I'll be checking in here later, and thanks in advance for your replies:)
My step-daughter (in the military) lives there with her family. Nice place, but very expensive.
22, I am glad he is seeing the world. SD is a nice city, there are, like all cities, good and bad parts he will learn as he gets around.
There are lots of job opportunities to work at the navy yard in a variety of jobs and always bartenders for beach hotels.
Here's some recent info on rents.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/sddt/20070322/lo_sddt/reportshowssandiegorentalvacancieshighestin12years
I have lived in San Diego for the last 20 years and I'm originally from Westchester County, New York. I teach at a San Diego Community College.
San Diego is a huge area, it streches from the Mexican border to the southern suburbs of Los Angeles. The county is just a bit smaller than the state of Connecticut. It includes beaches(of course), deserts, mountains and inland valleys, four separate and distinct environments. The daily temperature in the county can vary by 30 degrees depending on where you are at any particular moment. You can find a wide variety of prices, environments and job prospects depending on where you live.
I would advise your son to make his very first stop in San Diego at the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish legal residency on his first day. Then he can get in-state tuition one year from his arrival. California's community college system is the largest educational system in the world and one of the least expensive. Classes are currently $20 per unit or $60 per class. Not bad!
Jobs are readily available, the unemployment rate is around 4.3%.
San Diego is the 5th most expensive place to live in the US but on the East Coast, Manhattan is the most expensive and Boston is ranked higher than San Diego.
When I first moved here, I slept on a friend's couch for a month and drove around every town and every neighborhood in the county till I knew the area and where I could afford to live and wanted to live. My advice is pick a nice part of the city of San Diego proper and rent month to month and do the tour. I would recomment the North Park neighborhood, the Clairemont neighborhood or the College neighborhood by San Diego State University as three good starter choices. GOOD LUCK!
Your son makes me wish I was 22 years old again and with such free spirit and all that stuff.
He will be fine. I moved out of my parents home at 21 and my mom died suddenly shortly after my 22nd Birthday. I came back home to look after my Dad and my teen brother for about a year.
I could go on and on and on but nothing will ever compare to that moment when I moved on and into my own life.
Of course you shall worry ( my kids now are 11 and 15) but know you raised him well and he can make proper choices.
He will always come calling for Mom, and for that you should be proud.
He's hosed. The place is a overpriced anthill. Why people like it is beyond me.
Do you have a Kalifornia ping list to help this person out?
Great place. Too many other people think so, too.
There are cheapER places but doubt any cheap ones worth living in. Should be some jobs but depends on lots of factors. Current locals would be better about that.
I’m more concerned about the hordes of Mexicans storming across to reclaim CA with China’s help . . . but some would consider that paranoia.
Few places are going to be wonderful at some point. Sigh.
Hand in hand with the Man from Galilee
I am worried about the 7,000 dollars which won’t last long. However, I do think it is a good idea to let them give it a try. Please let your home be open if they give it a valiant try and don’t succeed and perhaps tell him how proud you are of him to give it a try (success or fail). I think this will be a great learning experience for him and you will see him grow up pretty quickly. Your a great parent and know you get to see your hard labor being successful or at least a learning experience. San Diego is awfully expensive, but many people have moved there and live a nice life.
San Diego is awesome - whatever age you are.
He and his buddy will be able to find a decent place for 500-800 bucks a month (each) and he’ll be able to find a job that pays the rent and still keep savings and have some fun.
Escondido is great for families - for single guys North Park is good - Pacific Beach is fun, and Ocean Beach is cheaper and maybe a little more of a walk on the wild side depending on the neighborhood.
when I was 22 I got out of the navy, I knew I wanted to live on Balboa Island in Newport Beach so I went there and looked in the roommates wanted section of the paper. Spent 3 years with 4 people in this house and I met tons of people and really enjoyed life.
Hope he enjoys the ride.
I lived in San Diego while in college near SDSU. The utilies are very high but I still kept my share of the gas & electric bill under $15 a month for two people. I never turned the heater on and the AC only a few days of the year. It is the best climate I have ever lived in.