What types of homes are in the Solana Beach area? A house is merely four walls and materials, while a home is a comfortable place of retreat, refuge and base of domestic activities. Certainly the California beach feeling that homes have in Solana Beach really exemplify a comfortable retreat from the hurried existence in San Diego County.

Read this article on the types of homes you may find in Solana Beach, or click on the links below for related information.

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Solana Beach has several neighborhoods and each area has its own unique personality.

Sierra Avenue and the ocean front bluffs - This area winds along the seaside bluffs much as Neptune does in Leucadia. Sierra Avenue follows two miles of pristine coastline, with majestic bluffs approximately 80-90 feet high with several secluded coves. This area extends south to the Del Mar Racetrack.
Solana Highlands - These homes enjoy views of the ocean and/or the back country and often have superb sunny weather even when there may be a bit of fog along the beach.
Lomas Santa Fe - A golf course, a country club and newer homes dominate this planned community development located just east of Freeway 5.
San Elijo lagoon - San Elijo literally means "sheltered place" in Spanish. The lagoon is a regional park on north end of Solana Beach. There are a variety of custom homes, many of them larger 2 story homes.

What types architecture do you see in Solana Beach homes? Available housing ranges from brand new developments to large custom homes. The homes built in the area seem to focus on the practicality of everyday life, while paying tribute to some of the traditional styles of the past. During the 1950's there was a minimalist home style, driven by low prices in housing.

California Ranch Houses - In the 1950s almost any one-story, close-to-the-ground, rambling house was called a California ranch house. With its open kitchen/living area, the ranch was specifically geared to casual entertaining. Another key selling point was the desirable indoor/outdoor living promised by the one-story layout, which featured glass doors, picture windows, and terraces and patios secluded in a rear yard. The first Ranch home, designed by Cliff May, was built in San Diego in 1932.

Today most home buyers will no longer settle for just a simple "box", they want amenities and more style.

Neo Eclectic - If a given Solana Beach home was built in the past decade, chances are it incorporates many different styles. Decorative details borrowed from the past and selected from a construction catalog create a mixture that can be difficult to define. For lack of a name, we call these "hodge podge" houses neoeclectic, or neo-eclectic.

Good custom residences exhibit all of the qualities of good residential architecture. A human-scaled entry, a covered porch or patio, and many display a strong tie to the environment which combine to create a unique California design. Many of the interiors use materials from the exteriors and help the transition from outdoors to indoors. These homes came into style in California during the 1970's.

Some homes were built along the bluffs in the 1930's, with some construction in the 1940's. The markets tumbled in 1959-60 and it was not until late 1967 that the trend reversed itself. Paul Tchang, a San Diego builder, constructed almost 100 premium homes in Solana Beach by 1969, 33 more were built in 1970 and 500 more from 1971 to 1977. Lomas Santa Fe completed their golf course and opened the sale of lots in Isla Verde in 1968. This signaled the beginning of a real estate boom which lasted into the 80's and 90's. There are many types of homes built in Solana Beach, but all seem to have a common casual California atmosphere.

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