| Summary | National Percentile | Rank vs Metro |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 75th | Fair |
| Demographics | 29th | Poor |
| Amenities | 50th | Good |
Multifamily Valuation
| Property Details | |
|---|---|
| Address | 690 E Main St, El Cajon, CA, 92020, US |
| Region / Metro | El Cajon |
| Year of Construction | 1987 |
| Units | 24 |
| Transaction Date | --- |
| Transaction Price | $1,575,000 |
| Buyer | OWNERSHIP NAME INFORMATION |
| Seller | --- |
690 E Main St, El Cajon Multifamily Investment
Neighborhood occupancy trends point to steady renter demand and leasing stability, according to WDSuite’s CRE market data. Elevated ownership costs in San Diego County further support reliance on rental housing near El Cajon’s urban core.
Positioned in El Cajon’s Urban Core, the property benefits from strong daily-life amenities. The neighborhood ranks among the top quartile nationally for access to grocery stores, parks, and restaurants, while cafes and pharmacies are thinner on the ground. For investors, this mix supports everyday convenience and foot traffic while signaling some retail white space that can keep neighborhood services in flux.
Multifamily fundamentals are constructive. Neighborhood occupancy is above the metro median within the San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad region, reinforcing expectations for stable collections and lower downtime between turns. The share of renter-occupied housing units in the neighborhood is very high, indicating a deep tenant base and resilient demand for apartments.
Vintage positioning is a relative advantage: the asset was built in 1987, newer than the neighborhood’s average vintage (1973). That typically supports competitive appeal versus older stock, though investors should still consider capital planning for aging systems and potential modernization to meet current renter expectations.
Within a 3-mile radius, demographics show modest population growth alongside an increase in households, implying a gradually expanding renter pool. As incomes trend higher and household sizes shift, this should support occupancy stability and give operators room to focus on retention and selective rent trade-outs, based on commercial real estate analysis from WDSuite.
Home values are elevated for the area, which creates a high-cost ownership market that tends to sustain rental demand. Rent-to-income figures point to some affordability pressure, suggesting disciplined lease management and value-oriented amenity upgrades can help balance pricing power with retention.
Safety indicators for the neighborhood track below national benchmarks, with both violent and property offense measures less favorable than many U.S. neighborhoods. Compared with the 621 neighborhoods in the San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad metro, this area is not among the stronger performers on safety; however, recent data shows violent offenses trending down year over year, which is a constructive signal to monitor.
Investors should underwrite prudent security measures, screening, and lighting/camera upgrades, and track whether the improvement trend continues. Framing risk at the neighborhood level (not the property) keeps expectations realistic while allowing for operational mitigants.
The location taps into a diverse employment base across defense/aerospace, food distribution, energy utilities, and technology, supporting a broad renter pipeline and commute convenience for workforce tenants.
- L-3 Telemetry & RF Products — defense & aerospace offices (10.7 miles)
- Sysco — food distribution (11.3 miles)
- Sempra Energy — energy utilities (13.3 miles) — HQ
- Qualcomm — technology & R&D (15.7 miles) — HQ
- Celgene Corporation — biotech (16.3 miles)
This 24-unit asset at 690 E Main St combines a renter-heavy neighborhood with above-median occupancy for the San Diego metro, supporting consistent leasing and collections. Built in 1987, it is newer than much of the surrounding stock, offering competitive positioning with potential to capture value through targeted modernization rather than full-scale rehabilitation. Elevated ownership costs in the area help sustain renter reliance on multifamily housing, while nearby employment centers diversify the tenant base.
Within a 3-mile radius, modest population growth and an increasing household count point to a gradually expanding renter pool that can support occupancy stability and selective rent trade-ups. According to WDSuite’s CRE market data, neighborhood-level rent and home value context suggests durable demand, though operators should calibrate pricing to local affordability to preserve retention.
- Renter-heavy neighborhood and above-median occupancy support stable cash flow potential.
- 1987 vintage offers competitive positioning versus older local stock with manageable value-add opportunities.
- Elevated home values in the area reinforce sustained demand for rental housing.
- Diverse nearby employers broaden the tenant base and aid retention.
- Risk: neighborhood safety metrics trail national benchmarks; budget for security and tenant screening to mitigate.