The hottest zip code in San Diego? It’s Double O Seven

The snaking line of people outside the open house on Norfolk Drive were on a singular mission: Gain entry to the urban beachy lifestyle that is Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Never mind the hum of the adjacent freeway. Within days, there were two offers over the $2,650,000 asking price. Both were Scripps doctors looking to settle down and start a family here. 

“Cardiff has character and distinction. It’s a dream to experience the simplicity of life here. You walk out your door, and you can stroll everywhere,” says Sean Caddell aka “The Prince of Cardiff,” a top agent with Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty. 

Caddell moved here over 20 years ago with his husband, Guenter Seidel, a German-born Olympic equestrian and horse trainer who works in Rancho Santa Fe. The allure: a healthy lifestyle and a European village feel with a diverse mix of residents and locally owned establishments like Trattoria Positano and Seaside Market. 

“The demographics have shifted tremendously with tech and biotech wealth. Now, there’s millionaires and billionaires building houses here. There’s really interesting entrepreneurs and a new creative class,” says Caddell. “We have seen the same upswing with new high-end sophisticated homes being built by end users, while others are being restored keeping in mind the original integrity and timeless charm.”

The data speaks volumes. According to Pacific Sotheby’s Realty, the average price per square foot in Cardiff is $1,502.45. That’s compared to $1,443.39 in Del Mar; $1,352.49 in Solana Beach, and $1,377.44 in La Jolla. 

“It wasn’t long ago that Del Mar and Solana Beach were ahead,” says Jam Zayer, a Cardiff native and real estate agent and developer with The Zayer Group. “It’s Cardiff’s lifestyle and the convenience. And with the Rail Trail, we even have our own boardwalk.”

Zayer has witnessed Cardiff’s evolution from “hippie to yuppie.” Back in 2019, Zayer sold 1332 Rubenstein Drive for $5.9 million, a record-breaking deal that paved the way for the prices we see today. Case in point: 367 Liverpool Drive, a 5-bedroom, 4.5-bath, 4,000-square-foot home with panoramic ocean views, a theater, and an elevator. The ask: $6.5 million. 

“A–plus walkability, A-plus ocean views, and indoor-outdoor living. That’s what this new generation of buyers wants within 92007,” says Zayer.

Cardiff-based architect and developer Brett Farrow is fluent in Cardiff, having left Little Italy 20-plus years ago to raise his family here. With six new residential projects underway, and dozens of others under his belt, he says Cardiff has the most international allure amongst surfers and entrepreneurs. “It’s the least overblown by tourism,” says Farrow. “And Cardiff has its own local identity and apartness from everything.” 

Even though Cardiff merged with Encinitas, it still has its own 92007 zip code along with a distinctive sense of place. It’s the walkability, certainly, the world-class surf breaks and the unique topography. 

“It’s the beaches, San Elijo lagoo,n and the way Cardiff rises up from the sea like an amphitheater,” says Farrow.

It’s no surprise, then, that Cardiff made its way into the pages of Architectural Digest Italy this winter. The project was by Rancho Santa Fe interior designer Amy Meier. The article proclaims: “The neighborhood boasts a friendly atmosphere, where residents can enjoy a relaxed and peaceful lifestyle.” Peaceful, yes, at a price. 

“Inventory is low and demand remains exceptionally high for Cardiff. There’s a soulfulness here that buyers are really drawn to,” says Rande Turner of Rande Turner Collective, a Del Mar-based realtor with 35 years of experience in the North County Coastal space. 

Rande Turner Collective’s listing on 451 Norfolk Drive was just one example of desirability to reside west of the 5 Freeway. On Mozart last year, one of the row houses designed by Farrow drew intense demand, ultimately selling over ask. And in January, the open house for 125 Mozart drew crowds not seen since Covid days, according to Turner. More than 100 people came through to peek into Cardiff’s most historic home. The 1912 Craftsman personifies the idyllic lifestyle with an unbeatable origin story. 

Built by the original developer of Cardiff’s Composer District, the 4-bedroom, 2-bath has the one thing everyone wants: A front row seat the the action. In this case, it’s a heritage sunporch to watch sunsets and the world go by.