National City was incorporated in 1887, the second-oldest city in San Diego County, and had 56,173 people at the 2020 Census. It grew out of Rancho de la Nación, bought in 1868 by the Kimball brothers, who built its first roads, wharf and railroad.
The history is still standing. Brick Row on Heritage Square — ten Philadelphia-style row houses from 1887 — is on the National Register of Historic Places, the 1882 depot was the first Pacific Coast terminus of the Santa Fe railroad, and many Victorian homes date from the late 1800s. Its bayfront is part of Naval Base San Diego, and the Mile of Cars on National City Boulevard was one of the world’s first auto malls. Plaza Bonita, despite the name, is here too.
With the Blue Line trolley, I-5, I-805 and SR 54 all running through it, National City is close to everything. On an older home, the inspection, the permit history and the condition of the plumbing and electrical matter more than the paint.
Buying in National City: what people ask first.
What should I look for in an older National City home?
The permit history for any additions, the age and condition of the plumbing, electrical and roof, and the foundation. A good inspection on a late-1800s or early-1900s house is money well spent.
People looking at National City usually look at these too.
- City · South Bay Chula Vista From the bayfront to the planned communities east of the 805. Read the guide →
- Unincorporated · South Bay Bonita Riding trails, bigger lots and the Sweetwater River valley. Read the guide →
- City · East County Lemon Grove A small city on the Orange Line, next door to Encanto. Read the guide →
San Diego County looks like one market from a distance and it is not. East of the 805 in Chula Vista the houses are newer, the streets were planned, and the questions are about HOA dues, Mello-Roos and which school the address feeds. Out in El Cajon and Rancho San Diego the lots are bigger, the views run down the canyons, and the questions are about the roof, the solar, the slope and what it costs to insure. Buying the right house means asking the right questions for that side of the county — and selling one means answering them before a buyer has to ask.
Your partner in real estate, in the language you are most comfortable in.
Edgard Espinosa, Premier Properties