| Summary | National Percentile | Rank vs Metro |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 84th | Best |
| Demographics | 34th | Poor |
| Amenities | 61st | Good |
Multifamily Valuation
| Property Details | |
|---|---|
| Address | 437 Jamacha Rd, El Cajon, CA, 92019, US |
| Region / Metro | El Cajon |
| Year of Construction | 1973 |
| Units | 40 |
| Transaction Date | 2015-03-08 |
| Transaction Price | $5,000,000 |
| Buyer | BEL VUE TERRACE PROPERTIES LLC |
| Seller | KING MARY KATHRYN |
437 Jamacha Rd El Cajon Multifamily Investment
Strong renter demand and high neighborhood occupancy suggest durable leasing fundamentals, according to WDSuite’s CRE market data. Positioning within San Diego County offers exposure to a deep tenant base and constrained for-sale housing.
The property sits in El Cajon’s Urban Core, rated B and competitive among the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro’s 621 neighborhoods. Neighborhood occupancy is in the top quartile locally (ranked near the front of the pack) and in the mid-90s nationally by percentile, pointing to stable renter demand rather than frequent turnover, based on CRE market data from WDSuite.
Access to daily needs is a relative strength. Grocery, restaurants, cafes, and childcare density all score in the ~90th-percentile range nationally, supporting resident convenience and leasing appeal for workforce households. While park and pharmacy counts are limited within the neighborhood boundary, the broader urban setting provides a diversified amenity base typical of East County San Diego.
Within a 3-mile radius, the renter-occupied share is about half of housing units today and is projected to edge higher by 2028, indicating a durable tenant pool. Households have grown over the past five years and are projected to expand further, which supports occupancy stability and leasing velocity for well-positioned product. Median home values sit in the upper national percentiles and the value-to-income ratio is elevated, which tends to reinforce reliance on multifamily rentals and can aid retention.
Schools in the neighborhood score below national averages, which may be a consideration for family-oriented leasing. Rent-to-income levels indicate some affordability pressure relative to national benchmarks, suggesting operators should emphasize renewal management and value-for-amenity positioning rather than pure price leadership.
Safety indicators for the neighborhood track below national averages, with overall crime metrics in lower national percentiles and a metro rank positioned in the back half of San Diego’s 621 neighborhoods. Recent trends show mixed movement, so investors typically underwrite with prudent security measures and property-level visibility, and compare submarket performance to nearby alternatives rather than block-by-block readings.
As with any urban core location, positioning, lighting, and onsite management can influence outcomes. Monitoring trend direction and neighboring submarket comps can help calibrate expectations for leasing and retention.
Proximity to diversified employment—including defense/aerospace, food distribution, energy utilities, wireless/semiconductors, and biotech—supports renter demand and commute convenience for a broad workforce tenant base.
- L-3 Telemetry & RF Products — defense & aerospace (12.0 miles)
- Sysco — food distribution (12.2 miles)
- Sempra Energy — energy utility (14.4 miles) — HQ
- Qualcomm — wireless & semiconductors (17.0 miles) — HQ
- Celgene Corporation — biotech/pharma (17.5 miles)
Built in 1973, this 40-unit asset is older than the neighborhood average vintage, creating clear value-add and capital planning opportunities to modernize interiors/systems and better compete against newer stock. The surrounding neighborhood shows high occupancy and dense daily-needs amenities, while 3-mile demographics point to population and household growth that expands the tenant base—factors that can support occupancy stability and steady leasing. According to CRE market data from WDSuite, elevated home values and ownership costs in upper national percentiles tend to sustain multifamily demand across East County.
Key considerations include below-average school ratings and safety metrics that warrant thoughtful operations, along with measured rent-to-income levels that call for renewal-focused asset management. With targeted renovations and disciplined pricing, the asset can capture demand from renters prioritizing location convenience and access to employment corridors.
- High neighborhood occupancy and strong amenity access support leasing stability
- 3-mile population and household growth expand the renter pool over the next five years
- 1973 vintage offers value-add and systems modernization upside versus newer comps
- Elevated home values reinforce reliance on rentals, aiding retention and demand
- Risks: lower school ratings, below-average safety, and rent-to-income pressures require careful operations