Within the town of Encinitas (Virtual tour with music so turn up the sound) is the upscale community of Encinitas Ranch, a fairly new community in an area known as Ecke Ranch(part of the Ranch, a well-known and large poinsettia nursery, the world's largest poinsettia producer actually), located between the 5 (to the west) and El Camino Real (on the east), La Costa Avenue 1 mile away to the north, and Encinitas Boulevard about ½ mile to the south.

Part of the appeal of the Encinitas Ranch is the open use space, trails and attractive vistas of the area from its hilltop location.

Encinitas is located about 25 miles north of San Diego along the coast, and just south of Carlsbad.

Encinitas Ranch consists of over 500 homes in a number of neighborhoods, including Quail Ridge, Braemar, The Links, Quail Hollow, 37 Ranch Road, Mendocino, and Devonshire. The Ranch has been developed over 7 - 8 years and many homes offer views of the hills, the ocean, back country and the golf course.

As of February 12, 2007 there are 21 homes for sale, ranging in price from $875,000 to $2.15 million. Average market time for these homes is 68 days (range is 10 to 241 days, based on the current listing contract) and the average price is $1.285 million. The average home is 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and offers 3,600 SF of living space.

A highlight of the area is the Encinitas Ranch Golf Course, an 18-hole championship golf course that opened in March of 1998. Many homes offer views of the course, which is public, and the course itself has some pretty nice views itself of the surrounding area. There is even a golf school here.

While the community itself is residential, you are close to tons of shopping, especially on El Camino Real, Encinitas Boulevard, and Leucadia. Encinitas Town Center offers a broad range of stores and eateries, including Target and Office Depot. Need everything for your home remodel? Then visit the nearby Home Depot, across El Camino from Encinitas Town Center. The Forum, in adjacent Carlsbad, offers upscale shopping and is just a short distance to the north at Calle Barcelona and El Camino Real.

If you are looking for things to do, other than golf, you can enjoy biking and walking the trails in Encinitas Ranch. The Quail Botanical Gardens are a wonderful place to enjoy year-round, with special lighting and events at holiday time. Encinitas Beaches are a short distance away, including Moonlight and Swami's (close to Cardiff) or you can enjoy two lagoons - Batiquitos, just north in Carlsbad, and San Elijo, bordering on Cardiff to the south.

If you are in a meditative mood, swing by the Self-Realization Center on the Coast Highway just south of town.

Encinitas schools are very highly rated in California, and many choose to live here for that reason. San Dieguito Union School District which services students from Encinitas, as well as Solana Beach and Del Mar, and some nearby unincorporated area. There are 9 elementary schools in Encinitas along with several private schools.

Encinitas offers a number of restaurants to enjoy, most of which are in the town itself, along the Coast Highway, in the old beach community of Leucadia, and on EL Camino Real in one of the strip malls. Some of the popular places include Savory, Sage Grill, Meritage, Firefly Grill, and several of the Vigiliucci's family. Dining choices include Italian, Jamaican, Thai, Indian, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, California and more, in a range of styles from very casual, to family, to upscale.

For more information, visit the Encinitas website. There is also a visitors center on Encinitas Boulevard near the coast highway. Please also visit my information page for more details on things to do, shopping, beaches and more in the Encinitas area.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if I can provide any more information or answer your questions about Encinitas. And if you are relocating, check out Relocation A to Z. If you are a first time buyer there are some areas that are more affordable...so necessarily don't rule it out, especially if you are willing to consider a condo.