In 1922, noted newspaper mogul and philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, then 85 years old, spent some time recuperating from a broken hip at the La Jolla Sanitarium, a small, 10-bed hospital she’d paid to build …

(Editor’s note: The listing was removed after this piece was submitted, but we are presenting the story anyway, in part because, given the house’s history on the market, it seems likely that it will be …

Even though it’s situated on a third-acre lot in the heart of Olde Del Mar (the southern part of town, below Del Mar Heights and the racetrack), our Zillow listing remarks for this week’s Unreal …

Anyone who’s tried to buy or refinance a house lately will tell you that these are the toughest of times for such an endeavor. Interest rates have nearly doubled since the beginning of the year, …

The opening Zillow remarks for this week’s home inform us that “the 3500 block of Seventh Avenue is one of San Diego’s best-kept secrets.” If you look at a map, it’s hard to argue with …

“Perched on 74 feet of ocean frontage, Crescent House is as sculptural as it is architectural,” opens the Zillow pitch for our stop this week at 532 Neptune Avenue in Encinitas. It’s a 2003-built blufftop …

Unless you grew up in East County or you’ve been in San Diego for quite a long time, you’re probably not familiar with the community of Crest, a tiny hilltop hamlet of 2000 people accessible …

It’s not entirely unusual for rich people to name their houses — just in the last year, we’ve visited La Casa de los Suenos in Del Mar, Maravilla in Rancho Santa Fe, and probably a …

Two hundred years ago, California, along with the bulk of what would become the American Southwest, was claimed by Mexico. The newly-minted country, having just gained independence from Spain, found itself with a problem: much …

6204 Camino de la Costa| La Jolla, 92037 Current owner: LES Realty | Listing price: $18,500,000 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 6 | House size: 5400 Regular readers of Unreal may recall that I opened …

It may seem like we spend a lot of time here at Unreal roaming the same few neighborhoods. La Jolla, Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar — lather, rinse, repeat. But that’s because we’re here to …

We’ve certainly spent plenty of time here at Unreal Estate peeking into the abodes of famous and influential folks who at one time or another have called San Diego home. From boxing legend Archie Moore …

“This Striking Contemporary, Fully Gated Estate is set on 1.46 acres and is exquisitely DREAMY!” So opens the Zillow write-up for our home this week, a newly constructed 7000-square-foot mansion at 1781 Colgate Circle, billed …

San Diego certainly boasts more than its fair share of wealthy enclaves. Horseplayers assemble every summer where the turf meets the surf in Olde Del Mar, the city’s old money power brokers cut deals in …

San Diego County is a big place. With a population of nearly 3.3 million people, the head count here is higher than in 21 entire states. But again: it’s a big place, covering 4526 square …

“Sublime seclusion, luxurious ambience, and phenomenal design for welcoming family and friends are yours in this magnificent gated estate,” promises the Zillow opening for our stop this week at 6001 La Jolla Scenic Drive South, …

In terms of San Diego real estate, “historic” and “oceanfront” are adjectives that don’t play nicely with one another. Not only do the beating winds and punishing salt air extract a toll from even the …

The calendar has turned to December, and the days are getting colder. Well, some days anyhow. They’re definitely getting shorter. Winter is coming, and with it, the handful of chances Eastern San Diego County gets …

Have you ever dreamed of being wealthy enough to own a nice mansion in the country? You know, a place with some good acreage to stroll through so you can commune with nature and enjoy …

Let’s take a trip to La Casa De Los Sueños, a 1923 Spanish Colonial Revival styled mansion occupying a hilltop plot about a half-mile from the beaches of Del Mar. Is this 6100-square-foot estate, nearly …

The turn of the twentieth century marked a significant shift in homebuilding trends across the United States. Backlash to the Industrial Revolution and the packed, grimy cities it created — particularly in the Northeast — …

Let’s say you’re building a house for someone else, but you don’t know who yet. As soon as the hammers are done swinging and the paint rollers have finished rolling, you put the property on …

1876 Sefton Place | Point Loma, 92107 current owner: Danying Jiang | listing price: $1,999,000 | beds: 3 | baths: 4 | house size: 3894 Sefton Place is a tiny cul-de-sac tucked into the hills …

Frank Hope Sr. was a World War I veteran and UC Berkeley dropout when he came to San Diego to work for the esteemed architectural firm Requa & Jackson. By 1928, he had struck out …

355 Bellaire Street | Del Mar, 92014 Current owner: DMG | Listing price: $13,595,000 | Beds: 7 | Baths: 6.5 | House size: 6600 The median house price in San Diego County jumped to $865,000 …

5850 Camino De La Costa | La Jolla, 92037 Current owner: Madeline Artman | Listing price: $13,595,000 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 5 | House size: 5139 Camino de la Costa, which curves along the …

Crown Manor, the palatial 24,000-square-foot mansion at 1015 Ocean Boulevard in Coronado, is billed in its Zillow listing as “the most iconic estate in Southern California.” Originally built in 1902, the home was designed by …

In 2020, the median size of a new home was 2261 square feet, according to US Census data. In 1990, when the home at 6573 Primero Izquierdo in Rancho Santa Fe was constructed, that number …

Is a 19th-century historical landmark in Carlsbad in danger of demolition? Designated Landmark No. 4 by the city in 1986, the Culver-Myers-Capp house at 3140 Highland Drive was built by Alonzo Culver in 1888 “with …

Nestled in the hills of north Poway above the Maderas Golf Club, The Heritage Estates is an exclusive 400-acre enclave of 111 custom homes locked behind a 24-hour guarded entry gate. Most of the Heritage …

“European Elegance meets casual California beach lifestyle!” shouts the Zillow intro to 708 A Avenue, purported to be “one of Coronado’s most iconic and significant properties.” Billed as the “Grand Dame” of the island, the …

Renowned local architect Edgar Ullrich was lured from his Colorado home a century ago by a prized commission — chief design responsibilities for Casa de Mañana, a luxury resort hotel in La Jolla that eventually …

Back in 1948, a group of outdoor-loving professors at San Diego State College got together with a handful of other prominent local professionals. The group wanted to mate a pair of desires: city living and …

Novelist Oakley Hall was best known for his Westerns, including Warlock, which won him a Pulitzer Prize in 1958. But before rising to fame, the San Diego-born writer broke out with 1953’s Corpus of Joe …

Regardless of whether you find the penchant of rich people for naming their homes to be eccentric or narcissistic, “Laguna y Mar” (lagoon and sea) probably won’t be making any top ten lists of things …

Many people feel that homes are meant to be colorful. Bright, vibrant hues accentuate their rooms and add personality. Flowers add a pop of color to garden beds. Carefully chosen tones and schemes provide warmth …

Stockton, a Southeast San Diego neighborhood wedged in among Logan Heights, Mt. Hope, and Grant Hill, isn’t the first place one thinks of when imagining million-dollar homes. With a median home value more than $300,000 …

The key thing to know about the 5900-square-foot mansion at 2008 Seaview Avenue in Del Mar is that it has views. Lots of views. Situated just south of San Dieguito Lagoon and less than a …

The 3400-square-foot townhouse at 195 Cherry Avenue is billed as the first of three newly-constructed, “Frank Lloyd Wright inspired” condominium units erected last year, just a block inland from Tamarack Beach in Carlsbad. According to …

According to listing materials retrieved from Zillow, the historic Vista de la Mission residence in Kensington is “spiritually known as an outpost for angels.” “Privately nestled behind walls in the most desirable cul-de-sac location in …

The 10,300-square-foot mansion at 308 Vista de la Playa in La Jolla is billed in listing remarks retrieved from Zillow as “a rare legacy property.” Built in 2000, the seven-bedroom, nine-bath residence is described as …

The 3900-square-foot estate at 545 Rimini Road in Del Mar exudes “timeless elegance situated on an oversized lot highlighting private grounds, stunning terraces and ocean views,” according to listing materials retrieved from realtor.com. “Rich in …

Behold the home billed as “Solace in the Sky,” a newly constructed 8969-square-foot ultramodern glass cube at 15815 Las Planideras. “No expense was spared in this six-bedroom modern construction in the Rancho Santa Fe Covenant,” …

The majestic MacMullen Home at 382 Glorietta Boulevard is the first building visitors to Coronado encounter when crossing the Bay bridge from downtown San Diego. Built in 1914, the home was first occupied by James …

“Through the 24-hour security guarded gates of Rancho Del Lago, you approach this magnificent European style estate,” begins the realtor.com listing pitch for 6590 Calle Reina, a 1995-built Rancho Santa Fe estate that spans “approximately …

Older oceanfront houses are a rarity in San Diego. Sand, water, and salty air conspire to degrade building materials years or decades faster than the same stuff used to build homes just a few blocks …

This week, we visit a “stunning Cape Cod style home nestled in the trees of Olde Del Mar,” billed in listing materials retrieved from realtor.com as “a true masterpiece by John O’Brien of Flagg Coastal …

In the early 1900s, many outlying areas of San Diego were experiencing severe contractions following a speculation-fueled housing boom in the 1880s and early 1890s. At the time, areas such as La Jolla were so …

The oceanfront estate at 5327 Carlsbad Boulevard is “a fresh, global take on Southern California style, pairing modern amenities with elegant touches.” So say listing materials retrieved from realtor.com. Built in 2006, the home hosts …

This week, we visit what realtor.com promotional materials describe as a “sophisticated coastal contemporary farmhouse” sitting on just over a quarter-acre of land at 900 Alameda Boulevard in Coronado. Custom-built in 2013, the home was …