Thinking of looking at homes in Rancho Santa Fe to purchase? The area has about 4,800 residents, and has a distinct style with its own architectural personality. Read the article below about homes in the area, or click on these links for related information.

Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate
Area Golf courses
Leisure activities

The Rancho Santa Fe area today is the result of careful growth and a unique mix of permanent residents. The houses in Rancho Santa Fe range from brand new sprawling estates to one of a kind craftsman classic homes from the 1920's.

Lilian Rice worked from 1920 to 1930 designing, supervising, and constructing the village, as well as some homes throughout the Ranch. Her philosophy in architecture was to create unity between buildings and their surrounding in a simplistic blend of picturesque romantic charm. The covenant restricts what can be built and maintains the ambience of the Ranch, plus there are newer developments to the east including The Bridges and Bing Crosby Estates.

What a long way the area has come in 80 years! Neighborhood developments in the area now include Rancho Santa Fe Farms, Rancho Del Rio, San Diegueno Hills, Santa Fe Vista, Rancho Santa Fe proper, Rancho Santa Fe Covenant, Rancho Del Lago, Fairbanks Ranch, Rancho LaCima, Del Rayo Estates, Rancho Santa Fe Groves, Del Rayo Downs, South Point Farms, Hacienda Santa Fe, Santa Fe Valley, Fairbanks Polo Club, Morgan Run, Spyglass Hill, Santa Fe Sur, Rancho Valencia, The Summit, and the Del Mar Country Club.

Many of the estate homes in Rancho Santa Fe feature:

Horse facilities - many residents in Rancho Santa Fe enjoy riding and keeping horses
Fenced grounds - most of the homes and estates are fenced off, with gates at the entrance.
Lush landscaping - Landscaping is pretty mature on most properties, even if the homes and structures are new or rebuilt. Many trees in the area were planted 80 years ago.
Private golf on the grounds - Since many of the homes in Rancho Santa Fe sit on several acres of land, there is room for a putting green or two.
Lots of privacy and seclusion - because of the mature trees and the winding roads in Rancho Santa Fe, one has the feeling of being in the country.

The architectural influence of Lillian Rice can still be seen throughout the village today, and some of the architectural styles began here in southern California and spread to the rest of the country. Others are just favorites with people who like finer houses and estates. Here are a few home architectural styles you will see embodied in the estates and homes in Rancho Santa Fe:

Cottages and Bungalows - A small, single-storied and tasteful dwelling, especially stylish as built in the country. Country cottages have an almost universal appeal, and they are probably the most popular of home building types across America. Interior decorators are trying to emulate this comfortable living style for all types of homes.

Spanish Eclectic -- Common in the San Diego area, Spanish-style architecture takes its cues from the missions of the early Spanish missionaries—such as the one at San Juan Capistrano in California—and includes details from the Moorish, Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance architectural styles.

Tudor Revival --This architecture was popular in the 1920s and 1930s and continues to be a mainstay in the best neighborhoods in California. The defining characteristics are half-timbering on bay windows and upper floors, and facades that are dominated by one or more steeply pitched cross gables. Patterned brick or stone walls are common, as are rounded doorways, multi paned casement windows, and large stone chimneys

French Eclectic -- French eclectic features t all, steeply pitched, hipped roof without dominant front-facing cross gable , eaves commonly flared outward at roof-wall junction and brick, stone, or stucco walls, sometimes with half-timbering. The French style displays great variety in form and detailing, but is united by the characteristic style of roof. Because they both share a common Medieval English tradition, both French Eclectic houses and Tudor Revivals use half-timbering with a variety of different wall materials, as well as roofs of flat tile, slate, stone or thatch. As a result, the two styles are often confused. To tell the difference, one only has to look for the telltale dominant front-facing cross gables; if it's missing, it's a French Eclectic.

Contact us today for more information. If we can help you in any way, or if you have a specific question about what we do, we invite you to phone us directly at (858)382-5822