🗺️La Jolla’s Secret Trails, Disney’s Desert Views & AI That Designs for You

November feels different in San Diego.

The sunsets linger longer. The market takes a breath. And conversations shift from what’s happening now to what’s ahead.

This month’s Coast & Key SD brings together the trends, data, and discoveries shaping how we live and invest, coast to coast, and right here at home.

From Disney’s desert experiment and hidden trails we have the map for, to AI tools making design work feel like play.

This edition’s all about navigating smarter and spotting what others scroll past.

Here’s what’s inside this month’s edition:

• 🎥 Aumann on Air: Changing the way we give back

• 🍴 Coastal Culture: Eat & Do: Date night above the bay & more

• 🏡 Our Picks: The two listings we can’t stop talking about

• 📈 Market Moves: San Diego’s quiet reset and what it means

• 🤖 AI Advantage: The Canva upgrade that’s changing how we create

• 🏗️ On the Horizon: Disney’s desert dream?

LET'S DIVE IN ↓

🎥 AUMANN ON AIR

How One Gift Company Is Changing the Way We Give Back

In honor of the season of giving, we’re featuring an episode of Selling San Diego, where Rob sits down with Bob Dalton, founder of Sackcloth & Ashes, a company that’s turning client gifts into real community impact.

Bob’s story started in 2013, when his mother experienced homelessness. That moment changed everything.

He called local shelters to ask what they needed most. Their answer? Blankets.

That simple conversation sparked an idea that’s now reached thousands of communities across the country: for every blanket sold, Sackcloth & Ashes donates one to a local homeless shelter.

What began with a single sewing machine and a roll of fabric from JoAnn’s has grown into a global movement, partnering with brands like Compass, Subaru, and KB Home, and transforming how professionals in real estate, mortgage, and insurance approach gifting.

Each blanket is made from recycled textiles in Florence, Italy, and packaged with a QR code that helps buyers connect directly to shelters nearby.

It’s luxury with purpose: beautiful, sustainable, and deeply human.

🎬 Watch the full interview here to see how Sackcloth & Ashes is helping real estate pros elevate their gifts and give back to the communities they serve.

🍴 COASTAL CULTURE: EAT & DO

Date night above the bay + hidden La Jolla gems

Top of the Market

Some places make dinner feel like an occasion. Perched above The Fish Market on Harbor Drive, Top of the Market pairs fresh, local seafood with sweeping views from Coronado to Point Loma.

Think prawn scampi, wagyu, and oysters from the raw bar below, all served with the kind of care that makes you want to stay a while. Grab a drink by the fire pits after sunset, and you’ll see why it’s one of San Diego’s most romantic waterfront spots.

• 📍 750 N Harbor Dr, San Diego

• 📸 See what makes it one of San Diego’s best date-night views in our reel here

Hidden Gems Worth the Detour

Weekend mornings are for exploring.

Here are two of our favorite destinations:

Secret Swings

Tucked high in the hills above La Jolla, these hidden swings look out over the coast in the most magical way. The trail isn’t marked, which makes finding it half the fun.

Go at golden hour, and you’ll get a front-row seat to the best sunset in the city.

• 📍 Near 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA 92037 (trailhead by Birch Aquarium parking lot)

Sunny Jim Cave

Hidden inside a gift shop (yes, really), this century-old sandstone tunnel winds down to an ocean opening that feels straight out of a movie.

The light at the end and the echo of the waves are pure San Diego magic.

•  📍 1325 Coast Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037 (inside The Cave Store)

• 📸 See the photos + the third hidden gem we found on our Instagram here

🏡 OUR PICKS

Two Homes, One Coastal State of Mind

🌊 2175 Clove St | Point Loma

5 Beds | 5 Baths | 2,644 Sq. Ft.

Ocean air, modern lines, and the Point Loma lifestyle.

This fully remodeled coastal retreat captures it all.

Perched above the coves with sweeping water views, this versatile 5-bedroom home (plus bonus room) blends form and function with crisp, contemporary finishes and warm indoor-outdoor flow. The open-concept living space glows with coastal light, anchored by a sleek chef’s kitchen perfect for hosting.

The flexible floor plan includes a lower level with strong ADU potential, ideal for multigenerational living or future income.

Whether you're sipping coffee on the sun-drenched front patio or winding down on the back terrace, the rhythm of the peninsula is always close by.

Minutes to Liberty Station, Shelter Island, yacht clubs, Sunset Cliffs, and the airport, with just enough distance to enjoy the calm.

🌊 952 Pacific Beach Dr | Pacific Beach

5 Beds | 5 Baths | 3,217 Sq. Ft.

Where the ocean meets intention.

Tucked between Mission Bay and the Pacific, Oceana Shores is a newly built coastal sanctuary that captures everything you love about San Diego living.

The main residence features 4 bedrooms, including 2 en-suites, and a spa-inspired bath layout wrapped in soft stone and modern textures.

A separate 1-bedroom ADU offers privacy for guests or multigenerational flexibility, with tranquil Mission Bay views.

Outside, the vibe is effortless:

• Grill + island for gathering

• Multiple dining zones for golden hour dinners

• Fire pit moments after the sun dips below the horizon

Inside, the kitchen stuns with seamless finishes, open flow, and serious culinary cred. Every space (indoors and out) is designed to connect, invite, and slow things down.

📍 Steps to paddleboarding, sailing, and vibrant PB energy

📈 MARKET MOVES

San Diego’s Quiet Reset: Balance, Breathing Room, and Buyer Clarity

After two years of tight supply and whiplash headlines, San Diego’s real estate market is finally catching its breath.

Inventory has climbed 47% year-over-year, the highest selection buyers have seen since 2021.

Median prices tell the story:

• Single-Family Homes: $1.4 M

• Condos: $699K

• Days on Market: 49–70

• Mortgage Rates: 6.85%

It’s a market defined by patience and precision.

Homes priced to the moment are still moving fast; those that overshoot are sitting longer, with 36–44% seeing price reductions.

The biggest advantage right now? Choice. Buyers finally have options again, and sellers who adapt early are reaping the rewards.

For families focused on education, top-performing districts like Poway Unified and San Dieguito Union High continue to drive strong demand and price premiums of 32–57% above the county average.

And along the coast, La Jolla remains steady with a 3.5% cap rate and short-term rental demand holding firm near 78% occupancy.

Overall, San Diego is outperforming most major California markets, more affordable than the Bay Area, more stable than L.A., and still growing at a healthy, sustainable pace.

🤖 AI ADVANTAGE

Your Canva Just Got Smarter (and Faster)

If you’ve ever lost an hour choosing the right font, Joy gets it.

She even shared her favorite go-tos on Instagram last week (check them out here 😉).

Now Canva’s taken things a step further with Canva AI, a new feature that lets anyone design like a pro, no creative background required.

You can literally type or say what you want, and it brings it to life:

• “Make a holiday card with a coastal vibe.”

• “Design a vision board for my next home project.”

• “Create a dinner invite for Friendsgiving.”

From custom images to quick edits, it’s an easy way to make something beautiful, whether you’re sending a card, refreshing your home mood board, or planning your Thanksgiving menu.

🎨 Check out Joy’s favorite Canva fonts here, then try letting Canva AI handle the next design session, and let us know how it goes.

🏗️ ON THE HORIZON

Disney’s Desert Dream?

About 110 miles northeast of San Diego, something whimsical is rising from the sands of Rancho Mirage.

It’s called Cotino, and it’s not your typical desert community, because it’s not being built by a typical developer.

It’s “Storyliving” by Disney.

Yes, that Disney. But Cotino isn’t about castles or mouse ears.

It’s a luxury residential oasis where the crown jewel is Cotino Bay, a crystal-clear lagoon surrounded by paddleboarders, pickleball courts, palm-lined promenades, and a voluntary private club with Imagineer-designed programming.

What makes Cotino fascinating isn’t just the branding; it’s what it reflects about where residential real estate may be heading:

• Experience-first living: More than amenities, it's about narrative, identity, and emotional resonance

• Resort-caliber expectations: Buyers aren’t just shopping for square footage; they want access, aesthetics, wellness, and a sense of belonging

• Blurring lines between home and destination: Cotino is both a private residence and a public experience, designed to attract locals and tourists alike

The real question isn’t whether this will "work." It’s what happens when legacy entertainment brands bring their storytelling muscle to community-building.

Is it a one-off? Or a glimpse of a future where lifestyle is manufactured as much as it’s lived?

Reply to this email and let us know, is Cotino your dream oasis, or a step too curated for comfort? We’re genuinely curious where you land!

Thanks for reading this month’s Coast & Key SD.

As always, if you’ve got questions about the market, need a trusted referral, or want the inside scoop on a pocket listing, we’re just a reply away.

Best,

P.S.: Looking beyond San Diego? We’re proud members of The Private Client Network, the leading collective of top luxury brokers in the U.S. In fact, our network was recently featured on the back cover of The Wall Street Journal.

From Aspen to Austin, Palm Beach to Park City, we offer insider access and white-glove service across 80 of the most desirable luxury markets in the country.

If you or someone you know needs trusted guidance in any of these areas, we’re your first call.

👉 Learn more about The Private Client Network