Being a young and rather naive real estate lover and hopefully soon investor, I feel it's nearing my time to take the plunge and take my experiences for what they are: learning experiences!

I agree with @Dan Heuschele, even do I didn't grow up in San Diego my family had a vacation home in Rancho Santa Fe, and its very upper class, clean but rural. ideal for large family or animal lovers.

Abq has a unique, quirky charm to it just like the rest of the state. 

I prefer Tahoe, I lived in Reno, Carson, Minden over the years and the daily afternoon winds coming down into the valley just make it miserable (for me). west side in the trees was the only house I had that wasn't miserable in the wind because it had the charm of rustling trees but out in the valley it's treeless and annoying. if its just for investment and you wont have to live in the wind there are still deals if you hunt. a friend of mind found a great deal inn the Ranchos, easily fit into 70%arv model which was surprising in this market.

Most people that invest in real estate love real estate and the money is just a bonus.

Love renting to high paying college students but yikes, not fun mail.

Auction.com Third times a charm.

Auction.com Third times a charm.

For the most part it retains something of a small town feel and has a particular southern charm about it.

Like the South and South End of Tacoma it has many older, charming craftsman style homes but overall it's a very rough, undesirable area and the school ratings are some of the worst in the state at 1-3.