Chula Vista

As the second largest city in San Diego, Chula Vista is an important economic and cultural component of San Diego county, with significant expansion and improvements over the last several years. Every single zip code in the city over the last year (Q4 2017 to Q4 2016) has seen its single family home property values soar at least 6-7%, with some areas increasing by nearly 17% (91910). The city council has been aggressively acquiring land and developing high-end resort properties along Chula Vista's coastlines, and their plans have borne important improvements to both business and property values for its citizens.

Situated near the Mexican border, the city enjoys year-round ocean breezes and mild weather patterns. Important developments include the recent acquisition of over 370 acres of land for its University Park and Innovation District site, and over 500 acres for its luxurious Chula Vista Bayfront Project, which will develop both world-class residential and resort properties. Furthermore, the city has been named one of the safest places to live in the entire nation.

Education

Surprisingly, the Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD) is not only the largest K-6 district in California (with over 28,000 students and 46 campuses), but is also frequently honored for academic excellence. CVESD students often outperform their San Diego County peers, and all schools match or exceed the state's performance targets.

Chula Vista also has the largest 7-12 district (Sweetwater Union High School District; SUHSD) in California with 41,000 students and 24,000 adult students on 32 campuses. SUHSD features a nationally-recognized "Compact for Success" program through San Diego State University that guarantees admission for meeting strict admissions criteria, and also boasts numerous "School-to-Career" programs that have bolstered employment and quality-of-life for Chula Vista residents. Furthermore, Chula Vista is moving forward on its plans to construct a new University Campus—tentatively with CalState—on a 375 acre site adjacent to its Olympic Training Center overlooking gorgeous Lake Otay.

Neighborhoods

Chula Vista has several diverse communities, yet most are mid-to-upper middle class with several high-end luxury homes available in beautiful developments overlooking Lake Otay. The primary neighborhoods in Chula Vista are Otay Ranch, Rancho Del Rey, Bonita, Eastlake, San Miguel Ranch, and Rolling Hills Ranch. In general, the most affluent neighborhoods are in the 91914 zip code, with an average Q4 2017 sales price of over $800,000. However, the zip code with the highest YoY gain is 91910, with an average sales price of $585,000 and a gain of $85,000 (+17%) vs one year prior.

Entertainment

Chula Vista has no shortage of recreational opportunities for any diverse interest, ranging from scenic hikes, to SeaWorld's Aquatica water park, to pristine beachfronts and to OnStage playhouse for artistic pursuits. Aspiring archers may even enroll in classes within Chula Vista's elite Olympic Training Center. And thrill seekers can easily get their fix at Chula Vista's Skydiving Park, just off of Lake Otay! Furthermore, golf enthusiasts have no less than three different golf courses throughout Chula Vista to choose from, with perfect weather at least 300 days a year.

Transportation

The construction of the tollroad SR125 has significantly improved congestion and ease-of-access for Chula Vista's citizens, connecting to the vital 5 and 805 freeways. Interestingly, Chula Vista is also a cyclist's paradise with almost 100 miles of dedicated cycling lanes. A swing by Bonita Road is often met with the sights of joggers and cyclists on its dedicated pathways alongside Bonita's excellent golf course.

Property Taxes

Chula Vista's average tax rates hover around 1.118%, which is lower than the San Diego average of 1.179%. Note, however, that some new constructions in southern Chula Vista (e.g. Otay Ranch, Anacapa and Presidio) may charge significant Mellos-Roos fees of over $5,000-$7,000 a year, in an effort to deter investors and attract buyers seeking primary residences.

Conclusion

Similar to the early construction of North County's ranch estates in the late 80s to early 90s, Chula Vista is now experiencing an economic and property value boom thanks to careful city planning, a stellar public education system, year-round sunshine and wonderful people. The most recent numbers strongly support this conclusion, with every single Chula Vista zip code realizing an increase of at least 6% in sales price in Q4 2017 vs one year prior. Therefore, the neighborhoods of Chula Vista make for excellent economic investments that will likely remain valuable for the foreseeable future.