How do I choose a real estate agent in Hillcrest?
Pick an agent who knows Hillcrest building by building. On the first call, ask about the construction on University Avenue and Normal Street, how many homes they have toured in six months, and whether they work with buyers. I'm Jared Harman, a San Diego REALTOR®. I closed a Hillcrest condo for a first-time buyer in November 2026.
Published . Last updated . Figures are from my own records unless a source is linked.
- 800+
- homes personally toured in 2025
- 250K
- local views of my content a month, no ad spend
- $21.5M
- sold across 20 transactions, two years through September 2026
What should I ask a Hillcrest agent on the first call?
Three questions tell you a lot.
- What's going on with the construction on University Avenue and Normal Street, and what's the timeline on the Pride Promenade? An agent who really knows the area can answer off the top of their head.
- How many homes have they toured in the last six months? It is a good gauge of how active they are in this market. I personally toured more than 800 homes in 2025.
- Do they work with buyers? An agent who does may have the lead generation to bring you a buyer themselves.
What is happening on Normal Street?
The city is building the Pride Promenade on Normal Street, just off University Avenue. In July 2026, KPBS reported it was set to open by the end of 2026 (KPBS).
If you are buying or selling near it, ask your agent where the work stands that week. It changes parking and access while it lasts.
What does an outside agent get wrong with a Hillcrest condo listing?
You see it pretty often. The market is challenging, and Hillcrest condos come with details an outside agent hasn't learned yet: the parking, or a unit in the Uptown District, a big complex that is pretty maze-like to navigate.
You'll see listings labelled Marston Hills that aren't in Marston Hills, which is the premier pocket of Hillcrest. You'll also see listings in Marston Hills where the agent has no idea what they're sitting on.
That's where you need someone who knows the area and the building ahead of time, and knows how to position the home to get the result you want.
What does a good Hillcrest condo deal look like right now?
I closed this one in November 2026: a one-bedroom, one-bath condo two blocks from Trader Joe's, for a first-time buyer.
We closed at $400,000 with $12,000 in credits, a new washing machine, and every repair we asked for handled. For a one-bedroom in that spot, it was an incredibly good deal. (A Jared Harman transaction.)
It sat on the market for a couple of months and didn't sell. We toured it while it was listed, then the listing expired and the sellers never put it back on.
Why did that deal work?
Because we kept in touch. We'd told the listing side we were interested, but we had legwork to do on financing first.
Rates had just gone up, so we pivoted the financing a couple of times. We ended up with a first-time buyer program through the San Diego Housing Commission. My client got a lower interest rate than they would have had otherwise, less money out of pocket, and more equity.
The sellers' side saw it as the least desirable unit in the building, so they were willing to make real concessions. What happens when a San Diego listing doesn't sell.
What does this mean if you are buying or selling in Hillcrest?
Buying your first place? How first-time buyers get into San Diego, including the Housing Commission programs. Selling? Here is what I would ask a listing agent. What Hillcrest is like block by block is on my Hillcrest page.
Can you leave if it isn't working? With me, yes. My agreements include the No Handcuffs Guarantee. Cancel any time, no penalty.
Who is Jared Harman?
Jared Harman is a real estate agent and REALTOR® in San Diego, California, with 46 five-star Google reviews. He is licensed under DRE 02193879 with MatchPoint at eXp Realty of California, Inc. He is based in North Park and works with buyers and sellers in Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, Mission Hills and the surrounding central San Diego neighborhoods.
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.