach, VA. I think we have similar qualities to the west coast, much to do. There's parks, the beach, etc. etc. I lived here most of my life and many say it's a great place for families. I believe our schools are suppose to be pretty good as well. Va. Beach is also less expensive than the Northeast. Just thought you'd like to know...
brian | Virginia Beach, VA | Report Abuse
Agree 12   Disagree 13
I have read your view of San Diego. I must tell you that the grass is not always greener on the other side, as i reside in New England and i want out for many reasons. New England Sucks! I live in CT. Can you handle extreme weather changes? We have 11 months of bad weather, extreme cold in winter, extreme heat and humidity in summer, rain in spring in fall for weeks at a time. We get maybe a couple of weeks a year of nice weather maybe a little in spring, a little in fall. Winters can be very nasty with lots of snow, can you handle several feet of snow? it looks pretty in pictures. can you handle 95 degree days with 75-80% humidity in summer? CT is nicknamed the the you to death state and it is true as is with most of new England! number 2 in most expensive gas, number one in property taxes, everything is taxed, economy sucks, taxes going up, very high unemployment, very high crime rate! I love San Diego, i have visited a few times, but i could not live there either because of cost of living, but i am moving west! i am just trying to warn you about the Northeast, there are better places!
bill | Vernon-Rockville, CT | Report Abuse
Agree 15   Disagree 16
Watch out for the "real people" impression of the Northeast... You will find that people do not want to approach or to be approached in most cases, everyone is very busy and living in their own bubble. I am from Brazil and live in New York. If you always had good weather your whole life (like me), you will HATE the change. Cold means freezing here. You will not like the 6-month winter that starts getting to you after 2 months. You will find out (maybe too soon) how much you are missing San Diego. My suggestion: if you move to the Northeast, DO NOT buy any property until you are sure about what you really want.
Kat | Jersey City, NJ | Report Abuse
Agree 17   Disagree 23
Amanda, welcome to the new America! 20 years ago Phoenix was a laid-back, safe, clean city. Now it is L.A. in the desert! I am afraid that low class, ignorant people, pollution, crime and traffic are becoming the norm all over.
Anonymous | Chandler, AZ | Report Abuse
Agree 13   Disagree 17
I just left San Diego after 10 years of living there. Highly recommend Portland, Oregon, much friendlier people and cheaper cost of living, the only downside is the weather.
Darren | San Diego, CA | Report Abuse
Agree 17   Disagree 19
I lived in San Diego for many years and at least in 12 other cities. "I'm a marketing agent" travel all the time and I have to move around a lot, 14 states. you know what, San Diego compare to many cities is HEAVEN!!!! is not as bad as others say, drugs, crime, etc, it's nothing compare to many, many cities. also I don't know why people complain about "minorities" this is America and it's how it is, we have White, Hispanic, black, asian etc. that's how it is here and it will not change. so accept that and just be cool, otherwise you can move to Germany and live with only Germans i don't know. or some honky donky town" in the middle of nowhere and you might not have people around you. I'm white and I pay no attention to any of that race situation. did you know that Anaheim is one of the safest cities in the country, and the majority of people living there are hispanics? so it's not the hispanics or white trash or blacks, it's the rough neighborhoods that you have to avoid, not a race.
Mel | Phoenix, AZ | Report Abuse
Agree 17   Disagree 13
I moved to San Diego in the late '80's, and subsequently lived in some sweet areas -- Del Mar, La Jolla, Carmel Valley (where a small townhouse with a view of 100 other identical townhouses will currently run you about $450,000). If you can pay the ticket, it can be great: the ocean, good food and entertainment, excellent medical care, and superb climate. But if you're commuting to a job, earning average money, and therefore living in a small stucco box, I can't see it anymore. The LA rat race descended on San Diego some time back. For regular working folks, it's too expensive. And for most others it's too crowded and noisy in my opinion. San Diego was an awesome place about 40 years ago. And still a great place to visit, but not necessarily to live unless you're a high earner. For the first time, I'm looking beyond California.
Jason | Magalia, CA | Report Abuse
Agree 15   Disagree 14
Native San Diegan from non-native San Diegan, I grew up in New York City, resided in Fort Lauderdale,Fl, Dallas,Texas, Albany, New York, Bay area San Francisco, San Luis Obispo (happiest city in U.S.,I think 2010. Now upstate New York, quaint towns, beautiful country, fair to good schools, housing prices plummeted, low crime basically non-existent,50 acres for 50,000 dollars in some places but you must love skiing and cozy fireplaces. One big problem no jobs. Now here in California, I resided in San Luis Obispo, great schools, friendly highly educated people, nice weather and awesome coast. Drug well they are every where but no real gangs. Poly Cal gives it flavor, Great farmers market and plenty of great restuarants, avant guard entetainment. In a nut shell really kid friendly. Cost can be a challenge but there is reasonable rent. Now I'm from New York City. My kids are grown and independent. So the perspective is different. San Diego the best weather in the U.S.bar none,beautiful coast, friendly people, and great restaurants. Coming from New York City, I resided in San Francisco and L.A, San Diego significantly cheaper unless you move to Dallas, blistering hot summers, cold winters, civil but not very friendly people. You can get really good housing there. However, you need to compare apples with apples and for a city San Diego is awesome no it is not like it was over twenty years ago. I was in the military. A real military conservative town. Yes those days are gone. However from an an American of hispanic heritage check out San Luis Obispo my personal favorite second choice in California. Small town feel with all the sophistication of a big city.
Angel | Upper Westside, NY | Report Abuse
Agree 18   Disagree 18
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