My fiance' and I are planning on moving to the San Diego area after we are married in May of 2005. We are 28 yrs. old and are now living and working in Washington D.C. We want to move because we love the area but we are unsure of where to look for an apartment. We now pay $1400 a month for a two-bedroom and with my research see that prices won't be much more than that. We like the beach but do not have to live close to the beach (as long as it is just a short drive away) and we also like night-life. We may have to move without jobs - it is hard landing a job on the West Coast when you are living in the East Coast but we still have time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Take a look at Pacific Beach; a coastal community just south of La Jolla. You should be able to find an apartment within your price range and fairly close to the beach. PB is a 15/20 minute drive to downtown San Diego.

As the abover poster recommended. Check out Pacific Beach.

PB is a large transplant community with many Easterners. They seem to like it there.

You could probably count the SD natives there on one hand.

So which is it, San Diego or New York?

Hi lw4227. Or is the plan NY for a year, and then San Diego...?

I knew that would happen - we are thinking about both so I want information on both places.

You didn't mention the $1400 was for a 2 bedroom on your NYC thread. Where is this place??

If you can both find work in San Diego, I'd pick that over NYC. Living expenses are still high but the life style is, IMO as a NYer, much more relaxed. I have recently been visiting because a friend from NYC has relocated there. It's much easier in many ways to raise a family there. But real estate prices are sky rocketing. If you can afford a down payment, I would immediately try to find something to buy, even if just a condo. Otherwise you may be priced out of the market. I have heard of people buying starter homes as investments so their children could have a place to live in the future.

Why would you "have" to move without jobs? You might wind up with a place that's an inconvenient commute to work. I think the job market has been tight there. A lot depends on what you do.

Cost of living is a consideration in both places, but here's something else to think about: Moving to NYC from DC isn't as much of a lifestyle change (you're moving from one big East Coast city to a larger East Coast city) as the move to San Diego (a completely different place in countless ways). I happen to prefer the lifestyle here out West, but that's me. Many east coast people hate it (and let you know it every chance they get)-- and if you're not used to a car-based area (and the creative mind you need to maneuver efficiently throughout the area), it's going to be tough.

The job market is indeed quite tight in California, so if you're serious about it, start looking now. Rents are high in San Diego in general (well, much higher than where I live), but $1400 for a two-bedroom in that area isn't impossible (like it is, say, in Manhattan). You'll need to come out here to do some exploring.

Finding a place to live for $1400 in San Diego isn't impossible. I've lived in San Diego most of my life and I wouldn't live in Pacific Beach. Certainly there are quite a few "transplants" but the commute into and out of P.B. each day is horrendous.
Never live east of the 15 freeway, it's just too hot.

So if not Pacific Beach then where should we look for an apt. What towns are nice but not outrageously expensive?? We are taking a trip in October to check out some places to possible live.

I guess my thoughts are if you are paying $1400 a month, now with your present lifestyles and jobs, how can that be a correct amount for S.D when first of all you 2 haven't any jobs? It would also depend on your careers. What you are paid now to afford a $1400 a month apartment may very well be less in S.D. The nicest area is La Jolla. Not sure about apt. prices, or Coronado Island is also a wonderful area.

Personally, I would check into the downtown, North Park, Hillcrest, Mission Hills areas.

The job market is not tight for technology jobs related to telecom or wireless. Many companies are hiring from outside the area and recruiting other company's employees.

Please be aware that San Diego companies generally pay less than other parts of the country. They call this the "Sunshine Tax".

(I found the SD salary offers about 33% less than comparable Silicon Valley high-tech jobs.)

You should look into Coronado. You should be able to get a place for $1400 or so. It is a great place to live...bikes are the vehicle of choice for getting around town, the beach is beautiful and no more than a mile from any spot on the island. There are lots of great places to eat. It's safe and is an easy commute to San Diego businesses and nightlife- six minutes to Downtown.

Another option is to live downtown. There are tons of new condos, so rental prices have come down some. You can still enjoy places like coronado or mission beach with a short drive.

Where to look? This is a spread out city so it would be easier to look if you knew where you might be working. That said, in terms of employment, Downtown is mostly professionals, Sorrento Valley is high tech, and there is quite a lot of retail in Mission Valley. Most everything else is suburban, with some commerce sprinkled in here and there.

Public transportation is very spotty - it will be nothing like you're used to. You will most likely have to commute via car.

In terms of areas previously mentioned, Hillcrest/Mission Hills/Point Loma/Coronado/PB/ and La Jolla are close to Downtown. All are nice areas, but I wouldn't rent anything without seeing it first. Downtown has a lot more residential projects now and would be a pretty nice place to live. I work in Little Italy and it's my favorite part of Downtown.

Near Sorrento Valley would be Mira Mesa, North La Jolla, Del Mar, and University City. There are other areas as well, but these are closer to the beach than the inland areas.

Less expensive, centrally located areas would be Kensington/North Park/Tierrasanta/and possibly Mission Valley itself.

Hopefully you won't have to move here without at least one of you having a job. That's scary! The job market is definitely hot in certain segments (wireless). I'm not sure about others.

Good luck!

San Diego will be as expensive, if not more, than DC. I would suggest lining up a job ahead of time. The SD job market can be pretty competitive. An example: recently a friend who just graduated from UCSD (a very good school) with a 3.5 GPA has been on a job search, without much luck. She went on one interview for a job and there were 30 other college grads there competing for the job- and it only paid $13 an hour. Out of desperation, she ended up taking a job somewhere where there were many other young people all with degrees- and they all only make $300 a week. Ridiculous!

Ok - I moved to San Diego from New York City about 3 years ago(I also lived in DC for 4 years in the mid-1990s). I had a job (transferred offices). In the past 3 years, I have seen the cost of living in San Diego increase dramatically. I hope to buy a home, but prices are outrageous - over $500,000 for most. Rent is also not cheap. I pay the same now that I paid in New York and I live in La Jolla.

The comments above about lifestyle change are very valid. It took me a year to adjust to San Diego - driving everywhere, gas prices, car maintenance, and even little things like no rain! Life is MUCH more casual here than on the East Coast - I would never wear shorts and flip flops in New York, but I do here. And I have lots of dressy clothes from NY that just sit in my closet.

I also agree that you should find jobs - at least one of you - before moving. The job market continues to be tight here - I guess it might delend on what you do for a living.

Good luck.

Just out of curiousity - where are you finding a 2 bedroom in Coronado for $1400? I just looked at a closet over there that was about $1100... Maybe IB...

I don't know how people can afford living in San Diego. A family member is selling a home there (less than 1400 Sq feet, somewhat run down) in the range of $700,000-800,000. I thought pricing was high in Colorado but I can't imagine living in San Diego without making considerably more money.

Houses are not $1400, but 2 bedroom condos/apartments are easily found. I My friend/property manager has been complaining that condo prices are down in Coronado due to all the new construction downtown.

Check here:
http://www.coronadonewsca.com/classi...ts#Village_RHS

Coronado landlords usually advertise by yard sign or in the Coronado Eagle. but not normally in the San Diego Union.