| Summary | National Percentile | Rank vs Metro |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 87th | Best |
| Demographics | 44th | Fair |
| Amenities | 68th | Best |
Multifamily Valuation
| Property Details | |
|---|---|
| Address | 965 W Lincoln Ave, Escondido, CA, 92026, US |
| Region / Metro | Escondido |
| Year of Construction | 1985 |
| Units | 42 |
| Transaction Date | 2003-02-19 |
| Transaction Price | $3,500,000 |
| Buyer | VISTA DEL MAR ASSOCIATES LLC |
| Seller | RESTOWN |
965 W Lincoln Ave Escondido Multifamily Investment
Neighborhood occupancy is resilient with a sizable renter base, supporting cash-flow durability according to WDSuite’s CRE market data. The location’s inner-suburb positioning in Escondido provides steady renter demand relative to broader San Diego fundamentals.
Escondido’s inner-suburb neighborhood surrounding 965 W Lincoln Ave shows durable leasing dynamics for multifamily. Neighborhood occupancy is in the top quartile nationally, and the local renter concentration indicates a deep pool of renter-occupied housing units, which generally supports renewal rates and limits prolonged downtime between turns, based on CRE market data from WDSuite. Median rents in the neighborhood track above national norms while rent-to-income ratios remain manageable for the area, a combination that can support pricing without materially elevating retention risk.
Local livability is anchored by everyday conveniences rather than destination retail. Restaurants are comparatively dense (top decile nationally), with grocery, parks, and pharmacies scoring above the national median. Cafés are limited, suggesting a functional but not highly amenitized streetscape. Average school ratings in the neighborhood are below national medians; investors underwriting family-driven demand may wish to calibrate expectations accordingly.
Relative to the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro’s 621 neighborhoods, this area is competitive on overall housing performance (above metro median) and NOI per unit trends place the neighborhood among stronger peers nationally. The building stock nearby skews newer on average than this asset (1997 versus the property’s 1985 vintage), implying potential value-add positioning through targeted upgrades to remain competitive while planning for system modernization.
Demographic statistics aggregated within a 3-mile radius point to shifting demand drivers: total population has been roughly flat to slightly down in recent years, while household counts increased and average household size decreased. Forward-looking projections show additional household growth, which implies a larger tenant base and supports occupancy stability, particularly for smaller floorplans like this property’s average unit size near 563 square feet.

Neighborhood safety indicators sit below the national median, with property offenses comparatively elevated and violent incidents lower than property crime but still below average on national percentiles. That said, recent trends show improvement in violent offenses year over year, which is a constructive directional signal for operators monitoring resident sentiment and retention.
Within the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro’s 621 neighborhoods, the area is competitive among metro peers rather than a top performer. Investors should account for routine safety-conscious operations (lighting, access control, community standards) and emphasize visibility in common areas to support resident satisfaction and lease renewal probability.
Regional employment anchors within commuting range include biopharma, energy, food distribution, and wireless technology. These employers—Gilead Sciences, NRG Energy, Sysco, Qualcomm, and Celgene—support a diversified workforce and help sustain renter demand via commute convenience.
- Gilead Sciences — biopharma (12.5 miles)
- Nrg Energy — energy (12.5 miles)
- Sysco — food distribution (13.6 miles)
- Qualcomm — wireless & semiconductors (16.9 miles) — HQ
- Celgene Corporation — biopharma (18.1 miles)
965 W Lincoln Ave offers a stabilized, workforce-oriented location with neighborhood occupancy in the top quartile nationally and a renter-occupied housing share that indicates depth of tenant demand. Elevated home values in the area reinforce reliance on rental housing, which can support pricing power and leasing velocity, while rent-to-income levels suggest affordability pressure is manageable for retention.
Built in 1985, the asset is older than the neighborhood’s average vintage, pointing to value-add potential through selective renovations and capital planning to sustain competitiveness against newer stock. Demographic data aggregated within a 3-mile radius show increasing household counts and smaller household sizes, which align with the property’s smaller average unit sizes and support occupancy stability. According to WDSuite’s commercial real estate analysis, neighborhood income performance and NOI per unit trends compare favorably to national benchmarks, underscoring long-term fundamentals rather than short-term momentum.
- Strong neighborhood occupancy and sizable renter base support cash-flow durability
- High ownership costs in the area sustain rental housing demand and pricing power
- 1985 vintage offers clear value-add and modernization pathways versus newer nearby stock
- 3-mile household growth and smaller household sizes expand the tenant pool for smaller units
- Risk: below-national-median safety metrics warrant proactive property management and resident engagement