Not worth it
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6/10/2016
We moved here from Austin, TX with high hopes last summer. I sold my house which I did quite well on in Austin (well enough to start a new business), but, not well enough to buy a house in San Diego, or, pay California taxes.
We plan to move back to Austin this summer, but, other places I am considering are the Fort Lauderdale area (family there), Houston (home to me)!, and Portland, Oregon. I would love to hear input from other writers?
I am on my 3rd rental in San Diego. The 1st 2 were "Luxury" apartments which cost 2500 and 2600 per month and felt like Section 8 housing. Do not Ever rent an apartment from Irvine Property Management Company, you will be in for a nightmare! These buildings were so poorly constructed, I was constantly calling maintanence, the 2nd was filled with Black Mold and under the military flight path, the 1st I could hear my neighbors every step and conversations, I could even hear them sneeze! No city is worth it to pay this pricing for this poor quality of housing. I only rented apartments initially because I felt it would be easier than renting a home (please note: only 11% of San Diegans can afford home ownership)! - the housing is grossly inflated and extremely poorly constructed as the California Govt heavily taxes the builders and protects as much land as possible (even the ugly, useless areas) from being built upon, Unless you are the US military of course, who rules the skies here. We have to hear their F-18's and helicopters: at Torrey Pines, on Coronado beach, all over La Jolla, all over north county and the entire city basically and if you are sensitive to loud noises and toxins, you will feel unhappy.
My 3rd rental, I can't wait for this lease to expire in April 1st. It's walking distance to Windansea Beach but it's not worth it. I am paying 3300 a month in rent and can't get the property management firm to fix my solar energy that's built into the townhouse but not working, replace my missing blind that The Travelodge guests can see into, or fix the buildings outdoor lighting and there are stairs everywhere leading up to my place but it is pitch Black!
What else about San Diego?: Awful restaurants compared to Texas, 1-step above disgusting. Terrible grocery stores filled with mediocre, high priced options where everything will expire in a week. We have some amazing grocery stores and restaurants in Texas and beautiful, affordable, quality housing so coming here was a complete shocker to me in both these areas.
There are few decent fitness centers with childcare. I have an 8 year old and also I am so surprised to not be able to find even 1 drop in childcare center in the entire city! Austin and Houston have several quality (Fun)! drop in childcare centers.
It is way too cold here for me a lot, the winters are Very dry. This is not a tropical climate, it is a desert oceanic climate and far from perfect, in my opinion. Many days are overcast and cold. It feels Depressing. May gray and June gloom are NO joke.
The people are: Meh. One of the reasons I wanted to leave Austin was because it's too Liberal, I mean liberally crazy. If you are an Independent, like myself, you are the odd man out, in Austin, TX. The entire city is "progressive" - *Democrats and if you're not, you rather need to be quiet there, or you won't have any friends. I wanted to live in a more open city, where I felt comfortable and I will say that at least I have found that here. People thankfully don't like to be so open about their beliefs: things like politics and religion are simply not discussed here, it's culturally very inappropriate to do so.
Being close to Mexico, I thought there would be lots of good Mexican food options here but the Mexican is disgusting to me. I can barely eat it. It's very poor quality compared to Texas. Eating out here is just not worth it. My taste buds are drying up and dying I think.
What else? - it's very diverse. If you don't like diversity, this is not the place for you. I notice when I take my child to play, we're often the only Americans at the park. Many, many international people here speaking other languages. Some of which I recognize, others I don't. There is a very large Asian population in San Diego. When we go to the Kearney Mesa area for Asian food (which there really are some good places), we are often the only caucasian people in the restaurant. We rarely get good service at these restaurants. I have to mention this too. Things are very different here, than they are in Houston where I grew up - more segregated I guess.
I am divorced, and I rarely see any attractive men out and about. Austin was filled to the rim with attractive men and I had many dates there and there were lots of fun places to go. La Jolla, where we live now, is filled with constipated, uber-wealthy, and many older residents, or, tourists. I don't encounter many single men in my age range (late 30's), another big disappointment. Maybe moving to La Jolla was a bad idea, but, at least the schools are good.
Sorry this is choppy and all over the place: a couple more thoughts: worst water quality I have ever experienced. This place I learned has the hardest water in the US and there is no way to get around it, so, everyday is a bad hair day. Terrible air quality too (all the planes)??
Back to the people: I haven't made many interesting friends either. I can't see myself becoming friends with these blondes who drive Mercedes and look and act like air-headed valley girls. Sorry ladies, the stereotypes ring true, I'm just not that into you. HA!
Back to the men: the few attractive ones that I do see are walking arm and arm with an Asian woman. It's quite a "thing" here. Mover beware...
Things that have lived up to my expectations are few but, the beaches truly are breathtaking and spending time at them anytime we like has been a truly fantastic experience we will miss. Love Balboa Park, Torrey Pines for hiking, The La Jolla Mall, the VIEWS.
California probably used to be a most amazing place, back when my parents met here, that place is sadly gone forever however, and this is now a very dysfunctional and oppressive place to live sold off to the atrocious California Government who continues to run it into the ground with the highest taxes in the nation, a housing Crisis, many poor and homeless, more and more immigrants coming in everyday (with no housing), who knows what the military is really doing here? - probably running tests on us, mandated vaccines or NO access to an education! I'll take Texas heat and humidity anyway over all of this.
Elizabeth | Austin, TX