San Diego Real Estate Professionals at eXp Realty

(619) 200-7612

There is a San Diego lifestyle for everyone! Also below is some introductory information about San Diego schools, businesses, and weather.  There are hundreds of schools in San Diego County. Finding the best school district with affordable homes can be difficult. Ask The San Diego Realty Pros for guidance. Call Geoff Schiering at 619-200-7612 to discuss your needs.  We’ll match you with the home that fits your ideal San Diego lifestyle.

San Diego Schools

San Diego has some great public schools.  There are more than 142,000 students currently enrolled in the San Diego Unified School District.  Ours the eighth largest urban school district in the United States.  So you’ll find a very diverse selection of schools in the area. The top rated schools in the San Diego Unified district are in La Jolla, Coronado, and Scripps Ranch.  But the San Diego Unified District is not the only school district in San Diego County. The best San Diego school district by most standards is the San Dieguito Unified School District, which serves Carmel Valley, Del Mar, Solana Beach, and Rancho Santa Fe. More top rated San Diego schools are in the Poway Unified School district which serves Poway, Rancho Bernardo, and Rancho Penasquitos.  There is just one National Blue Ribbon School in San Diego County, and that’s the Willow Grove Elementary School in Rancho Bernardo.

San Diego is a center for education and research, with both public and private colleges and universities. There are the three major universities in the City. The University of California at San Diego (UCSD) is in a gorgeous location between La Jolla and Del Mar. San Diego State University (SDSU) is surrounded by commercial and residential neighborhoods, including La Mesa and the College Area (92115). And the University of San Diego (USD) is in Linda Vista, near Old Town San Diego, Mission Bay and Pacific Beach.  The Thomas Jefferson School of Law and California Western Law School are both conveniently located in Downtown San Diego. The City is also served by many community colleges offering academic courses and vocational training, with the vocational courses often customized to meet the special needs of area employers.

San Diego Businesses

A major contributor to San Diego’s growth and real estate trends has been the diversification of its economy. The City’s economic base, which in the past was reliant on federal defense spending, has undergone a transformation. Of note is the growth of the biotech industry, which has increased demand for San Diego homes in La Jolla, Solana Beach, and Del Mar.  San Diego real estate has seen heavy demand from biotech employees. The technology workers in Sorrento Valley can also live near their work in Mira Mesa, Carmel Valley, or University City.  Others commute from North County San Diego. In North County San Diego, businesses such as Callaway Golf have given a boost to home sales in Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Marcos, and Encinitas.

San Diego’s new economic foundation is based on four major industries: international trade, high tech manufacturing and research, professional services, and a tourism industry. Each of these areas has recorded steady growth since the early 1990’s, and should provide the basis for the City’s future economic growth. Qualcomm has been a major employer for years.  Located in Sorrento Valley, many Qualcomm employees live in the surrounding neighborhoods of La Jolla, University City, and Carmel Valley.  Other large businesses include Intuit, which is headquartered on Highway 56 in Rancho Penasquitos.  And Sony has a very large presence in Rancho Bernardo.

San Diego Weather

When we look at the typical weather report it is not hard to see why San Diego real estate is in such high demand. Many argue that San Diego is the best place to live in the entire United States! But are the luxury homes in Del Mar going to have the same weather as Scripps Ranch homes? Those communities are only about seven miles apart, but as we head East past Carmel Valley to real estate in Rancho Penasquitos, and Poway, the temperature will rise about a degree per mile.  This and other “microclimate” phenomena are common to San Diego County.

Although there is very little rain in San Diego, living in the coastal communities of Del Mar, Solana Beach, La Jolla, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Pacific Beach, Point Loma, or even Downtown San Diego can seem damp at times. The morning marine layer brings in a cover of dew that can moisten houses or cause damage to beachfront condominiums.  But if you like rain, please don’t move to our fair city.  This part of Southern California has more than its fair share of sunshine.  Rain comes in brief intervals from November through April… but don’t count on it!

Moreover, it is tough to tell from the amount of rainfall whether the weather will be “nice” by San Diego standards.  Our most unpleasant weather days are the chilly and damp type that come from the heavy marine layer over the Pacific Ocean.  There have been some interesting studies of the rainfall and the number of non-so-nice, or “inclement” days.  Take a look at the two charts below.  The green graph shows the average amount of rainfall in any particular month.  The pink chart shows the percentage of inclement days during the month in question.  So you can tell by comparing the graphs that even in our rainy season we have very few unpleasant weather days.  In fact, the worst weather month by most people’s standards is June.  The marine layer is thick in June, and we call it the “June Gloom.”  It can really interfere with those early-summer beach vacations.  But other than that, we actually look forward to the rain here in America’s Finest City.  We need rain!

Average rainfall in San Diego

Average rainfall in San Diego

Not too many bad weather days in San Diego!
Not too many bad weather days in San Diego!

Cooling/Heating Degree Days

When referring to the temperature in San Diego, we usually just say “ROOM TEMPERATURE”.  Most people move here expecting it to be hot. After all, we’re as far South as you can get without heading into Mexico, right?  Well… the coast keeps Southern California pretty cool, despite the palm trees and sandy soils.  In fact, we have what most people consider “hot” weather only a few months out of the year.  The rest of the year it is sunny, short sleaves, shot pants optional, and often sweater-weather in the evenings.  An interesting study compares the number of “Cooling Days” (temperatures over 78 degrees, when air conditioning might feel kindof nice) versus “Heating Days” (when the temperature falls below 65 and you might start thinking about turning on the heat).  The data shows that people are more likely to turn on the heat in San Diego than they are to turn on the air conditioning.  But really… you’re likely to need neither one most of the time.  Like we said, our city is “Room Temperature” inside the home or outside.