patrick.net

http://www.housingbubblebust.com/OFHEO/Major/SoCal.html

Headed in the right direction. Certainly better than a few years ago.
$650K > $450K and going down to $350K further in my opinion.

If you can rent now for $1000, may be a great deal.

the bubble got very big here too, but the value of homes is a bit tempered by the weather/beaches I guess. The coast is more stable than some of the inner areas.

btw, check http://piggington.com/ for SD related bubble news, you can ask in the forums too.

also, what area did you check out while you were out here ? myself I'm looking at Chula Vista ( a city just south of San Diego and closer to the border)

The Biggest problem I have about San diego Is How socially conservative it is. Law enforcment thinks it works for the Feds, And it may? This is not the place to find a comfy home for Liberal Thinking. San Diego is a Uniform Town.
Also There is something in the water that just makes people dumber down here, I can feel myself thinking again every time i leave this town only takes a few days.
But throw a bunch of people in one place chasing the Sunny Southern Cal Life style , buying into the "how you look attitude." Then throw in All The LGA (large group awarness) semeinar people and self improvement folks. And you have the "The Fantasy Mindset" That is San Diego. it's all BS

Oh and Then there is the crush of summer visitors from out of state, you visited during the mellow time. now is the best time for crowds and getting around.

just say'n

cv_renter says

btw, check http://piggington.com/ for SD related bubble news, you can ask in the forums too.

Great source of info, certainly worth looking far back to 2002-03 articles.

San Diego is a very nice city, with fabulous weather.

What's the catch? The job market.

Good jobs have generally been harder to get in SD than in other places. But San Diego has come a long way from the sleepy city that it was a few decades ago. So maybe it is not as difficult now.

I grew up in San Diego, and started my career there. But I left more than 30 years ago for more exciting opportunities elsewhere. San Diego is a slow backwater as respects business, finance and politics. But, that is also an attraction for getting away from it all, or if you want a more laid back lifestyle.

Nomograph says

Jeez, go down to PB, drink some beers, smoke some weed, and get laid for crying out loud.

Do I have to be a whiner to do that? I'll be in San Diego in about a month. I'll be the obese white-skinned liberal tourist on the beach, bitching about getting too much sun. Say hi to me. :)

I changed my mind. I can go there instead of santa barbara, when I retire. :)

Here's a quick scan of some properties...seems pretty crazy overpriced looking at some of these numbers:

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3401-32nd-St-San-Diego-CA-92104/16974750_zpid/

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/Address-undisclosed/2133241783_zpid/

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2736-E-St-San-Diego-CA-92102/17067734_zpid/

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3615-Alabama-St-San-Diego-CA-92104/16973526_zpid/

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/728-Yarmouth-Ct-San-Diego-CA-92109/16921094_zpid/

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8533-Tommy-Dr-San-Diego-CA-92119/16982201_zpid/

I love Zillow's demographic *Ramen Metro* for the North Park area of San Diego -- especially when most of the houses are well over half a mil.

It’s kind of funny to read someone from Austin comment but I could be wrong. Maybe this person has actual first-hand knowledge. I understand that the prices must shock someone from Texas. (Yes, I had to spend time there too, but not as a residence.)

-Peter

Peter - Austin isn't Texas, and contrary to your assumption, I can easily show you similarly outrageous appreciation in housing in TX, too -- including a few 700K adobes in the middle of the West Texas desert. The only thing that truly shocks me is the continued willingness of fools to part with their money or over leverage themselves for what amounts to a sock drawer with a driveway.

I understand the party line is that real estate is regional, blah blah blah -- however, sanity is not. Sorry friend, but $650K for a 950 sq ft 60-year-old slab foundation house is just wrong and ridiculous in any sane person's book, especially when it sold back in '99 for 199K. And that's just one of the examples of the half dozen I posted above.

Check out the property in sunny southwest Utah:

http://www.homes.com/listing/103496659/2715_E_175_N_SAINT_GEORGE_UT_84790

This little puppy was in the $250k range a few years ago. It's a bit of a you-clean-it-you-fix-it kind of place. But there are plenty of them here. And our taxes are outrageously low ($1,000/yr for a 3/2 on one acre in a nicer area...). The downside? No jobs. None. Our newspaper has less than ten every week. Without construction & massive tourism, we're so screwed. And we gots no beach.

FYI.

I generally agree with most of the comments above about SD --nice city, reasonable weather, not much culture going on, lack of work. I have been looking to buy for a while now, and have been in the field surveying, and housing is expensive in my opinion (I use the price-to-wage ratio as as guide). While driving around I asked my friend, how do people make a living here? If the price is like Las Vegas, I would have bought 2.

Don't come to SD, there's nothing good here. Lots of red necks and racists here. Even homeless don't want to come. Bay area is much better. Not much high tech jobs here, and extremely hard to find a job either high paid or low paid.

I grew up in San Diego, went to college in New York, and now live in Los Angeles. Why LA and not SD? The job market. San Diego has historically been a retirement community and military town. Over the years, biotechnology, education, and some technology companies have entered the market, but the jobs continue to be slightly lower paying and more likely to be contractor positions than jobs to the north.

San Diego is also a blend of communities: you've got rednecks in the east, a largely Mexican (both latino) community in the south, wealthy weekenders in the north, college (e.g., meatheads around SDSU) and beach bums. While this ecceltic mix makes for interesting football game experiences, it also contributes to the reason people say their is no "culture" in San Diego. Instead, I'd say there are many cultures in San Diego, all of which are more focused on enjoying day-to-day life than the rat race. This stereotype has changed with time as more people move into the community.

Combine this with high home prices and the challenges with living in San Diego tend to make it too difficult to live there full time. With that said, I can't wait to move back home!

But ANCHORMAN was there! "I am in a glass case of emotion!". "Milk was a baaaad choice!".

I have enjoyed my biz trips there. I can concur that the gaslamp is pretty touristy (I was basically a biz tourist) but I explored a little and there is some theatre (that is my cultural thing) and less crowds to deal with (crowds are not my thing). I did see a pretty scary homeless camp near the government offices downtown. I have lived in Detroit and NYC and been through other rough places and this was pretty harsh. It took my second stay to discover the nearby Italian area - really just an extended strip of italian restaurants (forgot what it's called - Nomo?).

The climate suits me personally much better than SF area (where I am) because it's much warmer. I think a little less 'SF culture' might suit me at times, as well. Interesting thread anyway.

Judging any city is a question of which part you focus on. Nobody really "lives" the whole city. So it is a matter of which elements are most important to you.

To me, after so many years in and around New York City, San Diego feels more like a place than a city. But, so much more of a city than it was many years ago.

The culture issue is an amusing argument in that most people rarely bother with the high culture that their cities offer. San Diego offers more culture than most New Yorkers ever bother to use in New York.

But NYC has a "buzz" that San Diego is without.
NYC is very exciting, while San Diego is very pleasant.
I like both.

I just saw this post. Actually I really love San Diego and moving there in a few months. We vacation in La Jolla almost every year and we find it a wonderful area. I guess the negative things are what other people mentioned with the expensive houses to buy (rents seem ok). Even with the correction, housing there is pricey. One of the most expensive areas in the country.

We're looking at houses mostly in La Jolla, Del Mar and Carmel Valley and house prices are expensive still with all kinds of taxes like Mello Roos which I haven't had in other areas that I've lived. In some neighborhoods, Mello Roos can be as high as $600 US per month.

But the weather, the great beaches, not so much traffic, laid back atmosphere, great schools (at least in those areas we are looking in), beautiful neighborhoods (in the areas we are looking in) make it really appealing.

We're really looking forward to moving there. Another great forum if you want to read some information is here below:

http://www.city-data.com/san-diego/

Nomograph says

Danimal says

Biggest problem . . . socially conservative . . . Law enforcment . . . the Feds . . . Uniform Town . . . something in the water . . . people dumber down here . . . a bunch of people in one place . . . “how you look attitude.” . . . semeinar people . . . The Fantasy Mindset . . . it’s all BS . . . crush of summer visitors . . . crowds . . . just say’n

Wow. I think that was the biggest pile of complaints in one breath that I’ve ever heard.
Jeez, go down to PB, drink some beers, smoke some weed, and get laid for crying out loud.

Just calling it like i see it.
Nomo your advice is good. however, I lived that PB life while attending SDSU in the mid 90's. I'm now officially over it. (i think?) Some of my friends however are still at it.
They are the really tan dudes hanging near the lifeguard tower, with the shopping carts.
SD is for non thinkers IMHO something in the water.

How the mighty have fallen.. Wrong! perhaps one should wonder why prices more than doubled frm 1996-2001...

Anything different during this time vs prior dacade... seems still overpriced.. but getting there.
What cost $187000 in 1996 would cost $253110.19 in 2009.
http://www.housingbubblebust.com/OFHEO/Major/SoCal.html

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/891-Felspar-St-San-Diego-CA-92109/16909697_zpid/

Price History
Date Description Price % Chg $/sqft Source
01/23/2011 Listed for sale * $499,900

07/29/2010 Listing removed * $501,100

07/26/2010 Price change * $501,100

07/09/2010 Price change * $485,000

06/25/2010 Listed for sale * $501,100

06/22/2010 Listing removed * $501,100

06/11/2010 Price change * $501,100

05/27/2010 Listing removed * $540,000

05/27/2010 Listed for sale * $540,000

05/21/2010 Price change * $540,000
05/07/2010 Listed for sale * $521,100

04/24/2010 Listing removed * $521,000
03/13/2010 Price change * $521,000

11/25/2009 Price change * $475,000

10/13/2009 Price change * $510,000

09/17/2009 Listed for sale * $460,000

09/20/2005 Sold $741,000

01/12/2004 Sold $583,000

05/22/2001 Sold $384,000

09/24/1996 Sold $186,500 --

Katy Perry says

Nomograph says

Danimal says

Biggest problem . . . socially conservative . . . Law enforcment . . . the Feds . . . Uniform Town . . . something in the water . . . people dumber down here . . . a bunch of people in one place . . . “how you look attitude.” . . . semeinar people . . . The Fantasy Mindset . . . it’s all BS . . . crush of summer visitors . . . crowds . . . just say’n

Wow. I think that was the biggest pile of complaints in one breath that I’ve ever heard.
Jeez, go down to PB, drink some beers, smoke some weed, and get laid for crying out loud.

Just calling it like i see it.
Nomo your advice is good. however, I lived that PB life while attending SDSU in the mid 90’s. I’m now officially over it. (i think?) Some of my friends however are still at it.
They are the really tan dudes hanging near the lifeguard tower, with the shopping carts.
SD is for non thinkers IMHO something in the water.

AND all that being said sometimes I wish I where back surfing Wind and Sea hoping the locals won't hassle me (they never did.) I'll most likely end up in La jolla after this post. haha!

ptiemann says

P.S.:
here’s a pretty good post on another board. Not from me, but I largely agree.
http://sdcia.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=23276812&postcount=39
“SD vs. SF…I moved to SD 2 yrs ago. They are REALLY different places. If you live in SF, you have to be a person who likes urban environments…walkable cities, like Manhattan, Boston, Paris, London. IMO, SF is the only “real” urban city in all of CA with a real downtown.
*Pro’s of SD vs. SF*
-climate
-way cheaper to rent or buy
-easier to get around, less traffic
-more laid back, less of a rat race
*con’s of SD vs. SF*
1. less culture then the Bay. That’s not just museums, theatre, etc…it’s kind of an all encompassing word. It’s the general vibe, people, etc.. SF Bay is just way more cosmopolitan. It has a more educated, progressive, intellectual crowd & all the things that come with that.
2. there’s no comparison with the corporate employment opp’s (can you say headquarters for Google, Intel, Cisco, HP, Genetech, Lucas Arts, Oracle, and on and on and on)
3. the people…see #1. SD has this large popualation of this “Arizona State frat boy meathead crowd”. They are actually a sub-species of humans (kind of like Neanderthols) called “San Diegois Meatheadis”. Their native habitat is the Gaslamp, PB, MB. LOL
4. Outdoors. The Bay Area has way more diversity of things to do if you like the outdoors…Redwoods, Mt. Tam, Pt. Reyes, a prettier coastline, its greener, Tahoe/Sierras, Wine Country. SD does have the beaches, but they are not pristine, they are heavily developed, water is too cold to swim, sand is average. But they are nice still. And there are some nice mountains and desert to the east that is easily accessible and not bad. But it is not on the scale of the Bay Area.
5. SD and SoCal in general seem to have a more short term, get rich quick focus.
6. Character of neighborhoods SF Bay wins. A lot of SD has no character. The Gaslamp for example is a very touristy, cheesy place. It’s just a bunch of national chain restarants full of big screen TV’s. Besides a few small beach towns that are OK, the rest of West of the 5 North County is just cookie cutter suburbia and homogenized strip mall town centers with a Ralphs, a Starbucks, a Walgreens, etc…
In summary:
-SD is a nice, easy place to live. The lack of culture and the people can get to you sometimes (esp if you are from places like SF, Boston, NYC, Seattle, or DC). But you can find cool people and culture, just have to look harder.
If the cost of housing (both rent and buy) were the same, I would choose the Bay Area.”

Man that is a great comparison Love it! to funny and all true. Haveing lived in both places and always wishing for more Bay vibe in SD. I just love this post, ROTFLMAO!!

Zephyr says

culture issue is an amusing argument in that most people rarely bother with the high culture that their cities offer. San Diego offers more culture than most New Yorkers ever bother to use in New York

That's shennanigans. I disagree, as a sometime 9-year New Yorker. To use your own words:

Zephyr says

Judging any city is a question of which part you focus on. Nobody really “lives” the whole city. So it is a matter of which elements are most important to you

I guess everybody I knew in New York was "focused" on "high" cultural things--those I knew were always going to everything low to high, from Green Point to Lincoln Center and all around and back. If you don't like the variety that life offers you, then perhaps a place like SD, full of strip plazas and tract homes, is the place for you.

As much as I dislike LA, I'll take it over SD any day. I'll take ugly over bland; ugly at least provokes a response to your environment.

San Diego is an EXCELLENT place to live. Moved here 3.25 years ago myself, from the Midwest. If you're a weather person, it's unbeatable. No complaints whatsoever, other than you need to know moving in that the cost of living isn't cheap. Accept that, and it's paradise.

Looking at San Diego's mls - it looks like 2 bed condo's are pretty affordable.

Philistine says

As much as I dislike LA, I’ll take it over SD any day. I’ll take ugly over bland; ugly at least provokes a response to your environment.

so true. LA proper Has really got me looking again. never could get my head around it before. but am liking it more, downtown is so interesting. wonder how the loft prices are doing in the last three months compared to rents. must be some deals soon, ya right. Cali dream'n.

poor SD getting all beat up. SD it's not your looks really. you're pretty! yes you are! you're warm, you're fun! you're nice and happy. you're just not good with money and you watch to much T.V. Like a bubbly blonde. A tall no ass big boob aerobics step class BMW3 driving smooth jazz listening cookie cutter blonde.

ChrisBern says

No complaints whatsoever, other than you need to know moving in that the cost of living isn’t cheap. Accept that, and it’s paradise.

There is no need to pay premuim for paradise...see 1996 prices and compare to 2005.. something went wrong in paradise after Y2K. Anyway COL wasnt that big down in SD, or in the Bay Area in the past. $300K will pass but anything above that is questionable.

as I posted from above..

09/20/2005 Sold $741,000

01/12/2004 Sold $583,000

05/22/2001 Sold $384,000

09/24/1996 Sold $186,500

We also thought about Santa Monica but honestly...how do all of you that live in Los Angeles cope with the horrible, brutal, unrelenting traffic. It's non-stop almost 24/7. There is almost no off peak times these days. It's brutal. I don't think I could deal with that traffic day in and day out. I guess unless you are working from your house or something it could work.

But for most normal people it was horrible.

My first question is "are you from California?" Because you might need to consider the cost of living. It is very high. Gas, food, utilities are all a little higher. The vehicle tag fees are absurd and the state income tax is roughly a third of federal income taxes.

I lived in San Diego for ten years and had a great time there. There is no better weather in the country than San Diego, but paradise ain't cheap. Also, it appears nice now, but many cities and the state of California are on the verge of bankruptcy. I think things will take a downturn.

@Underdark

>many cities and the state of California are on the verge of bankruptcy.

How do you think this will affect San Diego?

San Diego, Chula Vista, and other cities near San Diego are in serious budget problems. The National City teachers are about to go on strike. I think higher taxes, reduced services, higher crime may be the future IMO.

San Diego suck. Not much jobs and salary is lower... Red necks in Poway, way too conservative a city. HOA can cost from300 to 750 per month!!! Damn....

Healthcare is 20 to 30% more expensive than LA. You guys have a monopoly there with Scripps.

But outside of that its a great town. SD Zoo is just awesome.

Too conservative for me...

San Diego is great if you love the out doors. It is far better than any place with snow or humidity.

I love San Diego too--I used to live there.... Just so many good points. Hoping housing will drop a bit more though.

I went to San Diego in a January and also in a June. I swear the temperature was nearly the same both trips.