San Diego, CA Commercial Real Estate Market Trends

Commercial Real Estate Market Report

This page provides a high-level view of commercial real estate conditions in San Diego, combining current pricing, property scale, and active inventory to support early market evaluation.

Explore Commercial Properties in San Diego

Browse properties currently for sale or lease to see how local market pricing and building sizes translate into real opportunities.

 

San Diego's Demographic Profile

With a population of 1,392,285 and a median household income of $95,644, these metrics help investors gauge whether San Diego's pricing reflects local demand fundamentals.

Key Demographic Metrics Value
Population 1,392,285
# Households 521,248
Median age 38
Median household income $95,644
Avg household size 3
Renter-occupied housing units 284,713
5-year population change 0%

Commercial Real Estate Market Snapshot in San Diego

These market metrics outline current pricing, typical deal size, and observed cap rate ranges, giving investors a quick read on entry costs and high-level underwriting expectations.

Key Market Metrics Value
Avg asking sale price $669 per SF
Avg asking lease rate $33 per SF
Avg unit size for lease 13,373 SF
Avg building size for sale 14,977 SF
Average cap rate 5.11%

In San Diego, commercial properties are currently listed at an average sale price of $669 per square foot, with average lease rates around $33 per square foot. Typical leased spaces are approximately 13,373 SF, while properties for sale average 14,977 SF in building size. Observed cap rates average 5.11%, offering a reference point for return expectations relative to pricing and deal scale.

 

Commercial Properties For Sale In San Diego

The listings below reflect how current market pricing and building scale translate into active opportunities available today.
For Sale

Former Mortuary | Office | Broad Zoning

San Diego, CA 92102

  • 8,091 SF Office Building
  • Auction Sale
For Sale

3580 Hatteras Ave

San Diego, CA 92117

  • 3,528 SF Multifamily
  • 5.25% Cap Rate
  • $2,950,000
For Sale

10225 Willow Creek Rd

San Diego, CA 92131

  • 75,119 SF Flex Building
  • $14,750,000
For Sale

2949-2957 Kalmia St

San Diego, CA 92104

  • 4,562 SF Multifamily
  • 5.49% Cap Rate
  • $3,700,000
For Sale

Nine2Five

San Diego, CA 92101

  • 69,583 SF Office Building
  • $13,500,000
For Sale

Lauretta Lofts

San Diego, CA 92110

  • 8,399 SF Multifamily
  • 4.48% Cap Rate
  • $5,950,000
For Sale

4650 Overland Ave

San Diego, CA 92123

  • 56,159 SF Flex Building
For Sale

8057 Raytheon Rd

San Diego, CA 92111

  • 15,594 SF Industrial Building
  • $1,000,000

 

Commercial Market Metrics by Property Type

Office Building Market Metrics Near San Diego

Office market metrics highlight how pricing, typical deal size, and return expectations vary across submarkets, helping investors compare entry costs and yield potential efficiently.

Nearby Office Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
San Diego $578 13,046 SF 9.13%
El Cajon $472 5,091 SF 1.64%

Industrial Property Market Metrics Near San Diego

Industrial market data shows how cost per square foot and typical building size differ by submarket, supporting comparisons around deal scale and pricing alignment.

Nearby Industrial Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
San Diego $425 27,835 SF 6.74%
Spring Valley $305 7,061 SF 5.00%

 

Retail Property Market Metrics Near San Diego

Retail pricing varies widely across nearby markets, making this comparison useful for identifying where cost per square foot and deal size diverge most.

Nearby Retail Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size
San Diego $709 9,506 SF
Lemon Grove $471 14,989 SF
Spring Valley $527 10,753 SF
El Cajon $1,200 28,113 SF
National City $1,220 16,277 SF

Multifamily Property Market Metrics Near San Diego

Multifamily metrics show how pricing and building size relate to observed cap rate ranges, helping investors evaluate income potential relative to entry cost.

Nearby Multifamily Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
San Diego $721 9,438 SF 16.41%
La Mesa $566 11,809 SF 6.00%
El Cajon $353 36,253 SF 6.00%
La Jolla $672 5,680 SF 3.72%
National City $477 11,097 SF 6.30%

 

How Investors Evaluate Commercial Real Estate Markets in San Diego

Use these tools to move from market-level signals to deal-level math. Each calculator helps translate San Diego pricing, rents, and building size into concrete metrics like value, income, and space requirements, so you can validate assumptions before spending time on individual listings.

 

Nearby Commercial Markets

Comparing nearby markets helps investors see whether San Diego pricing and building scale sit above, below, or in line with surrounding areas.

Commercial Markets Avg Cost/SF Average Size
San Diego $669 14,977 SF
Santee $553 17,811 SF
La Mesa $655 11,075 SF
Lemon Grove $449 17,793 SF
Spring Valley $509 10,799 SF

Multifamily For Sale In San Diego

Multifamily listings shown here connect market pricing and cap rate patterns with income-producing opportunities currently available.
For Sale

Live/Work - Shopkeeper-style in Village Walk

San Diego, CA 92101

  • 124,800 SF Multifamily
  • $1,349,900
For Sale

Solara Lofts

San Diego, CA 92101

  • 111,181 SF Multifamily
  • $2,168,710
For Sale

Suite 101

San Diego, CA 92104

  • 34,460 SF Multifamily
  • $540,000
For Sale

BallPark Retail

San Diego, CA 92101

  • 154,462 SF Multifamily
  • $1,295,000
For Sale

"The Carl" Newer Construction Near USD

San Diego, CA 92110

  • 6,926 SF Multifamily
  • 5.00% Cap Rate
  • $4,665,000
For Sale

Indiana Street Apartments

San Diego, CA 92103

  • 26,125 SF Multifamily
  • 2.82% Cap Rate
  • $18,000,000
For Sale

Rendezvous Condos

San Diego, CA 92116

  • 21,000 SF Multifamily
  • $679,000 - $1,233,000
For Sale

The Richmond

San Diego, CA 92103

  • 11,343 SF Multifamily
  • $9,950,000

Regional Demographic Comparison

This comparison places San Diego alongside nearby cities to show how population size, household counts, and income levels differ across the region. Viewing these markets side by side helps investors understand whether local demand and income characteristics are concentrated in San Diego or distributed across surrounding areas.

City Population # Households Age MedianHouseholdIncome AvgHouseholdSize RenterOccupiedHousingUnits FiveYrPopGrowthPct
Santee 56,670 19,983 40 $100,563 3 6,253 -2%
La Mesa 60,318 24,551 40 $80,362 2 13,672 -1%
Lemon Grove 26,579 8,513 39 $75,661 3 3,940 -2%
Spring Valley 30,010 9,667 38 $91,153 3 3,810 -1%

FAQs About Commercial Investing in San Diego

View All Commercial Real Estate For Sale in San Diego
Is San Diego a good market for a first-time commercial real estate investor?

San Diego offers commercial properties across a wide range of sizes and price points. By reviewing the market data and benchmarks on this page, first-time investors can better understand what a typical commercial property looks like before committing capital and narrowing in on specific listings.

How can this market data help me decide whether to buy commercial property for my business in San Diego?

The pricing and size metrics on this page help business owners compare the cost of ownership against leasing in San Diego. Typical building sizes and asking prices provide a starting point for evaluating space needs, budget fit, and long term occupancy costs before engaging lenders or brokers.

What should conservative investors focus on when evaluating commercial properties in San Diego?

Conservative investors often prioritize manageable deal sizes, stable pricing ranges, and cap rate benchmarks shown for San Diego. These metrics help assess whether current market conditions support steady income potential without relying on aggressive assumptions.

How does San Diego compare to nearby commercial real estate markets?

Nearby market comparisons highlight differences in pricing, building scale, and cap rate ranges relative to San Diego. Reviewing these side by side helps experienced investors identify relative value, pricing premiums, or alternative markets that may better align with return targets.

How can this page support early-stage deal screening for San Diego acquisitions?

This page provides high-level benchmarks for pricing, deal size, and observed cap rates in San Diego, which are useful for initial market filtering. Institutional and data-driven investors often use these signals to prioritize listings that meet size, pricing, and return thresholds before deeper underwriting.