topic Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido? in San Diego

What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

Rebeccah — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:49:49 GMT

Hi,

My husband and I are currently renting on OC (Santa Ana), but we can't afford to buy a SFR there in a safe neighborhood, let alone one of the house and lot size that we would like. I work on the Ortega, so we considered buying in the Lake Elsinore area, but we've pretty much ruled that out due to the much longer commute on the Ortega from that direction.

The other area that was suggested by coworkers was Oceanside, but I'm not seeing much there in our price range. At least the commute is similar to my current commute, and it's closer to my husband's family (who are all in OC). I do see more in our price range (under $300,000, preferably more like $200,000 to $250,000) in Vista, San Marcos, and Escondido, some of them with lot sizes of 10,000sf or more.

What are these areas like to live in? We do not want a homeowner's association or gated community, but we don't want to live in a slum or a trailer park, either.

Thanks for any information.

Rebeccah

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

MathewD — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:40:49 GMT

I have lived in Escondido just about my entire life and currently looking to buy in that same price range and lot size (ironically enough). The trick is to stick around the outside perimeter of Escondido and keep an eye on the school district. Escondido is kind of a circle so if you can stay east of Bear Valley Pkwy, North of El Norte Pkwy along Via Rancho or west of Valley Pkwy in South West Escondido you should be alright. If it is in the felicita or central elementary school's my opinion/advice would be to stay away. Miller, L.R. Green, Bernardo, North Broadway or Orange Glen elementary.

Vista has the highest sales tax in the area, not that this effect your house directly but I believe it is 9.75%. One area in Vista that I will not even go look at anymore is by Townsite Dr and Los Angeles Rd.

San Marcos: If you can be near either college (CSUSM or Palomar) you will probably be alright. Be leery of being right next to Mission Blvd in certain parts

I hope this helps!

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

bluecollar — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:59:10 GMT

Single family houses in the 200k-250K range in Vista are going to be short sales, major fixers, or in a not-so-great area. You might have better luck in Escondido

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

Rebeccah — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:07:16 GMT

Thanks, MatthewD and bluecollar, very helpful information.

Rebeccah

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

Maven — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:16:27 GMT

I still don't see an answer to the question--"What's it like to live in..." I'd like to add the beautifully scenic Fallbrook into the mix. I especially want to leave the extreme conservatism and facade of OC behind me, but would want to know more about how a moderate independent with real "love thy neighbor" values would be accepted.

Can anyone out there tell us more about what it's like living there?

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

AmberR — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:58:07 GMT

I've lived in Vista for 6 years. It's a nice spot but better on the south side of the 78. North of the 78 is a bit rougher. And if you have kids (or want any) watch out for the schools. There are some really great schools in Vista, but also some pretty bad ones. Just check school district before you buy if this matters to you at all. Good luck!

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

RRW — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:45:27 GMT

My family moved from Boston directly in a nice section of O'side over 15 yrs ago. We only lasted there for less than 5yrs and my Dad pulled us from the schools and went south to a better neighborhood. I think Vista is comparable to Santa Ana. Some areas of Oceanside are better than others for sure and schools are "okay" up until High School. If you are looking for a decent place to raise kids and have easy access to freeway I would consider Shadowridge area of VIsta or some areas in San Marcos.

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

bluecollar — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:50:16 GMT

I think it depends on what type of housing you want. South of the 78 is nice but it is all tract homes. There are some really nice houses north of the 78 (92084 zip) with huge lots. There are nice homes by Brengle Terrace Park, the Alta Mesa neighborhood and off of a Foothill. It has more of a country feel then the Shadowridge neighborhoods.

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

Rebeccah — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:14:19 GMT

We don't have kids living with us, so schools aren't a direct concern. My husband is an artist and a tailor and amasses a rather surprising amount of "stuff". I love wood floors, raised foundations, and older homes in general, so tract homes aren't my first choice, but in the right neighborhood (can't define it but I'll know it when I see it), with a large enough lot and no HOA, they can work. We live in a tract home now, that we like, but we're renting.

The toughest thing is moving outside of OC will instantly double our gasoline costs even if my commute doesn't increase, because my husband will be driving to OC and occasionally LA for his art and to see family. Arrgh.

Rebeccah

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

Dag44 — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:23:30 GMT

Rebeccah - It's obviously an individual choice - to some people the area is way more important than the house and to others, like me, the house is way more important than the area. In San Diego we would only be able to afford a shack but out here east of Temecula we have a beautiful house that gives us plenty of room to spread out in - something we've never had in almost 30 years of marriage. The commute for my husband is not pretty - it's a big sacrifice of time and a very big expense - but so far it's still worth it to us. I ask my husband all the time how he's holding up with the commute and after almost 3 years he still says he's okay with it. Will he still be saying that 3 years from now? I don't know - we'll cross that bridge when and if we come to it.

I have friends who would rather live in a 400 sq. ft. studio apartment just so they can live close to the beach - to me that sounds crazy but to each their own. It's funny to me how low the housing expectations are of people who are looking to buy in big cities like LA or New York.

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

MrsBRCant — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:53:13 GMT

If you like wood floors, old houses, older neighborhoods, aren't afraid of diversity and don't care about the schools, try Old Escondido. We have lived in the area over 20 years and until code enforcement told us to get rid of our chickens we liked it just fine. By the way, the so called bad schools have many excellent teachers. Our daughter went to Juniper, did well on her tests and in general had a very good eperience there and does just fine in middle school competing with the L. R. Green kids.

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

RRW — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 20:01:07 GMT

Look into the "FootHills" Section of Vista, Northern or South Escondido (San Pasqual Area), or Rock Springs area of San Marcos for larger lots, trees, older homes..ect. These are nice areas to live. I would prefer San Pasqual, nice homes, easy access to freeway and some sweet deals right now.

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

Talarohk — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 15:47:32 GMT

We bought an older home (1953) in Vista north of the 78, and have loved it. The area definitely has a semi-rural feel, with larger lots and lots of vegetation. Everyone here seems to grow lots of fruit, and many of us keep chickens. The houses range from modest to good-sized, but many have some of the characteristics you mentioned (wood floors, raised foundations, etc.) There's certainly no HOA, and some of the yards are a bit scruffy-looking, but that doesn't bother me a bit.

We're close enough to downtown Vista to get there easily, by bike or car (could walk if we wanted). While it's charming and has everything we want most of the time, it doesn't have the amenities of a big city--but from the sounds of your post, that's not what you're looking for.

Politically, our area seems pretty conservative (like much of North County), but in a more libertarian, you-live-your-life-I'll-live-mine way.

Personally, I think Vista gets a bad rap. I've heard people suggest it's crime-ridden--all I can say is that our neighborhood doesn't seem to be, and I'd have no hesitation strolling around in the middle of the night.

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

SamRan — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:31:22 GMT

I have lived in Oceanside my entire life, in Rancho Del Oro. It is beautiful, great weather, a bit cooler in the summer than Vista, Escondido and San Marcos, central to everything, the 76,78, 5 and 15 freeway are all close, I have commuted on all at one time or another. RDO is definitely a great community if you have an opportunity to scoop up a home here, it is safe and well kept. Anytime there is any graffiti (from hoodlum kids, not gangs) the association cleans it up almost the next day. Anyway that's my pitch for Oceanside and Rancho Del Oro. The Sycamore area of Vista is also really nice, and Ocean Hills is right there too, it is technically Oceanside, but juts into Carlsbad on a map and doesn't have easy access to Cbad, until Cannon goes through (if that ever happens) you have to take Melrose to get anywhere from there. Happy Hunting!

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

redfinfanatic — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:34:01 GMT

Hi Rebeccalh,

Two years ago, my wife and I bought a place just north of the 78 @ Sycamore. It's a small, older 2BD/1BA raised floor home that we purchased for less than $200K. My biggest complaint about the immediate area is that there really isn't an interesting place to walk/jog/bike. But, Oceanside is close enough and the health clubs in the area are really, really nice. And we live on a dead end street that is full of potholes and trees that need trimming.

As far as the neighbors are concerned, I must say we've been pleasantly surprised. Within the first few months of moving in, one of the neighbors brought cookies, another invited us to a party, another stopped to help us unload a fridge, another (who somehow thought we were broke) brought us groceries, another (who's a carpenter) stopped to help my brother and I build a wall, another offered all-you-ever-want oranges from their tree, another (who doesn't speak English) stopped to help me remove up a dead tree...and has since invited us to two fish frys. 2 others stop by all the time just wanting to talk, and another keeps inviting us to watch MMA on pay-per-view...but we're not really into that.

Not sure if this helps, but this has been our experience in Vista.

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

fslarry — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 06:11:21 GMT

Redinfanatic,

You should check out the San Marcos Trails. San Marcos has a wonder system of bike/jogging trails that are all over the city. They are very close to the 78 & Sycamore area. Just Google them.

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

Katera — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 01:45:40 GMT

We are in much the same boat as the original poster. We really don't want to pay over $350k for a house but we don't want to be in a slum. We are trying to find an older more established neighborhood that is clean and well manicured. Tough....it seems that all that is on the market now is invester homes being flipped. They throw in some cheap granite and some home depot fixtures with some paint and the price goes up $150k. Frustrating.

Re: What's it like to live in Vista/Oceanside/San Marcos/Escondido?

dansup — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:52:51 GMT

the most frustrating thing is thinking people actually fall for these cheap re-do's