If you haven’t been to Oceanside lately it’s time to take a trip to check it out. It is especially worthwhile if you are in the market for oceanfront property, and I mean toes in the sand with your morning cup of coffee, oceanfront property. While prices are rising, Oceanside remains a value compared with other San Diego County beach real estate.
Oceanside is no longer just a military town catering almost exclusively to the men and women who are based in neighboring Camp Pendleton. Springing up everywhere are gourmet restaurants, breweries, theaters and shopping opportunities.
But Oceanside’s best draw is its beautiful and expansive beaches; some say they are the best in the county.
Development of the areas near the historic pier and elsewhere in Oceanside has been in the works for some time. After years of fits and starts, Oceanside city officials approved plans from developer S.D. Malkin Properties Inc. to build a two-hotel destination resort, with a total of at least 360 guest rooms, spanning two contiguous blocks of downtown Oceanside. The area is where the “Top Gun” house sat in a dilapidated state on the corner of Pacific Street and Seagaze Drive. The structure from the hit movie will be incorporated into the overall development of the new resort hotel when finished.
Molly Santistevan, a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, has a listing at 318 S. The Strand, #102, which is a road that runs right along the seawall on the beach. The home is listed at $2.15 million.
“I’m so happy to see so much new development going on in Oceanside,” Santistevan said. “This is one of the last beach communities to see rejuvenation, and it is very exciting to watch.”
Santistevan, whose career in real estate spans 25 years, said Oceanside has a lot to offer with its historic wood pier, charming harbor, and “of course the Coaster to take you quickly and easily to Los Angeles or downtown San Diego.”
Santistevan’s listing is a beachfront condo from which you can step directly into the sand from the living room. Exquisitely decorated, the home was constructed in 2014 and has three en suite bedrooms, private underground parking with elevator access, a gourmet kitchen, formal dining and living room, and relaxing beach-front patio for lounging and entertaining. In addition, the home offers a private backyard patio off the two secondary bedrooms and extra storage room.
Santistevan said the condo can be used as a weekly, monthly or long-term rental property.
“This is a luxury property with high-end fit and finishes, so the other owners within the building use a property manager who is dedicated to finding appropriate tenants who will take care of the property in an effort to maintain its integrity, she said. “The rents reflect a very profitable investment for the owners.”
Suzann Peterson, a realtor with Sea Coast Exclusive Properties, has a listing at 307 S. Horne for $1.35 million. While not directly on the sand, the ocean view home is west of Interstate 5 and is a stunning historical Spanish Villa with European details and design.
“There are several areas of the home that offer extensive, sit-down ocean views, including the kitchen, master bedroom and outdoor patio,” Peterson said. “The home was fully renovated in 2005 with new electrical, plumbing, flooring and more.”
Peterson, who has been in real estate for more than a dozen years, said “it’s just minutes from downtown (Oceanside), freeways and the beach.”
The Spanish Colonial Revival Home was originally built in 1929 and was painstakingly renovated with quality upgrades to capture the rich characteristics and charm of the time. “La Casa Encantada” is the name of the home, which translates as “The Enchanted House.”
All of the original hardwood floors were restored and the addition was carefully built to match the original home. It has classic arch doorways, a tray ceiling, richly carved wood doors and ornamental iron work details. The hand-painted tiles on the walkways meander through the ocean view terraced backyard, which is dotted with Spanish-style fountains and drought resistant plantings.
The home has all modern appliances, two dishwashers, a six-burner gas stove, wine cooler, invisible screens, double-pane windows and a convenient laundry chute.
There are several other properties for sale right on the beach and west of I-5 One of the highest priced is at 1419 S. Pacific and is a 2,585-square-foot home with four bedrooms and three baths. Priced at $3.25 million, the home has a rooftop deck and a private beach-front patio. It is right on the sand on the southern end of Oceanside’s beach. John Beran of The Alan Shafran Group has the listing.
There is a lot going on in the county’s third largest city and the additional hotel space is a welcome addition. The city is home to several national swimming, triathlon and volleyball competitions, among many other activities on the pier and in the amphitheater on the beach.
“Oceanside is an environment that
is rich with history, culture and
beauty,” Peterson said. “As the City of
Oceanside continues with its plans for improvements, we are sure to see further growth in our property values.”
Send luxury real estate items to sglidden@sdbj.com.