<p>^^It’s all about the beauty. The fact that the water is cold keeps the crowds down a bit. </p>
<p>Suits me perfectly.</p>
<p>^^ Not me. The water’s much more enjoyable when you can go in and enjoy it without suiting up. It’s also nice to have it be bright and sunny with blue water rather than typically overcast with gray water and a cold wind blowing. I used to go diving at Monterey and Carmel a lot so I’m very familiar with the water temp and air conditions up there and Morro Beach/Cambria seemed about the same as Monterey - nothing like the beaches around San Diego and LA.</p>
<p>There are benefits and drawbacks to both settings though. For lonely beaches where you have no plans to go into the water anyway and you don’t mind it being cold and grey - points north can be appealing (seriously - the lone beaches can be nice and picturesque). But for more ‘useful’ beach areas, I like the SD/LA area.</p>
<p>Heading out in an hour to meet an RE agent in San Diego to see some places. 
</p>
<p>I am staying at Carlsbad right now and I love this neighborhood. The Citibank people (we bank with them) said Escondido may be more suitable. We drove around and saw some houses on a hill that we like, but that will set us back about $500,000. Not something we want for a place to live in for 4 months of a year. 
</p>
<p>As a footnote to nothing, and I don’t want to steal the thread, but we have an accepted offer for a 1,225 square foot, 2+2 condo on the 18th floor, corner of Grand and Orleans, in the River North neighborhood, Chicago. The sellers accepted an offer of $370,000. They paid $403,000 in cash in 2006. It includes heated parking (a necessity in Chicago,) 2 flat screen TVs, and $3,000 towards closing costs. We have an interest rate of 5.25%. For $5,800 we are also buying all the contents of the unit minus personal items. It will be a weekend place, and has absolutely drop dead urban views, which is what we wanted. Madison is about 3 hours by car from Chicago so we expect to be there twice a month and intend to invite all our relatives and friends to use it. We’re still dickering over some of the inspection items.</p>
<p>I know that we could get something comparable at a lower price if we waited, but at our age we have no desire to wait.</p>
<p>My H and I are also looking for a condo in downtown SD but we’re waiting. There are some buildings I would definitely stay away from, they’re right near the train tracks, lots of noise! Also, some of the HOA fees are astronomical - $500 + in some cases! We’re waiting to see if our S will choose to attend school there - it would be his home and then our vacation place after that.</p>
<p>mom60, I live in the Oxnard Beach area and beach condos are still priced high. Port Hueneme is a little town just south of Oxnard Beach and their prices are much lower. Of course, it has a different ambience, much like Imperial Beach in San Diego, only smaller.</p>
<p>Escondido is definitely inland. It’s 1/2 hour to the beach in Carlsbad on a good day. Parking once there is somewhat difficult. Southwest Escondido is the place to live, by Lake Hodges or the mall. Elsewhere is spotty. It’s a trek downtown but nice enough for an affordable San Diego suburb. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t pick the area for a vacation home. I’d stick with Carlsbad or go north to San Clemente.</p>
<p>^^ But it can actually be a pretty nice drive from Escondido to the beach on Del Dios highway through Rancho Santa Fe, then into either La Jolla, Torrey Pines state beach, Del Mar, Solana Beach, or Carlsbad. They’re all about 30 minutes but the drive isn’t bad. One can also take the freeway to Oceanside in about 30 minutes or be in downtown San Diego in 30-40 minutes (if not going at rush hour).</p>
<p>I agree that if I was looking for a vacation home I’d be looking more in the coastal area from La Jolla and the University City/UTC area by UCSD, to Del Mar, to Solana Beach, to Encinitas, and up to Carlsbad but the price will definitely be higher than inland (except Rancho Santa Fe which is even more expensive).
One could always buy this former Trump property in the Escondido area -
[29850</a> Circle R., Escondido, CA 92026](<a href=“http://www.sellingsandiego.com/listingdetails.aspx?ListID=740148]29850”>http://www.sellingsandiego.com/listingdetails.aspx?ListID=740148)</p>
<p>I also agree on your points regarding Escondido but the areas around Escondido can be nice - from the mall area towards the Wild Animal Park, Hidden Meadows, Eagle Crest golf coursem, etc.</p>
<p>Came back from a day house hunting in SD. Brrrrr. Definitely cold and wet today. </p>
<p>I am not really looking for a vacation home, I am going to be a snow bird, I only want a place to winter ! I used to live less than 4 miles from the beach, didn’t make much difference for me. Granted Lake Michigan is not the same as the Pacific. I am thinking if all the economic doomsday scenarios plays out, it’s best to be conservative and have less exposure to the vagaries of the market.</p>
<p>NO to Escondido! It gets hotter than heck there in the summer, with no ocean breezes. You’d be better off in Oceanside than Escondido. Even east Oceanside gets ocean breezes that keep things cool. There is the part of Oceanside that is near the beach. It is either expensive or a bit rough. Oceanside would love to be Carlsbad when it grows up.</p>
<p>I live in Escondido. It is not any hotter in the summer here than anywhere else except the beach.</p>
<p>
That’s what they make air conditioners for. One nice thing about the Escondido area is that one can get a decent sized home on a half to full acre with a view for what would be a small home with no view in some of the coastal areas. </p>
<p>Another area to consider for less expensive condos/homes is Mira Mesa which is is a fairly centralized north county location - closer to downtown SD and the beach than Escondido.</p>
<p>Some other areas for a snowbird place could be Rancho Bernardo, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Scripps ranch. These are all inland along I-15 but south of Escondido. They also get a bit more of the ocean breeze ellemenope referred to but of course not like being closer to the water.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>I live in east Oceanside and I’d say that it is 10 degrees hotter in Escondido than it is in my neighborhood on any given summer day.</p>
<p>If I had more money, I think I’d like to live somewhere south of Carlsbad but north of Del Mar, but along the I 5 corridor.</p>
<p>Actually, Fallbrook is a cute place to live…small town atmosphere but close enough to drive to a Walmart if you need to get things.</p>
<p>I’d also suggest checking out the condo market in La Costa, a bit south of Carlsbad. My mother in law just sold her one bedroom condo there for a very reasonable price (well under $250,000), and according to the comps, that was a good price for inventory in the area right now. Her condo will need some updating, but the complex is nice, with a pool, and just a five minute drive to the beach. Upscale area, and the condo market was overbuilt in the 80’s and 90’s, so there is a lot of inventory available. </p>
<p>Before I’d buy anything in Escondido or Mira Mesa, I’d look around the Lake Murray area of La Mesa and San Carlos. Lots of nice condos and townhouses for sale there right now, but an easy drive into downtown San Diego, the fashion valley area, or over to the Mission Beach/Pacific Beach areas. The Downtown La Mesa area also has some options, and it’s a cute little town for antiqueing and dining. Good luck!</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>I disagree. I live in north county too, and in my experience on a summer day Escondido is noticeably hotter than inland towns such as Vista or even San Marcos.</p>
<p>My rule of thumb for San Diego county is that the temperature on a summer afternoon increases about one degree per mile as you go inland from the coast.</p>
<p>Lilmom- I know the Oxnard beach area. My husband is a builder who built many homes in the Hollywood Beach, Oxnard shores and SilverStrand area.
It is an interesting area that I think is pretty unknown to most people. Most Ca residents would never consider moving to Oxnard. It doesn’t have the best reputation. But the beach areas of Oxnard are a hidden gem.
I recently saw an episode of House Hunters on TV. A young couple was looking to buy their first home. They looked at various condos in the San Diego area.</p>
<p>^^ The other day, for the fun of it, I took a Google-Earth tour of the coastline from Oxnard or thereabouts down south to San Diego. It’s amazing that there are so many nice areas right on the coast and there are thousands of nice multi-million dollar homes. If someone has a lot of money, there are sure some nice places to live in California. Try the tour sometime. Some of the houses across the street from UCSD on the ocean cliff-edge are spectacular.</p>
<p>San Diego county has a lot of nice areas all over it and I’d include the Escondido area in this. There are microclimates in the county but I know some people who prefer inland, including Escondido, to the coast because it’s warmer and has less of the ‘June gloom’ effect, it has more affordable housing, it some places have spectacular views, and some of these people don’t care about the beach. I know others who prefer the coast for it’s cooler summer temps despite the June gloom and smaller houses for the money. And I know others who like the in between areas. Again, we’re fortunate because San Diego has so many nice areas and I’d pit the weather of a place like Escondido above the weather of 99% of the country. </p>
<p>However, if one is looking for a nice place with at least 2br/2ba in the lower end of the price rangge, say $200K-$300K, it limits their options a bit but now is a good time to consider it because prices are down from a couple of years ago and the places more affordable - relatively speaking.</p>
<p>^Spend the day looking through Carlsbad. Saw some pretty shabby homes in shabby looking neighborhood asking for $800,000 (It has a view of some lagoon and the highway, lol).</p>
<p>I am going to look at the other areas suggested here. I agree Cali has got to have one of the nicest coasts and homes in the world. We are invited to stay with a friend at Palos Verdes Estates in LA. We were told (by our host) the view of LA from the house is spectacular. </p>
<p>Me, I am happy with a little two bedroom somewhere out of the cold, and not having to worry about drive by shootings or going out at 8 pm to shop at Walmart. :)</p>
<p>Just want to report back : Every place we are interested in had multiple offers on them. </p>
<p>One place we looked at today, there was a crowd looking through the place. There must be 6 different group of agents with their buyers there. :eek:</p>
<p>I thought we have a recession going on here </p>
<p>^^ Today on the radio they said home sales in the county are up 35% versus a year ago but prices are down. Good old supply and demand at work. There are some pretty good deals out there but not giveaways in this area. There are probably a fair number of first time homebuyers looking at the lower end of the market. For many, the prices have finally come into their reach for the first time.</p>