In the last 30 years, downtown San Diego has undergone a huge transformation from a dull city center where people worked during the day, but deserted at night, to a vibrant destination that attracts people from all over the world. Downtown San Diego today is home to hundreds of restaurants, night clubs and shops that have made it not only an exciting place to visit, but a place thousands now call home.

El Cajon is the largest city in East County and includes a wide variety of housing options from small condos and older single family homes near city center, to large estate ranches on the outskirts of town. It is one of the more affordable areas of the county. The name El Cajon means ‘box’ or ‘drawer’ in Spanish and the city was so named because the city lies in the center of a ring of foothills.

Fletcher Hills is a suburban community that straddles Fletcher Parkway to the north and south just before the road goes down the hill into El Cajon proper. The area was first developed back in the late 1920’s by Colonel Ed Fletcher who was a prominent San Diegan that spear headed several water projects and was responsible for the development of Fletcher Hills and Mt. Helix, among other communities.

La Mesa is a city in East County that is in increasingly high demand. Two of the prominent features of the city include Mt.Helix with its panoramic views, and La Mesa village with its antique shops, boutiques, bars and restaurants. The area near the village is very popular due to the quaint craftsman and Spanish bungalows and the Victorian style cottages – homes in this area are rarely on the market for more than a few days.

Mt. Helix is a neighborhood in La Mesa characterized by custom homes on large lots, many with panoramic views. Most of the homes were built between 1950 and 1970 and range in style from modern to ranch and Spanish. Mt. Helix is a San Diego landmark with a large cross at the top of the mountain and an amphitheatre.

Ready for some country living while enjoying the convenience of being in a town? Ramona might be just right for you! Whether you’re ‘in town’ in old Ramona or in the newer planned community of San Diego Country Estates, many properties afford the opportunity to have horses and livestock. SDCE offers custom homes, a golf course, swimming and tennis, a club house and equestrian center.

San Carlos is a residential community in the City of San Diego that is bordered by Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, La Mesa and the Mission Trails Regional Park. The park is the largest municipally owned park in California, covering nearly 5800 open space acres including Lake Murray and Cowles Mountain.

Santee is a city located in East County, but it is actually only 18 miles from the beach via State route 52. In recent years Santee has experienced increased growth with the addition of trolley service and many new stores and restaurants. It has also been the site of some new construction, including several new town home complexes. Most of the homes in the area were built in the 1970s and ’80s in small subdivisions, and today Santee is one of the more affordable places to live in San Diego County.