What should I know before buying or selling a Craftsman home in San Diego?
Know the big-ticket items before you fall for the woodwork. Most San Diego Craftsman homes were built in the 1920s and 1930s, so the sewer line, the foundation and the roof are where the money goes, and a seller who hasn't done them should price for it. I'm Jared Harman, a San Diego REALTOR®.
Published . Last updated . Figures are from my own records unless a source is linked.
Where are the Craftsman homes in San Diego?
Craftsman homes are some of the most character-rich, architecturally diverse homes you can find in San Diego.
Two-story Craftsman homes are all over Golden Hill. Single-story Craftsman bungalows, and now and then a three-bed, two-bath, are scattered across North Park and Normal Heights.
You'll also find historic Craftsman homes in Mission Hills, and some big ones in Bankers Hill.
What is my favorite Craftsman I have walked through?
One on 29th Street in North Park. The seller was an architect, and you could tell he'd put so much time and painstaking love into that home.
He cared for all the built-in woodwork. He even built his own ceramic spice cabinet. It's a wood cabinet with little ceramic dishes that slot in and out of it, and it was absolutely adorable.
Why do the big repairs on an old Craftsman come due together?
Because of the age. Even when a house has been upgraded, the upgrades get old too.
Say a house was built in 1930 and the sewer line was replaced in 1980. About 50 years is the lifespan I plan on for a sewer line, so that one is due again around 2030, which is coming up quickly. (Jared Harman's rule of thumb, not a manufacturer rating.)
Homes built before 1970 likely have sewer laterals made of clay or cast iron, which may need repair or replacement, per the City of Santa Barbara. A camera scope tells you what this house actually has.
So there can be a handful of huge expenses on the horizon, whichever side of the deal you're on.
What do buyers fall for on a Craftsman that costs them later?
The big-ticket items: the roof, the footings on the foundation, and the sewer line. The biggest are the foundation and the sewer line.
The electrical has often been replaced by now, so I don't run into it as much, though a panel needs an upgrade here and there.
A good agent gets an inspector to scope those things before you're in too deep. That bill is on your dime. A typical sewer reline runs about $14,000 to $15,000, and about $30,000 to $35,000 when the damage runs under the street out to the main. (Jared Harman's ballpark from recent deals, not a price guide.)
For everything I check on a 1920s to 1950s house, here is my Kensington list.
If I am selling a Craftsman, what should I be honest with myself about?
Whether you've made the big-ticket repairs these homes call for. If you've stayed on top of maintenance, the age may not be a huge issue on the selling side.
Be real about it. Don't trim the trees and tell yourself the house is perfect. If the sewer line, foundation or roof hasn't been done, you may need to adjust your price expectations.
Anything you know about still goes in your disclosures, starting with the Transfer Disclosure Statement.
What should I update on an original Craftsman before selling?
Honestly, not much. I'm not going to suggest you change a lot.
If you have original floors and they're worn, refinish them before the sale. In my experience, that's one of the biggest returns you can get on a Craftsman. (Jared Harman's experience, not a cost study.)
Other than that: repaint, keep it clean, spruce it up, trim the trees. It doesn't need to be complicated. Paint, floors and staging can work some miracles. What I tell every seller to fix, and what to leave.
Is a Craftsman in a historic district a different purchase?
It can be. A designated home, or one inside an adopted historic district, gets city review before changes, and the Mills Act is a separate tax contract with its own rules. How both work.
What does this mean if you are buying a Craftsman?
Fall for the woodwork, then budget for the sewer line and the foundation. Scope both before your inspection period runs out.
Get First Look, my weekly list of hand-picked San Diego listings, including coming-soon homes I can share early, with permission from the listing agent.
What does this mean if you are selling a Craftsman?
I walk the house once on my own, the way a buyer would, then you walk me through it. Here is the whole plan.
Want the number first? Tell me about your place and I will personally research what you would actually walk away with. That is a Net Number, back to you in 24 hours.
Who is Jared Harman?
Jared Harman is a real estate agent and REALTOR® in San Diego, California, licensed under DRE 02193879 with MatchPoint at eXp Realty of California, Inc. He is based in North Park and works with buyers and sellers of older homes across the San Diego metro, including North Park, Normal Heights, Golden Hill, Mission Hills and Bankers Hill.
Jared Harman has 46 Google reviews, all five stars. He has sold $14M+ in real estate so far in 2026. His videos reach about 250,000 people in San Diego every month, which is where his listings get seen. He personally toured 800+ homes in 2025. In the last 12 months he negotiated about $990,000 in credits and price reductions for his clients.