So, the guy comes out of the closet, and he’s got both passports and a gun with a silencer…” Matthew Quirk pauses his muttering into his phone to wave at a family passing by him on Bessemer Path in Point Loma. Docked boats float on one side, while palatial homes overlook the trail on the other. Chec

Peruse pictures of vineyard estates in California, and you’ll see Tuscan dwellings of stone, tile-roofed stucco mansions, and wood-sided barnhouses. Christian and Anna Zaleschuk’s hilltop home in Fallbrook, however, crushes those clichés like grapes. The Zaleschuks had lived for several years on a f

Originally built in 1938 for actress and singer Virginia Bruce, a classic blonde film stars of the 1930s, this Pacific Palisades estate is an equally classic version of California’s iconic Colonial Revival style—bringing a nostalgia for a traditional East Coast aesthetic to the West. With exceptiona

Even the least expensive parts of California have become unaffordable for homebuyers. My trusty spreadsheet reviewed homebuying affordability data from Attom, which tracks the typical house hunter’s financial challenges dating to 2005 in 36 California counties. By comparing home values, mortgage rat

The future of Grossmont Center is taking shaping as the mall’s owner embarks on a multiphased redevelopment plan designed to refashion the sprawling 64-year-old outdoor center into a central gathering hub for the La Mesa community. Last week, Maryland-based Federal Realty Investment Trust started it

By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate is now down to its lowest level in more than three years. Related Articles How I’d split California, economically speaking Hold on: Another increase to your SDG&E bill is coming An app’s blunt life check adds another layer to

California has a surprising number of what Zillow calls “hot” markets. My trusty spreadsheet reviewed the real estate giant’s 2026 “hotness” scorecard, which used a host of real estate and economic metrics to identify where the most upside potential lies in 49 major U.S. housing markets. Curiously,

By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer The U.S. housing market slump dragged into its fourth year in 2025 as sales remained stuck at a 30-year low with rising home prices and elevated mortgage rates keeping many prospective home shoppers out of the market. Related Articles How I’d split California, econo

New year, new fitness goals, right? Like many people, we’re starting the new year with a focus on health and staying active. No matter what your fitness objectives may be, there are plenty of activities around town prepared to help you achieve them. From more traditional gym settings to unique ways

I’ve had a lot of massages in my life—Thai sessions that had me approaching joint dislocation, Balinese flower-oil rituals, quick chair sessions at the airport—but never one that came with a power switch. When I heard San Diego was welcoming its first fully robotic massage experience, I booked immed

The development team proposing a tennis-anchored sports complex on the Chula Vista Bayfront has less than six months to make good on a promise to procure a tennis superstar if it wants to keep the mega proposal in play. On Jan. 1, the team behind the project, named Pangaea, entered into a short-term

One yardstick of California’s popularity as a place to live made a slight improvement last year. My trusty spreadsheet has collected annual migration data dating back to 2004 from three major moving van providers — Allied, Atlas and United. While having someone else move your stuff by van is usually

A quest by San Diego County to push for a steep increase in real estate taxes has ended before it really started. The county has bailed on plans to hire a lobbyist in Sacramento to push for a menu of potential tax hikes identified by a subcommittee overseen by Democratic supervisors. Voice of San Di

This compact but exquisite Venice residence was designed and built for architect Leo Marmol (FAIA by his firm) Marmol Radziner as an early exploration into luxury prefabricated homes in the early-2000s, just closed on the last day of 2025 after barely a month on the market (in an all-cash deal) for

Why didn’t Southern California rents soar after last year’s horrific wildfire destroyed roughly 12,000 structures? My trusty spreadsheet reviewed rental stats from ApartmentList, which tracks costs by combining federal housing figures and pricing patterns from its own listing service for 49 cities i

George Saunders may be the most beloved short story writer in the country. His short stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Atlantic, Harper’s McSweeney’s, andGQ. His 2017 novel Lincoln in the Bardo also won the Booker Prize and his new novel Vigil is destined to be a bestseller. He’s also known f

By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage edged higher this week to just above its 2025 low. Related Articles Midway District’s 30-foot height limit will be restored following California Supreme Court ruling Housing won’t crash because it’s getting a bailout Avera

When we talk about a city’s culture, we’re talking about about people. Year-round, SDM editors analyze the flares and shifts and leaps and fissures in the culture of here. Then we find the humans tinkering in the heart of those moments, and we tell their stories. We document the ineffable charm of S

When we talk about a city’s culture, we’re talking about about people. Year-round, SDM editors analyze the flares and shifts and leaps and fissures in the culture of here. Then we find the humans tinkering in the heart of those moments, and we tell their stories. We document the ineffable charm of S

It’s a new year! And the city is celebrating with plenty of activities all month-long including a winter fest in Poway, the return of San Diego Restaurant Week, Spamilton: An American Parody at the Balboa Theatre, and Braxton Cook at Lou Lou’s Jungle Room. Check out the full list of things to do in