San Diego area land for permaculture?

My wife and I are moving out of Florida and, based upon a variety of factors including climate, are looking VERY hard at the San Diego area. Here in Florida we have a 2.5 acre food forest which is thriving and we plan to do the same wherever we end up.

My question is, what areas of San Diego county should I focus my search in? And are there areas you all suggest I avoid?

Thank you!

Welcome to permies.

Land prices around San Diego can be quite expensive, especially along the coast.
I would suggest looking further inland, if you are seeking affordable acreage.

If you can get over an hours drive away from the city, you won't have to compete with as many commuters seeking affordable housing. Any acreage closer to town is highly sought after by developers.

Welcome to Permies, Myles!

As John has rightly pointed out, anywhere you go in San Diego is going to be expensive, especially along the coast. The question then becomes "which area is best for permaculture?"

If I was looking, I would look for places that offered the best possibilities for water harvesting and dealing with drought. Maybe with a big El Nino coming the drought will be broken, maybe not, but it's best to prepare for the dry times to last. That means stay away from the flat lands on top of the mesas and look at land lower down on the arroyos. There you can build water catchments to keep your food forest watered.

I'd look at East County. There are some nice plots of land for relatively good prices. Especially if you don't need a built house and are cool with a Yurt or something.