Moving Back Home to San Diego
When my client first reached out to me, she wasn’t simply relocating from Los Angeles to San Diego. She was coming home.
She grew up in the San Carlos and Del Cerro area of San Diego, where her parents still live. After getting married, she moved to Encino, where she and her husband lived for about 10 years and raised their school-aged children.
As her parents got older, being closer to family became increasingly important. Her husband’s work also required regular travel to Dallas, so they were ready to build their next chapter in San Diego.
She had been following me on Instagram for about six months before we ever spoke. She originally found me through the Del Cerro and San Carlos homes and neighborhood content I was sharing.
In January 2026, they scheduled a buyer consultation with me, and we started putting together their plan.
Their Wish List Was Very Specific
Del Cerro, San Diego was their first choice because it would put them close to family and back in the community where she grew up.
The challenge was inventory.
Their initial budget was under $2 million, and they needed a four- or five-bedroom home in an area with highly rated schools and within roughly 30 minutes of San Diego International Airport because of frequent business travel.
There was another requirement that made the search considerably harder.
They were planning long-term for an aging parent to potentially live with them someday. Ideally, that meant finding a single-story home. If we considered two-story homes, they needed a full bedroom and bathroom downstairs.
We initially considered Del Cerro/San Carlos, University City, Bay Park, Point Loma and Scripps Ranch.
Point Loma’s proximity to the airport was fantastic, but airplane noise wasn’t right for them. Scripps Ranch offered many things they liked, but ultimately felt farther removed from the part of San Diego where they wanted their everyday life.
The more we looked, the clearer it became:
They really wanted Del Cerro.
The First Del Cerro House Wasn’t the Right One
We actually went into escrow on another Del Cerro property first.
During inspections, significant rodent-related issues were uncovered. Based on the findings and their comfort level with the property, my clients decided these weren’t issues they were willing to take on.
We canceled that escrow.
That’s an important part of buying a home that sometimes gets lost in the excitement of getting an offer accepted.
My job isn’t to get a buyer to closing at all costs.
Sometimes the right advice is to keep negotiating and solve the problem. Other times, it’s recognizing that a property is no longer the right house and being willing to walk away.
So we went back to work.
Finding Their Next House Before It Hit the Market
By this point, we knew exactly what we were hunting for.
The problem was that very few Del Cerro homes fitting their criteria were coming to market.
Instead of waiting for another listing to appear in the MLS, I started reaching out through my network of local agents and developers to find out what might be coming.
That’s how I learned about a property being renovated at the top of the hill in Del Cerro.
It was almost eerily aligned with their wish list:
A single-story, five-bedroom mid-century modern home with vaulted ceilings, a pool, modern renovations and views.
And it wasn’t for sale yet.
I got the address, drove over, took videos and sent them to my clients. Because they had family living locally, they were frequently in San Diego and were able to drive by the property themselves.
They started falling in love with it before it was even finished.
I connected directly with the developer/owner and began gathering information about the property, expected timing and potential pricing.
Now we could prepare instead of react.
Why I Didn’t Believe the $2.2 Million List Price
Before the home officially hit the market, the developer indicated that they were considering pricing somewhere around $2.2 million to $2.4 million.
I started running the numbers.
More importantly, I knew about another renovated modern view home just around the corner that had recently sold off market.
Because that sale wasn’t yet reflected in the MLS data other buyers were seeing, I contacted the agent directly to confirm the closing price and appraisal information.
That comparable sale mattered.
Based on its price per square foot, location, size, condition and other relevant comps, my analysis suggested that my clients’ target property was worth much closer to $2.4 million than $2.2 million.
My clients independently analyzed the numbers as well and came to essentially the same conclusion.
So when the property finally hit the market at $2.2 million, we didn’t mistake the asking price for the home’s market value.
We were ready.
The Conversation I Have Before a Competitive Offer
Before we submitted anything, I asked my clients a question I ask buyers when we’re pursuing a home they truly don’t want to lose:
What is the maximum price you would feel comfortable paying for this home, knowing that if someone paid more, you could walk away without regret?
The goal isn’t to win at any price.
It’s to determine the number where you’ve confidently given it your best shot without crossing into a price you aren’t comfortable paying.
For my clients, that number was $2,415,000.
We initially offered $2.4 million.
After some back-and-forth, the seller came back at $2.415 million.
That was the number we’d already established.
Beating 10 Offers
There were 10 offers on the property.
Many buyers had anchored their offers closer to the $2.2 million asking price.
We hadn’t.
Our valuation was based on actual market data, including a nearby sale that wasn’t yet readily visible in the MLS.
Price wasn’t our only advantage.
Before submitting the offer, I had already spent time communicating with the seller/developer and understanding what mattered to them.
They wanted a strong price, of course.
But they were also concerned about choosing a buyer who would open escrow and then walk away when inspection issues appeared.
My clients were experienced property owners. Their financing was well prepared, and I was able to communicate that they understood even beautifully renovated San Diego homes can uncover issues during inspections.
If something reasonable came up, we intended to work through it.
Our financing preparation also allowed us to offer aggressive timelines and waive the appraisal contingency given their financial position.
The seller accepted our $2,415,000 offer.
Then the Inspection Found a Major Problem
Winning the house wasn’t the end of the negotiation.
Inspections uncovered concerns with the plumbing, sewer, electrical and, most significantly, the roof.
The roof had been installed incorrectly. Tile had been placed over existing roofing, and specialists determined that the roofing system wasn’t appropriate for the pitch and design of the mid-century modern home.
My clients believed the home warranted a properly installed new roof.
The seller agreed the roof needed to be addressed, but we disagreed over the appropriate solution and cost.
So we gathered information instead of arguing from opinions.
We obtained multiple roofing bids, ultimately getting four or five different estimates as we worked toward a solution.
The seller also professionally repaired several plumbing and electrical items before closing.
For the remaining work, including the roof, I negotiated a $35,000 seller credit for my clients.
That’s exactly the type of situation we’d discussed with the seller before they chose our offer: legitimate issues came up, but instead of immediately abandoning the transaction, both sides worked toward a solution.
From Encino to Del Cerro Right on Schedule
Timing had mattered from our very first consultation.
My clients wanted their children to finish the school year in Los Angeles and then move to San Diego in June or July so they could settle in before starting their new schools.
Our offer was accepted May 6, 2026.
We closed June 2, 2026.
Around Father’s Day, approximately three weeks later, the family moved into their new Del Cerro home.
Today, my client is back in the community where she grew up and close enough to regularly see and help her parents.
Their kids are settling into their new schools, they’ve spent their first summer enjoying San Diego, and the family is loving their new home.
For them, this wasn’t simply a move from Los Angeles to San Diego.
It was a move back home.
What I’d Tell Another Family Relocating to San Diego
If you’re moving to San Diego with a specific wish list, I wouldn’t start by scrolling endlessly through houses.
I’d start by identifying what matters most: your home requirements, neighborhood, schools, commute, budget and the lifestyle you’re actually trying to create.
Then we can identify the handful of San Diego neighborhoods where those things intersect.
And when inventory is tight, the search doesn’t have to stop at what’s currently showing up on Zillow or the MLS.
I can reach out through my network of agents and developers, look for homes being prepared for market, explore off-market opportunities, and use my own database and social media audience to reverse prospect for potential sellers.
Because sometimes the right home isn’t listed yet.
What My Client Said After the Purchase
After closing, my client, who had previously worked with several real estate agents, wrote:
“Having worked with four different real estate agents over the years, we can confidently say that Emily was by far the best.”
He specifically cited the market expertise, strategic guidance during the bidding war, negotiation, responsiveness and proactive approach that helped them secure their home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Realtor help me find a home in Del Cerro, San Diego before it hits the MLS?
Sometimes. There is never a guarantee that a pre-market or off-market property will be available, but a Realtor can proactively network with other agents, homeowners and developers to uncover properties that may be preparing to come to market. That’s how I first learned about this Del Cerro home while it was still being renovated.
Should I offer over asking price on a San Diego home?
Not automatically. Asking price and market value aren’t always the same thing. In this transaction, the $2.2 million list price was below where comparable market data suggested the home could trade. We based the offer on comparable sales, property-specific information and the buyers’ personal maximum rather than simply reacting to the asking price.
How early should I start looking if I’m relocating to San Diego with school-aged children?
Start by working backward from the date you’d ideally like to be living in your new home rather than the date you think you’d like to start house hunting. School calendars, escrow timelines, financing, inventory and relocation logistics can all affect when the search should begin.
What happens if an inspection finds problems after winning a multiple-offer situation?
Getting an offer accepted doesn’t mean a buyer should ignore legitimate inspection findings. Depending on the contract and contingencies, buyers may have options to investigate further, negotiate repairs or credits, or decide that the property is no longer right for them.
In this transaction, we obtained specialist opinions and multiple bids, worked through the issues with the seller and ultimately negotiated repairs plus a $35,000 credit.
Planning a move to San Diego? Let’s talk about your timeline, budget and the neighborhoods that best fit the way you want to live. BOOK CALL LINK
