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Partner Content FEBRUARY 28, 2022

5 Home Features SoCal Homebuyers Want Right Now

The team at Prevu Real Estate shares the top five San Diego suburbs that are in high demand

5 Home Features SoCal Homebuyers Want Right Now
Photo by R Architecture | Unsplash
5 Home Features SoCal Homebuyers Want Right Now

5 Home Features SoCal Homebuyers Want Right Now

Photo by R Architecture | Unsplash

Sponsored content provided by Prevu Real Estate


Owning a home in Southern California is a unique experience. The near-perfect weather omits annoying chore lists like shoveling snow and raking the lawn. Of course, those are replaced with cleaning the pool and patio chairs, but at least they are a reminder of the balmy temperatures you get to enjoy.

Aspiring homeowners moving out West or simply relocating from within California will want to know the top features to look out for when preparing for their purchase. Of course, that patio and pool might be the calling cards, but things like green efficiency and innovative features are also worth considering.

To keep buyers in the know, Prevu Real Estate has put together a guide of the top five home features SoCal homebuyers want right now.

Open floor plans

Some of the most appealing homes in California take advantage of the views and nature surrounding them. In addition, the mid-century modern style that took hold in California helped cement the open plan as a must-have feature.

Large windows and expansive rooms helped create the sense of bringing the outdoors in. Today, the floor-to-ceiling windows and living rooms that blend with the kitchen to create a sprawling open space are some of the most sought-after features in Southern California homes.

Office space

The pandemic that has changed how we approach office work seemed to be coming to an end. But the new Omicron variant has major cities back on their heels, and working from home continues to be the go-to for many professionals.

Enter Southern California’s famous vistas. Many luxurious homes take advantage of these views and offer a home office space with floor-to-ceiling windows. They are also positioned to make the most of the daylight and warm weather so that workdays are more enjoyable.

For anyone planning to work from home, their future California house should be well-equipped for a home office with ample space and light.

Green efficiency & smart features 

California is one of the few leaders utilizing renewable sources to generate energy. Some of its prized locations, like Palo Alto and San Diego, have implemented mandates to ensure green efficiency in new construction.

New homes must feature charging stations for electric cars, while proper insulation helps reduce heating costs. Other features like smart temperature control also provide an effective way of controlling your home’s energy use.

To take it a step further, look for homes that will offer solar panels, which significantly contribute to having an eco-friendly house.

Indoor-outdoor space

California designers have a penchant for creating a resort-like feel in Southern California homes.

With an almost perfect climate, cities like San Diego feature houses where outdoor spaces with pools seamlessly transition into open-plan living rooms. These designs are ideal for taking advantage of the Mediterranean climate and having ample room to entertain guests and enjoy your living space to the fullest.

The large open area is also an excellent feature for pet owners, providing enough room for pets to move around freely and have easy access to the outdoors.

Accessory dwelling units

Any investment in a home always involves a significant chunk of cash. An accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, that comes with the house is an efficient way to put some of that cash back in your pocket.

ADUs have many uses, from serving as a guest house to being a workspace, but they are also an excellent way of earning income for homebuyers if they rent it out.

Recent California laws have enabled homeowners to build ADUs and get them approved more efficiently, so homeowners can look to them to help bolster income without leaving home.

Interested in buying your dream home in Southern California? Browse listings and see how much you can save with Prevu’s Smart Buyer Rebate.

Prevu Real Estate, Inc. is a licensed real estate broker in California, license number 02134758.

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Studio S AUGUST 10, 2026

The Secret to a Home That Feels Just Right

Behind every beautiful space is a thoughtful process, and ASID San Diego is helping homeowners understand the value of professional design.

The Secret to a Home That Feels Just Right
Courtesy of ASID

A perfectly designed home rarely happens by accident. Those kitchens that feel effortless and rooms that seem to tell a story the second you walk in? They’re usually the work of someone who knows exactly what they’re doing.

It’s knowing which ideas will actually work, which materials will hold up over time, and how to turn a collection of choices into a space that feels intentional. That’s where a professional interior designer comes in.

For the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) California San Diego Chapter, the goal is to help people see interior design as more than just the finished look. Behind every well-designed space is a process built on technical expertise. Designers are educated in everything from professional software and construction details to building codes, space planning, materials, and functionality.

Courtesy of ASID

“People don’t always realize how much goes on behind the scenes,” Kirsten Recce , current president of the ASID California San Diego Chapter, says. “Our designers are not just doing furniture placement and color selection and picking out new fluffy pillows. That’s not what they’re trained for.”

ASID members bring formal education, continued learning, and industry knowledge to their projects, helping create spaces that are not only beautiful, but designed to work. A paint color that changes completely depending on the lighting. A material that looks beautiful in a showroom but doesn’t make sense for everyday life. A layout that photographs well but doesn’t function for the people living there. These are the details where professional guidance can make all the difference.

Still, one of the biggest misconceptions about hiring an interior designer is that it’s reserved for massive renovations, luxury homes, or people who already know exactly what they want. The process can feel intimidating. Where do you begin? Is a designer worth the investment? What if you only need help with one room?

ASID’s answer: start with one hour.

ASID’s Spruce Up events break down one of the biggest barriers between homeowners and professional design: knowing where to begin. Held twice a year, the community program gives homeowners the chance to work directly with an ASID designer through a one-hour, $125 consultation in their own home. Whether you’re looking for advice on furniture placement, window treatments, kitchen and bath updates, remodeling ideas, vacation rentals, color selections or something else entirely, the upcoming September 2026 event offers an approachable way to get expert guidance before committing to a full project. Signups are open through Sept. 7, with consultations taking place Sept. 21 through Oct. 31. Proceeds benefit ASID San Diego’s educational and community programs. Register here!

Courtesy of ASID

“It’s a great opportunity for people who are in that exploratory phase,” Recce says. “Maybe they’re not sure they want to hire an interior designer yet, or they think it sounds daunting or expensive. This gives them a chance to discover what working with a designer is actually like.”

Design is personal. A good designer isn’t just creating a beautiful room; they’re helping create a space that fits the way someone lives.

“We’re a resource to all of San Diego County,” Recce says. “It doesn’t cost anything to pick up the phone and call and ask. We’ll answer.”

Follow ASID San Diego on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for updates on upcoming events, or connect with the chapter directly at [email protected] or 619-548-8847.

Partner Content
Partner Content AUGUST 17, 2026

New Beginnings

A new program guides new moms through high-risk pregnancy and into the “fourth trimester”

New Beginnings
Courtesy of Scripps Health

Mai Vue was just 34 weeks pregnant when she delivered her baby. Her pregnancy had been complicated, and she’d had a recent second trimester pregnancy loss, which led to her receiving specialized care from Sean Daneshmand, MD, a Scripps Clinic perinatologist who oversees high-risk pregnancies. Dr. Daneshmand and his team took care of Mai during her pregnancy, through the birth of her healthy baby girl and beyond. Mai was part of a program Scripps launched to provide support to new moms in the weeks and months after delivery. The postpartum program, known as Scripps Health’s Fourth Trimester Continuum of Care, provides care for women with high-risk pregnancies to optimize their health after childbirth and reduce the risk of complications in future pregnancies. Click here to learn more. 

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here

Partner Content
Partner Content AUGUST 17, 2026

Leading the Way in Skin Cancer Care

Scripps Clinic’s Mohs surgery center is one of the most sophisticated in the country.

Leading the Way in Skin Cancer Care
Courtesy of Scripps Health

It’s estimated that one in five people in the U.S. will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives. When you factor in living in a sun-soaked city like San Diego and the outdoorsy lifestyle that comes with it, that figure can jump to as high as one in three, which makes early detection and intervention all the more important. Dermatologists at Bighorn Mohs and Dermatology Center are using innovative imaging methods and advanced surgical techniques to diagnose and treat skin cancer. For certain cancers in sensitive spots, like the face, dermatologists perform Mohs surgery, removing skin tissue layer by layer until reaching healthy, cancer-free tissue. They also use a process called immunohistochemistry to view tissue samples taken during Mohs surgery in far greater detail than previous methods. Read more about how Scripps is advancing skin cancer care here.

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

Partner Content
Partner Content AUGUST 17, 2026

A Real Ironman

Scripps Cancer Center helps an endurance athlete overcome his greatest challenge yet and get back in the race

A Real Ironman
Courtesy of Scripps Health

When endurance athlete Isaac Sanchez learned he had cancer, he felt blindsided. He was healthy, surfed often and was training for an Ironman triathlon. But he had to put that on hold to undergo treatment. His physicians at Scripps Cancer Center developed a plan to treat the cancer in his tonsil and lymph nodes that included six-and-a-half weeks of near-daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy. He also worked with a Scripps Cancer Center dietitian to enhance his nutrition to promote strength and healing. Today, Isaac’s back to doing what he loves. Read more of his story here

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here

Partner Content
Partner Content AUGUST 17, 2026

New Options for GLP-1 Users

Scripps study shows that some patients may be able to taper their dose and maintain results

New Options for GLP-1 Users
Courtesy of Scripps Health

While glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agents have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, their recent emergence as weight-loss wonder drugs marked a new frontier in medicine. But their effectiveness has left some patients wondering what to do once they’ve reached their goal. Stopping the medication could mean regaining some, if not all, of the weight. A Scripps Clinic internal medicine physician recently conducted a small study of whether GLP-1 patients who had reached their goal weight could maintain that weight by taking their regularly prescribed injection every other week instead of weekly. Spoiler alert: 30 of 34 patients did. Read more about the study here and what that may mean as pharmaceutical companies roll out oral GLP-1s.

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

Partner Content
Partner Content AUGUST 12, 2026

Theranostics: New Hope for Patients with Metastatic Cancers

Innovative treatment could offer cancer patients new options with fewer side effects

Theranostics: New Hope for Patients with Metastatic Cancers
Courtesy of Scripps Health

Chemotherapy and radiation have long been considered gold standards of cancer treatment, but they can cause severe side effects. A promising new approach called theranostics—a combination of “therapeutics” and “diagnostics”—could offer patients with certain types of metastatic cancers new hope. It’s a two-step process that uses a drug that binds to specific receptors on cancer cells. Advanced imaging detects this radioisotope, allowing doctors to then use a second radioisotope that binds to the cancer cells and destroys them. Click here to learn more about how specialists at Scripps Cancer Center are using theranostics.

For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.

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