Craftsman or other interesting architecture other than downtown (San Diego, Chula Vista: for sale, real estate)

[sxb317]

We've just moved to San Diego and looking for a place to live (one year to rent, then to buy). We've fallen in love with the Craftsman homes but not too interested in living near downtown (have kids). I was wondering where else in San Diego one may find some older homes with interesting architecture (not million dollar mansions unfortunately). Not a fan of the 50s tract homes. I assume this doesn't exist but thought worth to ask.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Just take a drive through La Mesa near the Downtown Village. All the side streets off of La Mesa Bl will have these 20s style homes. But sadly not much for sale. Still worth scouting.

[kettlepot]

What exactly do you mean by "near downtown"?

For locals that would mean Golden Hill, Sherman Heights, and Bankers Hill. However, as a newbie, you could also be meaning South Park, North Park, Hillcrest, University Heights, Mission Hills, Normal Heights, and Kensington. All of them have a good supply of Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. Colonials, Tudors, and various Victorian era architecture as well.

I don't really consider these neighborhoods to be "near downtown" in the true sense of the word. And all of them have more kids then you would expect. However, still not as many kids as 4S Ranch or Carmel Valley or other new exurban communities.

As for price, even Mission Hills has homes under a million dollars, so all of these neighborhoods are viable price wise. Unless of course $1 million dollars was not your actual price maximum, but a comment on your perception that "I can't believe how ridiculously expensive real estate in San Diego still is, even after the market downturn." To get into an older home you will need at least $500k, and $600k - 750k would be better. Older homes carry a price premium in San Diego of probably 20% to 40%, particularly if they haven't been screwed up by a bad remodel.

Other than the neighborhoods listed above, you would have to check out the oldest parts of La Mesa and Escondido. But in those cases you would be near the downtowns of those smaller cities.

By 50s Tract homes. I take it you mean the Minimal Traditionals and the Contemporary's as opposed to the Tract Ranch homes of the 50s through 70s.

[echo42]

Finding a craftsman home or early century architecture will be few and far between other than the areas mentioned above (outside of downtown areas, San Diego , Chula Vista, La Mesa, and Escondido). Of course if you got the pockets the coast is ripe with beautiful architecture.


San Diego expanded out from downtown and the harbor and so did the architecture as the years went by. Occasionally you will find a house in a neighborhood you don't expect to find...usually I have found that it was moved there. Some times you will find a tract built around the lone hold out that wouldn't sell.

I have spoken to several people like you that are admirers of craftsman and early century architecture and I agree, they are beautiful homes that have a classic style that just doesn't get replicated anymore and when they do it is usually poorly done.

I have a craftsman home in North Park that I rent out and I grew up there as well, so I like to think I am somewhat of a subject matter expert in this area. Just a word of warning and not meant to discourage you at all....but these homes are work and money. My rental keeps my plenty busy.

I say this not to discourage and shy you away, because the area is beautiful and so is the architecture, but you must be prepared to shell out money and time on these houses. Most are near 100 years old.

Just some things you may have to fix or upgrade:

Electric...many are still on fuses. This will hinder you in getting fire insurance
Plumbing-almost all have cast iron plumbing and will need an upgrade to copper and pvs
Roofs-this is the case with any home, but be careful with the architectural details that are in the roof and soffets, get an expert or they will eff up your roof.
Termite damage beyond the socal normal.


Get a thorough home inspection just to know what you are dealing with. There are a few that do strictly these old homes and they are old guys...literally. I have the name of a guy if you want to contact off line. Alot of home inspectors go to an eight hour class and merely have to pass a board for license, they are not up to a 100 year old house.

A quick story:

About ten years ago, I was having some problems with light switches and sockets in the kitchen and I couldn't figure it out. I don't really mess with electrical stuff anyways, as I don't have my man card punched in that arena. I called an electrician in the area and they sent about a thirty year old guy to fix the problem. He got to the house and had no idea what the hell he was looking at. He had to call in the owner of the company, an 80 year old crusty old guy to figure it out.

The owner arrived and quickly diagnosed the problem as the "Flying Dutcham". He explained to me that they brought in immigrants to work on the worlds fair in Balboa Park around the turn of the century. Each nationality usually had a specialty. German-plumbers, Brits and spaniards-framers,,,and I guess the dutch were the electricians. After the fair, some went back and some stayed. They built homes in the adjacent areas to downtown for architects like Irving Gill and Dryden. They settled in the area as well. The contractors and big wigs bought up lots bordering the park and made bigger houses, while the tradesman bought up some of the smaller lots as you move away from the park. That's how you get the "Flying Dutchman"! the old man explained.


Whatever you do, if you decide to move into this beautiful and vibrant neighborhod:

Make sure you have the time, money, and patience for your own version of the "flying dutchman"

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by echo42

Finding a craftsman home or early century architecture will be few and far between other than the areas mentioned above (outside of downtown areas, San Diego , Chula Vista, La Mesa, and Escondido). Of course if you got the pockets the coast is ripe with beautiful architecture.


San Diego expanded out from downtown and the harbor and so did the architecture as the years went by. Occasionally you will find a house in a neighborhood you don't expect to find...usually I have found that it was moved there. Some times you will find a tract built around the lone hold out that wouldn't sell.

echo42,

Very cool story, thanks for sharing!
Yes indeed, we have two of these types of homes on my street JUST as you said. The larger is a plantation home from back when there were lemon groves on the area. Now that home is surrounded by these minimal traditional types homes built in the early to mid 40s.
The guest house from that plantation home is basically right across the street and was moved there some time ago. The owners of these homes are really great and have so many cool stories and really interesting history in regards to who owned them and what they did in SD County.

For as much as we LOVE these Arts and Crafts style homes, man they are expensive. Definitely not something we could justify sinking money into, for the same exact reasons as you mentioned.

[sschibuola]

Not a lot of Craftsmans (Craftsmen?) per se - but if you are looking for chaming older non-tract-homes, also look just east of downtown La Mesa in the Mt. Helix area. Lots of nice older custom homes, and decent schools for the kids (particulalry on the east side of Avocado).

Most homes are 50's 60's era but not tract homes (although lots of Ranch-style). We lucked out and found one of the original homes from when the area was avocado orchards . . .1928 vintage. More California Mission style than Craftsman - we love it. I've seen a few others in the neighborhood in the same vein . . . worth an afternoon drive . . .

[NYSD1995]

Other than immediately around downtown (North Park, South Park, Mission Hills, North Park, etc) and downtown Escondido, you will have a hard time finding those type of homes. Even La Mesa is mostly 1940's and 50's homes with a few craftsman just immediately surrounding downtown La Mesa. All of these areas are not great for schools. I'm with the above posters - these homes are gorgeous but a bit of a money pit, I think unless you are willing to drop in major $$$, you can trade off the age of the home and get most of whats nice about these without the headache. If you really want a home like this, the Midwest is where you need to look - there are literally huge craftsman neighborhoods in cities like St Louis, Kansas City, etc. You'll get more options if you can find charm in 1940's era housing, but they often benefit from a gutting with their too-many small rooms and cheesey kitchen and baths

[Ragnar]

+1 Sass. There are some sweet craftsman homes in the older neighborhoods near where I presently live in Madison, WI. There are also some pretty nice newer ones being built around here in neighborhoods like Middleton Hills and Pine Hill Farm.

One of the saddest things I saw was a neighborhood in Columbus, OH a couple of years ago. It was full of all of these amazing vintage craftsman bungalow style homes, but sadly they were all boarded up and falling apart. You could tell the neighborhood was the place to be in another era, but had since been long-neglected. The neighborhood was not too far from downtown and Ohio State University; it just screamed for a revival!

[sdurbanite]

With all the great responses here, I really can't add to this thread. I will say that Coronado, Point Loma and La Jolla have plenty of charming homes, but expect to pay for it.

[bloom]

Originally Posted by sdurbanite

With all the great responses here, I really can't add to this thread. I will say that Coronado, Point Loma and La Jolla have plenty of charming homes, but expect to pay for it.

Seems coastal communities have older, more interesting housing stock than the newer tract areas