Scrolling through real estate listings in places we’ll never live and making elaborate renovation plans for homes we’ll never buy is one of our favorite pastimes. And the fact that pretend-looking for real estate is so fun makes it incredibly disappointing to discover that the actual process of looking for housing in San Diego is . . . not quite as fun.
While we can’t take all of the stress out of the housing hunt, we can direct you to the people, places, and lobbies who can make it a whole lot easier.
We’ve got options for everything from beach towns to downtown; tranquil retreats to bustling city blocks. There are spacious closets, walkable neighborhoods, and more amenities than you’ll know what to do with. Whether you’re seeking a condo or apartment, a single-family house or a pad in a mixed-use space, let us help you find your next home sweet home.
Mixed-Use Residential
The Hill District at North City | San Marcos
The people behind North City believe great neighborhoods don’t happen by accident; they’re a result of walkable streets, parks, and vibrant hangouts bustling with locals. That idea is what set the stage for The Hill District in San Marcos. It’s a modern urban village walking distance from coffee shops, local restaurants, a weekly farmer’s market, and community events. Find your spot within their thoughtfully-designed townhomes and condos, many with two-car garages, and an extensive list of amenities, including a 16-acre park, trails, private recreation center, pool and spa, fitness center, and indoor-outdoor gathering spaces.
AVRP Studios | San Diego
AVRP Studios was born when its founder, Doug Austin, started a small design firm in his Solana Beach condo. Now, nearly 50 years and 150 design awards later, the company has established itself as a prominent architectural firm in San Diego. From affordable family housing and residential luxury towers, there’s almost nothing AVRP doesn’t have expertise in. When it comes to mixed-use residential developments, downtown’s skyline is filled with AVRP designs, including the 36-story Pinnacle Marina Tower near Seaport Village or the appropriately-named Sapphire Tower on Kettner. AVRP’s designs extend beyond SD, too, with mixed-use residential projects in Oceanside, Los Angeles, and even Vancouver, BC.
Residential Homes
COMPASS—The Clements Group
You don’t rack up 30 years of experience and more than $1.5 billion in sales unless you’re doing something right. Which is to say: We know the team at The Clements Group is doing a lot right. These realtors pride themselves on offering a tailored, concierge approach to Coronado real estate services, and past clients rave about their superior market knowledge and communication—not to mention the client-centric approach. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer looking at condos or hoping to sell a home with a multi-million-dollar oceanfront view, this team knows how to get the deal done.
ANR Real Estate
Picking the right realtor is so important in a complex market like San Diego, so might we suggest ANR Real Estate’s Evan Tando? Tando has devoted more than 20 years to helping San Diegans navigate the market, whether they’re buying, selling, or financing a home. Better still, he genuinely cares about the people he works with. He’s not afraid to motivate a client to move forward with a deal or advise them to move on when he knows it’s right for their finances and family. In other words, he’s an industry expert ready to make his expertise work for you.
Townhomes & Condos
Tower24 Ponto Beach | Carlsbad
Ponto Beach’s Tower24 is the kind of place you move to when you’ve decided you want the beach and luxury, and you don’t want to compromise on either. This modern townhome community offers larger units of up to four bedrooms that come in eight different floor plans with three lot sizes. Other offerings include private backyards, two-car garages, and rooftop decks, alongside an on-site dog park plus community firepits and grills. And then there’s our favorite amenity of all: living just steps away from the beach.
RIVA Solana Beach | Solana Beach
Located in the hills of Solana Beach, RIVA pitches itself as a vacation where you live, and we can’t help but agree. The one- and two-bedroom units let you choose from three differently styled neighborhood collections, all offering custom finishes and that relaxing, coastal California feel. A resort pool and spa to relax or swim, outdoor TV lounges, golf simulator, and yoga deck are just a few of RIVA’s vacation-level amenities. And did we mention it’s located in Solana Beach: home of boutiques, cafés, and Fletcher Cove Beach Park? Consider our vacation mode permanently activated.
Andia | San Diego
There’s lots to love about Andia, but we’ll start with the view. Not only is it one of the few downtown high-rise condominiums with a rooftop lounge, but the lounge is located on the 40th floor, offering priceless views of the city and the bay. Other amenities include an indoor-outdoor fitness center, spin studio, and yoga studio, plus a fifth-floor pool terrace fully outfitted with cabanas, lawn games, and more. As for the residences themselves, expect luxury vibes with walk-in closets in the one- two- and three-bedroom options. The homes come with two color palettes that can lean more modern or natural, depending on your style.
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.”
Growing up, Laika Nur, MD, Scripps Clinic sports medicine specialist, loved watching beach volleyball when the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour came to her hometown of Chicago. A talented volleyball player herself, she remembers sitting in the stands all day, and once, even got a couple autographs. Years later, Dr. Nur was attending a professional event focused on women’s sports, and the discussion turned to a new professional women’s volleyball league. The general manager and coaching staff for San Diego’s team, the Mojo, happened to be in attendance, and Dr. Nur took the opportunity to ask them if they needed a team doctor. Flash forward to the Mojo’s inaugural 2024 season, when Dr. Nur officially became the team physician. Click here to read more about Dr. Nur and how she incorporates lessons she learned on the court into her practice.
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Your feet and ankles probably aren’t something you give much thought to—until something goes wrong. Orthopedic surgeons at Scripps Clinic are on the leading edge of foot and ankle reconstruction, treating patients with sports injuries, deformities, traumatic injuries and other conditions. That includes repairing torn Achilles tendons with a minimally invasive procedure that shrinks the incision site to less than a centimeter, and performing advanced ankle replacement on some patients with ankle arthritis. Read more about Scripps’ innovations in foot and ankle care here.
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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.
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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.
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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.
