South Bay

East Chula Vista

The newer section of Chula Vista is east of the 805. East Chula Vista, and its many master-planned communities, is very popular with military families. Proximity to downtown San Diego and the many Naval Bases, highly rated public schools, larger homes, and suburban amenities makes East Chula Vista a desirable option for many. Hardly any of the neighborhoods date back more than 20 years, and the robust HOAs keep the lawns and shared spaces in top condition. There are many parks, trails, bike paths, and dog parks to keep you outside and active. The lakes are a fun way to spend the day with family, but if that’s not your speed most of the communities have pools and clubhouses. Youth sports are serious business here, and you may recognize a few teams from this area in the Little League World Series. Eastlake, Otay Ranch, and Rancho Del Ray were just a few of the communities that military folks raved about in East Chula Vista.

Home Size in East Chula Vista

East of the 805, you’ll find much larger, suburban homes that range in size from 1,800 to 3,000 square feet. Like most master-planned communities, the lots tend to be a little small and homes can be packed in tight. There are also clusters of townhomes with units in the 1,000 to 1,400 square foot range.

Home Prices in East Chula Vista

The median home value for single family homes in East Chula Vista is $593,000 according to the Zillow Home Value Index. Home Values are forecasted to increase by 1.7% in the coming year. According to Zillow’s Rental Index, the median rental rate for homes in East Chula Vista is $2,395. The ZRI for East Chula Vista is for all rentals, including smaller apartments and very large homes. There isn’t enough data available to narrow down the median rate for single-family homes.

Don’t forget to research HOA fees, Mello-Roos tax (if applicable), and utility costs when determining your budget for renting or buying. These items add up quickly and can tack on hundreds of dollars per month to your base rent or mortgage.

Schools in East Chula Vista

The public schools in East Chula Vista belong to Sweetwater Union High School District or Chula Vista Elementary School District. One of the highest rated schools is Salt Creek Elementary School, which has a rating of 9 according to Greatschools.org. Chula Vista Elementary School District’s rating is 8, while Sweetwater Union High School District is 6.

California’s richness in cultural, linguistic and economic diversity is reflected in Sweetwater Union High School District’s student population, which includes Hispanic, Filipino, African-American, Asian and other ethnicities. Approximately half of Sweetwater’s students speak a language other than English at home.

SUHDD offers unique programs for its students like free before and after school care for middle schoolers. School days operate on block scheduling and some schools offer International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. MAAC community charter school ensures a vocational job to those who graduate their program.

Chula Vista Elementary School District provides all enrolled students with five full copies of Office 365 at no cost. CVESD also provides a part-time preschool program to low-income families. Parents or guardians, may request zone transfers to schools within CVESD or interdistrict transfers to schools in other school districts. Transfer requests are generally approved as long as space is available in the school of choice. Transportation is not provided to those who reside outside the school’s boundaries.

There are several great schools in East Chula Vista, but one to take particular note of is Arroyo Vista Charter School.

Chula Vista Elementary School District is a part of a consortium of four other school districts created by the University of Southern California for an initiative called Welcoming Practices. The program recognizes the unique needs of military children in school transitions and has the stated goal of ensuring “that district and school staff members have access to the tools they need to create welcoming and effective transition procedures that give students a successful start at their new school.” We think this deserves massive kudos!

Imperial Beach

Imperial Beach is the southernmost beach city in California, located just below the southern tip of the San Diego Bay. This border town has seen better days, but the best are likely just ahead. Imperial Beach (or “IB” to locals), is experiencing some massive revitalization efforts, mostly due to the impending move of the Navy SEAL’s from Coronado to a training compound on IB’s front yard. It’s also one of the few remaining beach towns with affordable property, so people are buying up houses and tearing them down to rebuild. This renaissance has prompted a lot of new additions to the community to include luxury condos, new restaurants, a grocery store, a skate park, and even a brewery. IB has long been a haven for military and locals alike, but the future will likely see even more military families flocking to the beach!

Home Size in Imperial Beach

Existing homes in IB are aging and small, but developers are focusing on building larger family-friendly abodes. The home size ranges from 1,200 to 2,400 square feet, with condos and single-family homes to choose from. Expect tiny lots as the developers try to cram as many houses as possible into this up and coming area.

Home Prices in Imperial Beach

The median home value for single family homes in Imperial Beach is $507,700 according to the Zillow Home Value Index. Home Values are forecasted to increase by 6.5% in the coming year.

According to Zillow’s Rental Index, the median rental rate for single-family homes in Imperial Beach is $2,232.

Don’t forget to research HOA fees, Mello-Roos tax (if applicable), and utility costs when determining your budget for renting or buying. These items add up quickly and can tack on hundreds of dollars per month to your base rent or mortgage.

 Schools in Imperial Beach

Public schools in Imperial Beach belong to Sweetwater Union High School District or South Bay Union Elementary. One of the highest rated schools is Imperial Beach Charter School, which has a rating of 7 according to GreatSchools.org. South Bay Union Elementary School District as a whole rate at a  4, while Sweetwater Union High School District rates at a 7.

California’s richness in cultural, linguistic and economic diversity is reflected in Sweetwater Union High School District’s student population, which includes Hispanic, Filipino, African-American, Asian and other ethnicities. Approximately half of Sweetwater’s students speak a language other than English at home.

SUHDD offers unique programs for its students like free before and after school care for middle schoolers. School days operate on block scheduling and some schools offer International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. MAAC community charter school ensures a vocational job to those who graduate their program.

South Bay Union School District is the most southwesterly school district in the United States and serves a richly diverse population in Imperial Beach, San Ysidro, and South San Diego. SBUSD offers a robust visual and performing arts program, transitional kindergarten, preschool, and low cost Internet access for those who qualify.

Imperial Beach Charter School is a popular tuition-free charter school.

National City

National City is located “right outside the gate” of Naval Base San Diego, giving it a check mark in the “Pro” column for commuting to 32nd Street. It’s one of the oldest areas in San Diego, and some of its neighborhoods can appear a little run-down. If you look beyond the strip malls and pawn shops that typically anchor near the gate, you can find a few blocks of single-family homes near the western side of the city, as well as large historic homes in the canyons to the east. National City is a working class, industrial area with affordable housing options. Military residents are typically single seamen looking to be close to base and save on housing. National City has proud Filipino and Mexican communities, along with some of the best international eateries and stores around.

Home Size in National City

Homes in National City tend to be small, ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 square feet. Apartments are plentiful, but there are a few small, single-family homes available. We recommend you research crime statistics for neighborhoods in this area before buying or renting a home.

Home Prices in National City

The median home value for single family homes in National City is $379,000 according to the Zillow Home Value Index. Home Values are forecasted to increase by 4.1% in the coming year.

According to Zillow’s Rental Index, the median rental rate for single-family homes in National City is $1,975.

Don’t forget to research HOA fees, Mello-Roos tax (if applicable), and utility costs when determining your budget for renting or buying. These items add up quickly and can tack on hundreds of dollars per month to your base rent or mortgage.

Schools in National City

Public schools in National City belong to Sweetwater Union High School District or National Elementary School District. One of the best schools is Sweetwater High School, with a rating of 6, according to GreatSchools.org. Sweetwater Union High School District is rated a 6, and National Elementary School District is rated a 5.

National Elementary School District offers numerous free programs throughout the district including: breakfast and lunch for all students, before and after school programs, music and band, electronic learning boards in every school, and preschool, to name a few. Intra/inter-district transfers are honored when there is space available and the programs won’t be compromised. Transportation is not provided for transfer students.

California’s richness in cultural, linguistic and economic diversity is reflected in Sweetwater Union High School District’s student population, which includes Hispanic, Filipino, African-American, Asian and other ethnicities. Approximately half of Sweetwater’s students speak a language other than English at home.

SUHDD offers unique programs for its students like free before and after school care for middle schoolers. School days operate on block scheduling and some schools offer International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. MAAC community charter school ensures a vocational job to those who graduate their program.

West Chula Vista

Chula Vista is just south of San Diego in the South Bay region of San Diego County. It is roughly translated from the Spanish for “beautiful view,” and aptly describes the diverse terrain of the area. Chula Vista ranges from the San Diego Bay to the foothills of the coastal mountains. The city is divided by Interstate 805 into two distinct areas, West Chula Vista and East Chula Vista. West of the 805, you’ll find the older section of town with small homes that date back to the 1950s. There are no HOAs or organized subdivisions, so upkeep of properties is less uniform. The west side is more urban and you are more likely to see bars on windows. West Chula Vista is very close to the southern Naval bases and to downtown San Diego, but getting to the other side of North County can take an hour or more.

Home Size in West Chula Vista

Homes in the older section of Chula Vista (west of the 805) are mostly small ranchers ranging from 1,100 to 1,600 square feet. Occasionally you can find a home with 2,000 square feet.

Home Prices in West Chula Vista

The median home value for single family homes in Chula Vista is $514,000 according to the Zillow Home Value Index. Home Values are forecasted to increase by 2.9% in the coming year.

According to Zillow’s Rental Index, the median rental rate for single-family homes in Chula Vista is $2,432.

Don’t forget to research HOA fees, Mello-Roos tax (if applicable), and utility costs when determining your budget for renting or buying. These items add up quickly and can tack on hundreds of dollars per month to your base rent or mortgage.

Schools in West Chula Vista

Public schools in Chula Vista are part of Sweetwater Union High School District or Chula Vista Elementary School District. One of the highest rated schools is Arroyo Vista Charter School, which is rated 10 (though located in East Chula Vista), according to GreatSchools.org. Chula Vista Elementary School District’s rating is 8, while Sweetwater Union High School District is 6.

California’s richness in cultural, linguistic and economic diversity is reflected in Sweetwater Union High School District’s student population, which includes Hispanic, Filipino, African-American, Asian and other ethnicities. Approximately half of Sweetwater’s students speak a language other than English at home.

SUHDD offers unique programs for its students like free before and after school care for middle schoolers. School days operate on block scheduling and some schools offer International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. MAAC community charter school ensures a vocational job to those who graduate their program.

Chula Vista Elementary School District provides all enrolled students with five full copies of Office 365 at no cost. CVESD also provides a part-time preschool program to low-income families. Parents or guardians may request zone transfers to schools within CVESD or interdistrict transfers to schools in other school districts. Transfer requests are generally approved as long as space is available in the school of choice. Transportation is not provided to those who reside outside the school’s boundaries.

Chula Vista Elementary School District is a part of a consortium of four other school districts created by the University of Southern California for an initiative called Welcoming Practices. The program recognizes the unique needs of military children in school transitions and has the stated goal of ensuring “that district and school staff members have access to the tools they need to create welcoming and effective transition procedures that give students a successful start at their new school.” We think this deserves massive kudos!