Fancy living in a place where you can walk to work, take in a Broadway show, savor your choicest cuisine at one of the 100+ restaurants, enjoy a sunset stroll along the waterfront, enrich yourself in an art or science museum, frolic in a local festival and saunter in a lush park? No longer a dream, all this and more is possible for residents living in Downtown San Diego.

Nestled between scenic San Diego Bay and the wonders of lush Balboa Park, Downtown San Diego is the heart of one of the most desirable cities in the nation. The city presents a breathtaking waterfront location, warm year-round temperatures and an exciting 24-hour live-work-play environment. Sample some of the highlights that make Downtown San Diego real estate rest of the nation's envy.

Arts and Entertainment, Sports and Recreation

• Parks: Downtown offers more than a dozen parks ranging from the North and South Embarcadero Marina Parks with harbor views to the Horton Plaza Park in the heart of the city. At 5,700 acres, Mission Trails Regional Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States.
• Museums and cultural centers: Just minutes from Downtown is stunning Balboa Park, home to over 25 museums, cultural centers, renowned performing arts venues, gardens and the World Famous San Diego Zoo. From time to time, the Park hosts museum exhibitions, plays, musicals, concerts, and classes in its beautiful environment.

• Shopping: More than 400,000 square feet of new retail space has opened in Downtown San Diego in recent years. The world-renowned Horton Plaza retail and entertainment complex houses 140 stores, restaurants and movie theatres in an area covering six city blocks. Seaport Village, the Gaslamp Quarter and Little Italy are other popular downtown shopping sites. Unique boutiques and shops, as well as grocers, drugstores and other retail outlets, are located in every Downtown neighborhood. In Downtown, you'll find it all – from one-of-a-kind specialty boutiques to offbeat vintage and thrift stores to hip urban staples.
• Dining: Downtown is the dining capital of San Diego, with more fine restaurants, neighborhood cafes and international hot spots than any other area of the city. With more than two dozen cuisine options (that serve everything from Japanese Sushi to Mexican Burritos) and over 100 restaurants to choose from, residents often spend more time deciding where to eat than they do in dining.

• Sports: Downtown's PETCO Park is America's newest urban Major League baseball stadium. Home to the San Diego Padres, the ballpark has seating for 42,000, modern amenities and panoramic views of the Bay. Additionally, the Golf Digest has named San Diego "One of the Top 50 Golf Destinations in the World." Downtown's Balboa Park includes an 18-hole golf course. Moreover, San Diego Downtown has miles of designated bike paths, as well as several bus and trolley routes that accommodate bicycles. With 70 miles of Pacific Ocean coastline and 33 beaches, Downtown is a haven for swimming, surfing, boating and sailing.

Services and Infrastructure

San Diego Downtown residents enjoy living in a scenic and safe atmosphere, with homes convenient to the workplace and other activity centers. The city is also the hub of a regional transportation network, with a horde of transportation options, including rail, light-rail trolley, bus and car. Downtown is also a pedestrian-friendly environment, which encourages people to walk.

Education is of prime importance in San Diego. Recent legislation reduced class sizes for K-3 to less than 20 students per class. The city's "6 to 6" Extended School Day Program has become a model for the nation. San Diego also boasts the highest percentage of college graduates of any city in the country and tops all U.S. cities in the number of PhDs per capita. San Diego has five highly respected four-year universities, more than 10 community colleges and many other institutions of higher learning, as well as business, law, art and vocational schools.

To keep residents in good health, nine hospitals and medical centers serve San Diego. In addition to facilities specializing in children, women, hospice, and urgent care, the city is also a regional center for its top-notch doctors and specialists.

Described by Forbes Magazine as "America's Best Place for Business and Careers" in 2002, San Diego continues to build on its advantages as an ideal location for anything from start-up ventures to well-established multimillion-dollar enterprises. With approximately 5,000 businesses and 75,000 people working downtown, San Diego has a dynamic and robust business climate, suitable even for working professionals and people in services.

Downtown San Diego demographics

Following are the population, income and education statistics of Downtown San Diego.

Real Estate in Downtown San Diego
Downtown San Diego offers eight distinctive neighborhoods – Core, Columbia, Cortez Hill, East Village, Gaslamp Quarter, Horton Plaza, Little Italy and Marina – each with its own history, character and lifestyle.

Downtown San Diego real estate is booming with apartment and condo housing shooting up into the sky. Dilapidated buildings and neighborhoods have given way to upscale hotels, condominiums, restaurants, shopping centers and night spots. The community is rapidly growing, as Downtown condos fill up quickly and neighborhood gyms and coffee shops settle into the 8 distinct areas of the city.

Downtown San Diego Homes

Locations
There's a place to live for everyone in Downtown San Diego. The new skyscrapers are ideal for those who like to live in the lap of luxury. With stunning views of both Downtown and the waterfront, they are highly coveted property and popular with the city's powerful and elite. For the history enthusiasts who'd like to revel in the glory of yesteryears, the Gaslamp Quarter offers renovated lofts in historic buildings, close to the action of San Diego after dark. Banker's Hill, overlooking Downtown, is a great option for those who want to be near their jobs but in a quiet neighborhood after work.

The construction of Petco Park, the San Diego Padres' new home, has turned this erstwhile "low-income and industrial district" into one of the city's most coveted addresses. Nearly the entire area has been torn apart or revamped to make way for lavish condominiums and funky homes, many with views of the Bay or the ball field. This property should be on the list of those who want the ultimate urban lifestyle. And because most of the buildings are brand-new, you don't need to worry about home inspection or management.

Listings
The total number of homes in Downtown San Diego is as given below.

There are 18 detached homes and 694 condos currently available in Downtown. Listings of San Diego Downtown homes can be found at Zip Realty.

Home Prices
The Downtown continues to improve and expand, pulling up Downtown San Diego home prices with it. This is both good and bad news for those in the market for new properties. On one hand, the steady ascent means that the cost of your property is rising every single day you wait to make that down payment. On the other hand, some smart investment will mean that your property's value will continue to grow and your margin of return will stretch.

According to SanDiego-MLS.com, Downtown San Diego home prices are as below.

Home prices in Downtown San Diego start from:

According to the San Diego Real Estate Authority, single family homes in San Diego Downtown sell for an average of $730,000, and condominiums go for about $610,000. The median home cost comes to around $490,000. The average price of a single family or condo home sold in February 2006 was $680,811.

Downtown San Diego's urban charm, coupled with scenic coastal vistas and a bustling daily life are enough reasons to make anyone consider a real estate investment in this dream town. If you're looking to live in the heart of it all, this is a good time to consider investing in a home in Downtown San Diego.

BLOG SUMMARY

Downtown San Diego, that offers an exciting 24-hour live-work-play environment, is one of the most desirable cities in the nation. From a zillion arts, culture and entertainment options to one of the most coveted real estates of the United States, Downtown has got it all. This article gives some reasons why buying a home in Downtown San Diego is an enticing proposition.