Local Resources
This directory of local resources will assist you in gathering valuable information about this area and other areas throughout the nation to which you may be interested in relocating. You'll also find entertainment ideas, coupons, and other valuable resources, including extensive schools and college scholarship information and links. Please invite your friends, relatives, neighbors and co-workers to visit my website to view this valuable information, even if they're not planning to sell or buy their homes now. If you have an idea about another local resource that would be valuable to my website visitors or if you find a link that doesn't work, please Email me with the suggestion. Inclusion in the Vendor Link Exchange section does not imply vendor endorsement.
| Area Information | |
Community Information - free community profiles
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| 2-1-1 San Diego Information Line - the 2-1-1 phone number is for community information in San Diego County. Here's information. | |
| Bonita- Spotlight -SDDT - San Diego Daily Transcript's information about Bonita, CA which generally has no Mello Roos | |
| City of Chula Vista - official City of Chula Vista website - Home Page- click tab About Chula Vista too. Listen to streaming videos. | |
| Chula Vista - Spotlight-SDDT - San Diego Daily Transcript's information about Chula Vista | |
| Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan - Master Plan for Chula Vista Bayfront redevelopment project. See it change over time as ideas are generated and approved. | |
| Chula Vista General Plan - Chula Vista's General Plan | |
| Chula Vista History - A brief history of Chula Vista. The official version from the City of Chula Vista website. | |
| EastLake - about the EastLake residential development in Chula Vista. | |
| EastLake - information by The EastLake Company about the EastLake area in Chula Vista | |
| Otay Ranch - about the Otay Ranch residential development in Chula Vista. | |
| Otay Ranch Villages and Restaurants - the official Otay Ranch website | |
| Rolling Hills Ranch - about the Rolling Hills Ranch residential development in Chula Vista which has no Mello Roos! | |
| San Miguel Ranch - about the San Miguel Ranch residential development in Chula Vista | |
| Sunbow - about the Sunbow residential development in Chula Vista | |
| Coronado - official Coronado city website | |
| Coronado Visitors Bureau - Attractions in Coronado including one of the best beaches in the United States | |
| Imperial Beach - about the city of Imperial Beach, CA | |
| National City - official National City, CA website | |
| Point Loma Association - community information, volunteer opportunities, newsletters highlighting the Point Loma peninsula on the bay, near downtown San Diego | |
| San Diego - official San Diego city website | |
| Spring Valley, California - information about Spring Valley | |
| San Diego County - official San Diego County website | |
| San Diego County Map - Map of San Diego County with local areas labeled on the official County of San Diego government website | |
| SANDAG - San Diego Association of Goverments-lots of San Diego County information including transportation, housing, economics, and maps with planned future construction indicated | |
| Yahoo Guide to San Diego - things to do in San Diego and travel guide | |
| San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau - Visitors site about San Diego | |
| San Diego Magazine - Glossy magazine about San Diego | |
| San Diego Metropolitan magazine - San Diego Metropolitan magazine with its business and local news, Business DateBook and Arts and Events calendar | |
| Crime Maps - San Diego County, CA - Search for crime by area by address, neighborhood or zip code and other ways. Site is maintained by law enforcement agencies as part of San Diego County district attorney's project. | |
| FirstGov.gov - US Government's official web portal for information and links to other US Government websites | |
| Jamul General Plan 2020 - Official area information about Jamul area and it's General Plan | |
| Maquiladora / Twin Plant in San Diego County - information on maquiladora / twin plant operations in San Diego County and Mexico border cities | |
| Metro Home Price by Area - USA Today's Median Home Prices by Metro Area of the United States | |
| Schools | |
School Information - free school profiles
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| California Department of Education - official website of California Dept of Education | |
| San Diego County Office of Education - website with links to all school districts in San Diego County with links to underlying websites of schools within each district. | |
| Chula Vista Elementary School District - Official site of Chula Vista Elementary School District. Contact directly to find out which school will be assigned on your move in date to the home address that you are considering buying. | |
| Sweetwater Union High School District - official Sweetwater Union High School District website about high schools and middle schools in South San Diego County with links to individual school websites. Contact the school district to find out which school will be assigned at your move in date to the home address you are considering buying. | |
| Bonita Vista High School - official website of Bonita Vista High School in eastern Chula Vista, CA | |
| EastLake High School - official website of EastLake High School in eastern Chula Vista, CA | |
| Otay Ranch High School - official website for Otay Ranch High School in eastern Chula Vista, CA | |
| Castle Park High School - official website of Castle Park High School in western Chula Vista, CA | |
| Chula Vista High School - official website of Chula Vista High School in western Chula Vista | |
| Hilltop High School - about Hilltop High School in western Chula Vista, CA | |
| Montgomery High School - official website of Montgomery High School in Nestor (South County) area of San Diego, CA | |
| Mount Miguel High School - official website of Mount Miguel High School in Spring Valley, CA | |
| Steele Canyon High School - official website of Steele Canyon High School in Spring Valley, CA | |
| College Data - very informative site which includes an online College Chances evaluation section and Scholarship Finder | |
| FastAid - private-sector scholarship database | |
| FastWeb - free scholarship search website | |
| Scholarships.com - comprehensive search tool for scholarships | |
| The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) - scholarship aid from the government's U.S. Department of Education. | |
| College Board's College Matchmaker - Find the right college for you and find out about financial aid. | |
| Southwestern College - Southwestern College - a community college in Chula Vista | |
| San Diego Community College District - information on community colleges within the district in San Diego County | |
| US Universities by State - list of United States universities by state with links to websites | |
| Ivy League Universities - list of Ivy League universities; scholarship information and links to scholarship programs from IntoTheBest, Inc. | |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - great university for engineering and science careers | |
| Stanford University - official website of Stanford University in Palo Alto/Stanford, CA | |
| San Diego State University (SDSU) - about San Diego State University | |
| University of California, San Diego (UCSD) - about UCSD | |
| University of San Diego - about University of San Diego. Also has notable law school. | |
| SDSU College of Extended Studies - take additional classes for lifetime learning opportunities at SDSU | |
| UCSD Extension - take additional classes for lifelong learning opportunities at UCSD | |
| Real Estate Information Sites | |
| DataQuick Real Estate News - DataQuick offers real estate news and statistics on housing for San Diego County and some other areas. Look at Zip Code Charts for recent price changes by area | |
| OFHEO - Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight. Housing price and other information on a US to local level from this Federal government website. | |
| Foreclosure Information from foreclosure.com - Foreclosure and pre-foreclosure public filing information available by subscription | |
| RealyTrac - Foreclosure site with information on foreclosures and pre-foreclosure Notice of Default real estate. Details are available by subscription. | |
| Foreclosure Data - Foreclosure and pre-foreclosure public filings available by subscription | |
| ABC's of Real Estate - Real Estate ABCs consumer tips, hints, and resources for home buyers, sellers, and mortgage borrowers. | |
| Real Estate News - Real Estate news and listings for areas throughout the United States | |
| Housing Opportunities Collaborative - San Diego County site on housing which includes free Home Clinic seminars by attorneys and HUD-approved counseling agencies about options and resources for homeowners facing possible foreclosure. Also has phone number for HopeNow coalition on Home Clinic page | |
| HousingTracker - Inventory of homes and home prices by city in the United States. | |
| HSH Consumer Loan Information - Mortgage rates, indices, and good articles from this publisher of consumer loan information | |
| Mortgage Rates Plus - Up-to-date Mortgage Rates, information, loan products by state and online loan qualification. Their vendors are not prescreened by me. Please do your own due diligence before choosing a vendor. | |
| Federal Housing Administration - FHA - Official US government website for FHA loans | |
| Veterans Administration - VA Loans - Frequently asked questions about VA loans from the Veterans Administration official website | |
| Contractors State License Board - go to the Consumers section. Check to see if a contractor that you are thinking of hiring is licensed by the State of California or call (800) 321-2752 to check their status. A license is required for work for $500 or more in labor and materials. This includes building, painting, landscaping, installing a swimming pool, etc. | |
| Private Gated Communities - Discover golf course community news and information. Compare golf homes in private gated communities located throughout the Unites States including Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. | |
| 1031 Exchange | |
| Asset Preservation, Inc - information about 1031 Exchange of investment real estate from Stewart Title's affiliated company, a "Qualified Intermediary" in 1031 Exchange transactions | |
| Investment Property Exchange Services, Inc. - information about 1031 Exchange of investment real estate from Investment Property Exchange Services, Inc. (IPX), a "Qualified Intermediary" and subsidiary of Fidelity National Financial, Inc., the holding company which also owns Chicago Title, Fidelity Title, and Ticor Title | |
| Apartments for Rent | |
| Apartments in Chula Vista CA - Apartments for rent in Chula Vista CA. Call REALTOR Barbara Cook at (619) 252-1785 when you're ready to buy or sell a home you would like to own or need to sell. | |
| Apartments in San Diego CA - Apartments for rent by community in San Diego County. Call REALTOR Barbara Cook at (619) 252-1785 when you're ready to buy or sell a home you would like to own or need to sell. | |
| Attractions and Theme Parks | |
| Go San Diego Card - One price card for lots of vacation or resident attractions in San Diego County. Sells 1 day cards or more days. Dining and other discounts with card. Have a busy sightseeing day to use full value. | |
| Beaches in San Diego County - Information on the beaches of San Diego County by area and name. All beaches are within driving distance for an afternoon getaway. It's time to plan another trip to the beach for the weekend and to think about your goals and plans to reach the financial pinnacle of owning an ocean view dream home! | |
| Beaches San Diego County - Another site with San Diego beaches to visit. Cornado Beach was just named the #8 best beach in the US. Del Mar is also a great beach. | |
| Cabrillo National Monument - be sure to visit Cabrillo National Monument park in Point Loma with its historical significance, impressive views, lighthouse, and occasional whale watching | |
| Chula Vista Marina - the Chula Vista Marina area is a scenic place in Chula Vista with views to Coronado across the bay. If you're a boat owner, consider docking your boat there. If not, take a scenic walk in the large adjacent park off J Street near highway 5 and have dinner out | |
| Chula Vista Nature Center - Chula Vista Nature Center has exhibits, a petting zoo for sharks and rays, and an exquisite elevated bay view of downtown San Diego and Coronado. Located near E St exit from Interstate Highway 5. | |
| Knott's Soak City U.S.A. - information about Knott's Soak City U.S.A. water park in Chula Vista | |
| Reuben H. Fleet Science Center - Fascinating experiential science museum and IMAX Dome planetarium theatre. Located in Balboa Park in San Diego. | |
| San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park - information about both the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park | |
| PandaCam at the San Diego Zoo - Watch the pandas at the San Diego Zoo on this PandaCam | |
| SeaWorld - San Diego's SeaWorld theme park | |
| Sportfishing - sportfishing information and companies in San Diego County | |
| Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau - Catalina Island is a good day trip or weekend getaway from San Diego County. Here's the information you'll need to know including event dates. | |
| Disneyland - Disneyland in Anaheim, CA in Orange County is a good day trip from San Diego County | |
| The New Childrens Museum in San Diego - This fantastic interactive children's museum opened in downtown San Diego in May 2008 to rave reviews. | |
| Things to See in Los Angeles Points of Interest and LA Attractions - Go Los Angeles Card: One low price includes top LA Attractions and Tours: Hollywood Trolley Tour, LA Music Center Tour, museums, historic sites, excursions and more. | |
| U.S. Olympic Training Center - information about the ARCO Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista | |
| Virtual Tours of Attractions - Virtual Tours of San Diego County attractions by area and type to help you choose and plan your visits wisely. This 360sandiego.com website also includes an event calendar for San Diego County. | |
| Business Networking | |
| MIT Enterprise Forum of San Diego - networking and learning environment for private corporations with potential to go public. Associated with Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ). General program format: the Chief Executive Officer ( CEO ) presents corporate issues to a mock Board of Directors in return for business advice. | |
| San Diego Venture Group - networking organization in San Diego to link the business and professional community with the venture capital community and provide educational meetings | |
| UCSD Connect - organization connecting the high tech and venture capital business community in San Diego. Associated with University of California San Diego (UCSD) | |
| Coupons | |
| AAA/ACSC Auto Club coupons - Coupons for AAA/ACSC members | |
| American Express Offer Zone - saving offers for American Express cardholders | |
| Best Online Coupons - many categories of coupons from well known companies | |
| Coupon Shack coupons - Coupons in several categories from merchants | |
| Get1Free Coupons - Coupons for restaurants and other items throughout San Diego County from Get1Free magazine. | |
| quicktoclick.com - Extensive list of coupons arranged alphabetically by company name and by category of goods and services. Use it! | |
| Real Estate Valuable Closing Gift Coupon - REALTOR Barbara Cook offers a closing gift coupon to current and future clients for special savings on a closed real estate transaction. Ask Barbara for the latest coupon available if the coupon has expired. | |
| San Diego Dining Coupons - restaurant coupons | |
| San Diego Reader coupons - Many coupons for San Diego County restaurants. Other categories too. Searchable by area. | |
| Sign on San Diego Coupons - coupons by category for restaurants and stores from The San Diego Union-Tribune's website | |
| Southern California and Florida Attractions coupons - Coupons to San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld, and LegoLand, Universal Studios, etc and also Florida attractions | |
| Dining | |
| San Diego Retaurant Week - Fine dining at several restaurants in San Diego at reduced prices during San Diego Restaurant Week in January | |
| Drivers License | |
| California Drivers License - Chula Vista DMV location - Chula Vista California DMV location. Make an appointment to save time. Also consider going to AASC/AAA location on Telegraph Canyon Rd in Chula Vista to handle registration, vehicle ownership transfer and some other DMV transactions faster. | |
| California Drivers License - San Diego County Locations - DMV - Department of Motor Vehicles locations in San Diego County to get your California drivers license. Also consider Auto Club (AASC/AAA) DMV counter to transact drivers license and registration transactions. | |
| Financial Planning | |
| Ray Lucia, CFP - Certified financial planning (CFP) company with Buckets of Money strategy and radio show | |
| Health | |
| L A Fitness - newest health and fitness club in Eastern Chula Vista. Has extensive fitness equipment, classes, racquetball and basketball. Be sure to say hello if you see me there. | |
| Web MD - health information site | |
| Insurance | |
| Barney and Barney - largest privately held insurance broker in San Diego County and winner of Better Business Bureau award for integrity. | |
| Insure to Value - Reports on estimated replacement cost of your home for insurance purposes | |
| Job Search | |
| America's Job Bank - major jobsearch website | |
| CareerBuilder.com - major job search website | |
| Dice - high tech job search website | |
| Hot Jobs - major job search website | |
| monster.com - major job search website. If you're thinking about buying a home, length of employment helps you qualify for a loan. But if you're between jobs or thinking of relocating, take a look at opportunites throughout the United States. I'll refer you to another Realtor if it's outside my service area. | |
| The Ladders - Job search for $100K+ jobs | |
| Libraries | |
| Chula Vista Public Library - City of Chula Vista libraries-search for library books online | |
| Coronado Public Library - Coronado public library information | |
| National City Public Library - National City public library information - click on City Departments then Library | |
| San Diego County Library - library branches managed by San Diego County - Click on Library Branches tab for locations and information | |
| Maps | |
Mapquest - maps, driving directions, road trip planner....
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| San Diego County Map - San Diego County map from the official County of San Diego government website. Local areas shown on map. | |
| Movies | |
| AMC Theatres - movie times and tickets | |
| Movie Reviews - Ebert & Roeper's movie reviews | |
| Mr. Movie Times - Movies Theatres and Show Times in San Diego County | |
| Regal Cinemas - movie times - enter zip code | |
| Out of Area Online Newspapers | |
| The Wall Street Journal - The Wall Street Journal online edition | |
| The Arizona Republic - Phoenix area online newspaper | |
| Austin American-Statesman - Austin,TX newspaper online | |
| The Boston Globe - The Boston Globe online | |
| Chicago Sun-Times - Online edition of Chicago newspaper. | |
| Chicago Tribune - Chicago Tribune newspaper. | |
| The Dallas Morning News - The Dallas Morning News online | |
| The Desert Sun - Palm Springs, CA online newspaper | |
| NewsLink Florida newspapers - website with links to several Florida online newspapers | |
| Houston Chronicle - Houston Chronicle online | |
| Los Angeles Times - Los Angeles Times online | |
| The New York TImes - The New York Times online edition | |
| Orange County Register - Orange County, CA online newspaper | |
| The Oregonian - The Oregonian.Live online edition of The Oregonian newspaper. | |
| The Sacramento Bee - Sacramento California online newspaper | |
| San Jose Mercury News - San Jose and Silicon Valley, CA online newspaper | |
| Santa Barbara News-Press - Santa Barbara News-Press online | |
| The Seattle Times - The Seattle Times online | |
| The Washington Post - Washington, DC newspaper online | |
| Performing Arts | |
| San Diego Playbill - what's happening in performing arts in San Diego and link to Art Tix half price tickets | |
| The Old Globe - watch plays in the historic theatre in Balboa Park | |
| La Jolla Playhouse - watch plays in La Jolla - some are Broadway bound | |
| OnStage Playhouse - live theatre in Chula Vista | |
| San Diego Civic Theater - downtown theater for Broadway plays, Ballet, and other venues | |
| San Diego Opera - enjoy an opera performance | |
| San Diego Symphony - listen to the beautiful music of the San Diego Symphony | |
| Coors Ampitheatre Concerts - information about concerts in Chula Vista by well known bands and musicians | |
| Product Recalls | |
| U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - Official government site of the U.S.Consumer Product Safety Commission to search for product recalls | |
| Public Speaking | |
| Speak for Success - Public speaking coach for corporations and executives. High Impact Presentations, Business Writing, and Interpersonal Communications. | |
| Toastmasters International - official site for Toastmasters International, a public speaking club | |
| Toastmasters International District 5 - information and club finder for Toastmasters clubs in San Diego County,CA; Imperial County, CA; Yuma AZ; and Baja, Mexico | |
| Recipes | |
| Cooking Light - Magazine recipes | |
| epicurious - recipe website from Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines | |
| Foodnetwork.com - recipes from the television shows on the Food Network | |
| Melinda Lee - Radio cooking show host's website with recipes and other cooking information | |
| Recreation | |
| Chula Vista Parks and Recreation - many activities available through the City of Chula Vista's Parks and Recreation Department | |
| County of San Diego Parks and Recreation - County of San Diego's official Parks and Recreation website | |
| EastLake Country Club - EastLake Country Club in Chula Vista, CA includes a golf course which is open to members and non-members | |
| EastLake Country Club - EastLake Country Club in Chula Vista, CA is open to members and non-members | |
| Montevalle Park - Rolling Hills Ranch - Description of Montevalle Park in Rolling Hills Ranch with its basketball, softball, playground equipment for all, tennis, dog park, skateboarding and links to classes schedule for after school programs | |
| San Diego Golf - information about golf courses, clubs, and lessons in San Diego County | |
| Relocation Links | |
| Chula Vista Real Estate - Yahoo! Real Estate offers a wealth of to help with every aspect of your move | |
| Moving Center - Moving Estimates, Truck Rental, Moving Supplies and Storage | |
| Official City Websites - find area info websites across the world! | |
| US State Departments of Education - see the list of all 50 states | |
| USPS' Movers Guide - help for planning and executing your move | |
| Shopping | |
| Chula Vista Center - Chula Vista Center-shopping mall in Western Chula Vista includes shopping, restaurants, and movie theater. | |
| Otay Ranch Town Center - New lifestyle shopping center in Otay Ranch in Chula Vista to open in October 2006. Shopping, restaurants and movie theatre. | |
| Westfield Plaza Bonita - Plaza Bonita mall near Bonita and National City. Shopping and restaurants. | |
| Sports | |
| San Diego Chargers - football team information and game schedule | |
| San Diego Padres - San Diego Padres baseball information and game schedule | |
| San Diego State University Aztecs - San Diego State University SDSU Aztecs football | |
| Tax Information | |
| First-time homeowners - IRS tax site information | |
| Franchise Tax Board - state tax information at California's tax site | |
| Homeowner deductions information - IRS tax site information | |
| How to report moving expenses - IRS tax site information | |
| San Diego County Assessor Office and Tax Bills Information - information about property assessments and property tax bills in San Diego County | |
| Selling your home - IRS tax site information | |
| Traffic Report | |
| Traffic Report - live traffic report by area and freeway name. Includes driving speed and accident reports. | |
| 511 - Traffic times, accident information, and FastTrak fares. Or call 511 in San Diego County to get this information. | |
| South Bay Expressway - this is the new name and official website for the 9 mile portion of Hwy 125 due to open in Fall 2006 which is located between Hwy 54 and 905 in South San Diego County | |
| SR 125 South - SR 125 South, which has begun construction, will include a 9 mile toll road in South County along with a Connector and Gap segment. This is an expansion of existing SR 125. Here is the plan for the highway and its route. Consider the positive and negative long term and short term aspects when buying and selling a home in certain locations of South San Diego County. | |
| Vendor Link Exchange | |
| Compare Home Improvement Contractors Now - Select a home improvement contractor. Also check current CA State Contractors Board licensing status and BBB status. | |
| Volunteer | |
| Volunteer San Diego - volunteer opportunities in San Diego County | |
| Wall Street | |
| CNBC TV & msn Money - online edition of CNBC Wall Street investment television network on msn Money investment site | |
| Hoover's Online - Stock,company, and Initial Public Offering (IPO) information | |
| NAIC - NAIC investment clubs national website | |
| NASDAQ Stock Quotes - Stock quotes and research for NASDAQ, NYSE, and AMEX listed stocks | |
| Price Waterhouse Money Tree Venture Capital Survey - information on venture capital firms and corporate equity financing prior to going public | |
| Value Line Reports - free Value Line Reports for the Dow 30 Industrial Average Index | |
| Venture Economics - Venture capital resources, news and links | |
| Yahoo Finance Stock Quotes - Stock quotes and Wall Street research | |
| Weather | |
| AccuWeather.com - weather information by zip code | |
| Local Weather - forecasts, weather patterns, radars.... | |
National Weather - find weather info anywhere in the US
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| Old Farmer's Almanac - long term weather forecast for 2005 by region in the United States | |
