Descanso Homes for Sale

Descanso Homes for Sale

Welcome to Descanso, California – a hidden gem nestled in the heart of San Diego County. This enchanting mountain community is a perfect blend of natural beauty and small-town charm, offering residents a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. With its picturesque landscapes, towering pines, and vibrant wildflower meadows, Descanso is a nature lover's paradise, ideal for hiking, biking, and enjoying the great outdoors.

Descanso is known for its welcoming community spirit, where neighbors become friends and local events foster a strong sense of belonging. The town is conveniently located just a short drive from the bustling city of San Diego, making it an ideal retreat for those who seek tranquility without sacrificing accessibility to urban amenities.

For those considering a move to this idyllic locale, there are a variety of homes for sale that cater to diverse tastes and budgets. From charming cabins that offer rustic charm to modern homes with breathtaking views, Descanso has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a cozy weekend getaway or a permanent residence surrounded by nature, the real estate options here are as varied as the landscape itself.

Explore the opportunity to own a piece of this beautiful community, where you can enjoy the fresh mountain air and stunning scenery right from your doorstep. With homes for sale in Descanso, you can embrace a lifestyle that celebrates both adventure and tranquility, making every day feel like a vacation. Come discover your perfect home in Descanso, where nature and community come together to create an unparalleled living experience.

Newest Descanso Homes for Sale

$649,000
2 Beds ⋅ 2 Baths ⋅ PTP2606432 MLS ⋅ Active Status
Tucked along the banks of the Sweetwater River, this cedar-sided mountain retreat delivers the cozy cabin lifestyle backcountry San Diego is known for. Freshly re-roofed and wrapped in warm cedar siding, the 1,344 sq ft home sits on a private 0.72-acre parcel (2 parcels included 4090210100 & 4090212200) in the Bohemia subdivision of Descanso, just minutes from Alpine and the I-8 corridor. Step inside to a living room anchored by a wood-burning fireplace — the kind of feature that makes this place feel like a true cabin getaway rather than just another house in the mountains. The floor plan offers 2 bedrooms and 2 baths per tax records, plus a versatile office currently used as a third bedroom, giving flexibility for guests, family, or a work-from-home setup. Outside, two additional structures round out the property — envision an ADU, detached office, studio, or simply a shaded outdoor hangout space surrounded by oak and sycamore. The home is served by its own working well, and the wraparound deck and river frontage make it easy to see why the same owners have loved calling this place home for nearly three decades. A rare opportunity to own a slice of San Diego mountains with privacy, and room to grow. Some photos have been staged or altered to show the possibilities of the additional structures and outdoor spaces. ****Showings are to be confirmed by LA. Please schedule in showing time. Showings to only be held on Saturdays 10am - 1pm. Contact LA for questions. SHOWINGS MAY OVERLAP DURING THIS PERIOD.****

8314 Old Highway 80, Descanso
$649,000
3 Beds ⋅ 2 Baths ⋅ PTP2606267 MLS ⋅ Active Status
Enjoy your own private retreat where gorgeous views, and modern comforts, like paid solar and a whole house water filtration system come together in a lovely 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home. Descanso provides the best of both worlds: far enough away to truly feel like you've gotten away from everything, yet close enough to make everyday commuting a breeze. Inside, the home offers comfortable living spaces along with a cozy fireplace, laundry room and AC mini split unit. Step outside and enjoy the ever-changing scenery, peaceful mornings, and dedicated RV parking! Set against sweeping views of the hills and open meadows to the west and south, this is a setting that is hard to find. If you're looking for a home where you can slow down and reconnect with nature, without giving up convenience, this property is a rare opportunity.

9421 Elm Dr, Descanso
$699,000
3 Beds ⋅ 2 Baths ⋅ PTP2606042 MLS ⋅ Active Status
ONE OF A KIND PROPERTY - 100 GALLON PER MINUTE WELL, BEAUTIFUL NATIONAL FOREST FRONTAGE, THREE BEDROOM TWO BATH NEWER HOME AND ADDITIONAL BUILDING SITES. PRIVATE COMPOUND PROPERTY IDEAL FOR ANIMALS, AGRICULTURE AND FAMILIES. Existing home is four years old solar panels, water storage, forced air heat with large 10,000 gallon storage tank. All located on the lower pad near the cul de sac entrance. This home was designed to be the additional home to a future, larger custom home that can be built on an upper site with a great view of Cuyamaca Peak. This property cannot be compared to any other available in the Descanso market. It has size, 8.67 acres, with huge well production 100-200 gallons per minute at 300 ft. and beautiful view with privacy. Priced to sell....

23671 Echo Hills Road, Descanso
$875,000
3 Beds ⋅ 3 Baths ⋅ 260019363SD MLS ⋅ Active Status
Range Price $799,000-$875,000. Discover the privacy, space, and possibilities of country living in Descanso. Set on approximately 2.56 acres, this spacious residence offers approximately 2,669 square feet, three bedrooms, two-and-one-half bathrooms, and a two-car garage. Built in 1993, the home provides a generous and versatile floor plan with plenty of room for comfortable everyday living, entertaining, working from home, or creating dedicated guest and hobby spaces. The home comes with an all house generator, a fire hydrant and water tank and drip system. The expansive property offers a rare sense of separation and breathing room, with opportunities to design your ideal outdoor lifestyle—whether that includes gardens, recreation areas, additional storage, or space for animals, subject to applicable regulations. Agricultural zoning further enhances the property’s potential. Enjoy the peaceful surroundings and relaxed pace of rural San Diego County while owning a substantial home with room to personalize and make your own. This is a unique opportunity for buyers seeking privacy, usable space, and the freedom of a larger property in the scenic community of Descanso.

Descanso
$239,000
2 Beds ⋅ 1 Baths ⋅ PTP2605829 MLS ⋅ Active Status
This is a Forest Service Recreational cabin. If you are looking for that long term recreational cabin, this is it. Set up more as a home than a cabin, this home features a comfortable living room with a rock fireplace with insert, open kitchen, inside laundry and two bedrooms. You're going to love the wonderful patio with native rock walls and huge shading oak trees. Quiet area of the National Forest, walk to the post office and store, public library just around the corner.

9800 #13 Oak Grove Drive, Descanso
$699,000
2 Beds ⋅ 2 Baths ⋅ PTP2605325 MLS ⋅ Active Status
Rare opportunity to own 9.84 acres in the peaceful mountain community of Descanso with 2 residences, sweeping mountain views, and privacy. The property features a 1,607 sqft 2-bedroom, 2.25-bath main residence plus an approx. 592 sqft manufactured home, creating added flexibility. The main home features vaulted ceilings, expansive windows, and abundant natural light that bring the surrounding mountain views indoors. An enclosed sunroom provides additional space to relax, work, entertain, or simply enjoy the surrounding scenery year-round. A looped driveway provides convenient access to both residences, with additional parking areas for vehicles, recreational equipment, or guests. The property's mature oak trees and scenic mountain beauty make Descanso such a special place to call home. Property includes a private well with storage tank, septic system, propane service, and SDG&E utilities.

12350 Yucca Road, Descanso
$3,125,000
4 Beds ⋅ 7 Baths ⋅ 260016959SD MLS ⋅ Active Status
PRICE IMPROVEMENT! AMAZING OPPORTUNITY! YOUR PRIVATE LAKE AWAITS — LA MARQUESA Imagine waking to still water, towering oaks, lakefront tullies and birdsong, where the city feels a world away—yet downtown San Diego is approximately 40 miles from your door. Welcome to La Marquesa, an extraordinary 7,117 sq. ft. lakefront estate set on 7+ peaceful acres and one of only two residences privileged with access to this private, stocked lake. Expansive decks overlooking the water and mountains invite quiet mornings, spectacular sunsets and evenings beneath the stars. Inside, four spacious bedroom suites each offer an ensuite bath, complemented by two optional bedrooms, 6 full baths and a powder room. The dramatic great room, grand fireplace and rich English-style pub create an unforgettable setting for entertaining. The generous kitchen features quartz counters, center island, 8-burner Viking range/oven, stainless appliances, abundant cabinetry and Travertine flooring. A sweeping circular staircase, crystal chandelier and distinctive architectural details add timeless character. This is more than a home—it is space to breathe, room to gather and the privacy to truly escape. Properties like La Marquesa rarely come along. Come experience it in person—because photographs can capture the home, but they can't capture the feeling of being here. Views from every room! This is

26440 Old Highway 80, Descanso
$589,000
3 Beds ⋅ 2 Baths ⋅ PTP2603988 MLS ⋅ Active Status
New. New. New. There isn't much about this single-story, bright 2-bedroom, 2-bath plus den home that isn't new: new appliances, new soft-close kitchen cabinets, new flooring throughout, new kitchen and bathroom sinks, new countertops, new toilets, new vanities, new paint, new doors. At just over 1,000 square feet, this move-in-ready home sits on 0.6 acres in Guatay, CA — room for your toys, animals, garden, or simply relaxing under majestic oak trees with your favorite beverage. Easy I-8 access puts you close to everything, while the setting itself feels worlds away. Make it your primary residence, your retreat, or your work from home nest.

27544 Old Highway 80, Descanso
$295,000
2 Beds ⋅ 1 Baths ⋅ NDP2604456 MLS ⋅ Active Status
Privacy and independence! Fully off-grid cabin nestled between great oaks and a year-round stream. Property has two APNs, over half an acre: space for homesteading, animals, and projects. Built in 2015 as 500 sqft with vaulted ceilings and a loft bedroom, permit application and construction started to expand to 725 sqft with 620 sqft of decking. Downstairs consists of two living/family rooms plus a bathroom with rock/tile shower and space for composting/cassette toilet. Indoor staircase under construction. Working outhouse, with septic design for the house approved and perc test complete. Powered by a 2.3 kw solar array, fully owned, with 16-battery bank; NO ELECTRIC BILL! Two more dedicated panels for water heater. 5,000 gal water tank, water delivery available, with scanning and research completed for drilling a well. Satellite internet installed (Viasat). Everything needed for rustic living already in place, with major progress toward modernizing. Seller had to stop mid-project for personal reasons, now yours to finish. All this independence doesn't mean being off the map, though. Just minutes from the I-8 freeway, from Descanso's dining, schools, feed store, and entertainment, hardware store in Guatay, groceries and library in Pine Valley. 2.5 miles to nearest fire station. 25 mins to historic Julian, to fishing and kayaking on Lake Cuyamaca, and to views of the superblooms in Anza-Borrego State Park from Mt. Laguna. Property is priced to sell, comes with all plans for septic, well, and finishing construction, some permit fees already paid.

26779 Old Highway 80, Descanso
$2,825,000
5 Beds ⋅ 5 Baths ⋅ 260010615SD MLS ⋅ Active Status
Most homes greet you at a front door. This one greets you in a courtyard — mature trees overhead, a wood-burning fireplace, the soft movement of water — and asks you to slow down before you’ve even arrived. This is a property designed with intention — where every detail, from the locally sourced wood beams overhead to the alder-trimmed doors and walls of French doors, was chosen to create something that feels less like a house and more like a state of mind. Light moves through the space differently here. So does time. The heart of the home is a chef’s kitchen that flows seamlessly into living, dining, and outdoor spaces — appointed with a walk-in butler’s pantry, and anchored by a handcrafted staircase that connects the home’s generous layout. Four fireplaces add warmth and character throughout. The first floor presents a formal living room, a full guest suite, a private office, and an indoor current pool — a rare amenity that transforms the daily ritual of movement into something genuinely restorative, regardless of the season. Beyond the residence, a detached workshop powered by a 600-amp commercial-grade meter stands ready for any creative or professional endeavor at the highest level. Oversized garages, open land, and thoughtful utility infrastructure support a property built not just for living, but for building something meaningful. The equestrian facilities are equally serious: three stables, two tack rooms, a lighted 100’ x 200’ arena, and a 60’ round pen — a complete, competition-ready setup on land near Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and its 100+ miles of riding trail Thriving oaks, mature fruit trees, owned solar, and 8.56 private acres partly bordered by forest service land complete an estate that is as rare as it is refined. To live here is not simply to own a remarkable property. It is to inhabit a way of life that most people only imagine. Now entertaining offers between $2,825,000 and $2,900,000.

23835 Viejas Grade, Descanso
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Based on information from California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. as of . This information is for your personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties you may be interested in purchasing. Display of MLS data is usually deemed reliable but is NOT guaranteed accurate by the MLS. Buyers are responsible for verifying the accuracy of all information and should investigate the data themselves or retain appropriate professionals. Information from sources other than the Listing Agent may have been included in the MLS data. Unless otherwise specified in writing, Broker/Agent has not and will not verify any information obtained from other sources. The Broker/Agent providing the information contained herein may or may not have been the Listing and/or Selling Agent.