This San Diego house flipping guide is designed to help new and experienced house flippers succeed.
San Diego has a growing population, many of which are transplants from all over the nation. The home values in San Diego have increased dramatically in the last 5-10 years, making the market competitive for house flippers. However, there are many older houses that are prime for fixing up by house flippers.
One of the largest employers is the U.S. Navy. San Diego has multiple large univeristies, and vibrant biotech and telecom industries. San Diego has low unemployment rate in comparison to the rest of the nation.
The city and surrounding counties have a large population of young people and retirees. With a sunny Mediterranean climate, situated on the shoreline of the Pacific Ocean, San Diego is in a prime location for people who like the sea and a relaxed lifestyle.
Key House Flipping Statistics for San Diego
| Population | 1,419,516 and 5 year growth rate of 5.2% |
| Income | Average Household Income of $76,207 and 5 year growth rate of 18% |
| Home Value | Average price of 3 bedroom 2 bath home of $633,000 and 5 year growth rate of 36% |
| Cost of Living | San Diego is 138 vs 100 for the U.S. cost of living index |
| New Home Starts | 9,788 |
San Diego Property Taxes
San Diego County
The median property tax in San Diego County, California is $2,955 per year for a home worth the median value of $486,000. San Diego County collects, on average, 0.61% of a property’s assessed fair market value as property tax.
San Diego County residents pay about 3.47% of their yearly income as property tax on average.
San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Search Property Tax Records
https://iwr.sdtreastax.com/SanDiegoTTCPaymentApplication/Search.aspx
Flood Zones in San Diego
San Diego Department of Public Works Flood Hazard Mapping
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/dpw/flood/flood_mapping1.html
San Diego Department of Public Works Flood Control
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/dpw/flood.html
San Diego GIS
Ready San Diego Flooding
http://www.readysandiego.org/flooding/
San Diego FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps
San Diego Crime Rates
| San Diego Crime Rate | 223.5 crime index versus 280.5 U.S. average |
San Diego Transportation
Trolley
In San Deigo, the trolley primarily serves downtown and surrounding urban areas including the coastal south bay, and the international border. A planned Mid-Coast line will operate from Old Town to University City along the 5 Freeway. There are also plans for a Silver Line to expand trolley service downtown.
Rail
The Amtrak and Coaster trains connect San Diego with the Los Angeles metro area via Metrolink. Two Amtrak stations exist in San Diego, located in Old Town and Downtown.
Bus
The bus is available along many major routes, but a large number of bus stops are located in the central area of the city.
Bicycle
The mild climate of San Diego makes cycling a great way of getting around the city. The city has some separate bike lanes in newer neighborhoods. Although, most of the regular roads have painted lanes for bicycles.
Decobike is a bicycle sharing system that was started in 2015.
Airports
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the primary commercial airport in San Diego. It is the busiest single-runway airport in the United States and is located on San Diego Bay three miles from downtown. There are scheduled flights to the rest of the United States, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, and Switzerland.
Autos
The city of San Diego follows an “urban sprawl” design and reflects its basis around the automobile with streets and highways as the main transportation routes.
Neighborhoods to Flip Houses in San Diego
Oak Park
Oak Park has a median home value of $406,400. Home Values are expected to increase 5.5% annually.
Rolando/El Cerrito
Median home values in the El Cerrito neighborhood is $503,700. Home values are forecast to increase by 4.7%. This neighborhood has good schools, low crime, and is good for families.
Oceanside
Median home values are estimated at $486,700. The forecast for home values is 4.4%. Crime is average here, and it has decent public schools and nightlife.
Hard Money Lenders in San Diego
San Diego Foreclosure Auctions
Many San Diego foreclosure listing can be found online at Zillow
https://www.zillow.com/san-diego-county-ca/foreclosures/
San Diego Superior Court
http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/portal/page?_pageid=55,1&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
San Diego Superior Court Locations
http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/portal/page?_pageid=55,1058974&_dad=portal
San Diego County Sheriff Sales
https://www.sdsheriff.net/courts/property-sales.html
San Diego Title Searches
San Diego County Assessor / Recorder Official Records Search
https://arcc-acclaim.sdcounty.ca.gov/
San Diego County Searching and Retrieving Documents
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/cob/bosa/searching.html
San Diego Zoning
City of San Diego Zoning and Maps
https://www.sandiego.gov/development-services/zoning-maps
Easements
Property owners have the responsibility of researching property deeds and title information for easements. Separate approval is required from each agency that handles construction of improvements in easements.
San Diego Official Zoning Validation by Address
http://apps3.sandiego.gov/siteinfoweb/begin.do
City of San Diego Zoning Grid Map
https://www.sandiego.gov/development-services/zoning-maps/grid-map
San Diego Building Code and Permits
San Diego County Building and Development Services
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/pds/bldg.html
San Diego County Building Division Online Permit Application
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/pds/OnlinePermits.html
San Diego House Flipping Tips
Do’s
Focus on curb appeal. This will make your flipped house a quick return on investment as it should sell faster with younger buyers.
Don’ts
Make sure the home is structurally sound. Don’t ignore the foundation of the home, plumbing, electricals, termite damage, etc. A lot of older houses in San Diego were built with poor materials and build quality. If there is a latent problem, you could get trapped into spending a lot of money to obtain the needed approvals. Inspect properties with vigor and use a great house inspector.
What to Look Out For
What are the design trends for the area? Make sure the home represents what buyers are looking for — typically an airy, bright, open feel. Paint and landscaping (native preferably) have a major effect on the marketability of San Diego houses.
San Diego House Flipping Outlook
San Diego is in a prime location for people who like the outdoors and a great climate. The economy of San Diego has been strong for a number of years, and the population is growing. Homebuyers come from all over the nation looking to buy homes in San Diego. The home values in San Diego have increased recently making opportunities for house flippers that want to put in the effort to improve properties. Overall, house flipping in San Diego is likely to continue being profitable over the medium- to long-term.