The Real Reason San Diego Homes Are So Expensive
Why are San Diego homes so expensive? Because you’re dealing with high demand colliding with tight supply in a place that’s physically boxed in, heavily regulated, and incredibly desirable to live in. If you want to understand why real estate here costs what it does, you need to look past headlines and into the forces that keep prices elevated year after year.
As an agent who has been helping clients buy and sell in San Diego for over two decades, Melina Rissone sees these pricing pressures show up every day in buyer competition, low inventory pockets, and big price gaps between neighborhoods.
Why San Diego Real Estate is in Demand
A lot of cities have strong demand. San Diego has multiple demand engines running at the same time, and they don’t all slow down together.
You’re paying the “sunshine tax” (weather plus lifestyle)
San Diego’s climate and outdoor culture aren’t just nice perks. They shape what people are willing to pay to live here long-term. Mild weather supports year-round use of homes, patios, and walkable areas near the coast and central neighborhoods, and that feeds demand across many price points.
San Diego is fundamentally a jobs city
Our economy is anchored by sectors that attract high earners and stable employment, including defense, biotech and life sciences, healthcare, education, and tech. When those paychecks are competing for a limited number of homes, prices hold firm even when the broader national market cools.
It’s a military town with built-in housing demand
San Diego’s military footprint is huge, and it creates steady housing demand from service members, civilian employees, contractors, and families who want to live within a reasonable commute of major bases. That demand doesn’t disappear when interest rates change.
Remote work widened the buyer pool
San Diego can also be the ideal place to live even when a buyer’s job is based elsewhere. After the height of the pandemic in 2020, some remote and hybrid jobs went back to in-person, but many employers realized that this flexibility appealed to their workers. This type of work has expanded who competes for homes here, especially in neighborhoods with easy access to shopping, entertainment, and beaches.
Why San Diego’s Geography Makes the Supply Worse
When people say, “San Diego needs more housing,” they’re right, but they’re ignoring many complex factors that make building more housing here uniquely difficult.
San Diego is physically boxed in
We have the Pacific Ocean to the west, Mexico to the south, Camp Pendleton limiting expansion to the north, and mountains and desert to the east. That geography funnels growth inward, which increases competition for existing homes and pushes redevelopment, infill, and higher-density projects into the spotlight.
New construction can’t keep up with demand
The City of San Diego reported 8,782 new homes permitted in 2024, and noted a two-year surge in housing production, but also framed it within a longstanding housing shortage that built up over decades.
But while more permits help, it hasn’t been nearly enough to keep up with the incredible demand that has slowly built up over the past few decades. And of course, prices will stay elevated if demand keeps stacking up faster than supply.
Zoning and height rules shape what can be built and where
San Diego’s development rules can limit density in many neighborhoods, and airport-related constraints add another layer. In the urban center near the San Diego Airport, building is generally limited to 500 feet. And west of the I-5 freeway, it’s even more severely restricted: most buildings can’t be more than 30 feet high.
That drastically reduces redevelopment options in areas near flight paths and airports, which pushes more competition into the areas farther east where building is easier.
“Low supply” shows up in real numbers
Here’s a snapshot that helps make this real:
In November 2025, the median sale price in the City of San Diego was about $913,500, with homes selling in about 41 days on average.
In November 2025, the median sale price in all of San Diego County was about $892,500.
Even when prices soften, the baseline is still high because the supply-demand imbalance is structural.
Why San Diego Coastal and Central Neighborhoods Are Priced Higher
Homes in San Diego vary drastically in price, and some areas stay expensive because the reasons people want them don’t change.
Coastal and coastal-adjacent communities like La Jolla, Del Mar, and Point Loma tend to hold premiums because ocean access, limited land, and lifestyle demand are hard to replicate. Central neighborhoods like Bankers Hill, Mission Hills, and North Park also stay competitive because you’re buying proximity to restaurants, parks, hospitals, and local offices and businesses.
Melina often explains this to clients as a simple tradeoff: if you want convenience and a central location, you usually pay more for it in San Diego.
What’s Really Driving San Diego Home Prices So High
Here’s a summary of the factors we’ve covered so far, and where they are most visible:
What This Means if You’re Buying a Home in San Diego
If you’re buying, the fact that prices rarely fluctuate much (and won’t suddenly drop) matters because it changes how you plan.
You can’t count on a sudden flood of inventory to fix affordability overnight. The constraints are slow-moving.
The best strategy: define your non-negotiables, your price range (what you can comfortably pay, up to your absolute maximum), and the neighborhoods that actually fit your day-to-day life.
Your leverage depends on timing and property condition more than big market swings.
Melina typically helps buyers get specific about tradeoffs early (location vs. lot size, turnkey vs. fixer-upper, condo vs. detached), because when it comes to homes in San Diego, knowing what you’re willing to give up will help you find something in your price range.
What This Means if You’re Selling a Home in San Diego
If you’re selling, these forces can work in your favor, but only if you match your plan to the micro-market you’re in.
Some neighborhoods still see homes attract multiple offers; others are more sensitive to price and condition.
Preparation matters because buyers have more data and higher expectations than ever before.
Pricing matters even more. In a high-cost market, being “a little high” can reduce showings quickly.
This is where Melina’s local approach helps: you don’t just tailor your price to “San Diego.” You factor in your neighborhood, your buyer pool, and today’s competition.
The Real Reason San Diego Homes Are So Expensive Is Structural
Homes here are expensive because demand is strong and diversified, and supply is constrained by geography, regulation, and decades of underbuilding. That combination doesn’t change quickly, which is why prices here can stay high even when the national market cools.
If you want a clear plan to buy or sell in this real estate market, reach out to Melina for a local, numbers-driven pricing conversation and a strategy that fits your timeline and your neighborhood.
Melina Rissone
Having sold properties for more than 20 years and earning various prestigious awards throughout the course of her career, Melina Rissone has more than earned her reputation as one of San Diego's most skilled and trustworthy real estate brokers selling homes and luxury condominiums. Her loyal clientele would share that Melina brings structure and planning to chaos. She specializes in supporting her clients and their referrals; families and individuals going through divorce and seniors and active adults planning their moves and financial decisions during their retirement years.
Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and Institute of Luxury Home Marketing certified.
Certified Senior Advisor by the Society of Certified Senior Advisors
RCS-D Designation, a Real Estate Collaboration Specialist for Divorce.
SRES Certification through NAR is a Seniors Real Estate Specialist certification.
Melina is bilingual in English and German.
Recognized as the Top 4% of all real estate brokers in San Diego County in 2021 and the Top 3% of Coldwell Banker International.
Coldwell Banker Presidents Elite Award.
Recognize as the Top 2% of Coldwell Banker West in 2024.
Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and Institute of Luxury Home Marketing Certified.
Melina is on point, extremely resourceful and well connected. She has a very versatile knowledgebase so was able to help guide us in many areas I was not even expecting from an agent. I've referred her to several friends who all reported great experiences. She takes her role in representing her client very seriously so its not like some kind of half time gig thing. She gets it done.
-Dan C.
