Side by side
What changes when you move from San Francisco
| San Francisco | San Diego | |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | Cool summers, fog and microclimates | Warmer year-round with its own microclimates: cool at the coast, hot inland |
| Getting back | Home | About 90 minutes by air from SFO, Oakland or San Jose, many times a day |
| State income tax | California | No change. You are staying in California |
| Property tax | Proposition 13 base on your current home | A new base at your San Diego purchase price. If you are 55 or older, Proposition 19 may let you bring your current base with you |
| Pace | Dense, fast and expensive | More space and more time outdoors. Traffic exists but is easier to plan around |
| Housing | Victorians, mid-century, Peninsula and Marin estates | Craftsman and Spanish homes, coastal contemporaries and estate properties with land |
General comparisons at the time of writing. Tax rules change, so confirm with your CPA.
Neighborhood matchmaker
San Diego neighborhoods that feel like home
No two places are the same, but these are the areas our clients from the Bay Area ask about most. The quiz will refine the list to fit you.
If you love Noe Valley or Cole Valley
Look at South Park and Mission Hills
Family-friendly blocks, older homes and a village main street.
If you love The Marina or Pacific Heights
Look at La Jolla and Point Loma
Water views, yacht clubs and established streets.
If you love The Mission or Hayes Valley
Look at North Park and Little Italy
Restaurants, bars and coffee within a short walk.
If you love Palo Alto, Los Altos or Menlo Park
Look at Carmel Valley and Del Mar
Top public schools close to the technology and biotech employers of Sorrento Valley and Torrey Pines.
If you love Mill Valley or Tiburon
Look at Encinitas and Coronado
A small town with character, near the water.
If you love Atherton, Hillsborough or Woodside
Look at Rancho Santa Fe
Gated estates, acreage, horses and privacy.
If you love Walnut Creek or Danville
Look at Poway and 4S Ranch
Larger lots, warm weather and well-regarded schools.
The money side
Equity, taxes and what your budget buys
Bay Area equity goes a long way in San Diego. Many of our clients sell a home on the Peninsula or in the city and buy here with a large down payment or with cash, which puts them at the front of the line with sellers. Because you are staying in California, your income tax does not change. Property tax is the planning point. A purchase normally sets a new tax base at the new price. If you or your spouse are 55 or older, Proposition 19 may allow you to transfer the taxable value of your current primary home to a new one anywhere in the state, with an adjustment if the new home costs more. The filing rules are specific, so ask your CPA and the county assessor before you sell.
For a closer look at jumbo loans, property taxes, 1031 exchanges and how to hold title, see buying at the top of the San Diego market.
How to make the move without the stress
Narrow it to three areas
Take the quiz, read the area guide, and tell us what your days look like. We will suggest places you may not have considered.
Set the order of operations
Sell first, buy first, or bridge between the two. We map it with a lender before anything is listed.
Come for one focused weekend
We plan the route, the showings and the coffee stops. You see each area at the times of day that matter.
Handle the rest from home
Video tours, electronic signatures and a mobile notary mean you only travel when you want to.
San Francisco to San Diego
Questions we hear from San Francisco buyers
Is San Diego cheaper than San Francisco?
For most buyers, yes. Housing generally costs less in San Diego than in San Francisco or on the Peninsula, and the same budget tends to buy more space and a larger lot. The top coastal areas, such as Del Mar, La Jolla and Rancho Santa Fe, are priced like the best Bay Area neighborhoods.
Can I keep my property tax base if I move from the Bay Area to San Diego?
Possibly. Under Proposition 19, homeowners who are 55 or older, severely disabled, or victims of a wildfire or natural disaster may transfer the taxable value of a primary residence to a replacement home anywhere in California, up to three times. If the new home costs more, the difference is added to the transferred value. Confirm the details with the county assessor and your CPA.
Which San Diego neighborhoods feel like the Bay Area?
South Park and Mission Hills resemble Noe Valley. North Park and Little Italy feel like the Mission and Hayes Valley. Carmel Valley and Del Mar attract Palo Alto and Los Altos families, and Rancho Santa Fe is the closest match to Atherton and Woodside.
Are there technology and biotech jobs in San Diego?
Yes. Sorrento Valley, UTC and Torrey Pines form one of the largest biotech and life-science clusters in the country, alongside wireless, software and defense employers. Many Bay Area transplants also keep their jobs and work remotely.
Talk to a local
Planning a move from San Francisco?
Andrew Luria and Jaime Chambers have reported on San Diego's neighborhoods for decades and now help families move here. Tell us about your plans and we will reply with honest thoughts. No sales pitch.
Also moving from: Seattle · Los Angeles · Phoenix