When I moved from San Francisco to San Diego in 2023, I didn’t know a single person here. I had two weeks between packing up my life and needing to be moved in somewhere new. I tried to research as much as I could on neighborhoods from Reddit discussions and also asked friends of friends about their opinions on where to live.
A few years later, I help people navigate this exact situation for a living. So here’s what I actually know about finding housing in San Diego, from both sides of the process – renting and buying.
If You’re Renting
Zillow is still your best starting point, but you have to treat it like a full time job for a few days.
I relied on Zillow the whole time I was apartment hunting in San Diego, and it worked, but only because I checked it constantly. San Diego’s rental market typically moves fast, especially for desirable neighborhoods. In some cases, a good listing at a good price can get snatched up very quickly. If you’re only checking once a day, you’re going to miss things. You can set up alerts, but I found that there was a 30 minute or so delay between the rental listing making it to my push notifications. I suggest refreshing often!
In some neighborhoods you’ll see signs being posted, so if you’re in town it doesn’t hurt to drive around to see what’s for rent.
Most landlords want you in within 14 days of your rental application. Plan around that.
This trips people up more than anything else. Landlords generally aren’t going to hold a unit for a month while you get your life together. If you see something you love and it’s more than two weeks out from when you can move, you might lose it, unless you’re willing to pay double rent for the overlap.
Here’s the move that actually works if you don’t mind taking the risk: give your 30 day notice at your current place before you’ve locked in your new one. It feels backwards, like you’re jumping without a net, but it’s usually fine to do.
You can absolutely look ahead of time, you just need a plan for the gap.
When I made my move, I’d already packed up everything in SF and had a two week runway before I had to be out. I drove down for a long weekend, toured a bunch of places in person, and signed a lease that started right within my window. If you can swing a similar trip, even just a few days, touring in person will get you so much further than scrolling photos. You will get a real feel for the neighborhoods by walking around.
If buying is more your speed, or you’re getting there eventually, here’s where to start.
If You’re Buying
Talk to a real estate agent before you’re ready to buy, not after.
Most agents offer a free buyer consultation, and it’s worth taking them up on it well before you’re seriously looking. You’re not just hiring someone to unlock doors, you’re hiring someone to negotiate on your behalf, walk you through the purchase process, and be your advocate through what’s probably the biggest purchase you’ve ever made. Think of this consultation as a free educational session, especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer or it’s been a while since you’ve bought and could use a refresher. Whether you’re looking in the next few months or more than a year from now, it never hurts to get the full picture of what home buying actually looks like before you’re in the thick of it.
Talk to a lender early, not after you’ve fallen in love with a house.
Getting pre-approved does two things. It tells you what you can actually afford, which shapes your entire search, and it makes you a credible buyer the moment you’re ready to write an offer. In a market where good listings move fast, showing up without a pre-approval letter already in hand will cost you the house. Talk to a lender before you start touring, not after. Most real estate agents will need a pre-approval before they start working with you on a search.
When you talk to a lender, come with questions. Ask them to walk you through different down payment scenarios and how each one changes your monthly payment. Ask about closing costs, including lender fees, so nothing catches you off guard later. And ask if they offer a preliminary conversation without pulling your credit yet, which gives you a good general sense of where you stand before anything official happens.
If you don’t know where to start, your realtor will usually have a few lender recommendations. Always feel free to shop around and talk to more than one lender.
California now requires signed buyer representation before an agent can show you homes.
This one catches a lot of people off guard if they haven’t bought a home recently. As of 2025, California law requires buyers to sign a written buyer representation agreement with an agent before that agent can take them to see a property in person (read here). It’s a shift from how things used to work, where you could tour homes casually with an agent before anything was formalized.
It’s not something to be wary of, it’s actually a good thing. It means the agent showing you a house is contractually obligated to represent your interests. But it does mean the “let’s just go look at a few places” phase isn’t really a thing anymore. The consultation and the conversation about how you’ll work together needs to happen first.
Whether you’re renting or buying in San Diego, message me or email me at [email protected] and I’m happy to talk through neighborhoods, lenders, or just help you figure out where to start.
View comments
+ Leave a comment