San Diego is a great place to live, especially if you want to be within walking distance to shops, restaurants and entertainment. Or, perhaps you just want to be close to public transportation and most of your necessities all within about a five block radius. The downtown San Diego area is perfect for that but if you're looking for other specifics in a neighborhood here are some things to consider.

Emergency service centers. It can be one of the most overlooked neighborhood amenities but if you don't like the sound of ambulances and police running up and down the street you might want to choose a condominium or home further away from those direct routes. If you're moving in right across the street from a firehouse, you know it's going to be allowed and this could be at random times of the day or night. But, if you are wanting to be close to the services this might be something to consider.

Shopping. If you like to run down to the corner market to grab a gallon of milk or maybe a bottle of wine, living where there is a retail outlet on the ground-level might be ideal. Many San Diego condominium buildings have a retail outlets on the ground floor. They might also have coffee shops, cafés, salons or dog grooming facilities. This makes living, playing, and doing everything that you do on a daily basis much easier when it's all within easy reach.

Parks or sidewalks. Check out the condition of the sidewalks and neighboring parks. If there are in good condition you probably are in a good neighborhood but if the area doesn't have sidewalks or is not very pedestrian friendly, you may want to consider using your vehicle or rethinking where exactly want to live if parks and neighborhood playgrounds are important to you.

Schools. San Diego school districts are zoned in such a way that they have a good mix of demographics from every area so if you're looking to get to a specific school, check the school zoning for the building in which you're interested in.

Health care services. It's important to know where hospitals, clinics, optical offices or dental offices are located. Talk to your current doctor if you're moving into the San Diego area about some references and referrals and defined as practicing center near your home that suits your needs.

Everybody's interests, needs and lifestyles are different so it's important to write yours down to find the best condo or homes throughout the San Diego area. Give me a call if you need some help in this department. I'd be happy to offer as much information as possible about particular neighborhoods in the downtown area.