The Types of Homes I’d Buy in Coronado Right Now

Living, working, and growing up in Coronado, I’ve spent a lot of time looking at homes on the island. If I were personally buying here right now, these are the types of properties I’d be watching most closely.

A home that’s been in the same family for decades
You know the type of home I’m talking about. It’s not historic, but it’s been in the same family for decades. The kind where Boomers were raised and, as the owners pass on, the families eventually decide to sell. These homes won’t be featured in an interior design magazine, but they’ve usually been lovingly cared for and their systems are often in great shape. There’s something special about stepping into a home like that and imagining how you could carry on the legacy while adding your own chapter.

A Mills Act home
If you know me, you know I love historic homes. There’s something about the details you just don’t see in new homes. When I walk through and see the leaded glass windows, the 1½-inch oak floors, the coved ceilings, the picture molding, and even the milk chute, I find myself thinking about all the families who lived there before and the stories the walls could tell. With the added Mills Act benefit — a significant property tax reduction — you get both character and savings, a combination that’s hard to beat.

A 2-on-1 property
These are some of the most intriguing opportunities in Coronado. The flexibility is hard to beat. You could live in one and rent the other, have space for visiting family, or hold it long term as an investment while still enjoying the island. To me, a home isn’t just an investment. But when it can be both, that’s a pretty great combination.

An original Country Club home
The original Country Club homes are becoming harder to find as many of those lots have been torn down and rebuilt with larger, modern homes. And don’t get me wrong, many of the new ones are beautiful. But the original homes offer just enough space paired with generous lots and that true neighborhood charm that still feels like “old Coronado.”

Something walking distance to the schools
Right now we’re grateful to live in a home just steps from the school. Being able to walk to school, sports, and activities is one of the things that makes life in Coronado so special. When you’re walking everywhere, you run into other families doing the same — catching up about work, a new baby, or how last night’s game went. Living within walking distance of the schools is a privilege our family really loves.

What I love about the Coronado market is that the most interesting opportunities aren’t always the most obvious ones. Sometimes they’re simply the homes with the right mix of location, flexibility, and long-term potential — the kind that quietly become someone’s forever home.