Moving to Coronado from Los Angeles is a different job from moving from Austin or from another country, and the checklist should reflect that. Below are three sets of steps, one for each kind of move, with the public numbers on where people are coming from and going, and the differences worth knowing. The moving to Coronado guide covers the island itself.
Relocating
Relocating to Coronado Island: Checklists by Where You Are Coming From
A moving checklist for newcomers to Coronado from elsewhere in California, from another state or from abroad, with the county and state numbers behind the moves and what to compare.
Three kinds of move
Between 2022 and 2023, the IRS counted 44,138 people arriving in San Diego County from other California counties, 61,537 from other states and 4,459 from other countries. Each kind of move has its own to-do list.
- From elsewhere in California: your biggest questions are timing and property tax. If you own now, a sale and a purchase have to fit together.
- From another state: most of the paperwork changes at once, from taxes and licenses to insurance, and the California way of closing a sale is different from many states.
- From another country: allow extra time for documents, money transfers and learning how U.S. credit works.
Checklist
Your moving checklist
Practical steps for a move to the area, grouped by where you are coming from.
Your checklist
Print this page or copy the list. Not every item applies to every move.
For everyone
- Get a pre-approval in hand first, so every home you see is one you know you can afford.
- Do not stop at the mortgage payment; add tax, insurance, HOA dues and any special assessments to see the real monthly figure.
- Estimate closing costs and the cash you will need at escrow with the closing cost tool.
- Request written quotes from a few movers, try the moving cost planner and confirm what their insurance covers.
- If you are renting: Decide how much rent is comfortable and when you will revisit buying; the rent-versus-buy tool shows both sides.
- Keep some cash aside for the supplemental property tax bill California sends after a purchase.
- Read the seller’s disclosure package closely, including the Transfer Disclosure Statement and the hazard report, and list your questions for your agent.
- For a home in an association, get the rules, budget, reserve study and meeting minutes and read them within your contingency period.
- Get insurance quotes (homeowners, and earthquake or flood if you want them) before your contingency period ends.
- File a change of address with USPS and tell banks, insurers, your employer and any subscriptions.
- Change your voter registration to your California address.
- At signing, one of the forms is a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report for the assessor.
- If you are selling: Assemble permits, HOA documents and repair receipts so a buyer’s file is complete.
- If you are renting: Read the lease carefully for the notice, deposit and renewal provisions.
- Order a home inspection and a termite (wood-destroying pest) report soon after the contract is signed; both are customary here.
- Check that smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms are installed and the water heater is braced, as California requires.
- Walk the home one last time before closing to check repairs, appliances and condition.
- If you are selling: Get a personal market report and a plan for preparing the home.
- Check that large furniture fits, and reserve the elevator or loading zone if your building requires it.
- Re-key the locks, test the alarms and learn where the shut-offs and the panel are.
- See the neighborhood at different hours and in different seasons, and time your commute.
- Walk or drive the neighborhood and note the shops, parks, and services you would use each week.
- Schedule electric, gas, water, trash and internet before you move in, and ask the seller for a year of utility bills.
- Find a doctor, dentist and vet, and transfer records and prescriptions.
- Pack a first-night box with chargers, medications, documents, bedding and a few tools.
Coming from elsewhere in California
- If you are selling: If you own a home now, decide whether your purchase depends on its sale, and estimate the proceeds.
- If you are selling: Ask the assessor about Proposition 19 before you list, if you are 55 or older, severely disabled or a disaster victim.
- License pets with the city or county and learn the trash, recycling and street-sweeping schedules.
Coming from another state
- Have a tax professional compare your take-home pay under California’s rules with your current state’s.
- Check the DMV: new residents are generally expected to get a California driver’s license within 10 days and register vehicles within 20.
Coming from another country
- If your funds or income are abroad, ask a lender which documents they need and how long each takes.
- Set up banking and start a U.S. credit history; a lender can explain the steps.
From and to
The counties on the other end
County to county, 2022–2023, from IRS tax-return address changes.
The biggest sources of arrivals
People who moved into San Diego County in 2022–2023, by the county they left. Top 6.
The biggest destinations of departures
People who moved out of San Diego County in 2022–2023, by the county they moved to. Top 6.
Both directions side by side
Flows under 10 tax returns are not published, which is why some cells say so.
| County | Moved in | Moved out | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside, CA | 8,425 | 12,708 | −4,283 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 9,296 | 6,906 | +2,390 |
| Orange, CA | 5,810 | 4,787 | +1,023 |
| Maricopa, AZ | 2,636 | 3,877 | −1,241 |
| San Bernardino, CA | 2,928 | 2,303 | +625 |
| Clark, NV | 1,829 | 3,142 | −1,313 |
Most of the outflow on balance went to Riverside, CA (−4,283). The strongest net gain came from Los Angeles, CA (+2,390). By volume, Los Angeles, CA sent the most people (9,296) and Riverside, CA received the most (12,708).
Other states
Across state lines
State totals add up the county-level flows for each state.
The states on the other end
People moving between San Diego County and other states, 2022–2023, sorted by arrivals. Top 6.
| State | Moved in | Moved out | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 5,249 | 9,721 | −4,472 |
| Washington | 4,395 | 4,640 | −245 |
| Arizona | 4,387 | 7,283 | −2,896 |
| Florida | 4,008 | 6,158 | −2,150 |
| Virginia | 3,503 | 4,431 | −928 |
| New York | 2,508 | 2,020 | +488 |
Other states account for 61,537 arrivals and 83,686 departures (net −22,149). Texas leads on volume, with 5,249 people in and 9,721 out, and its net of −4,472 is the widest on the list.
Differences to consider
What is different here
The things newcomers most often ask about, with a place to start on each.
Differences to consider
General information for orientation. Confirm anything that matters with the official source, your lender and your agent.
| Topic | What to compare | Where to look or whom to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Moving within California | A move inside California can change your tax bill in a way a move from another state does not. Proposition 19 lets some older or disabled owners take their base to the next home; ask before you list. | The county assessor’s office, before you sell; a tax professional. |
| State income tax | Moving between states can change your filing. Ask a tax professional about part-year residency and about the federal home-sale exclusion if you are selling. | A CPA or tax advisor (Rudy is not one). |
| Driver’s license and vehicles | Put the DMV on your first-month list: a California license and vehicle registration are expected soon after you become a resident. | The California DMV (dmv.ca.gov) for current rules. |
| Property tax | The base tax is close to 1% of the purchase price, plus voter-approved charges and any special assessments. That is a different formula from places that charge a higher rate on a lower assessed value. | The property tax estimator; the county assessor for a specific address. |
| Insurance | Ask an independent broker for a quote on the address, not the ZIP code. The premium belongs in the monthly budget beside taxes and HOA dues. | An independent insurance broker. |
| Utilities and running costs | San Diego Gas & Electric serves most of San Diego County and southern Orange County; water, trash and internet depend on the address. Ask the seller for the last twelve months of bills. | The seller (for recent bills) and the utility companies. |
| Moving from another country | Moving from another country adds steps: gathering documents, learning how U.S. credit works, arranging money transfers and giving lenders extra time. Start the conversation with a lender early. | A lender early; a tax and immigration professional as needed. |
A first month on the island
Once the keys are yours, the first weeks go more smoothly with a few habits. In the first week, sort out the basics: utilities, internet, mail and locks. In the second, take care of paperwork that has deadlines, such as the license and vehicle registration if you moved from out of state. Use the third to learn the routes you will drive or ride most: the bridge, the Silver Strand and the ferry each behave differently at different hours. In the fourth, look at your property tax bill and homeowners’ exemption paperwork, and note the dates your supplemental bill might arrive.
Keep a folder, on paper or on your phone, with the closing documents, insurance policies and warranty information. It pays for itself the first time something needs a claim or a repair.
How Rudy can help
Moving to Coronado Island goes better with a plan, and Rudy Flores of Coldwell Banker West is happy to make one with you. He can pull the current numbers for the neighborhood you are considering, walk through the differences in this table that matter most to you, and line up the calls you will need to make and in what order.
He works with buyers and sellers who are moving across town, across the state and across borders. A short conversation is enough to get started.
Common questions
Which checklist is right for me?
Start with your own origin, then read “For everyone.” If you are selling a home to buy on Coronado, add the items under “Coming from elsewhere in California” to your list.
Do I need to rent first?
Some newcomers do, especially from far away. The rent-versus-buy tool compares the costs, and a short lease gives you time to learn the island.
Can Rudy help if I am still selling my current home?
Yes. He can help you plan the two closings and, if you are moving from within California, point you to the Proposition 19 questions to ask the assessor.
A note on what this is
The figures here come from the IRS and the U.S. Census Bureau and are dated on the page. They are general information for orientation. Rudy Flores is a licensed real estate agent (CalDRE #02257808), and nothing here is tax, legal or financial advice or a prediction of prices. Rules and deadlines change, so confirm them with the agency involved.
Keep exploring
- Market reports — Values, inventory and price cuts for the ZIP code.
- Weekly and monthly updates — Dated updates on the local market.
- Moving to Coronado guide — The island in a few pages.
- Settling in — Your first months.
- Moving cost planner — Estimate the cost of the move itself.
- California Property Tax for Newcomers: Prop 13 Explained — How the property tax bill works after a purchase.
Talk to a lender. Rates, loan programs and approvals come from lenders, not from websites or real estate agents. Talk to your own mortgage broker, or use our preferred lender, Rodrigo Ballon with CrossCountry Mortgage, at 858-735-0255. You are always free to choose any lender you like, and you can verify any lender’s license at nmlsconsumeraccess.org.
Sources
- IRS Statistics of Income: migration data (county-to-county flows)
- U.S. Census Bureau: county population totals and components of change, 2020–2025
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020–2024, table B07001 (geographic mobility)
General information for orientation, not legal, tax, financial or appraisal advice. Details change; confirm anything that matters with the official source, your lender and your agent.